Diplomats’ Tales – Diplomatengeschichten : Alltagspraxis, Lebensweltkonstruktion und politische Selbstwahrnehmung in Zeiten der konsolidierten Personalunion zwischen Großbritannien und Hannover (1774–1783)

Abstract

British diplomats stationed in the German Empire and serving under George III had one major objective: seeing to matters regarding the British crown and steering clear of “His Majesty’s German Dominions”. The Electorate of Hanover did have her own diplomatic missions after all. As ever so often, theory deviated from reality and did indeed in this point. Zoning in on British-Hanoverian (un)official collaboration and cooperation, a selection of British diplomats serving on the European continent between 1774 and 1783 take centre stage. It is through their eyes and writing that the political and structural realities of the British-Hanoverian union are illuminated. Moreover do they offer a unique insight into the political ideas and perceptions of those, for whom the British-Hanoverian union was more than a mere political backdrop.