# Count

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Count
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Count.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count
> Source revision: 1344352580
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Nobility title in European countries

This article is about the title of nobility. For the Roman title, see [Comes](/source/Comes). For other uses, see [Count (disambiguation)](/source/Count_(disambiguation)).

"Countess" redirects here. For other uses, see [Countess (disambiguation)](/source/Countess_(disambiguation)).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Count" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Part of a series on Imperial, royal, noble, gentry and chivalric ranks in Europe Emperor, Empress dowager High king, High queen Great king, Great queen King consort dowager Queen regnant consort dowager mother Archduke, Archduchess Grand duke, Grand duchess Grand prince, Grand princess Prince consort Princess consort Duke, Duchess Knyaz, Knyaginya Fürst, Fürstin Herzog Jarl Prince-elector, Princess-elector Heir apparent presumptive Voivode Count palatine Marquess, Marchioness Margrave, Margravine Marcher lord Landgrave Boyar Count, Countess Earl Mormaer Ealdorman Viscount, Viscountess Castellan Burgrave, Burgravine Captal Vidame Starosta Baron, Baroness Lord of Parliament Lord paramount Overlord Tenant in chief Territorial lord Liege lord Mesne lord Lendmann Nobile Edler Primor Fidalgo Baronet, Baronetess Vavasour Imperial knight Knight/Chevalier Ritter Seigneur Knight bachelor Thane Druzhinnik Lord of the manor Vogt Esquire Gentleman, Gentlewoman Franklin Yeoman Man at arms Edelfrei Ministerialis v t e

Count [Carl Gustaf Mannerheim](/source/Carl_Gustaf_Mannerheim_(naturalist)) (1797–1854), the [governor](/source/Governor) of the [Vyborg Province](/source/Vyborg_Province), [entomologist](/source/Entomology) and the grandfather of [Baron](/source/Baron) [C. G. E. Mannerheim](/source/C._G._E._Mannerheim).

**Count** (feminine: **countess**) is a historical title of [nobility](/source/Nobility) in certain [European](/source/Europe) countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility.[1] Especially in earlier medieval periods the term often implied not only a certain status, but also that the *count* had specific responsibilities or offices. The etymologically related English term "[county](/source/County)" denoted the territories associated with some countships, but not all.

The title of *count* is typically not used in England or English-speaking countries, with the equivalent title *[earl](/source/Earl)* used instead. As a feminine form of *earl* never developed, the female equivalent *countess* is retained.

## Origin of the term

Main article: [Comes](/source/Comes)

The word *count* came into English from the [French](/source/French_language) **comte**, itself from [Latin](/source/Latin) **[comes](/source/Comes)**—in its [accusative](/source/Accusative_case) form *comitem*. In Latin, which continued to be used throughout the Middle Ages, the word literally meant "companion" or "attendant", and as a title it indicated that someone was delegated to represent the ruler.

In the late [Roman Empire](/source/Roman_Empire), the Latin title *comes* denoted the high rank of various courtiers and provincial officials, either military or administrative. Before [Anthemius](/source/Anthemius) became emperor in the West in 467, he was a military *comes* charged with strengthening defenses on the [Danube](/source/Danube) frontier.[2]

In the [Western Roman Empire](/source/Western_Roman_Empire), "count" came to indicate generically a military commander[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] but was not a specific rank. In the [Eastern Roman Empire](/source/Eastern_Roman_Empire), from about the seventh century, "count" was a specific rank indicating the commander of two *[centuriae](/source/Centuria)* (i.e., 200 men).

The medieval title of *comes* was, as in the Roman empire, originally not hereditary.[3] It was regarded as an administrative official dependent on the king, until the process of [allodialisation](/source/Allodial) during the 9th century in which such titles came to be private possessions of noble families.[4] By virtue of their large estates, many counts could pass the title to their heirs—but not always. For instance, in [Piast Poland](/source/Piast_Poland#the_Early_Kingdom_of_Poland,_(1025–1146)), the position of *komes* was not hereditary, resembling the early [Merovingian](/source/Merovingian) institution. The title had disappeared by the era of the [Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth), and the office had been replaced by others. Only after the [Partitions of Poland](/source/Partitions_of_Poland) did the title of "count" resurface in the title *hrabia*, derived from the German *Graf*.

