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A '''county''' is an area of a [[kingdom]] that is defined for the purpose of administration. In [[period]], they only really existed in [[Britain]], where the [[Norman]]s had substituted them for [[shire]]s, without changing the actual names of the shires. Much of the [[Wales|Welsh]] counties were established by [[Edward I]] in 1282. The remainder were formalized in the [[Act of Union]] in 1535.

A county may be divided up within into [[riding]]s, hundreds, sokes, wapentakes, wards, lathes and rapes. These could then be divided into tithings and parishes.

Some modern writers also refer to the [[dominion]]s of [[Europe]]an [[count]]s as being counties and those of [[earl]]s being an [[earldom]]. Further [[research]] is required to determine whether this is also a [[period]] practice.

=== Counties in the SCA ===
In the [[SCA]], there are [[shire]]s but the [[corpora]] does not define any branch as being able to call itself a county, except as alternative name for a defined type of branch. This alternative must be approved by the [[College of Arms]].