reigned central highlands region madagascar despite younger king sons succeeded throne basis strength character skill military celebrated accomplishment reign capture hill king established fortified compound form heart new capital city orders structures fortified compound known constructed traditional royal houses built plans series royal tombs designed buildings took enduring political spiritual significance ensuring preservation destroyed fire obtained sizable firearms gunpowder materials helped establish preserve dominance expand rule greater cultural practices define social political life centuries credited designated sacred hills spiritual political empire contributing establishment kingdom traditional boundaries clans assigned specific regions kingdom defining cultural landscape consolidated power measures folk tradition community ensuring powers traditionally attributed idols control sovereign traditions related burial mourning traced reign early life second son ruler central highlands madagascar young man married daughter marriage produced daughter son rule father actively involved providing support father military campaigns expand defend realm oral history describes incident engaged defense capital threatened advance warriors reportedly suggested innovative defensive tactic enemy filling town defensive trenches cow rice lighting fire covering burnt rice area resembled patch land recently cleared planting slash burn agriculture enemy troops reportedly marched trap sinking burning death oral history provides different accounts succession throne according popular legend devised test determine sons fit rule summon join capital sons reached inherit kingdom account legend reportedly win difficult game refused admit audience royal messenger game delay older brother received father message rushed home awarded title kingdom tale continues claim power rejected public soon forced throne alternate account succession tale said preoccupied game version keeping oral tradition credits game invention court refusal return father game finished led choose successor source states summons test occurred aforementioned incident besieged capital warriors genuinely need sons assistance generally accepted historians succeed throne older brother claim rejected public speculation royal summons aside chosen based simple fact son wife father established rules succession son wife rule father order fulfill mandate established passing favor younger brother partially establishment royal tradition maintaining reigning descendants henceforth required marry princess directly descended preserving royal status descendants brothers reign moved capital ascending throne reportedly leader receive europeans traded slaves exchange guns firearms aid rival obtaining guns barrels gunpowder equip army unified later designated sacred hills hills remain spiritual heart expanded century later redesignated sacred hills include different sites policies tactics highlighted increased separation king subjects transformed social divisions spatial divisions assigning clan specific geographical region kingdom demonstration royal power local tradition previously created village chiefs personal local spiritual ends restricting number declaring creation strictly royal king imposed intimidating change traditional form justice trial ordeal ordered poison accused person determine innocence creature survival poison instead accused founding according commanded garrison soldiers seize hill metres sea level highest strategically important region inhabitants constructed royal fortified compound capitol new town site named city thousand honor thousand soldiers aided capturing protecting hill reportedly succeeded minimal according oral history army foot sufficient secure submission capital realm position atop placed exert control vast plains command plains gradually transformed vast surplus producing rice feat accomplished large numbers able bodied subjects construct enabled controlled flooding planted areas fortified compound came known constituted heart newly founded city prior rule shifted capital town establishment peak capital ultimately 19th century kingdom madagascar generations heart town built stages army cleared forest covering hill summit constructed compound serve initial garrison traditional style wooden house served residence king soon houses constructed designated construction space design row royal tombs keeping aristocratic tradition structure compound given row tombs named seven aligned tombs tomb constructed according account royal house constructed named great breadth served personal residence account contradicted source states second houses called characterized personal residence leaving precise origins unclear structures preserved maintained centuries successive generations structures deep symbolic spiritual meaning residence particularly significant original building torn reconstructed design inhabited building turn personal residence king likewise inhabited building time designated building site house came known formal european style school building mortal remains displayed burial rendering official state room civil affairs regarded throne kingdom death succession rule continued death king buried grounds tomb forming commemorate greatness subjects erected small wooden house called tomb future nobles continued construct similar tomb houses tombs 19th century according oral history institution lengthy formal mourning periods deceased begun death succeeded son
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