Introduction
The Introduction argues that the common scholarly terms feudalism, lordship, state-building, bureaucracy, officeholding and government all promote a misleading narrative about Europe’s transition from medieval to modern period. To better understand how power authority functioned at local level, it is essential focus on people who provided protection exercised justice – recognize little their corrupt practices changed between 750 1800. At center of this study position advocate (Latin: advocatus; German: Vogt), which emerged in Carolingian Advocates then proliferated, especially German-speaking lands, were responsible for providing exercising ecclesiastical estates, some towns even entire regions. Examining advocates profited positions across millennium offers opportunity reassess standard European political progress rethink concepts we rely tell story.
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