ABSTRACT
This chapter examines three important ceremonial quarrels at the beginning of the congress (1644–1645): the first analyses the case of Fabio Chigi, nuncio of Pope Urban VIII/Innocent X; the second turns to the case of Henri II d'Orleans, duke of Longueville, who was the lead French ambassador; and the third analyses the case of Francis William of Wartenberg, bishop and descendant of the Wittelsbach family. All three diplomats had a very high status within ancien regime society in addition to their role as representatives during the peace negotiations. They could therefore use the ceremonial system as a means to underline their status within different normative orders. The chapter shows taking an 'actor-centred' approach reveals that many diplomats claimed ceremonial rights as a means of defending their personal status within their polity's aristocratic hierarchy, regardless of any ceremonial honours they might have claimed as representatives of their absent prince.
