Andriana

With Madagascar, andriana is the generic term being used to indicate the “noble ones”, and more specifically, the sovereign.

At the Merina of the interior of the grounds, one also qualified andriana of many clannish groups ( taranaka or karazana ) whose ancestors founders had received in prerogative of the privileges for their descendants, either because of their relationship with the sovereign, or for rendered service. The members of these clans, being able to represent until a quarter of the whole of Merina, were then compelled with the Endogamie, the unions having to achieve itself only with the members of other clans andriana .

In the concept merina to be andriana means to belong at a given community. Andriana not being a title but a distinction " raciale". By extension, there are thus 3 principal great groups:

Andriana , Hova and Mainty

The andevo being excluded and could belong to the one of these 3 groups

In addition, these clans themselves were treated on a hierarchical basis, some being regarded as “elder” others. According to this order, most prestigious were the Zazamarolahy and the Andriamasinavalona, more narrowly related with the sovereign. Their members were the only ones who could have strongholds in Apanage. In a certain manner, their statute was thus a little comparable with that of noble Europeans.

The mass of the others andriana (Andriantompokoindrindra or zanatompo, Andrianamboninolona, Andriandranando and Zanadralambo) profited only from prerogatives symbolic systems or ritual. In the territories tardily integrated into Imerina other groups andriana were also often maintained, going down from the former local sovereigns.

At the beginning, it is the king Ralambo (16th century) who had instituted the first division between Hova and andriana . Thereafter, the system was restructured by the king Andriamasinavalona (17th century).

Andriana merina constitute a whole of groupings and clans, " communautés" having each one their tradtions, their grounds and their names. Here their hierarchy:

Zazamarolahy Andriamasinavalona

Will andriantompokoindrindra Andriandranandro Andrianamboninolona Zanadralambo

At the 19th century, the competition between the clans andriana and hova for the control of the capacity had become a true source of weakness, dividing interior the Royaume Merina.

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