During the
Carolingian epoch,
advocatus and
vice-dominus were interchangeable terms; and it was only in the 11th century that they became generally differentiated: the title of being commonly reserved for a noble charged with the protection of an
abbey, that of
vidame for one guarding an
episcopal see. With the crystallization of the feudal system in the 12th century the office of
vidame, like that of
avoué, had become hereditary. As a title, however, it was much less common and also less dignified than that of
avoué. An
advocatus was often a great
baron who added the function of protector of an abbey to his own temporal sovereignty; whereas a
vidame was usually a petty noble, who exercised his office in strict subordination to the bishop. A
vidame usually took his title from the see he represented, but not infrequently a
vidame styled himself, not after his official fief, but after his private
seigneury. Thus, the
vidame de Picquigny was the representative of the
Bishop of Amiens, the
vidame de Gerberoy of the
Bishop of Beauvais (since King
Philip Augustus himself was a
pair de France, i.e.
peer of the realm). In many sees there was no
vidame, the functions being exercised by a
viscount or a
châtelain. With the growth of the central power and of that of the towns and cities, the
vidames gradually lost their functions, and the title became merely honorary. ==Functions==