Emotions and early modern diplomacy

The case of Iberian ambassadors at the Elizabethan court

Abstract

Emotions underlie world politics and are essential to state actors’ strategies and exchanges. Considering the complexities of the early modern Anglo-Iberian relations and the diplomatic sources, it is possible to pursue a line of enquiry which analyzes emotions in foreign affairs policies. This paper explores the Iberian diplomatic missions to the Elizabethan court, applying the current research on emotions in diplomacy to the sixteenth century diplomatic practice and its conventions regarding emotional display. Early modern Iberian diplomatic correspondence reveals a collective dimension, conveying an official—rather than personal—emotional strategy on foreign affairs. Spain’s dominant geopolitical and economic circumstances favored a more aggressive diplomatic approach. At the same time, Portugal’s more delicate strategic position and the maintenance of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance determined a diplomacy of appeasement. Sovereigns selected their envoys based on how their diplomatic skills and emotional behavior would suit the kingdom’s agenda. This diplomatic strategy allowed a collaborative and synchronized emotional behavior amongst state actors to emerge.