The monograph takes a profound look behind the scenes of the Russian court in the 1720s and its revolving events in this period: including e.g. the foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721, the successions to the throne of 1725/1727 and the formation of an alliance between St. Petersburg and Vienna in 1726. The author pays special attention to the diplomats and their function as actors, representatives and mouthpieces of the Holy Roman Emperor at the foreign court. This approach reveals so far underestimated aspects of the early modern diplomacy and shows the contemporary discussions about it on different social milieus. Assembling various eyewitness accounts and other sources of the 18th century, the study offers a heterogeneous illustration of the ambassadors' activities at the Russian court.

Autorentext
Dr. Christian Steppan studierte Geschichte und Slawistik in Innsbruck und Moskau. Von 2011 bis 2014 war er Stipendiat des Internationalen Graduiertenkollegs »Politische Kommunikation von der Antike bis ins 20. Jahrhundert«.