Frieden vermitteln auf neuem Terrain

Abstract

Abstract This article presents the text of the instructions imparted by Cardinal Secretary of State Alderano Cybo to Luigi Bevilacqua, the apostolic nuncio and mediator at the multilateral peace congress of Nijmegen (1676–1679). It also offers a historical contextualization of the source, found in the Archivio Bevilacqua Ariosti in Bologna. The instructions reflect a change in Papal diplomacy, which remained active among the European powers even after the peace of Westphalia. By sending a nuncio into Protestant territory, Pope Innocent XI’s curia increasingly tended to integrate itself into the secularising diplomacy. During the peace negotiations, the Holy See tried to fulfil its ideal role as a padre comune, entailing strict impartiality between the conflicting Catholic parties. The orders regarding contacts with Protestant actors and interests are an example of the flexible dialogue of a normative text with the changing circumstances of 17th-century diplomatic practice. Although the wording reflects the intransigent tradition of the Holy See, the instructions show clear signs that the Protestant presence at the congress was handled pragmatically. On site, Bevilacqua even tried to go further and expand the recently established norm in favour of an effective interaction with Protestants, but ultimately failed.