Forgotten Imperialism

Anne of Brittany, effectively the last Duchess of an independent Duchy of Brittany.

By the 15th century, France had been trying to incorporate Brittany into the kingdom for a while, while Anne's father, Duke Francis II, sought ways to stave off the French. It all depended upon Anne’s marriage. Francis sought to marry her to someone who could help preserve the Duchy’s independence, while the French crown sought a marriage that would aid French annexation of Brittany. Anne was engaged to Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor, but Charles VIII, King of France, had the marriage annulled and married her himself in 1491, making him effectively Duke of Brittany.

Their marriage contract decreed that the spouse whom outlived the other would retain possession of Brittany, and, that were Charles VIII to die without a male heir, Anne would marry his successor, giving France a second chance at annexation.

During the marriage, Anne was forbidden to use the title “Duchess of Brittany,” and was forced to name Charles VIII her perpetual representative.

Due to their marriage contract, when Charles VIII died in 1498, she was forced to marry the new King of France, Louis XII. He was already married, so while waiting for a Papal annulment, Anne began to take charge of the administration of Brittany.

Her new marriage was radically different from her last. Louis XII formally recognized her right to the title “Duchess of Brittany” and issued decisions in her name. Also, she ensured that her second child would inherit the Duchy of Brittany, not her first (who would be heir to the French crown) ensuring the Duchy’s continued survival. This clause would not be respected in the future.

Anne arranged the marriage of her second child, Claude, heiress of the Duchy of Brittany, to Charles of Austria. Though the marriage contract was signed, her second husband, Louis XII, the French King, cancelled the engagement and had Claude married to the heir to the French Throne, Francis I. In an effort to keep the Breton Duchy independent, Anne refused to sanction the marriage until she lay on her death bed.

Anne died in 1514. Her will stated that the Duchy of Brittany was to be inherited by her second daughter, Renee. Louis XII ignored this, confirmed Claude as the new Duchess of Brittany and had her married to Francis I the next year.

Statue of Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf, perhaps better known as Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, or Llywelyn the Last. He was the last sovereign Prince and King of an independent Wales before its conquest by England.

He was killed in 1282, during the English conquest, in an ambush - his severed head paraded around various locales in London. The majority of the remaining Gwynedd royal family were either killed outright, or died as captives of the English crown.

Said Muhamed, last Sultan of an independent Sultanate of Anjouan/Nzwani. France declared a Protectorate over the island in 1886. In 1909, he was forced to abdicate his throne in favor of French rule. The island was annexed by France in 1912, prompting opposition by the Sultan and those loyal to him. His forces were crushed and France continued with annexation.

Adrian Tsouli, last Malagasy Sultan of Mayotte.  He was coerced to sign the Treaty of April 1841 with France.  The treaty ceded the island to France in return for 5000 gold francs to be given to the King.

Salima Machamba bint Saidi Hamadi Makadara, better known as Ursule Salima Machamba, was the last Sultana/Queen of the independent Sultanate of Moheli, reigning from 1888-1909.

The French had declared a protectorate over the island Sultanate in 1886. She was then chosen as puppet queen by the French in 1888. In 1889 the island's French resident was abolished and the island was placed under Anjouan's residency. The Queen was then deposed when the island was officially annexed to France in 1909. She, and the royal household, were exiled to France, where she died in 1964.

Said Ali bin Said Omar, last Sultan of Bambao, and last Sultan Tibe, (paramount King) on the island of Grande Comore/Ngazidja.

In 1886, Ngazidja was comprised of 9 independent Sultanates, Bambao being just 1. Said Ali bin Said Omar usurped the other Sultanates, and signed a treaty with France, whereby France recognizes Bambao’s sovereignty over the whole of the island and Bambao becomes a protectorate of France.

In 1892, the Sultan was exiled to Reunion, and in 1908 the individual islands of the archipelago were lumped together into a single protectorate. In 1912, the islands were officially annexed by France and made a province of Madagascar.

Bust of Atamu Tekena, “King” of Rapa Nui from 1883 to 1892. Rapa Nui was annexed by Chile during his reign.

The position of ariki mau (high chief/king) had sat empty since the 1860’s, when the previous king was taken during Peruvian slave raids of the Polynesian islands. When colonial powers began to move towards annexation of Rapa Nui, in the 1880’s, it was decided that the island needed a central authority figure with whom to treat. The Bishop of Tahiti then crowned Atamu Tekena for this purpose. He was not of chiefly ancestry, and thus was not accepted as King by the Rapa Nui people. When Britain began moving towards annexation, Chile stepped in and swiftly annexed the island in 1888.

Using a treaty in both Rapa Nui & Spanish, the Chileans tricked Atamu Tekena into signing the island over to Chile. Whereas the Rapa Nui script promised friendship and protection, the Spanish script seized control of the island. He died in 1892.

Siaosi (George) Tupou II, 2nd King of Tonga. Tonga was declared a British Protectorate during his reign in 1905.

Aweijeda, later King Aweida, of Nauru.  King at the time of German annexation of the island in 1888. 

Princess Razafindrahety, later Queen Ranavalona III, was the last reigning Queen of the Kingdom of Madagascar.  The French stormed the capital, Antananarivo, in 1895, annexed the kingdom in 1896, and deposed the Queen in 1897 before exiling her.

Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau, first & last Tui Viti (paramount chief/King) of a unified Fiji.  An American attempt at annexation led him to cede the islands to Britain in 1874.