Abstract: Diplomacy is often seen as a top-down endeavour led by rulers and bureaucrats. However, the evolution of Swedish diplomacy from 1680 to 1765 tells a different story – one where individual agency shaped state policies and international representation. Forsberg's research highlights how diplomatic actors engaged with the state to create a more structured system. This project examines the process that led to the 1765 "Regulations for Foreign Ministers," which codified procedures after decades of negotiation. This legislation symbolized the resolution of power struggles between diplomatic agents and administrative bodies.

Using archival materials examined from an actor-focused perspective, this project offers a fresh view on Swedish diplomacy. It shows how "sideways state-building," where individuals interact to shape governance, was key to early modern Swedish statecraft. The interaction between ambition, constraint, and adaptation by both diplomats and state institutions reveals how modern state systems emerged.

Bio: Emma Forsberg is a doctoral candidate at the Department of History at Lund University, funded by the Graduate School of History. Her research focuses on the Swedish diplomatic corps between 1680 and 1765, examining how norms, practices, and rituals shaped diplomatic legitimacy and authority. Emma holds a Master’s degree in Intellectual History from Uppsala University, where she explored the activities of Swedish diplomat Carl Gyllenborg. Her work bridges themes of gender history, global history, and material culture, offering fresh insights into the professionalization of early modern diplomacy.

Register for the seminar here.