Definition of "conte"

So she led the way through a marble hall, pillared in different colors, rich and rare, with portraits of ancient contes and contessas on the walls, up a magnificent stone stair with a carved balustrade, to a suite indeed, where, at the entrance, Sibby was found very happy at her welcome from Mrs. Mount, who was equally glad to receive a countrywoman.

1895 July 13, Charlotte M[ary] Yonge, “The Long Vacation”, in The Churchman: An Illustrated Weekly News-Magazine, volume LXXII, number 2 (whole 2634), New York, N.Y.: M. H. Mallory & Co., chapter XXVIII (Rocca Marina), page 52 (24), column 3

“Aspirin. It will help you to sleep tonight if you have aches and pains, or cold clammy dreams about dead contes and contessas,” he teased.

1986, Heather Graham Pozzessere, The Di Medici Bride, Silhouette Intimate Moments, page 130

The announcement of the game had put Florentine society “in a flurry,” and two thousand spectators—including enough contes and contessas to fill half the palaces of Florence—made the trip beyond the city limits to view the match.

2006, Mark Lamster, Spalding’s World Tour: The Epic Adventure That Took Baseball Around the Globe—and Made It America’s Game, PublicAffairs™