Discover the correspondence and documents of international diplomacy in eighteenth-century Britain
State Papers Online: Eighteenth Century, 1714-1782: Part II: State Papers Foreign: Low Countries and Germany contains the papers written or received by the secretaries of state in the processes of British diplomacy in the Low Countries and Germany through the eighteenth century.
This rich archive includes correspondence with English diplomats abroad and foreign diplomats in England, original and draft treaties, letters between heads of state, intercepted dispatches and other intelligence, working papers of the secretaries, and material relating to military, naval, and colonial policy. Part II expands on the domestic papers in Part I and presents the first section of the foreign papers during the reigns of George I, George II, and George III until 1782 when the State Papers series ends.
The collection turns its lens on the eighteenth-century world beyond England, documenting the relationship of the Hanoverian reign with Flanders, Holland, and Germany, with particular focus on European powers such as the Holy Roman Empire and German states and towns. It also includes the Military Expedition series and the Archives of British Legations. The included volumes provide the correspondence, communications, and conduct of events that were discussed in internal documents in the domestic papers of Part I, such as the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War; reports from British agents; correspondence from other ambassadors and advisers; letters to and from the king and the Holy Roman emperors; and compensation claims, petitions, and royal warrants. It provides users with the ability to browse and search manuscript material from over 1000 volumes. Part II's detailed coverage of international diplomacy offers eighteenth-century scholars fresh insights into the workings of the Hanoverian court and those of its allies and enemies in Europe.
Manuscript series in Part II include:
- SP 77: State Papers Foreign, Flanders.
- SP 80: State Papers Foreign, Holy Roman Empire.
- SP 81: State Papers Foreign, German States.
- SP 82: State Papers Foreign, Hamburg and Hanse Towns.
- SP 84: State Papers Foreign, Holland.
- SP 87: State Papers Foreign, Military Expeditions.
- SP 96: State Papers Foreign, Switzerland.
- SP 101: State Papers Foreign, Newsletters.
- SP 105: State Papers Foreign, Archives of British Legations.
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Additional Details
subjects covered
- British Studies
- European Studies
- Western European Studies
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Anthropology
- Law & Legal Studies
- Religion & Philosophy
- U.S. History
Platform Features & Tools
Cross-Search Capability
Search across State Papers Domestic, Foreign, Ireland, and the registers of the Privy Council from 15th to 18th centuries.
Comparative Analysis
View two manuscripts side by side to compare drafts or handwriting.
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Search across the Calendar entries and link to the manuscript, or browse each manuscript volume folio by folio.