1st Edition

England and the Avignon Popes The Practice of Diplomacy in Late Medieval Europe

By Karsten Pluger Copyright 2005

    Much has been written about the complex relationship between England and the papacy in the 14th century, yet the form (rather than the content) of the diplomatic intercourse between these two protagonists has not hitherto been examined in detail. Drawing on a wide range of unpublished sources, Pluger explores the techniques of communication employed by the Crown in its dealings with Clement VI (1342-52) and Innocent VI (1352-62). Methodologies of social and cultural history and of International Relations are brought to bear on the analysis of the dialogue between Westminster and Avignon, resulting in a more complete picture of 14th-century Anglo-papal relations in particular and of medieval diplomatic practice in general.

    1: Methodological and Theoretical Considerations; 2: Determining Factors and Points of Contact, c . 1342—1362; 3: Diplomatic Personnel; 4: Organization; 5: Means of Communication; 6: Protocol, Procedure and Ceremonial; Conclusion; Epilogue

    Biography

    Karsten Pluger