ROYAL INTERMARRIAGES AND THEIR ROLE IN DIPLOMACY OF WESTERN EUROPEAN STATES IN EARLY MODERN PERIOD

Abstract

The proposed article examines the phenomenon of ‘marital diplomacy’ in European history of the second half of the XVth – middle XVIIth centuries, also the influence of royal intermarriages is shown regarding the foreign policy and diplomacy within European states during the period of early modern times. A royal intermarriage – is a union, concluded between representatives of ruling dynasties, with a goal to solve important internal- and foreign policy issues of interested parties. Marriage arrangements were used for: 1) settlement of territorial disputes (successful ‘marriage contract’ made it possible to put forward a claim to one title or another, and, accordingly, to the territory assigned to it); 2) creating military and political alliance; 3) settlement of conflicts and consolidation of international agreements (marriage was considered as an important symbolic component of reconciliation between warring parties); 4) cessation of internal strives; 5) strengthening of international prestige and authority of the ruling dynasty. Depending on the motives, pursued by one or another type of marriage agreement, the following main types of dynastic marriages are distinguished. The first one – a dynastic union. This is a political union, under which the monarchs, who concluded it, were sovereign rulers ( two states were ruled by one dynasty for a certain period of time). The second type of dynastic marriage – is a union between a sovereign ruler and a representative of the foreign royal court, who took over himself the status of queen (king) consort. While concluding such a type of marriage, the issue of ensuring the succession of the royal family came first. However, possible geopolitical benefits from such an alliance were not rejected either. The procedure of concluding a royal intermarriage was quite a long process. It required consideration of a number of conditions. Important values had the status, prestige of the royal family, the foreign policy strategy of that state or another. Among other factors, that influenced dynastic politics were geographical, social and religious ones. However, the crucial role during this period, similarly to the Middle Ages, had political interests that almost always dominated over family members.