Roman count

Roman Count (literal translation of Comes Romanus or Conte Romano ) was until the reform of the titulatures and honorary ranks by Pope Paul VI. a title of nobility granted by the Roman Curia to laypeople as well as clergy , which was either only awarded personally to the honored person or was sometimes inheritable in the male firstborn and by simply placing the rank designation "Comes", "Conte" or "Graf" in front of it. was recognizable before the family name of the recipient (without “de”, “von” and the like).

The title was also available de jure to all papal assistants to the throne , i.e. (arch) bishops who were called to ceremonial services at the Roman Curia.

It is to be distinguished from the " Conte Palatino " (actually: "Conte del Sacro Palazzo Lateranense", Latin "Comes palatinus Lateranus ", sometimes also "Count of the Lateran Palace"), which was a personal honorary title associated with certain high functions of the papal court .