Abstract
Ceremonial Diplomatic ceremonial was a central element in the peace-making process of the early modern period: the form and content of negotiations cannot be separated. Diplomatic ceremonial articulated the status of the powers involved in negotiations and was thus always controversial and the subject of permanent discussion. Hence diplomatic ceremonial increasingly became an obstacle to peace talks. The consequence was standardization on the one hand and the de-formalization of peace negotiations on the other. The Westphalian peace conference occupies a key position in this process as the first European congress of diplomats. These negotiations not only served as a model; they also showed which areas of conflict should be avoided. The chapter traces the function of diplomatic ceremonial in the early modern period and draws attention to the dynamics of its development over three centuries.
