A Handlist of British Diplomatic Representatives 1509-1688 - Reference

In this review of A Handlist of British Diplomatic Representatives: 1509-1688, the reviewer finds a focused reference work aimed at historians and researchers who need a reliable catalog of early modern English diplomacy. The book's single biggest reason to buy is its detailed cataloguing of envoys and agents across a formative 179-year span, making it a practical starting point for archival research and bibliographic cross-checking rather than casual reading.

Key Features

• Chronological coverage: Catalogues diplomatic representatives from 1509 to 1688, providing a continuous record for a key formative period in English diplomatic history.
• Series context: Published as number 16 in the Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks Series, it fits into a scholarly sequence designed for research continuity.
• Reference focus: Arranged as a handlist, it is compact and navigable for quick lookup of names, dates and postings when working with primary sources.
• Scholarly continuation: Intended to continue the work of earlier cataloguers, the volume helps bridge the period before the later Horn and Bindoff volumes.
• Research utility: Serves as a bibliographic starting point for tracing the establishment of modern English diplomatic practices and institutions.

Who It's For

The book is well suited to academic historians, postgraduate students and archivists who require a concise, authoritative list of English diplomatic representatives in the period 1509 to 1688. Its format and placement in a scholarly series make it particularly useful for those assembling prosopographical data or verifying appointments and dates against primary documents.

Readers seeking a narrative history, a broad survey of diplomatic theory, or a richly illustrated coffee-table book should look elsewhere; this is a specialist reference volume rather than a general-interest history or interpretive account.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Consolidates names and service dates across 179 years into a single, searchable handlist useful for research.
• Fits into the Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks Series, aiding use alongside related scholarly volumes.
• Acts as a bridge to later catalogues, making it practical for projects spanning 1509 to 1852 when used with subsequent volumes.

Cons

• Not a narrative or interpretive work, so readers needing contextual analysis will need supplementary sources.

Specifications

Title	A Handlist of British Diplomatic Representatives: 1509-1688
Series	Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, Series Number 16
Author / Editor	Gary M. Bell
Coverage period	1509 to 1688
Purpose	Cataloguing British diplomatic representatives for research and reference
Original publication date	1990

Our Verdict

For scholars and archivists who need a compact, reliable list of English diplomatic personnel in the early modern period, this handlist is a worthwhile reference that saves time and reduces archival guesswork. It represents good value for research libraries and anyone assembling prosopographical or diplomatic appointment data, provided users pair it with interpretive sources for full context.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this volume cover later diplomatic periods?
The book covers 1509 to 1688 only; later periods are treated in separate catalogues by other authors.

Is this a narrative history?
No. It is a handlist reference focused on names, dates and postings rather than interpretive narrative.

Who edited or authored the handlist?
The volume is by Gary M. Bell and was published as part of the Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks Series.