A pirate's tomb at the Sainte-Marie cemetery. On December 3, 1966, archivist-paleographer Jean Valette delivered a lecture on diplomatic relations between Madagascar and the United States, marking the 100th anniversary of these ties. He began by noting that it is not currently possible to fix a precise date for the beginning of American-Malagasy relations. They were primarily commercial in nature and "not always honest," which is why they leave few traces in official or private archives.

Valette cited an article published in the "Proceedings of the Maritime History Congress" in Lourenço-Marquez in 1962. The author, Rev. Hardyman, highlighted one aspect of American-Malagasy relations: the slave trade to the Americas. His conclusions remain "fragmentary."

Another aspect of American commercial activities in the Indian Ocean and Madagascar involved piracy, which flourished in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. "As far as can be determined, certain American houses appear to have specialized in disposing of goods that pirates unlawfully appropriated through the plundering of unfortunate ships they encountered." In a similar but more honest vein, Valette noted that the islands of France and Bourbon survived the Napoleonic Wars despite the British blockade, thanks to American ships that enjoyed neutral status, purchased French privateers' prizes, and sold them essential goods in return.

During the 18th century, trading houses dealing with Madagascar were based on the American East Coast, particularly in New England, specifically in Salem. "We are naturally unable to determine the extent and nature of this trade, or even its mechanisms. But we can assume this trade had reached considerable importance, since immediately after the War of Independence, we witness a genuine attempt by American business circles to establish themselves politically in Madagascar," the archivist-paleographer noted.

He then addressed the case of Count Maurice de Benyowski, a Polish-Hungarian aristocrat who established a settlement in Madagascar in 1774 in the name of the French king and, according to Valette, managed to have himself recognized as king of the entire island. The attempt failed for multiple reasons, and to clear himself, the count had to return to Europe, where the Court of Versailles showed little interest in repeating the adventure. Benyowski sought another backer elsewhere, turning to the young United States Republic, specifically to American merchants seeking new markets. He had greater success, at least initially, according to his Memoirs.

Accompanied by his family and a few associates, he set sail for Maryland on April 14, 1784. He arrived in Baltimore on July 8 with a cargo loaded in London "consisting of various articles for Madagascar. Two reasons appear to have prevented him and his friends from heading directly to the Great Island." First, he could not obtain the flag of any European power. Second, he hoped that American merchants, whose affairs were disrupted by the costs of their independence struggle and the significant loss of their colonial privileges in trade with France, would be eager to welcome the prospect of a new commercial channel.

His hopes proved well-founded, as a Baltimore trading house was determined to support his plans and provided him with an armed vessel equipped with large and small cannons. "The Intrepid" left the city on October 25, 1784. Before departure, the entire crew swore an oath of loyalty and submitted to the count's absolute command. "But ultimately, after several incidents where fault appeared mutual, Benyowski's second attempt ended in failure."

With the 19th century, the history of American-Malagasy relations becomes more certain. From 1824 onward, documents from various sources—Mauritian, Malagasy, and American—allow for a better understanding of these relations, placing them in a broader context and even studying the repercussions these relations experienced amid the often tense vicissitudes of Madagascar's relations with European powers.

Pela Ravalitera