Merindad

Merindad (Spanish pronunciation: [meɾinˈdað]) is a Mediaeval Spanish administrative term that refers to a country subdivision smaller than a province but larger than a municipality. The officer in charge of a merindad was called a merino, roughly equivalent to the English count or bailiff.

It was used in the kingdoms of Castile and Navarre. Connected to the birth of Castile, the Merindades, standing for a northernmost comarca of the province of Burgos, was part of the creation of the administrative division by King Pedro I.

Currently, the Foral Community of Navarre is still divided into five merindades standing for different judicial districts. The historic Merindad de Ultrapuertos lying to the north of the Pyrenees is nowadays Lower Navarre.

Administratively, they have been substituted by the partido judicial. In Biscay, the mancomunidades comarcales keep the place of the old merindades, such as Duranguesado.

Spanish terms for country subdivisions

National, Federal	Comunidad autónoma Departamento Distrito federal Estado Provincia Región

Regional, Metropolitan	Cantón Comarca Comuna Corregimiento Delegación Distrito Mancomunidad Merindad Municipalidad Municipio Parroquia Ecuador Spain

Urban, Rural	Aldea Alquería Anteiglesia Asentamiento Asentamiento informal Pueblos jóvenes Barrio Campamento Caserío Ciudad Ciudad autónoma Colonia Lugar Masía Población Ranchería Sitio Vereda Villa Village (Pueblito/Pueblo)

Historical subdivisions in italics.

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Merindad

See also