Западната дипломация в Константинопол (XVIII век)
Western Diplomacy in Constantinople in the 18th Century

Summary/Abstract: The main idea of the article is to reveal the role of diplomacy, as one of the regulations of international law, in the relations of the so called Western Powers with the Ottoman Empire. For that purpose the analysis is focused mainly on two problems. The first one concerns the establishment of permanent diplomatic missions in Constantinople, which happened almost simultaneously with the introduction of such missions among the Western countries themselves, namely at the beginning of the 16th century. In the Ottoman Empire, due to the lack of interstate agreements as a condition of diplomatic representation, the latter developed on the basis of capitulations – special agreements, concluded by the countries of the European state system with a country outside their perimeter. This on its part defined the nature and goals of diplomatic relations. They were first of all unilateral, unreciprocal ones. The actions of the respective missions were determined by the political interests of any particular country in regard to the Empire. It is interesting that in Constantinople, as sources show, they carried out instructions concerning interstate problems between Western countries themselves. The second problem is related to specific diplomatic activities in Constantinople and particularly to those of English diplomacy, special emphasis being put upon its participation in settling the Polish question. Aided by a rich source basis, the author convincingly proves the unsoundness of the thesis prevailing in historiography that from a geopolitical and strategic point of view Poland’s fate was on the periphery of English interests. She makes it clear that from the very emergence of that problem London had played a leading part in it and tried to direct the activities of the other participants to the course of its interests. In this case, except for Poland, the main victim was the Ottoman Empire, which was compelled to assume the role of a belligerent power and participate in all wars until it came to the conclusion of the next capitulation through the mediation of Western diplomacy.

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