“Reason not the need”: TheAccidental Journey of the Condede Villamediana around theSouth of England in 1603"

Abstract

After twenty years without diplomatic representation due to the prolonged hostilities of theundeclared Anglo-Spanish War (1585-1604) Spain made the first move towards peace by sendingan ambassador, Don Juan de Tassis, Conde de Villamediana, to congratulate King James on hisaccession to the throne of England. His arrival in Dover with an entourage of one hundred andfifty men as “his house” was a sensation according to Relacion muy verdadera del recebimiento yfiestas. Villamediana’s audience with the king kept being postponed due to a number ofunanticipated circumstances related to the plague so the ambassador and his train had to wanderaround the south of England until he was finally received in Winchester in October 1603. Thejourney of the Spanish ambassador is considered in this essay as a source of debate about theneed and convenience of sizable retinues as part of embassies. It is moreover suggested that sucha debate may have contributed to define King Lear’s retinue in Shakespeare’s tragedy.