In the [Frankish](/source/Franks) kingdoms in the early [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages), a count might also be a [count palatine](/source/Count_palatine), whose authority derived directly over a royal household, a [palace](/source/Palace) in its original sense of the seat of power and administration. This other kind of count had vague antecedents in [Late Antiquity](/source/Late_antiquity) too: the father of [Cassiodorus](/source/Cassiodorus) held positions of trust with Theodoric, as *comes rerum privatarum*, in charge of the imperial lands, then as *comes sacrarum largitionum* ("count of the sacred doles"), concerned with the finances of the realm.[5]

### Land attached to title

Main article: [County](/source/County)

It is only after some time that the continental medieval title came to be strongly associated with the ownership of and jurisdiction over specific lands, which led to evolution of the term *county* to refer to specific regions. The English term county, used as an equivalent to the English term [shire](/source/Shire), is derived from the [Old French](/source/Old_French) *conté* or *cunté* which denoted the [jurisdiction](/source/Jurisdiction_(area)) of a French count or [viscount](/source/Viscount).[6] The modern French is *comté*, and its equivalents in other languages are *contea*, *contado*, *comtat*, *condado*, *Grafschaft*, *graafschap*, etc. (cf. *[conte](/source/Nobility_of_Italy)*, *comte*, *conde*, *[Graf](/source/Graf)*). The title of Count also continued to exist in cases which are not connected to any specific to a geographical "county".

In the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom), the equivalent "Earl" can also be used as a [courtesy title](/source/Courtesy_title) for the eldest son of a duke or marquess. In the [Italian states](/source/Italy), by contrast, all the sons of certain counts were little counts (*contini*). In [Sweden](/source/Sweden) there is a distinction between counts (Swedish: *greve*) created before and after 1809. All children in comital families elevated before 1809 were called count/countess. In families elevated after 1809, only the head of the family was called count, the rest have a status similar to barons and were called by the equivalent of "Mr/Ms/Mrs", before the recognition of titles of nobility was abolished.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## 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 circumscription.

### Etymological derivations from the Latin *comes*

Language Male title Female title/Spouse Territory/Notes Albanian Kont Konteshë Konte Armenian Կոմս (Koms) Կոմսուհի (Komsuhi) Bulgarian Кмет (Kmet), present meaning: mayor; medieval (9th-century) Комит (Komit): hereditary provincial ruler Кметица (Kmetitsa), woman mayor Кметша (Kmetsha), mayor's wife Кметство (Kmetstvo); medieval Комитат (Komitat) Catalan Comte Comtessa Comtat English Count Countess (even where Earl applies) Earldom for an Earl; Countship or county for a count. (County persists in English-speaking countries as a sub-national administrative division.) "Count" applies to titles granted by monarchies other than the British, for which Earl applies. French Comte Comtesse Comté Greek Κόμης (Kómēs) Κόμησσα (Kómēssa) Κομητεία (Komēteía); in the Ionian Islands the corresponding Italianate terms κόντες kóntes, κοντέσσα kontéssa were used instead. Hungarian Vikomt Vikomtessz Actually meaning viscount. These forms are now archaic or literary; Gróf is used instead. Irish Cunta Cuntaois Honorary title only. Italian Conte Contessa Contea, Contado Latin (medieval and later; not classical) Comes Comitissa Comitatus Maltese Konti Kontessa Monegasque Conte Contessa Portuguese Conde Condessa Condado Romanian Conte Contesă Comitat Romansh Cont Contessa Spanish Conde Condesa Condado Turkish Kont Kontes Kontluk

