Explanation

The sentence establishes a contrast using the word "While." It states that today, sovereignty has "authoritarian connotations" (a negative, heavy association). Therefore, before the late eighteenth century, it must have been seen as the opposite-something less charged or threatening. B. innocuous (harmless/not offensive) fits this shift perfectly.

The second sentence explains why it was considered innocuous. It was "understood as (ii) _______ descriptor, referring simply to the legitimate authority". The word "simply" is the key clue here; it indicates that the term was a functional, non-judgmental label rather than a politically charged one. E. a neutral descriptor aligns with the idea of it being a simple, non-authoritarian reference to a polity’s authority.

Answer: B,E