War, State, and Society in Liege

Small power diplomacy in seventeenth century Europe War, State and Society in Lige is a fascinating case study of the consequences of war in the Prince-Bishopric of Lige and touches upon wider issues in early modern history, such as small power diplomacy in the seventeenth century and during the Nine Years War. For centuries, the small semi-independent Holy Roman Principality of Lige succeeded in preserving a non-belligerent role in European conflicts. During the Nine Years War (16881697), however, Liges leaders had to abolish the practice of neutrality. For the first time in its early modern history, the Prince-Bishopric had to raise a regular army, reconstruct ruined defence structures, and supply army contributions in both money and material. The issues under discussion in War, State and Society in Lige offer the reader insight into how Lige politically protected its powerful institutions and how the local elite tried to influence the interplay between domestic and external diplomatic relationships. This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).