### Etymological derivations from German *Graf* or Dutch *Graaf*

Language Male title Female title / Spouse Territory Afrikaans Graaf Gravin Graafskap Belarusian Граф (Hraf) Графiня (Hrafinia) Графствa (Hrafstva) Bulgarian Граф (Graf) Графиня (Grafinya) Графство (Grafstvo) Croatian Grof Grofica Grofovija Czech Hrabě Hraběnka Hrabství Danish Greve Grevinde (Count's wife) Komtesse (Unmarried daughter of a count) Grevskab Dutch Graaf Gravin Graafschap English Grave (for example Landgrave, Margrave), reeve, sheriff Gravin Graviate Estonian Krahv Krahvinna Krahvkond Finnish Kreivi Kreivitär Kreivikunta German Graf Gräfin Grafschaft Greek Γράβος (Gravos) Georgian გრაფი/თავადი (Grapi/Tavadi) გრაფინია/თავადი (Grapinia/Tavadi) საგრაფო/სათავადო (Sagrapo /Satavado) Hungarian Gróf Grófnő (born a countess), Grófné (married to a count) Grófság Icelandic Greifi Greifynja Greifadæmi Latvian Grāfs Grāfiene Grāfiste Lithuanian Grafas Grafienė Grafystė Luxembourgish Grof Gréifin Macedonian Гроф (Grof) Грофица (Grofica) Грофовија (Grofovija) Norwegian Greve/Greive Grevinne Grevskap Polish Hrabia, Margrabia (non-native titles) Hrabina, Margrabina (non-native titles) Hrabstwo (translation of foreign term "county") Romanian Grof (also Conte, see above), Greav Grofiță Russian Граф (Graf) Графиня (Grafinya) Графство (Grafstvo) Serbian Гроф (Grof) Грофица (Grofica) Грофовија (Grofovija) Slovak Gróf Grófka Grófstvo Slovene Grof Grofica Grofija Swedish Greve Grevinna Grevskap Ukrainian Граф (Hraf) Графиня (Hrafynya) Графство (Hrafstvo)

### Compound and related titles

Apart from all these, a few unusual titles have been of comital rank, not necessarily permanently.

- *[Dauphin](/source/Dauphin_of_France)* (English: *Dolphin*; Spanish: *Delfín*; Italian: *Delfino*; Portuguese: *Delfim*; [Latin](/source/Latin_language): *Delphinus*) was a multiple (though rare) comital title in southern France, used by the Dauphins of Vienne and Auvergne, before 1349 when it became the title of the heir to the French throne. The Dauphin was the lord of the province still known as the *région [Dauphiné](/source/Dauphin%C3%A9)*.

- ***Conde-Duque*** "Count-Duke" is a rare title used in [Spain](/source/Spain), notably by [Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares](/source/Gaspar_de_Guzm%C3%A1n%2C_Count-Duke_of_Olivares). He had inherited the title of count of Olivares, but when created Duke of Sanlucar la Mayor by King [Philip IV of Spain](/source/Philip_IV_of_Spain) he begged permission to preserve his inherited title in combination with the new honour—according to a practice almost unique in Spanish history; logically the incumbent ranks as Duke (higher than Count) just as he would when simply concatenating both titles.

- ***Conde-Barão*** 'Count-Baron' is a rare title used in [Portugal](/source/Portugal), notably by Dom Luís Lobo da Silveira, 7th Baron of Alvito, who received the title of Count of Oriola in 1653 from King [John IV of Portugal](/source/John_IV_of_Portugal). His palace in Lisbon still exists, located in a square named after him (Largo do Conde-Barão).

- **Archcount** is a very rare title, etymologically analogous to [archduke](/source/Archduke), apparently never recognized officially, used by or for: - the [count of Flanders](/source/Count_of_Flanders) (an original *[pairie](/source/Pairie)* of the French realm in present Belgium, very rich, once expected to be raised to the rank of kingdom); the informal, rather descriptive use on account of the countship's de facto importance is rather analogous to the unofficial epithet *Grand Duc de l'Occident* (before [Grand duke](/source/Grand_duke) became a formal title) for the even wealthier [Duke of Burgundy](/source/Duke_of_Burgundy) - at least one [Count of Burgundy](/source/Count_of_Burgundy) (i.e. *Freigraf* of [Franche-Comté](/source/Franche-Comt%C3%A9))

