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Abstract
Diplomatic contacts in the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) intensified as states struggled in an increasingly competitive and violent environment. States looked to strengthen their sovereignty by marriage alliances, both to secure their own royal lines and to extend control over other states. Competing claims to rulership could lead to war and interfere with making peace, resulting in numerous truces. Treaties were always fragile as statesmen skirted legal precedents to extend their power; this resulted in new thinking about how to enforce treaties, notably the attempt to end the war with a grand peace conference including all participants.