Count

A Count is the ruler of a County. Counties, once known as Shires, eventually grew to include multiple shires because the original meaning of a "Shire" eventually was lost and territorial disputes resulted in many shires being broken up as it was. Currently, a County usually consists of two to three shires (which has become roughly synonymous with "Township" or "Greater Area" of a settlement. Counts are fief-lords, meaning they do not own the land that they govern, but it does usually pass inside the same family in a hereditary fashion, but it isn't uncommon for a new count to be selected from among several Viscounts of a County. A count, for the same reason, typically personally governs a domain as Viscount as well, but in reality they have a relative govern the land on their behalf. It is extremely common for a Count to own a tract of land that would otherwise constitute a Viscounty, as a Barony that ensures the hereditary continuation of their position.

Type

Nobility, Hereditary