Authority and Diplomacy from Dante to Shakespeare

A detailed examination of the relationship between the discourses and practices of authority and diplomacy in the late medieval and early modern periods, this volume interrogates the persistent duality of the roles of author and ambassador. Contributors analyze various forms of writing, including drama, poetry, diplomatic correspondence, peace treaties and household accounts; and a range of major literary figures, including Dante, Petrarch, Chaucer, Wyatt, Sidney and Spenser.