Editing History of Madagascar (section)

==French colonization==
{{See also|1904–1905 uprising in Madagascar|Madagascar in World War II|Malagasy Uprising}}
[[File:LaGuerreAMadagascar.jpg|thumb|Poster of the French war in Madagascar]]
In 1750, the ruler of the Kingdom of Betsimisaraka, [[Bety of Betsimisaraka]], ceded the island [[Île Sainte-Marie|Nosy Boraha (Île Sainte-Marie)]] to the [[Kingdom of France]]. However, in 1752 the French Colonists were massacred when the local population rebelled. France left the settlement abandoned for roughly half a century until returning in 1818.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.princesse-bora.com/history-sainte-marie/ |title = History of the Sainte-Marie island {{!}} Princesse Bora Lodge & Spa}}</ref>

In 1840 [[Tsiomeko of Boina|Tsiomeko]], the ruler of [[Nosy Be]] island, accepted French protection in 1840. The French took possession of the island in 1841, and in 1849 an unsuccessful attempt was made to expel them.<ref>[https://theodora.com/encyclopedia/n/nossibe.html Nossi-Be]</ref>

In the [[Treaty of Berlin (1885)|Berlin Treaty]], the British accepted the claims of France to exert its influence on Madagascar, and after [[First Madagascar expedition|the first Franco-Hova War]]a treaty of alliance between France and [[Madagascar]] was signed on 17 December 1885 by Queen [[Ranavalona III]], granting France a protectorate over the [[Antsiranana|Diego-Suarez bay and surrounding territory]], as well as the islands of Nosy-Be and Île Sainte-Marie.

Disagreements on the implementation of this treaty served as a pretext for the French invasion of 1895, which first met little resistance. The authority of the prime minister [[Rainilaiarivony]], in power since 1864, had become very unpopular with the public.

The British accepted the imposition of a French [[Malagasy Protectorate|protectorate]] over Madagascar in 1890 in return for recognition of British sovereignty over [[Sultanate of Zanzibar|Zanzibar]] (subsequently part of [[Tanzania]]) and as part of an overall definition of spheres of influence in the area.<ref>See Allen and Covell, ''Historical Dictionary of Madagascar'', pgs. xxx–xxxi</ref> The intention of the French was initially to maintain the protectorate in order to control the economy and foreign relations of the island. But later, the outbreak of the [[Menalamba rebellion]] and the arrival of General [[Joseph Gallieni|Gallieni]] (responsible for "pacifying" the country) in 1896 led to the [[French Madagascar|colonization of the island]] and the exile of the queen to [[Algeria]].

In 1904–1905 Madagascar was the scene of a [[1904–1905 uprising in Madagascar|large-scale uprising by various tribes and tribal leaders]], among whom Kotavy, a former French corporal who defected to the rebels, filled a preponderant role.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Mutibwa|first=Phares M.|date=1980|journal=Transafrican Journal of History|volume=9|issue=1/2|pages=134–152|issn=0251-0391|jstor=24328554|title=Resistance to Colonialism: The Revolt of 1904—5 in South-East Madagascar}}</ref>

Malagasy troops fought in France, [[Morocco]], and [[Syria]] during [[World War II]]. Prior to the implementation of the [[Final Solution]], [[Nazi Germany]] had considered the [[Madagascar Plan]], which would have relocated [[European Jews]] to Madagascar. After France fell to the Germans in 1940, the [[Vichy France|Vichy]] government administered Madagascar until 1942, when British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] troops occupied the strategic island in the [[Battle of Madagascar]]. The United Kingdom handed over control of the island to [[Free French Forces]] in 1943.