- In German kingdoms, the title *[Graf](/source/Graf)* was combined with the word for the jurisdiction or domain the nobleman was holding as a fief or as a conferred or inherited jurisdiction, such as *[Markgraf](/source/Margrave)* (see also [Marquess](/source/Marquess)), *[Landgraf](/source/Landgrave)*, *[Freigraf](/source/Freigraf)* ("free count"), *[Burggraf](/source/Burgrave)*, where *Burg* signifies castle; see also [Viscount](/source/Viscount), *[Pfalzgraf](/source/Count_palatine)* (translated both as "Count Palatine" and, historically, as "Palsgrave"), *Raugraf* ("Raugrave", see "[Graf](/source/Graf)", and *[Waldgraf](/source/Waldgrave)* (*comes nemoris*), where *Wald* signifies a large forest) (from Latin *nemus* = grove).

- The German *Graf* and Dutch *graaf* ([Latin](/source/Latin_language): *grafio*) stem from the Byzantine-Greek γραφεύς *grapheus* meaning "he who calls a meeting [i.e. the court] together").[7]

- The Ottoman military title of *Serdar* was used in Montenegro and Serbia as a lesser noble title with the equivalent rank of a Count.

- These titles are not to be confused with various minor administrative titles containing the word *-graf* in various offices which are not linked to feudal nobility, such as the Dutch titles *Pluimgraaf* (a court [sinecure](/source/Sinecure), so usually held by noble courtiers, may even be rendered hereditary) and *Dijkgraaf* (to the present, in the Low Countries, a manager in the local or regional administration of watercourses through dykes, ditches, controls etc.; also in German *Deichgraf*, synonymous with *Deichhauptmann*, "dike captain").

## Lists of countships

### Territory of today's France

#### Kingdom of the Western Franks

Since [Louis VII](/source/Louis_VII_of_France) (1137–80), the highest precedence amongst the vassals ([Prince-bishops](/source/Prince-bishop) 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](/source/Pairie)*; 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-pairies](/source/Comt%C3%A9-pairie)*:

- [Bishop-counts of Beauvais](/source/Bishop_of_Beauvais) (in Picardy)

- [Bishop-counts of Châlons](/source/Bishop_of_Ch%C3%A2lons-sur-Marne) (in Champagne)

- Bishop-counts of [Noyon](/source/Noyon) (in Picardy)

- [Count of Toulouse](/source/Counts_of_Toulouse), until united to the crown in 1271 by marriage

- [Count of Flanders](/source/Count_of_Flanders) (Flandres in French), which is in the Low countries and was confiscated in 1299, though returned in 1303

- [Count of Champagne](/source/Count_of_Champagne), until united to the crown (in 1316 by marriage, conclusively in 1361)

Later other countships (and duchies, even baronies) have been raised to this French peerage, but mostly as [apanages](/source/Apanage) (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:

- [Count of Angoulême, later Duke](/source/Counts_and_dukes_of_Angouleme)

- [Count of Anjou, later Duke](/source/List_of_Counts_and_Dukes_of_Anjou)

- [Count of Auvergne](/source/Rulers_of_Auvergne)

- [Count of Bar, later Duke](/source/Counts_and_dukes_of_Bar)

- [Count of Blois](/source/Count_of_Blois)

- [Count of Boulogne](/source/Count_of_Boulogne)

- [Count of Foix](/source/Countship_of_Foix)

- [Count of Montpensier](/source/Count_of_Montpensier)

- [Count of Poitiers](/source/Count_of_Poitiers)

#### Parts of today's France long within other kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire

- [Freigraf ("free count") of Burgundy](/source/County_of_Burgundy) (i.e. present Franche-Comté)

- The [Dauphiné](/source/Dauphin%C3%A9#The_independent_state_(1040–1349))

### The Holy Roman Empire

*See also above for parts of present France*

#### In Germany

Main article: [Graf](/source/Graf)

A *Graf* ruled over a territory known as a *Grafschaft* ('county'). See also various comital and related titles; especially those actually reigning over a principality: [Gefürsteter Graf](/source/Gef%C3%BCrsteter_Graf), [Landgraf](/source/Landgrave), [Reichsgraf](/source/Reichsgraf); compare [Markgraf](/source/Markgraf), [Burggraf](/source/Burggraf), [Pfalzgraf](/source/Pfalzgraf) (*see [Imperial quaternions](/source/Imperial_Estate#Quaternions)*).

