Women, Diplomacy and International Politics since 1500 explores the role of women as agents of diplomacy in the trans-Atlantic world since the early modern age. Despite increasing evidence of their involvement in political life across the centuries, the core historical narrative of international politics remains notably depleted of women. This collection challenges this perspective. Chapters cover a wide range of geographical contexts, including Europe, Russia, Britain and the United States, and trace the diversity of women's activities and the significance of their contributions. Together these essays open up the field to include a broader interpretation of diplomatic work, such as the unofficial avenues of lobbying, negotiation and political representation that made women central diplomatic players in the salons, courts and boudoirs of Europe. Through a selection of case studies, the book throws into new perspective the operations of political power in local and national domains, bridging and at times reconceptualising the relationship of the private to the public. Women, Diplomacy and International Politics since 1500 is essential reading for all those interested in the history of diplomacy and the rise of international politics over the past five centuries.

List of figures. Acknowledgements. List of contributors. Introduction: The Long International History of Women and Diplomacy Carolyn James and Glenda Sluga 1. Women and Diplomacy in Renaissance Italy Carolyn James 2. Cousins and Queens: Familial ties, political ambition and epistolary diplomacy in Renaissance Europe Ellie Woodacre 3. Dynastic relations on an international stage: Margaret de la Marck (1527-1599) and Arenberg family strategy during the Dutch Revolt Mirella Marini 4. Lady Anne Fanshawe, Ambassadress of England at the Court of Madrid (1664-1666) Laura Oliván Santaliestra 5. Marriage Plots: Royal Women, Marriage Diplomacy, and International Politics at the Spanish, French and Imperial Courts, 1665-1679 Silvia Z. Mitchell 6. "Paper negotiations": Women and Diplomacy in the Early Eighteenth Century Corina Bastian 7. Women, diplomacy and international politics, before and after the Congress of Vienna Glenda Sluga 8. The Tsar¿s Sister as State Diplomat: Maria Pavlovna Between Weimar and St. Petersburg on the Eve of the Congress of Vienna Franziska Schedewie 9. A 'Goodwill Ambassador' in the Post-Napoleonic Era: Roxandra Edling-Sturdza on the European Scene Stella Ghervas 10. Gendering Diplomatic History: Women in the British Diplomatic Service, c.1919-1972 Helen McCarthy 11. Gender and International Relations through the Lens of the League of Nations (1919-1945) Madeleine Herren 12. Advocating for a feminist internationalism between the wars Laura Beers 13. A Woman's Place is in the Embassy: America's First Female Chiefs of Mission, 1933-64 Philip Nash 14. Vangie Bruce's Diplomatic Salon: A Mid-Twentieth Century Portrait Kenneth Weisbrode 15. The Performance of Diplomacy: The Residence, Gender, and Diplomatic Wives in Late Twentieth-Century Sweden Nevra Biltekin. Index.