Diplomatic Protocol and Anglo-Russian Negotiations in 1662—1663

Abstract

In the early 1660’s the Russian economy was in deep crisis. Needed in silver, the Muscovy government sent to England in 1662 a representative embassy of more than a hundred people, headed by Prince Pyotr Prozorovsky and the nobleman Ivan Zhelyabuzhsky. It is believed that the mission of Prozorovsky and Zhelyabuzhsky in London failed, because the King of England Charles II refused to give the Russian Tsar money in debt. In historiography this embassy is seen as an episodic event in the history of Anglo-Russian relations. The trip of the delegation of Muscovites to London was poorly reflected in Russian sources, whereas it was covered in detail by the English and Italian, which requires a more thorough analysis. The receipt of Prince Prozorovsky, found in the National Archives at Kew (UK), make it clear that the Muscovite delegation left London with money. However, the problem of the influence of Russian and English diplomatic protocol on the 17th century negotiation process and, in particular, on the results of Prozorovsky’s visit to England in 1662—1663 has so far escaped the attention of scholars. Using the actor approach of “new diplomatic history”, the author argues that it was a firm negotiating position that allowed diplomats of Muscovy to turn the course of Anglo-Russian negotiations on the financial issue and successfully conclude the mission to London.