We know that history can be affected - and effected - by language and translations, a primary example being Luther´s translation of the Bible into German. Even the political processes of very complex modern societies are controlled by language processes, including deficiencies and communication misunderstandings. But how was the striving for peace transmitted between the various dynasties and societies in Europe? What was the political and cultural role of language in making and preserving peace? A number of individual studies have addressed the diplomatic methods and strategies of the premodern era, but they did not systematically treat the communicative dimension of peace negotiations of early modern times. The contributions in this edited volume are concerned with this complex question and touch on many individual aspects as well.