This article examines how rulers of early modern small states attempted to survive and
increase their status in the ever-shifting political world of early eighteenth-century
Europe. To do so it takes the example of Duke Leopold of Lorraine and his connections
with the exiled James Francis Edward Stuart and his court. Like many other small state
princes, Leopold was politically dependent upon the decisions of his larger neighbours
and his policies were designed to ensure his continued survival and to increase his own
prestige. Historians have long acknowledged the relationship between Leopold and
James in 1713–15 but they have done little to explore their interactions between
1716 and 1729. In drawing attention to this neglected sequence of encounters, the art icle highlights their connection to broader and more well-known political affairs in the
1710s and 1720s. It demonstrates how Leopold utilized his connection with the Stuarts
as he reacted to a changing political situation in Europe in the years following the Peace
of Utrecht. In return, the Stuarts, seeking to achieve their political goals, could rely
upon ducal advice and aid. This dynamic suggests that these small but well-connected
princes and their diplomatic activities require further consideration when examining
international relations.
History
Publication
The Historical Journal;pp.1–18
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Note
peer-reviewed
Other Funding information
Richard Plaschka pre-doctoral Fellowship, ÖeAD, Vienna, Rev. Liam Swords Foundation, Paris, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Limerick.