#### Northern Italian states

The title of *Conte* is very prolific on the peninsula. In the eleventh century, *Conti* like the Count of Savoy or the Norman Count of Apulia, were virtually sovereign lords of broad territories. Even apparently "lower"-sounding titles, like [Viscount](/source/Viscount), could describe powerful dynasts, such as the [House of Visconti](/source/Visconti_of_Milan) which ruled a major city such as [Milan](/source/Milan). The essential title of a feudatory, introduced by the Normans, was *signore*, modeled on the French *seigneur*, used with the name of the [fief](/source/Fief). By the fourteenth century, *conte* and the Imperial title *barone* were virtually synonymous.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Some titles of a count, according to the particulars of the patent, might be inherited by the eldest son of a Count. Younger brothers might be distinguished as "X dei conti di Y" ("X of the counts of Y"). However, if there is no male to inherit the title and the count has a daughter, in some regions she could inherit the title.

Many Italian counts left their mark on Italian history as individuals, yet only a few *contadi* (countships; the word *contadini* for inhabitants of a "county" remains the Italian word for "peasant") were politically significant principalities, notably:

- Norman Count of [Apulia](/source/Apulia)

- [Count of Savoy, later Duke](/source/House_of_Savoy) (also partly in France and in Switzerland)

- [Count of Asti](/source/Asti)

- [Count of Montferrat (Monferrato)](/source/Montferrat)

- [Count of Montefeltro](/source/Montefeltro)

- [Count of Tusculum](/source/Tusculum)

#### In Austria

The principalities tended to start out as margraviate or (promoted to) duchy, and became nominal archduchies within the Habsburg dynasty; noteworthy are:

- Count of Tyrol

- [Count of Cilli](/source/County_of_Cilli)

- Count of Schaumburg

#### In the Low Countries

Apart from various small ones, significant were:

- in present-day Belgium: - [Count of Flanders](/source/Count_of_Flanders) (Vlaanderen in Dutch), but only the small part east of the river Schelde remained within the empire; the far larger west, an original French [comté-pairie](/source/Comt%C3%A9-pairie) became part of the French realm - [Count of Hainaut](/source/Count_of_Hainaut) - [Count of Namur](/source/Count_of_Namur), later a margraviate - [Count of Leuven](/source/Count_of_Leuven) (Louvain), later a dukedom - [Count of Loon](/source/Count_of_Loon)

- in the presentday Netherlands: - [Count of Guelders](/source/Count_of_Guelders) later Dukes of Guelders - [Count of Holland](/source/Count_of_Holland) - [Count of Zeeland](/source/Count_of_Zeeland) - [Count of Zutphen](/source/Count_of_Zutphen)

#### In Switzerland

Comital ephemera: a Count's coronet and crest on a [doily](/source/Doily).

- [Count of Geneva](/source/County_of_Geneva)

- Count of [Neuchâtel](/source/Neuch%C3%A2tel)

- [Count of Toggenburg](/source/Count_of_Toggenburg)

- Count of [Kyburg](/source/Kyburg%2C_Zurich)

- [Count de Salis-Soglio](/source/Count_de_Salis-Soglio) (also in the UK, Canada and Australia)

- [Count de Salis-Seewis](/source/Count_de_Salis-Seewis)

- [Count of Panzutti](/source/Count_Panzutti)

### In other continental European countries

#### Holy See

Further information: [Papal count](/source/Papal_count)

Count/Countess was one of the noble titles granted by the Pope as a temporal sovereign, and the title's holder was sometimes informally known as a papal count/papal countess or less so as a Roman count/Roman countess, but mostly as count/countess. The comital title, which could be for life or hereditary, was awarded in various forms by popes and Holy Roman Emperors since the Middle Ages, infrequently before the 14th century, and the pope continued to grant the comital and other noble titles even after 1870, it was largely discontinued in the mid 20th-century, on the accession of [John XXIII](/source/John_XXIII). The Papacy and the [Kingdom of the Two Sicilies](/source/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](/source/Papal_States).

