English Diplomatic Practice in the Middle Ages

(Hardback)

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It is wrong to date the practice of diplomacy to the Renaissance. Medieval kings relied on a network of diplomats and special envoys to conduct international relations. War, peace, marriage agreements, ransoms, trade and many other matters all had to be negotiated. To do this a remarkably sophisticated system of diplomacy developed during the Middle Ages. Pierre Chaplais described how diplomacy worked in practice: how ambassadors and other envoys were chosen; how and where they travelled; and how the authenticity of their messages was known in a world before passports and photographs. Safe-conducts, audiences, gifts and meetings between rulers all played their part.

Author Bio

Pierre Chaplais is Emeritus Reader in History, University of Oxford.