In my bachelor thesis, I centred my research on diplomatic relations between the Dubrovnik republic and the Venetian republic, The Ottoman Empire and other selected countries in late 17th and early 18th century. The Dubrovnik republic was never directly and formally involved in wars, but nevertheless they were all the time engaged in »diplomatic battles«. In my thesis, I introduced the backgrounds of trade, finance, legislation, diplomatic and consular representations and the army of the Dubrovnik republic. All that was of the utmost importance and influenced the mode of operation of the diplomatic work of the republic. On the basis of five periods of wars and peace between Venetian republic and Ottoman Empire I presented and explained diplomatic relations and happenings of the Dubrovnik republic and compared diplomacy in war and peace between the aforementioned countries. I focused on the differences and common features in Dubrovnik diplomacy. I found out that the Dubrovnik republic used more or less the same diplomatic strategies in peace and war periods. It used the strategies of empathy but on the other hand it was brutally sharp in its diplomatic approach. Its diplomatic representatives were also actively involved in distribution of political information, they were collecting informations, distributing bribes and paying for political protection to ensure their safety and well being of the Dubrovnik population. For any cost, they wanted to ensure their freedom and sovereignty with diplomatic relations. They were no match for other countries in military power. Their most important feature was that they made pacts with different countries waging wars. Dubrovnik always chose the potential winner.
|