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Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Ranavalona III/archive1

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The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Ian Rose 05:18, 15 May 2012 [1].

Ranavalona III

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Ranavalona III (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)

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Nominator(s): Lemurbaby (talk) 05:23, 12 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

This is Queen Ranavalona III, the last monarch of the sovereign Kingdom of Madagascar. She was selected by Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony to serve as queen at the tender age of 22, and after the French attacked her palace and seized control of the country in September 1895, she remained the traditional figurehead of power for two more years. She was then exiled to Reunion, then afterward Algeria, where she died in her fifties without ever being given permission by France to visit her homeland again. I believe I've covered her life completely and hope you'll enjoy reading the article. Thanks for your comments and feedback. Lemurbaby (talk) 05:23, 12 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Prose comments
  • "Ranavalona is said to have" but by whom?
  • Patrimonio and Riot are introduced without any explanation of who they are. A prefatory "French negotiators" or similar might be helpful.
  • exequator was a new one on me, maybe that could benefit from explanation?
  • "the conclusion of diplomatic relations" can have more than one meaning.
  • Both "the Queen" and "the queen" are used.
Image review

Two potential problems:

  • You're correct, but since it's been more than 70 years since the image was produced, it is in the public domain in Madagascar. I will correct the authorship information. Lemurbaby (talk) 04:40, 16 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry to drop in, but the latter file must also be licensed for use in the United States. The tag mentions a 1995 law – so a URAA tag may be appropriate (commons:URAA). You'll need to have a look. Grandiose (me, talk, contribs) 20:55, 18 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Since we can't know the death date of the creator, it won't be in the public domain until almost 30 years from now. The photo quality wasn't perfect (blurry obstruction in the foreground) so I removed it. Lemurbaby (talk) 07:03, 23 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Source review/spot check
  • The source provided for "Ranavalona III was proclaimed Queen upon the death of her predecessor, Queen Ranavalona II, on July 30, 1883" actually says July 13. — Preceding unsigned comment added by DrKiernan (talk • contribs)
  • The source provided for "In 1887 the French re-initiated hostilities by launching a series of attacks against several coastal towns and seaports. This prompted the queen to solicit the support of the United States in preserving Madagascar's sovereignty by sending gifts to then-President Grover Cleveland, including silk akotofahana cloths, an ivory pin and a woven basket." actually says 1886 and French "designs". It says nothing about attacks.
  • I don't see how the source provided for "The question of rightful claim to the governance of Madagascar became confused even further." supports the sentence.
  • The material from Campbell (1991) is correctly represented.
  • The source provided for "Hostilities culminated in the May 1885 bombardment of the northwestern coast and occupation of Mahajanga by the French." actually says May 1883. It doesn't support the material in the succeeding sentences either. For example, the article says an indemnity of 1.5 million francs was levied but the source says 10 million.
  • There are several different attacks described in that source. On the page cited, the source does in fact support the content. For greater clarity I've now specified the attacks were in February and the occupation was in May. Lemurbaby (talk) 07:33, 23 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • I missed the 1.5 million francs somehow, but the year still seems to be 1883 rather than 1885. I guess that's just a typo? What of Baudais and the ratification of the treaty in January 1886? These items don't appear to be in Priestley? DrKiernan (talk) 18:09, 25 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Okay, I've double-checked the sources and made some edits that clarify the timeline (and you were right about the 1883/85 - it's now been corrected). 50.135.12.28 (talk) 16:46, 30 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • For "These initial attacks were followed in May 1895 by the arrival of a flying column that immediately began a long and arduous march toward Antananarivo. Many French soldiers lost their lives to malaria and other diseases over the following months, necessitating several thousand reinforcements drawn from French colonies in Algeria and Sub-Saharan Africa." I see nothing in the source (given at the end of the paragraph) for May (although "dry season" is given) nor anything about malaria specifically (although it does say fever, and makes a point of mentioning the swamp) nor anything about the ethnic composition of the troops nor the need for reinforcement. I believe it's fine for "The column..." onwards; you might say "late September" to be more specific. DrKiernan (talk) 14:36, 14 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for all your helpful comments and taking the time to do this detailed source and image review, Dr. Kiernan! Lemurbaby (talk) 16:23, 9 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

So far so good on prose per standard disclaimer, down to where I stopped, about two-thirds of the way, at Ranavalona_III#Reunion Island. - Dank (push to talk) 18:17, 30 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks for your copy edit and support, Dank! Lemurbaby (talk) 16:23, 9 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]
My pleasure, great article. - Dank (push to talk) 16:50, 9 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]


The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
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