The Pre-Westphalian State System

Abstract

In this article, the characteristics and functioning of the pre-Westphalian state system will be examined, detailing its political and diplomatic structures prior to the emergence of modern sovereignty. It provides a conceptual framework that defines state, sovereignty, and international order, underscoring the hierarchical nature of relations, the fusion of religious and political authority, and the flexible territorial boundaries that characterised this period. The article examines mechanisms of governance and diplomacy, such as tributary networks, religious and cultural norms, dynastic marriages, and warfare as a means of conflict resolution. Additionally, it traces the transition from this fragmented medieval order to the emergence of sovereign states, highlighting the impact of the Thirty Years’ War and the Peace of Westphalia (1648) in establishing legal territorial sovereignty and secular diplomacy. By emphasising the historical development of sovereignty, the paper sheds light on the evolution of the international system from a complex, overlapping order to the modern state-centric framework that remains influential today.