Peace of Westphalia news
To my surprise, I was referenced in an article in Slate called The Decline of the Nation State. The author says, “As late as the 17th century, the king of Spain was also the king of Portugal, Naples, and Sicily as well as the duke of Milan and Burgundy. The historian Derek Croxton has likened …
Riding Stick Horses
I recently learned that there is a tradition of children riding stick horses in Osnabrück on October 25th, as though they were spreading news of the peace. This has the wonderful German name of Steckenpferdreiten. The “Peace Rider” (Friedensreiter) is indeed a figure from the Peace of Westphalia, and the inspiration for the post horn that …
Happy Peace of Westphalia Day!
Today is the 371st anniversary of the signing. I celebrate every year with a Mazarin cake. I have no evidence that the Cardinal is associated with the cake, but it seems likely; and, besides, I can’t think of a more appropriate dessert to make. (Traditional Wespthalia foods like pumpernickel, ham, and blood sausage are not …
Towards a Westphalia for the Middle East
The title for this post is taken from a book of the same name, which is sort of a manifesto for a larger project aimed at achieving something like what it is called: a Westphalia for the Middle East. This is not the first time I have seen efforts to link Westphalia and the Middle …
Westphalia and Free Expression
I found a reference to the Peace of Westphalia in an unlikely place today: in an article on free expression. “The idea of free expression traces itself back to the Peace of Westphalia,” reads the dubious sentence. I understand that the author is trying to connect religious liberty with freedom of thought, and freedom of …
Somaliland
If you’re like me, when you saw the title of this post you wondered, “Has the country of Somalia changed its name?” But, no, Somaliland is not an alternative name for Somalia, but rather the name for a region that is fighting for independence from Somalia (see map at right). I do not intend this …
Sovereignty and Separatists: Abkhazia and South Ossetia
Independence movements have been a lot on my mind since the harsh European reaction to Catalonian independence. Actually, independence movements have always been a lot on my mind; one of the main reasons I wanted to study the Peace of Westphalia was to learn about how the European map achieved its modern shape. One aspect …
Sovereignty and Separatists: Abkhazia and South OssetiaRead More
Catalonia and Westphalia
I recently learned that Catalonia is scheduled to vote on independence on October 1st, which is less than a week away. How is this related to the Peace of Westphalia? Very closely, as the fate of Catalonia was perhaps the touchiest part of the negotiations, and was certainly the main reason France and Spain could …