Not to be confused with Mirena.

The Merina is the largest ethnic group in Madagascar. Boasting a population of 3 million, which equals to about one-quarter of the country's population, they speak a Malayo-Polynesian tongue and are concentrated in the central highlands.

Their ancestors, the Austronesians, migrated from the Malay archipelago (Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Malaysia) around the beginning of the common era. Today, the Austronesians features of the Merina are still quite visible .

In the late 18th century rulers from the Merina aristocracy began to assert political domination over much of the island. In 1895-96 the French abolished the Merina monarchy by force.

The Merina Kingdom

The Merina kingdom in the central highlands of Madagascar, a state of rice-farmers, had lived in relative isolation from the rest of Madagascar for several centuries, but by 1824 the Merina had conquered nearly all of Madagascar ? thanks to the leadership of two shrewd kings, Andrianampoinimerina (circa 1785 ? 1810) and his son Radama I (1792 ? 1828). The kingdom's contact with French and later British powers helped to modernize the state allowing its very capable leaders to build schools and an impressive modern army. But the peace and stability of the Merina kingdom would come to an end wit the first Franco-Hova War. At the war?s end, Madagascar ceded Antsiranana (Diégo Suarez) on the northern coast to France and paid 560,000 gold francs to the heirs of Joseph-François Lambert. In Europe, meanwhile, diplomats partitioning the African continent worked out an agreement whereby Britain, in order to obtain the Sultanate of Zanzibar, ceded its rights over Heligoland to Germany and renounced all claims to Madagascar in favor of France. The agreement spelled doom for the independence of Madagascar.

In 1895, a French flying-column landed in Mahajanga (Majunga) and marched by way of the Betsiboka River to the capital, Antananarivo, taking the city?s defenders by surprise. They had expected an attack from the much closer east coast. Twenty French soldiers died fighting and 6,000 died of malaria and other diseases before the second Franco-Hova War ended. In 1896 the French Parliament voted to annex Madagascar. The 103-year-old Merina monarchy ended with the royal family sent to exile in Algeria.

Caste System

Among all the Malagasy ethnicities, the Merina historically have one of the most stratified caste systems. In general they are divided into three classes : the Andriana (Nobles), the Hova (masses), and the Andevo (slaves). Each class is then hierarchically divided into sub classes.

The Andriana are divided into seven from the highest ranking to the lowest as follows :

• Zanakandriana (the reigning Royal House).
• Zazamarolahy.
• Andriamasinavalona.
• Andriantopokoindrndra.
• Andrianamboninolona.
• Andriandranado.
• Zanadralambo, of Andrianjaka.

See also

• Malagasy
• Merina Kingdom

References

External links

• The Merina nation
• Merina royal family

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