What does the word 'Palatine' mean in European titles? What were they?

by Stringer_Bellend

As in the County Palatine of the Rhine, or Counties Palatine in England?

Second_Mate

It comes from the latin word, palatina, but it essentially means an autonomous region. Hence the Archbishop of Durham was the Prince Palatine, or Prince-Bishop of the County of Durham. This meant that, apart from the King, the County of Durham was ruled by the archbishop without any higher authority.