Legal Definitions - comitatus

Definition: Comitatus refers to the retinue or group of followers who accompany a prince or high government official. It can also refer to the territorialjurisdiction of a count or earl, a county court, or a county or shire.

• When the king traveled, his comitatus would accompany him, including knights, soldiers, and other important people.
• The comitatus of the earl had the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the county.
• The posse comitatus was a group of citizens who were called upon to assist the sheriff in maintaining order in the county.

These examples illustrate how comitatus can refer to a group of people who are responsible for maintaining order and supporting a leader. It can also refer to the jurisdiction or territory over which a leader has authority.