Palatine, Count

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Palatine, Count in the later Roman Empire, a count (comes) attached to the imperial palace, and having supreme judicial authority in all causes that came to the king's immediate audience; later, a feudal lord having royal authority within a region of a kingdom; a high official of the Holy Roman Empire with royal authority within his domain.

A palatinate was a territory under the jurisdiction of a Count Palatine; the Palatinate was a territory of the German Empire ruled by the Count Palatine of the Rhine.