In 1750 a French vessel anchored off the east coast of Madagascar. The men on board carried orders from Île de France (Mauritius) to finalize an agreement with the king of Foulpointe, “Tamsimalo” (Ratsimilaho), and form a settlement on his lands. The French sought a base from which to organize the export of rice, cattle, and slaves to the Mascarene Islands of France and Bourbon Réunion. Despite the failure of earlier French attempts in settling Madagascar, Mascarene officials were motivated by the belief that finally gaining a foothold on the large island would ensure the success of their commercial operations in the Indian Ocean.

When foreigners arrived at Foulpointe, Ratsimilaho, clothed in European garments, greeted them in either French or English. His wives, many as fair-skinned as Ratsimilaho, were also well dressed and likely spoke some English and French as well. Ratsimilaho, his queens, and other elites in eastern Madagascar claimed to be descendants of Anglo-American pirates who had resided on the island during the late seventeenth century. By 1750 these pirates had dispersed, but their influence was still present in the names and titles assumed by rulers in eastern Madagascar. Ratsimilaho was the head of an expansive state, later known as the Betsimisaraka (meaning the “Many that shall not be separated”) Confederation, that dominated the export commerce for much of eastern Madagascar.

Guillaume Gosse, the primary negotiator in 1750, appeared convinced that he would have little trouble in establishing a French settlement in the region, as Ratsimilaho had earlier indicated that he would be amenable to such a proposal. The French hoped to land colonists on the small island of Sainte Marie [Nosy Boraha]. The narrow island was about twenty miles long, but only a few miles wide, and visible from the shores of eastern Madagascar. It would serve as a secure landing spot for French personnel. With the labour of enslaved men and women who could be purchased on the main island, the land of Sainte Marie would be made to produce cotton, tobacco, and sugar for export— or so some French optimistically hoped.