| Publication |
2009.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Mapping became an important element in the mechanics of European diplomacy in the century and one-half after the Peace of Westphalia. This element was linked to what has been seen as a more defined notion of frontiers, a move away from the idea of a frontier as a zone to, instead, the idea of a distinct border that could be reproduced and charted on a map as a line. This change reflected a greater stress on undivided sovereignty, which made ambiguous relationships, such as that between France and ten Alsatian cities established by the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, unacceptable to some rulers. However, traditional ideas proved to be very persistent and mapping often served simply to clarify the existence of incompatible notions and disputed territories.
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