[quote=@LordZell]
[quote=@Xilaw]
One other thing that I noticed some of you may be confused with. Just because you have the title of count doesn't mean that every estate in the county is yours, or that your family owns land only in that particular county. For example, one noble house could be awarded land in two or three different administrative divisions, meaning that those outside the county that belongs to you will have to pay taxes to the local administration (i.e. if von Hoffendolts have a count of Lictenau, they don't own all of the county. They may also have holdings in the lands that are directly under Manburg or in county of Dobersberg, meaning that the lords of those holdings will pay taxes to the Duke and the count of Dobersberg, respectively)

PS) The example was hypothetical.
[/quote]

Aye I know. But all the lords,knights etc. that run the towns answer to the count.
[/quote]

They answer to the count of the county that their estates are in, not the count that is their family member. This opens the possibility of one member of the house fighting against the other members in case of war between two counts. Of course, that member has a choice to either be loyal to his count or his family.