The Berlin Conference: How Africa Was Partitioned — Fexingo History

The Berlin Conference and the Madagascar Protectorate

7 min · 5. juni 2026
episode The Berlin Conference and the Madagascar Protectorate cover

Description

Episode 79 of The Berlin Conference series turns to Madagascar, an island kingdom that European powers had largely bypassed during the early scramble. Lucas and Luna explore how the Merina monarchy under Ranavalona III and Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony attempted to modernise and resist French encroachment. They examine the Treaty of Tamatave in 1885, which ceded Diego-Suarez to France and forced a crippling indemnity, and the subsequent Franco-Hova Wars. Lucas explains the role of the Merina army's British-trained officers and the strategic calculation behind French colonisation—how Madagascar became a protectorate in 1895 after the fall of Antananarivo. The conversation highlights the hypocrisy of the Berlin Conference's 'effective occupation' principle, as France claimed sovereignty over an island with a functioning state. Along the way, they touch on the impact of the slave trade on Malagasy society, the island's unique language and culture, and the fate of Queen Ranavalona. A little-known chapter of the scramble that challenges the narrative of empty land waiting to be claimed. #Madagascar #BerlinConference #RanavalonaIII #Rainilaiarivony #FrancoHovaWars #MerinaKingdom #Antananarivo #DiegoSuarez #TamataveTreaty #ScrambleForAfrica #FrenchEmpire #EffectiveOccupation #Malagasy #Indemnity #Protectorate #ColonialHistory #AfricanHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

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124 episodes

episode The Berlin Conference: How the Scramble for Africa Began artwork

The Berlin Conference: How the Scramble for Africa Began

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Berlin Conference of 1884–85, the diplomatic turning point that triggered the Scramble for Africa. They discuss the key figures like Otto von Bismarck and King Leopold II, the principle of 'effective occupation', and the arbitrary borders drawn across the continent. The episode also examines the conference's legacy, including its role in the colonization of the Congo and the lasting impact on African state boundaries today. Specific terms like the General Act, the Congo River basin, and the concept of 'spheres of influence' are covered, providing a concrete understanding of how Europe carved up Africa without any African representation. #BerlinConference #ScrambleForAfrica #OttoVonBismarck #KingLeopoldII #CongoFreeState #EffectiveOccupation #GeneralAct #Colonialism #Imperialism #Africa #1884 #1885 #CongoRiver #SpheresOfInfluence #PartitionOfAfrica #EuropeanHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

27. juni 20267 min
episode The Bombardment of Algiers 1830: Prelude to Empire artwork

The Bombardment of Algiers 1830: Prelude to Empire

In 1830, a French fleet under Admiral Duperré bombarded Algiers, exploiting the Fly Whisk Incident as a pretext. This episode unpacks the military campaign, the fall of the Casbah, and the underlying motives of King Charles X, who sought to distract from domestic unrest. We explore the role of janissaries, the Ottoman Regency's decline, and how this invasion set a pattern for later African colonization. With the European powers already jockeying for position, the attack on Algiers foreshadowed the 'scramble' mentality that would crystallize at the Berlin Conference half a century later. #History #FexingoHistory #Algiers1830 #BombardmentOfAlgiers #France #CharlesX #AdmiralDuperre #SidiFerruch #Casbah #OttomanRegency #Janissaries #BarbaryCorsairs #Colonialism #ScrambleForAfrica #FlyWhiskIncident #EffectiveOccupation #PretextForWar #NorthAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

27. juni 20265 min
episode The Berlin Conference and the Bombardment of Algiers 1830 artwork

The Berlin Conference and the Bombardment of Algiers 1830

In 1830, a diplomatic insult—the so-called Fly Whisk Incident—gave Charles X of France the pretext he needed to invade Algiers. This episode traces the escalating tensions between the Dey of Algiers and the French government, the bombardment of Algiers by Admiral Duperré's fleet, and the landing at Sidi Ferruch. We explore how the invasion was driven more by French domestic politics than by the stated cause of honour, and how it set the stage for 132 years of French colonial rule in Algeria. Along the way, we meet figures like Dey Hussein, the last Ottoman ruler of Algiers, and General de Bourmont, whose campaign ended the regency. We also consider the broader context of European imperialism in North Africa and the Mediterranean—a story that echoes in the later Berlin Conference of 1884–85. #Algiers1830 #DeyHussein #FlyWhiskIncident #CharlesX #AdmiralDuperré #SidiFerruch #GeneralDeBourmont #SiegeOfAlgiers #BarbaryCorsairs #OttomanRegencyOfAlgiers #FrenchColonization #AlgeriaHistory #NineteenthCentury #EuropeanImperialism #MediterraneanHistory #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Yesterday8 min
episode The Berlin Conference and the Bombardment of Algiers 1816 artwork

The Berlin Conference and the Bombardment of Algiers 1816

In 1816, a joint British-Dutch fleet under Lord Exmouth bombarded Algiers, ending Barbary corsair attacks on European shipping. This episode explores the political context of the early 19th century Mediterranean, the Dey of Algiers, the role of the Philhelvetian (a captured brig), and the impact of the bombardment on the slave trade. We discuss the diplomacy, the ultimatum, the battle itself, and how this event shaped European intervention in North Africa, setting precedents for later colonial actions. #BarbaryCorsairs #LordExmouth #Algiers1816 #DeyOmarAgha #Philhelvetian #RoyalNavy #PaxBritannica #AngloDutchFleet #Slavery #Bombardment #NorthAfrica #OttomanEmpire #19thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #NavalWarfare #Diplomacy #Mediterranean Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Yesterday5 min
episode The Berlin Conference and the Herero-German War 1904 artwork

The Berlin Conference and the Herero-German War 1904

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a devastating conflict that unfolded in the wake of the Berlin Conference: the Herero-German War of 1904 in German South West Africa. They discuss how Germany's 'effective occupation' policy led to land dispossession, cattle theft, and the eruption of armed resistance under Herero chief Samuel Maharero. The conversation covers the Battle of Waterberg, the infamous 'extermination order' issued by General Lothar von Trotha, and the catastrophic retreat of the Herero into the Omaheke Desert. Lucas also examines the subsequent Nama uprising led by Hendrik Witbooi, the use of concentration camps, and the ongoing debate among historians over whether these events constitute the first genocide of the 20th century. The episode draws on primary sources, including von Trotha's own words and Herero oral accounts, to give listeners a nuanced understanding of this dark chapter in colonial history. #Herero #Nama #GermanSouthWestAfrica #SamuelMaharero #LotharvonTrotha #BattleofWaterberg #OmahekeDesert #Genocide #Colonialism #Africa #History #FexingoHistory #BerlinConference #Namibia #Schutztruppe #HendrikWitbooi #1904 #ConcentrationCamps Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

25. juni 20265 min