#### In Poland

Main article: [Noble titles in Poland](/source/Noble_titles_in_Poland)

See also: [Szlachta](/source/Szlachta)

Poland was notable throughout its history for not granting titles of nobility. This was on the premise that one could only be born into nobility, outside rare exceptions. Instead, it conferred [non-hereditary courtly or civic roles](/source/Offices_in_the_Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth). The noble titles that were in use on its territory were mostly of foreign provenance and usually subject to the process of [indygenat](/source/Indygenat), naturalisation.

#### In Hungary

Main article: [Hungarian nobility](/source/Hungarian_nobility)

Somewhat similar to the native privileged class of nobles found in Poland, Hungary also had a class of [Conditional nobles](/source/Conditional_noble).

#### On the Iberian peninsula

As opposed to the plethora of hollow "gentry" counts, only a few countships ever were important in medieval [Iberia](/source/Iberian_Peninsula); most territory was firmly within the [Reconquista](/source/Reconquista) kingdoms before counts could become important. However, during the 19th century, the title, having lost its high rank (equivalent to that of [Duke](/source/Duke)), proliferated.

#### Portugal

See also: [List of countships in Portugal](/source/List_of_countships_in_Portugal)

[Portugal](/source/Portugal) itself started as a countship in 868, but became a [kingdom](/source/History_of_Portugal_(1112-1279)) in 1139 (see:*[County of Portugal](/source/County_of_Portugal)*). Throughout the [history of Portugal](/source/History_of_Portugal), especially during the [constitutional monarchy](/source/History_of_Portugal_(1834-1910)) many other countships were created.

#### Spain

[Coronet](/source/Coronet) of a count (Spanish heraldry)

In Spain, no countships of wider importance exist, except in the former Spanish march.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [County of Barcelona](/source/County_of_Barcelona), the initial core of the [Principality of Catalonia](/source/Principality_of_Catalonia), later one of the states of the [Crown of Aragon](/source/Crown_of_Aragon), which became one of the two main components of the Spanish crown.

- [Count of Aragon](/source/Count_of_Aragon)

- [Count of Castile](/source/Count_of_Castile)

- [Count of Galicia](/source/Kingdom_of_Galicia)

- [Count of Lara](/source/Count_of_Lara)

- [Count Cassius](/source/Count_Cassius), progenitor of the [Banu Qasi](/source/Banu_Qasi)

- [County of Urgell](/source/County_of_Urgell), later integrated into the [Principality of Catalonia](/source/Principality_of_Catalonia).

- The other [Catalan counties](/source/Catalan_counties) were much smaller and were absorbed early into the [County of Barcelona](/source/County_of_Barcelona) (between parentheses the annexation year): [County of Girona](/source/County_of_Girona) (897), [County of Besalú](/source/County_of_Besal%C3%BA), [County of Osona](/source/County_of_Osona), which included the nominal [County of Manresa](/source/County_of_Manresa) (1111), [County of Berga](/source/County_of_Berga) and [County of Conflent](/source/County_of_Conflent) (1117) and [County of Cerdanya](/source/County_of_Cerdanya) (1118). From 1162 these counties, together with that of Barcelona, were merged into the [Principality of Catalonia](/source/Principality_of_Catalonia), a sovereign state that absorbed some other counties: [County of Roussillon](/source/County_of_Roussillon) (1172), [County of Pallars Jussà](/source/County_of_Pallars_Juss%C3%A0) (1192), [County of Empúries](/source/County_of_Emp%C3%BAries) (1402), [County of Urgell](/source/County_of_Urgell) (1413) and [County of Pallars Sobirà](/source/County_of_Pallars_Sobir%C3%A0) (1487), giving the Principality its definitive shape.

### South Eastern Europe

#### Bulgaria

In the [First Bulgarian Empire](/source/First_Bulgarian_Empire), a *komit* was a hereditary provincial ruler under the [tsar](/source/Tsar) documented since the reign of [Presian](/source/Presian_I_of_Bulgaria) (836-852)[8] The [Cometopouli](/source/Cometopuli_dynasty) dynasty was named after its founder, the *komit* of [Sredets](/source/Sofia).

