Diplomatic Communication and Maritime Predation: The Seizure of Ximenes d'Aragão’s Ship in the Correspondence Between England and Tuscany During the Anglo-Spanish Wars (1595–1596)
Keywords:
Comunicação Diplomática; Predação Marítima; Ximenes de Aragão.Abstract
In 1595, English privateers seized a vessel on the Lisbon–Livorno route, leading to diplomatic negotiations between the Grand Duke of Tuscany and the English Crown. The former petitioned for a safe-conduct and the restitution of the cargo, while Queen Elizabeth I claimed that the owners, the Ximenes d’Aragão, were subjects of Spain—and therefore legitimate targets in the conflict against the Iberian Union. This article develops a case study of this episode, concentrating on the dynamics of diplomatic correspondence between England and Tuscany, drawing on letters preserved in printed compilations and digital resources such as the Medici Archive Project and British History Online. This article contributes to the debate on the management of maritime conflicts in the early modern period, showing how diplomacy could be employed to recover losses and reduce the risks of maritime predation, while also indicating that Tuscany’s geopolitical position helped mitigate the Ximenes’ navigation risks and negotiate compensation for damages, though it also reveals its limitations.
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