So, what are ways to expand my government capacity in the earlier eras? I notice that too often, after about 200 years, I hit the limits on government capacity. I can make trade companies, and this alleviates the problem a bit (at the cost of slower government progress), but too often I simply get stuck.

And I have no where to go with my monarch points. I could release/own a few vassals, and let them conquer (up to a point, otherwise it rebels), but that only brings me so far. The only other options I have is trade companies (which I use), and de-stating areas in my own sub-continent (an extremely nerfing option, I prefer not to use it) :O Expanding administration works for a bit, but loses efficiency.

In vanilla EU4 I build the town hall, etc. to sustain my expansion. But those aren't available yet usually for a few more hundred years :D

The only option left is to start centralizing states? And then wait 5 years?

What are other players' strategies to deal with government capacity pre-1400s?