▁the ▁course ▁of ▁Rain il ai ar iv ony ' s ▁ 3 1 - year ▁ten ure ▁as ▁prime ▁minister , ▁numerous ▁policies ▁were ▁adopted ▁to ▁modern ize ▁and ▁cons olid ate ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁government . ▁School s ▁were ▁constructed ▁throughout ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁attend ance ▁was ▁made ▁mand atory . ▁Army ▁organization ▁was ▁improved ▁and ▁British ▁consult ants ▁were ▁employed ▁to ▁train ▁and ▁professional ize ▁soldiers . ▁Pol yg amy ▁was ▁out la wed ▁and ▁Christian ity , ▁declared ▁the ▁official ▁religion ▁of ▁the ▁court ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 , ▁was ▁adopted ▁alongside ▁traditional ▁belief s ▁among ▁a ▁growing ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁popul ace . ▁Leg al ▁codes ▁were ▁reform ed ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁British ▁common ▁law ▁and ▁three ▁European - style ▁courts ▁were ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁capital ▁city . ▁In ▁his ▁joint ▁role ▁as ▁Commander - in - Ch ief , ▁Rain il ai ar iv ony ▁also ▁successfully ▁ens ured ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁Mad agas car ▁against ▁several ▁French ▁colonial ▁inc urs ions . ▁ ▁French ▁colon ization ▁▁▁▁ ▁Prim arily ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁that ▁the ▁Lam bert ▁Char ter ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁respect ed , ▁France ▁inv aded ▁Mad agas car ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁in ▁what ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁Franco - H ova ▁War . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁Mad agas car ▁c eded ▁the ▁northern ▁port ▁town ▁of ▁An ts ir an ana ▁( D iego ▁Su are z ) ▁to ▁France ▁and