Tudor and Stuart History- Joint Session | November

Envoys in London: Connecting English interests and anti-Habsburg diplomacy in the context of European geopolitics, 1528-1540
This paper addresses the ways in which French and Hungarian envoys negotiated at the English court in order to win Henry VIII's support for the anti-Habsburg alliance of Francis I of France and John I of Hungary. With an actor-centred approach, it focuses on the diplomatic agents' awareness of Henry's political interests in foreign and domestic affairs as well as the rhetorical techniques they applied to create a link between those interests and European geopolitical issues, particularly the Italian Wars and the Habsburg-Ottoman rivalry. Thus, the paper aims to assess the role of envoys' individual agency in 'high politics'.

Elvira Tamus is a PhD student at the University of Cambridge.


Cross-border links: the reach of the London Livery Companies in Spain (16th century)
London Livery Companies were one of the most important institutions during the Early Modern Period. Their principal function was the creation of trading networks between its members, and, in consequence, the employment of apprentices as factors by their masters was a necessary tool for the internationalisation of trade. During the 16th century, one of the main destinies of these apprentices/factors was Spain. 
Through cross-referencing Spanish and English sources, in this paper, we showed how membership to these organisations was essential in creating trading networks in Spain by its members, showcasing the cross-border character of London's Livery Companies. 

María Grove-Gordillo is a member of the project team on ‘La esclavitud en la economía y la sociedad de la España del siglo XVI’ at the University of Seville.