Merindad

Merindad (Spanish pronunciation:) is a mediaevalSpanish administrative term for 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 Englishcount or bailiff.

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