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comtesses

Comtesses is the plural form of comtesse, the feminine title used in the French nobility. A comtesse is commonly the wife of a comte (count) and thus a countess by marriage, but the term can also refer to a woman who holds the title in her own right in historical contexts. In English-language usage, the title is usually translated as countess, while comtesse remains the French form in references to French titles or aristocratic lineages.

Historically, the comté (county) was a territorial and administrative unit within the realm of the French crown

In practice, the use of the title varied by era and region. In many periods, the wife

Etymology: comtesse derives from comte, itself from Latin comes, meaning companion or ally, with the feminine

and
other
French-speaking
jurisdictions.
The
holder
of
a
comté—whether
a
comte
or
a
comtesse—exercised
feudal
rights
and
authority
within
that
territory.
The
rank
of
comte
sits
within
the
higher
echelons
of
nobility,
generally
considered
to
be
below
a
duke
and
above
a
viscount
in
the
traditional
hierarchy
of
French
titles.
A
comtesse
could
wield
influence
through
court
connections,
patronage,
and
the
management
of
lands
and
estates
associated
with
the
county.
of
a
comte
was
styled
la
comtesse
de
[X],
reflecting
her
position
through
her
husband.
A
woman
who
inherited
a
county
in
her
own
right
(suo
jure)
would
also
be
identified
as
a
comtesse.
Since
the
French
Revolution,
noble
privileges
were
abolished,
and
titles
ceased
to
carry
legal
authority
in
France;
today,
comtesses
are
primarily
of
historical
and
genealogical
interest,
appearing
in
chronicles,
genealogies,
and
literature.
suffix
-esse
forming
the
title
for
a
female
holder
or
spouse
of
the
count.