Although it is already Friday, we do not want to conclude this week without introducing another #emdiplomacy#handbook chapter.
The next author to enter the stage is Maria Petrova who is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of World History at the Russian Academy of Sciences:
Having published broadly on Russian #diplomacy towards Austria and the Holy Roman Empire, Petrova is one of the leading experts in the field. See e.g. her study on the appearance of Russian #diplomats at the Imperial Diet in Regensburg (2/4)
1549 is considered the foundation date of the Russian foreign office, but until the 18th century Russian tsars preferred to permanent diplomatic representatives abroad. Major reforms were only introduced under the reign of Tsar Peter I.
However, a change in attitude towards foreign #diplomats already followed the dynastical change in the 1610s: restrictions were eased. Moreover, the tsar began to welcome permanent representatives from other territories and to establish permanent diplomats himself. (3/4)
By intensifying interaction with other #courts and rulers, Russian #diplomats became cultural brokers who contributed to the transfer of people, objects and ideas from Europe to Russia.
Petrova argues that the introduction of the European diplomatic rank system and ceremonial was aimed more at demonstrating the superiority of Russian rulers than at creating equal relations with other powers. (4/4)
The Prime Minister has been heavily criticised after documents from his government criticising Australia and New Zealand against China were leaked to media. The leaked document from Tonga’s Foreign Affairs Ministry shows that kingdom’s officials sharply criticised Australia and New Zealand’s response to the security pact...
But she is not alone! With David Gehring at University of Notthingham, who is an expert on #earlymodern#British#history, she found the perfect partner in writing. Gehring’s special interest on #Elizabethan#England's relations with the Protestant territories of the #HolyRomanEmpire and #Denmark is also reflected in his publications:
In their article, Freyer and Gehring provide us with an overview over how #English and #British#emdiplomacy developed from the 16th to the 18th century. Traditionally, research stressed #England’s diplomatic relations with #Spain and #France. With a broader understanding of English interests coming to the fore, the research focus widened accordingly.
#Scotland and England followed their own diplomatic agendas in the 16th century, exercising #diplomacy in different ways and with different partners. However, this included also each other with intensive diplomatic contacts in the 1530s and 1540s as well as the 1560s and 1570s. The #UnionoOfTheCrown in 1603 changed the preconditions for English and Scottish diplomacy according to Freyer and Gehring, as England became dominant for foreign relations, although in theory Scottish diplomacy could have run alongside the English. (4/6)
18th century #British#emdiplomacy faced self-made hurdles. The personnel for example were British upper classes who could meet the requirements for ceremonial knowledge, but were not trained in international relations or the duties of #emdiplomats in particular. Thus, while European #diplomacy became increasingly professionalised, British diplomacy remained stuck in an increasingly outmoded understanding of ceremonial and social capital. (6/6)
One central problem that resulted from the federal nature of the #Dutch republic was secrecy: How could one keep a secret with so many actors involved? This was almost a mission impossible, although one tried several measures such as an oath of secrecy to deal with the problem.
When dealing with Dutch #emdiplomacy you inevitably come across two other big issues: the Protestant character of Dutch #earlymodern#diplomacy and the importance of trade and commercial interests. For @helmers_h and @NinaLamal these are not contradictory interests. However, they argue that “commerce, geopolitics, and protestantism were perfectly reconcilable”. (4/5)
According to Cario-Invernizzi the fact the Iberian kingsdoms were the first European realms to connect with the rest of the world on a grand scale, gave their diplomatic policies a unique character.
Diplomatic relations with Africa and Asia required constant negotiations, and even required tributes to be paid to guarantee the security of Europe’s presence in the area.
Distance was a significant factor in Iberian #diplomacy. Therefore, agents were sometimes sent to cover shorter distances. Moreover, diplomatic encounters in Eurasia did not take place between entire societies but rather between segments of societies or subcultures.
This fact suggests the existence of a cross-sectional diplomatic language between European and Asian societies. (4/n)
The most important group of #ambassadors to Madrid were the French ambassador, the Imperial ambassador to the Empire, the nuncio, and the Venetian ambassador.
Madrid did not have a diplomatic district. Diplomatic #envoys did enjoy immunity in the #embassy, with the king himself offering them lodgings for rent upon their arrival. Nevertheless, the ambassadors complained of the difficulties in gaining an audience with the ruler.
Following the union of the Portuguese and Spanish crowns in 1580, a global dimension of Spanish #diplomacy was developed which enhanced the reputation of the Spanish kings. (5/n)
According to Cario-Ivernizzi Spanish historiography continues to suffer from a lack of discourse surrounding its cultural history in general and with literary studies in particular, this is also reflected in new diplomatic #history.
However, historians specialised in Spanish #diplomacy continue to take steps forward in the field, not only with regard to the exchange of gifts but also gradually incorporating the analytical category of gender.
The career paths of Spanish & Portguese #emdiplomats have gained more attention in research only recently.
By placing more of a focus on integrating the activities of both official ambassadors and informal agents into diplomatic studies in the future, we will be able to obtain a more complete understanding of Spanish and European diplomacy in the #earlymodern era. (6/6)
OG from the #archives! Two letters from 1890 by #Serbian consul Luka Marinković in Priština (#Kosovo Vilayet, #Ottoman Empire at the time) about the closure of Serbian schools in the province.
He argues that #French#diplomacy continuously changed over the centuries, which can be seen as a sign of modernisation.
While #emdiplomacy was originally regarded as part of a more general service to the king, it slowly developed into a more specialised field of activity. From this the need to a much more profecient education of #emdiplomats arose. (3/6)
However, these changes were not introduced against, but within the existing system, often by those in charge. Therefore, elements of a more professionalised system co-existed with patronage relations. Waquet argues that we should speak of “a gradual internal transformation rather than of a permanent conflict between old and new”. (4/6)
#emdiplomacy was a multilingual affair. An #emdiplomat who could speak several languages had a clear advantage - not the least because he could thereby show equal respect to different parties, as this example by @dbellingradt shows. (1/2)
Tongan diaspora blasts PM Hu‘akavameiliku over leaked document supporting China against Australia, NZ over involvement in Solomon Islands (www.kanivatonga.co.nz)
The Prime Minister has been heavily criticised after documents from his government criticising Australia and New Zealand against China were leaked to media. The leaked document from Tonga’s Foreign Affairs Ministry shows that kingdom’s officials sharply criticised Australia and New Zealand’s response to the security pact...