An advocatus, sometimes simply advocate, Vogt (German, pronounced [foːkt] ), Fauth (Old High German) or avoué (French, pronounced [avwe] ) was a type of medieval office holder, particularly important in the Holy Roman Empire, who was delegated some of the powers and functions of a major feudal lord, or for an institution such as an abbey. They typically had responsibility for the "comital" functions which defined the office of early medieval "counts", such as taxation, recruitment of militias, and maintaining law and order. This type of office could apply to specific agricultural lands, villages, castles, and even cities.