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In this article, Günter Christ discusses the special ceremonial privileges of the ambassadors of the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire at the peace congress which led to the treaties of Westphalia in 1648. The problem is focussed on the right of the ambassador to be accorded the title of Exzellenz, usually reserved for the ambassadors of sovereign states. The concession was opposed at first both by the Emperor and the ambassadors of France and Spain, but in the course of the year 1645, although the Emperor and the representatives of the ‘Crowns’ remained reluctant, they eventually conceded the point. This success meant more than a gain in status for the Electors: it signalled that the Electors were treated at the congress not only as fully authorised representatives of the Empire, but also as the accepted and independent members of the European congress. At the same time it was a landmark in the constitution of the Empire. Henceforth the Emperor was seen to be sharing his authority with the other members of the Empire, especially the Electors.
