Early Modern Diplomacy<p>Between 1623 and 1629 <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/Rubens" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Rubens</span></a> was repeatedly involved in diplomatic activities. Isabella of <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/Spain" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Spain</span></a> made use of his standing and popularity as an artist to pursue inofficial <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/emdiplomacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>emdiplomacy</span></a>. By sending her <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/court" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>court</span></a> painter she expanded her scope of action without being bound by formal ceremonies, alliances or Spanish politics. In the secret negotiations that Isabella conducted in the <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/Netherlands" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Netherlands</span></a> against the wishes of the Spanish King Philip IV, Rubens operated within a network of personal, family and business relationships. On the one hand, this facilitated diplomatic exchange, as there were no regular diplomatic relations between <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/Brussels" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Brussels</span></a> and <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/TheHague" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheHague</span></a>, and on the other, it ensured the necessary secrecy towards the Spanish court. However, the attempts of concluding <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/peace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>peace</span></a> between the different parts of the Netherlands failed. (4/6) </p><p><a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/NewDiplomaticHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NewDiplomaticHistory</span></a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/CourtStudies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CourtStudies</span></a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/earlymodern" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>earlymodern</span></a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/HistoricalPeaceResearch" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HistoricalPeaceResearch</span></a> #<a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/adventCalendar2024" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>adventCalendar2024</span></a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/history" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>history</span></a> <a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/histodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histodon</span></a><br> <br><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/histodons" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>histodons</span></a></span> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/earlymodern" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>earlymodern</span></a></span> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/historikerinnen" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>historikerinnen</span></a></span></p>