[Firstly, sorry if this is in the wrong subforum]. As the title says, I'm struggling to re-frame my "modern" political mindset thinking and writing to that of a medieval / early modern observer. For example, in the modern world, we think of states as being sovereign, maintaining law and order, managing the economy, collecting taxes to fund public projects / infrastructure, providing for a standing army, etc. However, from what I have read, an observer in the medieval or early modern era would think of "states" as something entirely different. Their mindset is almost alien to me - the amount of emphasis on the moral and religious obligations of those in power, the implications of a non-currency based economy (at least in the medieval era), the limited or divided power of central authorities, the role of the estates, etc.
I have often found myself over-estimating the power, autonomy, and influence of royal or central power. The political landscape of that era just feels so alien to me. So, given those differences, what would you all suggest I do to "escape" from the preconceptions I have as a modern observer?