In 1626, the Swedish Council of the Realm recommended that their king, Gustav II Adolph (15941632), should negotiate with the enemy under the helmet in order to force Poland into accepting Swedish demands. Although Gustav Adolph's reign is known especially for its wars and not for its diplomacy, this deliberate combination of military action and diplomatic approach illustrates the true status of diplomacy in Swedish foreign policy from 1617 to 1630. This book argues that diplomacy played a decisive role in the conduct of Swedish foreign policy during Gustav Adolph's reign. For the value of diplomacy in foreign policy greatly depends on how much emphasis a government puts on this means, it is reasonable to shed light on the establishment of diplomatic structures and how exactly they were employed. Did Gustav Adolph follow a clear-cut concept of diplomacy, or did the government react spontaneously with whatever diplomatic means they could procure at a given moment?

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Acknowledgements I. Introduction Definition of the topic Geographical and temporal delimitations Method Source material Literature Outline of the thesis II. Diplomacy and diplomatic theory in early modern times 1. Defining diplomacy 2. Early modern theoretical concepts of diplomacy Machiavelli Grotius Conclusion III. Foreign policy decisions under Gustav II Adolph 1. The structures of Swedish foreign politics 2. Decision-making process and distribution of political power The konungaförsäkran of 1611 Gustav II Adolph The king and his chancellor The riksråd The riksdag 3. Decisions in Swedish foreign policy, 1617-1630 Military conflict settlement Peaceful conflict settlement Alliances Economics Conclusion IV. The organisation of Swedish diplomacy 1. The management of diplomacy 2. The administration of the diplomatic service 3. Sweden's diplomatic relations 4. The Swedish diplomatic service Correspondence Diplomatic missions Diplomats Formalities Conclusion V. The use of diplomacy under Gustav II Adolph 1. Information policy 2. The selection of diplomats 3. The implementation of foreign policy decisions 4. Strategies in the use of diplomatic means Negotiations at a congressus Temporary missions Daily diplomacy 5. Other instruments of foreign policy in relation to diplomacy Military means Economic means Propaganda Conclusion VI. Conclusion: The central role of diplomacy Sources Unprinted Printed Literature Abbreviations Deutsche Zusammenfassung