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Ranavalona I (born Rabodoandrianampoinimerina; 1778 – August 16, 1861), was sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar from 1828 to 1861. After positioning herself as queen following the death of her young husband, Radama I, Ranavalona pursued a policy of isolationism and self-sufficiency, reducing economic and political ties with European powers, repelling a French attack on the coastal town of Foulpointe, and taking vigorous measures to eradicate the small but growing Malagasy Christian movement. She made heavy use of the traditional practice of fanompoana (forced labor as tax payment) to complete public works projects and develop a standing army of between 20,000 and 30,000 Merina soldiers, whom she deployed to pacify outlying regions of the island and further expand the realm. Ranavalona's European contemporaries generally condemned her policies and characterized her as a tyrant at best and insane at worst. Recent academic research has recast Ranavalona's actions as those of a queen protecting Malagasy sovereignty against the encroachment of European influence.