A Short History of Italian Diplomacy

This book is the first comprehensive handbook published in English to trace the history of Italian diplomacy from national unification to the present day. The volume is the result of a collaboration between Stefano Baldi, a career diplomat, and Luciano Monzali, an academic historian. This partnership allows the text to combine rigorous historical analysis with a practical understanding of how diplomatic institutions function internally. Rather than depicting Italian diplomacy as a static bureaucracy, the authors present it as an evolving entity rooted in a centuries-old Savoyard tradition. To illustrate this progression, the narrative is structured around three main analytical paths: the evolution of Italian diplomatic culture, the biographical profiles of the country’s most influential diplomats and the administrative history of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The text traces the transformation of the diplomatic apparatus from a small royal secretariat into the modern and multifaceted institution known today as the Farnesina. By examining the work of the diplomatic corps through the liberal state, the Fascist era, the Cold War, and the shift toward modern multilateralism, the book illustrates how Italian diplomacy has historically balanced its established traditions with the need for institutional innovation. This comprehensive approach facilitates a thorough understanding of the country’s historical and contemporary role on the global stage.