A magistrate or alderman in medieval towns of the Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands), especially one serving on a town council.
From Middle Dutch 'schepen,' derived from Old Saxon 'scepene.' The word traveled through Old French 'échevin' into English, referring to judicial or administrative officials who governed medieval Flemish and Dutch towns.
Echevins were the medieval equivalent of city council members, but they had real power—they controlled justice, commerce, and taxes in their towns, making them some of the most important people in medieval urban Europe!
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