#### Montenegro and Serbia

The title of [Serdar](/source/Serdar_(Ottoman_rank)) was used in the [Principality of Montenegro](/source/Principality_of_Montenegro) and the [Principality of Serbia](/source/Principality_of_Serbia) as a noble title below that of [Voivode](/source/Voivode) equivalent to that of Count.

### Crusader states

- [Count of Edessa](/source/Count_of_Edessa)

- [Count of Tripoli](/source/Count_of_Tripoli) (1102–1288)

### Scandinavia

In [Denmark](/source/Denmark) and historically in [Denmark-Norway](/source/Denmark-Norway) the title of count (*greve*) is the highest rank of nobility used in the modern period. Some Danish/Dano-Norwegian countships were associated with [fiefs](/source/Fief), and these counts were known as "feudal counts" ([*lensgreve*](/source/Lensgreve_(Danish_title))). They rank above ordinary (titular) counts, and their position in the Danish aristocracy as the highest-ranking noblemen is broadly comparable to that of dukes in other European countries.[9] With the first free [Constitution of Denmark](/source/Constitution_of_Denmark) of 1849 came a complete abolition of the privileges of the nobility. Since then the title of count has been granted only to members of the [Danish royal family](/source/Danish_royal_family), either as a replacement for a princely title when marrying a commoner, or in recent times, instead of that title in connection with divorce. Thus the first wife of [Prince Joachim of Denmark](/source/Prince_Joachim_of_Denmark), the younger son of [Margrethe II of Denmark](/source/Margrethe_II_of_Denmark), became [Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg](/source/Alexandra%2C_Countess_of_Frederiksborg) on their divorce—initially retaining her title of princess, but losing it on her remarriage.

In the Middle Ages the title of [jarl](/source/Earl) (earl) was the highest title of nobility. The title was eventually replaced by the title of duke, but that title was abolished in Denmark and Norway as early as the Middle Ages. Titles were only reintroduced with the introduction of absolute monarchy in 1660, with count as the highest title.

In Sweden the rank of count is the highest rank conferred upon nobles in the modern era and are, like their Danish and Norwegian counterparts, broadly comparable to that of dukes in other European countries. Unlike the rest of Scandinavia, the title of duke is still used in Sweden, but only by members of the royal family not considered part of the nobility.

## Equivalents

Like other major Western [noble titles](/source/Noble_title), Count is sometimes used to render certain titles in non-western languages with their own traditions, even though they are as a rule historically unrelated and thus hard to compare, but which are considered "equivalent" in rank.

This is the case with:

- the [Chinese](/source/China) *Bó* (伯), or "Bojue" (伯爵), hereditary title of nobility ranking below *Hóu* (侯) and above *Zĭ* (子)

- earl of Britain

- the [Japanese](/source/Japan) equivalent *[Hakushaku](/source/Hakushaku)* (伯爵), adapted during the [Meiji restoration](/source/Meiji_restoration)

- the [Korean](/source/Korea) equivalent *Baekjak* (백작) or *Poguk*

- in [Vietnam](/source/Vietnam), it is rendered *Bá*, one of the lower titles reserved for male members of the Imperial clan, above *Tử* (Viscount), *Nam* (Baron) and *Vinh phong* (lowest noble title), but lower than—in ascending order—*Hầu* (Marquis), *Công* (Prince), *Quận-Công* (Duke/Duke of a commandery) and *Quốc-Công* (Grand Duke/Duke of the Nation), all under *Vương* (King) and *Hoàng Đế* (Emperor).

