1 7 th ▁century , ▁the ▁high land ▁kingdom ▁of ▁I mer ina ▁was ▁initially ▁a ▁minor ▁power ▁relative ▁to ▁the ▁larger ▁coast al ▁kingdom s ▁and ▁grew ▁even ▁we aker ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁when ▁King ▁And ri am as in aval ona ▁divided ▁it ▁among ▁his ▁four ▁sons . ▁Following ▁almost ▁a ▁century ▁of ▁war ring ▁and ▁fam ine , ▁I mer ina ▁was ▁reun ited ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 3 ▁by ▁King ▁And rian am po in imer ina ▁( 1 7 8 7 – 1 8 1 0 ). ▁From ▁his ▁initial ▁capital ▁Am bo him anga , ▁and ▁later ▁from ▁the ▁R ova ▁of ▁Ant an an ar ivo , ▁this ▁Mer ina ▁king ▁rapidly ▁expanded ▁his ▁rule ▁over ▁neighbor ing ▁principal ities . ▁His ▁amb ition ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁entire ▁island ▁under ▁his ▁control ▁was ▁largely ▁achieved ▁by ▁his ▁son ▁and ▁successor , ▁King ▁Rad ama ▁I ▁( 1 8 1 0 – 2 8 ), ▁who ▁was ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁as ▁King ▁of ▁Mad agas car . ▁Rad ama ▁concluded ▁a ▁treat y ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 7 ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁governor ▁of ▁Maur it ius ▁to ▁abol ish ▁the ▁luc r ative ▁slave ▁trade ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁British ▁military ▁and ▁financial ▁assistance . ▁Art isan ▁mission ary ▁en vo ys ▁from ▁the ▁London ▁Mission ary ▁Society ▁began ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 8 ▁and ▁included ▁such ▁key ▁figures ▁as ▁James ▁Camer on , ▁David ▁Jones