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Countess redirects here. For other meanings see Countess (disambiguation) A count is a Nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British Earl , whose wife is also still a "countess" (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). The word ''count'' comes from French ''comte'', itself from Latin '' Comes ''— in its Accusative ''comitem''— meaning "companion, bound (by oath)", and later "bound to the emperor, delegate of the emperor". DEFINITION Main article: Comes In the late was made emperor in the West in 467, he was military ''comes'' charged with strengthening defenses on the Danube frontier {Link without Title} . Military counts in the Late Empire and the Germanic successor kingdoms were often appointed by a '' Dux '' and later by a king. From the start the count was in military charge, not of a roving warband, but settled in a locality, a Countship , his main rival for power being the Bishop , whose Diocese was often coterminous. In many Germanic and Frankish kingdoms in the early held positions of trust with Theodoric, as ''comes rerum privatarum'', in charge of the imperial lands, then of ''comes sacrarum largitionum'' (concerned with the strictly monetary fiscal matters of the realm) {Link without Title} , The position of ''comes'' was originally not hereditary, but by developing a local power base, many counts were able to make it a hereditary title—though not always. For instance, in Piast Poland , the position of ''komes'' was not hereditary, resembling the early Merovingian institution. The title had disappeared by the era of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , and the office replaced with other institutions. Only after the Partitions Of Poland did the title of "count" re-surface in the German-derived title ''hrabia.''
COMITAL TITLES IN DIFFERENT EUROPEAN LANGUAGES The following lists are originally based on a Glossary on Heraldica.org by Alexander Krischnig. The male form is followed by the female, and when available, by the territorial circonscription Etymological derivations from the Latin ''Comes'' Etymological parallels of the German ''Graf'' (some unclear) Compound and Related titles Apart from all these, a few unusual titles have been of comital rank, not necessarily to remain there.
LISTS OF COUNTSHIPS <!--PREFERABLY WEIGHTED LISTS OF MAJOR COUNTS AND INTERESTING PARTICULARITIES--> Territory of today's France West- Francia proper Since King Louis VII (1137-80), the highest precedence amongst the vassals ( Prince-bishop s and secular nobility) of the French crown was enjoyed by those whose benefice or temporal fief was a ''pairie'', i.e. carried the exclusive rank of '' Pair ''; within the first (i.e. clerical) and second (noble) estates, the first three of the original twelve ''anciennes pairies'' were ducal, the next three comital '' Comté-pairie s'':
Later other countships (and duchies, even baronies) have been raised to this French peerage, but mostly as Apanage s (for members of the royal house) or for foreigners; after the 16th century all new peerages were always duchies and the medieval countship-peerages had died out, or were held by royal princes Other French countships of note included those of:
Parts of today's France long within other kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire ''See also above for parts of present France'' In Germany :See also , Landgraf , Reichsgraf ; compare Markgraf , Pfalzgraf In Italy The title of ''Conte'' is very prolific on the peninsula, and modern counts occupy the position in rural society comparable to an English squire, members of rural Gentry . In the 11th century however, ''conti'' like the Count of Savoia or the Norman Count of Apulia, were virtually sovereign lords of broad territories. The essential title of a feudatory, introduced by the Normans, was ''signore'', modelled on the French ''seigneur'', used with the name of the Fief . By the 14th century, ''conte'' and the Imperial title ''barone'' were virtually synonymous, but some titles of count, according to the particulars of the patent, might be inherited, unlike other Italian titles, by all the male heirs. Other younger brothers might be distinguished as "X dei conti de Y" ("X of the counts of Y"). The Papacy and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies might appoint counts palatine with no particular territorial fief. Until 1812 in some regions, the purchaser of land designated "feudal" was ennobled by the noble seat that he held and became a ''conte''. This practice ceased with the formal abolition of feudalism in the various principalities of early-19th century Italy, last of all in the Papal States . Many Italian counts left their mark on Italian history as individuals, yet only a few ''contadi'' (countships; the word contadini for its inhabitants was even used pejoratively like 'peasant', as most were really minor rural lordships) were politically significant principalities, notably :
=Roman count Count is one of the nobiliary titles granted by the Pope Of Rome as temporal Sovereign (of the Papal State ), and is thus often known as ''Roman count''. The title, which can be for life or hereditary, has been awarded since the Middle ages, mostly to foreigners, and the pope continued to grant titles even after 1870 and the loss of most of the Papal territory. By the Lateran Accord of 1929, the Italian government recognized and confirmed the pope's power to grant titles, and the titles granted by the Pope were considered equivalent to Italian titles, contrary to which it had never been abolished. However, the title has not been granted since Pope Pius XII . In Austria The principalities tended to start out as margraviate and/or (promoted to) duchy, and became nominal archduchies within the Habsburg dynasty; noteworthy are: In the Low Countries Apart from various small ones, significant were :
In other continental European countries In Switzerland In Iberia As opposed to the plethora of hollow 'gentry' counts, only a few countships ever were important; most territory was firmly within the reconquista kingdoms before counts could become important:
Crusader states
EQUIVALENTS The word ''Count'' is also used, somewhat conventionally, to render in English (as in other western languages) various ranks and offices in non-christian -mainly oriental- cultures, such as that of Japan under the Shogunate . SEE ALSO
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