- the [Indian](/source/India) *[Sardar](/source/Sardar)*, adopted by the [Maratha Empire](/source/Maratha_Empire), additionally, [Jagirdar](/source/Jagir) and [Deshmukh](/source/Deshmukh) are close equivalents

- the [Arabic](/source/Arabic) equivalent *[Sheikh](/source/Sheikh)*

- In traditional [Sulu](/source/Sulu) equivalent of [Datu Sadja](/source/Datu_Sadja)

## In fiction

See also: [List of fictional nobility § Counts and countesses](/source/List_of_fictional_nobility#Counts_and_countesses)

The title "Count" in fiction is commonly, though not always, given to evil characters, used as another word for prince or vampires (the latter due to the title's association with [Dracula](/source/Dracula)):

- [Count Nefaria](/source/Count_Nefaria)

- [Count Vertigo](/source/Count_Vertigo)

- [Count von Count](/source/Count_von_Count)

- [Count Duckula](/source/Count_Duckula)

- [Count Olaf](/source/Count_Olaf)

- [Count Chocula](/source/Count_Chocula)

- [Count Paris](/source/Count_Paris)

- [Count of Monte Cristo](/source/Count_of_Monte_Cristo)

- [Count Dooku](/source/Count_Dooku)

- [Count Dracula](/source/Count_Dracula)

- [Count Orlok](/source/Count_Orlok)

- [Count Arthur Strong](/source/Count_Arthur_Strong)

## See also

- [Czech nobility](/source/Czech_nobility)

- [Icelandic nobility](/source/Icelandic_nobility)

- [Romanian nobility](/source/Romanian_nobility)

- [Russian nobility](/source/Russian_nobility)

- [Viscount](/source/Viscount)

- [Earl](/source/Earl)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-pine_1-0)** [Pine, L. G.](/source/L._G._Pine) *Titles: How the King Became His Majesty*. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1992. p. 73. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [27827106](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/27827106).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors"](http://www.roman-emperors.org/anthemiu.htm). University of South Carolina. Retrieved 2008-04-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Institut für Wissenschaftliche Zusammenarbeit mit Hochschulen der Entwicklungsländer (Tübingen, Germany) (1976). *Philosophy and History*. Philosophy and History. p. 105.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Jeep, John M. (2001). *Medieval Germany: An Encyclopedia*. Psychology Press. p. 140. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0824076443](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0824076443).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050510135935/http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/texts/cassbook/chap1.html). Archived from [the original](http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/texts/cassbook/chap1.html) on 2005-05-10. Retrieved 2005-06-21.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-etymology_6-0)** The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, C. W. Onions (Ed.), 1966, [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Wahrig Deutsches Wörterbuch, 1972 edition, page 1564: < Ahd. *gravo*, *gravio*, wahrscheinl. < mlat. *graphio*, ..., königl. Beamter mit administrativen u. richterl. Befugnissen < grch. *grapheus* *Schreiber*, byzantin. Hoftitel; in English: OHG *gravo*, *gravio*, prob. from Middle Latin *graphio*, ..., royal official with administrative and judicial authority, from Gk. *grapheus*, "writer"/"clerk"/"scribe", Byzantine court title.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Лъв Граматик, [Гръцки извори за българската история, т. V, стр. 156](http://kroraina.com/NI/izvori/GIBI_V/156.gif); Жеков, Ж. България и Византия VII-IX в. - военна администрация, Университетско издателство "Св. Климент Охридски", София, 2007, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-954-07-2465-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-954-07-2465-2), стр. 254

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Ferdinand Christian Herman von Krogh: *Den høiere danske Adel. En genealogisk Haandbog*, C. Steen & søn, 1866

## Sources

- Labarre de Raillicourt: *Les Comtes Romains*

- Westermann, *Großer Atlas zur Weltgeschichte* (in German)

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Counts](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Counts).

[Wikisource](/source/Wikisource) has the text of the [1911 *Encyclopædia Britannica*](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition) article "[Count](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Count)".

Look up ***[count](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/count)*** in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

- [Heraldica.org - here the French peerage](http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/peerage.htm)

- [Italian Titles of Nobility](http://www.regalis.com/nobletitles.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120527112610/http://www.regalis.com/nobletitles.htm) 2012-05-27 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Webster's 1828 Dictionary](https://web.archive.org/web/20060214093646/http://65.66.134.201/cgi-bin/webster/webster.exe?firstp=10661)

Authority control databases International GND National France BnF data

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Count](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.