Chapter Summary- Origins of Organized Diplomacy Essay Example

at human history, we will be able to see that diplomacy was actually older than it and that it started with angels as first diplomats between heaven and earth. Later on savages needed to communicate between each other’s tribes, at least to agree on a terms by which they will stop a war. Diplomatic immunities comes from that time, from ‘sancrosanct’ or messengers between already mentioned tribes.

At that time foreigners were considered dangerous and they had to go through certain procedure before entering a land of particular other (sentiment left till today- can be compared with visa). Having spread of mythology, diplomacy and diplomats at that times were put under tutelage of God Hermes. Then we come to a stage of Greed city- states where an ambassadors were chosen between best orators with great voice and where diplomacy starts to get great promotion and importance. First conference was held in Sparta (to discuss whether a war against Athens will start or not) in 432. B. C.

At that time one group of businessmen from Athens were in Sparta, but nothing was done to stop them from doing what they came for even though the war was proclaimed to start, which shows high level of professionalism present between those city- states representatives. Third stage is Roman supremacy that focused more on international law rather than on diplomacy. Later on they turn their focus, but these years were marked mostly by Byzantine Empire and their three stages of operation:

a) Weakening barbarians by starting rivalry between them;

b) Purchasing friendship of strongest among them;

c) Converting them to Christianity;

At

that time qualities expanded from eloquence only to good observation, long experience and sound judgement. Word ‘diplomacy’ comes from Greek word ‘diploun’ which means ‘to fold’- at that time a lot of ‘passports’ consisted of mixed papers folded all in one and sewn together. These were called ‘diplomas’ and after a lot of them were collected, an archive needed to be made. Till 17th century this position has been called ‘res diplomatica’ or ‘diplomatic business’, but from 1796 this term actually starts to be used for management of international relations (used firstly by Edmund Burke, England).

Italy started with first embassies. In 1455 Francesco Sforiza, Duke of Milan established an embassy in Genoa, in 1496 in London and 1460 in Rome. In 1519 sir Thomas Boleyn and Dr. West are becoming first British ambassadors in Paris. Three centuries after, first diplomatic hierarchy was established and this was done at Vienna Congress in 1815 by signing The Reglement of March 19th nd later Congress of Aix- la- Chapelle defined four categories:

a) Ambassadors;

b) Extraordinary envoys;

c) Ministers resident and;

d) Charge d’Affaires;

By these agreements it was established that an ambassador with longest experience becomes a doyen or dean and all others are above him. From that time on, Diplomatic Service as separate branch was established and later on it involved into much more, developing own hierarchy, rules and conventions.