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4 Etiquette and ‘face’

Abstract

According to the body language of royal etiquette, gestures constituted concessions of status and, since they were public, could affect the standing of monarchs in the estimation of the international community. The corporate identity of the corps was defined by the perceived rights, privileges and immunities of the ritual, many of which were encoded in the rules, both national and international, of the trade. The corps had a hierarchy of its own, in which diplomats of the first-rank powers took precedence over representatives of the second-rank courts. Two benches had been designated for the diplomats, one for ambassadors and the other behind it for ministers plenipotentiary. Etiquette did more than break the metaphorical ice between hostile powers. It also created a forum where the inherent competition of international relations was kept in check by common rules of civility.

Abstract

According to the body language of royal etiquette, gestures constituted concessions of status and, since they were public, could affect the standing of monarchs in the estimation of the international community. The corporate identity of the corps was defined by the perceived rights, privileges and immunities of the ritual, many of which were encoded in the rules, both national and international, of the trade. The corps had a hierarchy of its own, in which diplomats of the first-rank powers took precedence over representatives of the second-rank courts. Two benches had been designated for the diplomats, one for ambassadors and the other behind it for ministers plenipotentiary. Etiquette did more than break the metaphorical ice between hostile powers. It also created a forum where the inherent competition of international relations was kept in check by common rules of civility.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Abbreviations viii
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Part I: The structure of a service 17
  7. 1 Why diplomacy? 21
  8. 2 Entrance, training and promotion 41
  9. 3 Family, sex and marriage 62
  10. Part II: Of cabbages and kings 87
  11. 4 Etiquette and ‘face’ 91
  12. 5 Favourites and flunkeys 106
  13. 6 Gossips, networks and news 124
  14. Part III: Beyond the call of duty 149
  15. 7 The Grand Tour 151
  16. 8 From ancients to moderns 167
  17. 9 War, ethnography and religion 188
  18. Conclusion 211
  19. Appendix A Male diplomats, 1750–1830 219
  20. Appendix B Female diplomats, 1750–1830 227
  21. Select primary source bibliography 232
  22. Index 239
The Culture of Diplomacy
This chapter is in the book The Culture of Diplomacy
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781847794666.00011

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Abbreviations viii
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Part I: The structure of a service 17
  7. 1 Why diplomacy? 21
  8. 2 Entrance, training and promotion 41
  9. 3 Family, sex and marriage 62
  10. Part II: Of cabbages and kings 87
  11. 4 Etiquette and ‘face’ 91
  12. 5 Favourites and flunkeys 106
  13. 6 Gossips, networks and news 124
  14. Part III: Beyond the call of duty 149
  15. 7 The Grand Tour 151
  16. 8 From ancients to moderns 167
  17. 9 War, ethnography and religion 188
  18. Conclusion 211
  19. Appendix A Male diplomats, 1750–1830 219
  20. Appendix B Female diplomats, 1750–1830 227
  21. Select primary source bibliography 232
  22. Index 239
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