Tsar Peter I’s Visit to Paris in 1717: The View from the Viennese Court

Authors

  • Steven Müller

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15826/qr.2017.2.227

Abstract

This article discusses observations made by Joseph Königsegg, the Habsburg envoy in Paris, on the presence of Tsar Peter I in the French capital. The author bases his argument on unedited diplomatic reports in the Austrian state archives in Vienna (Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv Wien). First, the author outlines the aims of Königsegg’s embassy on the basis of the instructions issued by Emperor Charles VI. Analysing diplomatic reports, it is clear that Königsegg was unable to draw a detailed picture of the tsar’s activities in Paris due to the significant ceremonial disputes between the Viennese and the Parisian court. Furthermore, a report issued by the Swedish envoy in Paris (discovered among the papers of the Habsburg emperor) not only reveals diverse observations on Peter I, but also shows that diplomatic communication and information collection functioned thanks to diplomatic networks.

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Published

2017-06-30

How to Cite

Müller, S. (2017). Tsar Peter I’s Visit to Paris in 1717: The View from the Viennese Court. Quaestio Rossica, 5(2), 354–366. https://doi.org/10.15826/qr.2017.2.227

Issue

Section

Problema voluminis