Old and New Insights on the History of Intelligence and Diplomacy in the Balkans

Bringing together twelve experts from nine countries, this volume explores intelligence and diplomatic activities, both historical and contemporary, in the Balkan region. Covering a wide range of periods and radically different historical conditions, the various contributions are united by a common theme: the intimate relationship between diplomacy and intelligence.

Subjects include: the Venetian dragomans of Zara; ‘informal diplomacy’ between Bulgaria and Turkey; ‘diplomacy without a state’ (Adam Czartoryski’s ‘embassy’ in Paris); diplomacy and diplomats in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918-1943); case studies on diplomats Otto von Essen, Stojan Novakovič, Adam Czartoryski, Josip Djerdja, and Jovan Dučić; British policy toward Albania during the Second World War; diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Albania; the 1992 ‘arms delivery scandal’ in Bulgaria; and the normalization of Bulgarian bilateral relations with Turkey.

"A volume of notable orginality, both in respecte of its disciplinary contribution to the history of intelligence and diplomacy, but also in its geographical focus. As is demonstrated admirably in this collection of papers, the Balkans have been down the centuries and remain an area of competing strategic interests." - Dennis Deletant, Emeritus Professor, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London

Bogdan Teodor has a PhD in history in 2011 from ‘Alexandru Ioan Cuza’ University of Iași, Romania, as well as an MA in European and security studies and a BA in contemporary history from the same university. Currently he is an associate professor in intelligence history and security studies at ‘Mihai Viteazul’ National Intelligence Academy, Romania.

Jordan Baev has a PhD in contemporary history from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1982). In 1996 he was elected Associate Professor in Security Studies, in 2013 Full Professor in International History at Rakovski National Defense College, and since 2019 he is a visiting professor in Intelligence History at Sofia University. He has written more than 300 publications in fourteen languages, published in 25 countries, on diplomatic, military and intelligence history.

Matthew Crosston has a PhD from Brown University and an MA from the University of London. Currently he is Director of Academic Transformation at Bowie State University. He is widely published and sought after on issues of war, intelligence studies, national security, education innovation, and change leadership.

Mihaela Teodor has a PhD in history in 2011 from ‘Alexandru Ioan Cuza’ University of Iași, Romania, as well as an MA in European and security studies and a BA in history and French language from the same university. She is Senior Researcher in the security studies domain at the National Intelligence Institute, ANIMV ‘Mihai Viteazul’ National Intelligence Academy, Romania.