For the #emdiplomacy handbook he explored the development of #diplomacy in Poland-Lithuania. Focusing on the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, he adopts the perspective of the underdog as research mostly focuses on Poland. He outlines the development from the late 14th century to the turn of the 17th century and the Union of Lublin (1569), which represents a turning point not only in Lithuanian diplomacy.
Unlike other #earlymodern states, Poland and Lithuania did not develop towards more centralised entities but into parlamentary systems. This also had impact on the organisation of the foreign policy and #diplomacy. In 1492
Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon granted a privilege in which the monarch committed
to maintain relations with other countries only with the consent of the councillors.
From the second half of the 15th century, the Lithuanian Council of Lords conducted foreign relations in tandem with the diplomacy performed by the ruler, which could
be considered a field of parallel diplomacy. These parallel diplomatic actions can be defined as semi-official activities supporting, complementing, correcting or duplicating
the diplomacy between the heads of state. (4/n)
The model of diplomatic activities established in the sixteenth century remained almost
unchanged until a systemic reform of Polish-Lithuanian diplomatic service in
the 1760s. (5/5)