Information, Intelligence and Negotiation: The Atlantic European Diplomatic World, 1558-1585
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Date
2008
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Mershon Center for International Security Studies
Abstract
In a September 1561 dispatch sent from Madrid to English Secretary of State Sir William Cecil, ambassador Sir Thomas
Chaloner noted that he had remained so long without letters or contact from England that he could not fulfill his duties as an
ambassador to Spain.
Chaloner could not effectively negotiate with King Phillip II of Spain about English policy decisions, trade strategies, or
positions on foreign affairs, simply because he lacked the necessary information. His predicament reflects the importance of reliable communications networks to develop,
transmit, and implement foreign policy initiatives.
Denice Fett examines the development of a diplomatic communications system that depended on gathering and transmitting information and intelligence during the late 16th century. While some scholars have explored international diplomacy from the perspective of a single nation, Fett's
dissertation draws from archival sources in five different countries and five different languages.
Description
Mershon Center for International Security Studies Graduate Student Research 2007-08
Keywords
diplomatic communications, communication networks, military intelligence