While the origins of the modern system of international law can be traced back 400 years, the development of the concepts and practises that would underpin that system can be traced back to ancient historical politics and relationships thousands of years old. Important concepts are derived from the practice between Greek city-states and the Roman law concept of ius gentium, which regulated contacts between Roman citizens and non-Roman people. These principles were not universal however. In East Asia, political theory was based not on the equality of States, but rather the cosmological supremacy of the Sovereign, that is the emperor of China.
The Peace Palace Library has an impressive old and rare books collection of 10.000 titles printed before 1850. Since 1913 the Library has acquired a historical legal collection representing the various periods of thinking about international law, dominated by the Spanish, French or English schools. Writers from the 16th century: Jean Bodin, Ayala, Vitoria, the 17th century: Hugo Grotius, Gentili, Pufendorf, Zouche, and 18th century: Bynkershoek, Wolff, Martens, Vattel, and 19th century Bluntschli, to name only a few. In total about 2400 authors represent the origins of international law. Modern authors on the history of international law refer to these sources for their research.
This Research Guide is intended as a starting point for research in the field of the History of International Law. It provides the basic materials available in the Peace Palace Library, both in print and electronic format. Handbooks, leading articles, bibliographies, periodicals, serial publications and documents of interest are presented in the Selective Bibliography section. Links to the PPL Catalogue are inserted. The Library's subject heading (keyword) History of International Law is instrumental for searching through the Catalogue. Special attention is given to our subscriptions on databases, e-journals, e-books and other electronic resources. Finally, this Research Guide features links to relevant websites and other online resources of particular interest.
Reference works
- Benham, J., International Law in Europe, 700-1200, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 2022.
- Fassbender, B. and A. Peters (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the History of International Law, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2012.
- Gaurier, Histoire du droit international: de l'Antiquité à la création de l'UNO, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2014.
- Grewe, W.G. (ed.), Fontes Historiae Iuris Gentium, Berlin, De Gruyter, 1988-1995.
- Grewe, W.G., The Epochs of International Law, Berlin; New York, Walter de Gruyter, 2000.
- Neff, S.C., Justice among Nations: A History of International Law, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 2014.
- Nussbaum, A Concise History of the Law of Nations, revised edition, New York, NY, Macmillan, 1954.
- Orakhelashvili, A. (ed.), Research Handbook on the Theory and History of International Law, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2011.
- Reibstein, E. von, Völkerrecht: eine Geschichte seiner Ideen in Lehre und Praxis, Freiburg, Alber, 1957-1963.
- Truyol y Serra, A., Histoire du droit international public, Paris, Economica, 1995.
- Ziegler, K.-H., Völkerrechtsgeschichte: ein Studienbuch, München, Beck, 2007.
Selected books and articles
- Alexandrowicz, C.H.; D. Armitage and J. Pitts (eds.), The Law of Nations in Global History, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2017.
- Arnauld, A. von (Hrsg.), Völkerrechtsgeschichte(n): historische Narrative und Konzepte im Wandel, Berlin, Duncker & Humblot, 2017.
- De La Rasilla del Moral, I., In the Shadow of Vitoria: A History of International Law in Spain, Leiden, Brill/Nijhoff, 2018.
- Dhondt, F., Balance of Power and Norm Hierarchy: Franco-British Diplomacy after the Peace of Utrecht, Leiden, Brill Nijhoff, 2016.
- Dupuy, P.-M. and V. Chetail (eds.), The Roots of International Law: Liber amicorum Peter Haggenmacher, Leiden, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2014.
- Hueck, I.J., "The Discipline of the History of International Law: New Trends and Methods on the History of International Law", Journal of the History of International Law, 3 (2001), No. 2, pp. 194-217.
- Koskenniemi, M. (eds.) (et al.), International Law and Empire: Historical Explorations, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2017.
- Lesaffer, R., "International Law and its History: the Story of an Unrequited Love", in M. Craven, M. Fitzmaurice and M. Vogiatzi (eds.), Time, History and International Law, Leiden (etc.), Nijhoff, 2007, pp. 27-41.
- Milton, P., "The Mutual Guarantee of the Peace of Westphalia in the Law of Nations and Its Impact on European Diplomacy", Journal of the History of International Law, 22 (2020), No. 1, pp. 101-125.
- Mitchell, R.M., "International Law as Project or System?", Georgetown Journal of International Law, 51 (2020), No. 3, pp. 623-689.
- Neff, S.C., "A Short History of International Law", in M.D. Evans (ed.), International Law, Fifth Edition, Oxford, Oxford University, 2018, pp. 3-27.
- Research Handbook on the Theory and History of International Law, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, Second Edition, 2020.
- Schröder, P. (ed.), Concepts and Contexts of Vattel's Political and Legal Thought, Cambridge; New York, Cambridge University Press, 2021.
- Ternon, Y., Genèse du droit international: des Pères fondateurs aux conférences de la Haye, Paris, Éditions Karthala, 2016.
- Ziegler, K.-H., "Emer de Vattel und die Entwicklung des Völkerrechts im 18. Jahrhundert", in M. Kremer und H.-R. Reuter (Hrsg.), Macht und Moral: politisches Denken im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert, Stuttgart, Kohlhammer, 2007, pp. 321-341.
- Ziegler, K.-H., "Völkerrecht in den antiken Welten", in M. Lang, H. Barta und R. Rollinger (Hrsg.), Staatsverträge, Völkerrecht und Diplomatie im Alten Orient und in der griechisch-römischen Antike, Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz, 2010, pp. 27-38.
- Ziegler, K.-H., "Zum Völkerrecht in der römischen Antike", in M.J. Schermaier, J.M. Rainer und L.C. Winkel (Hrsg.), Iurisprudentia universalis: Festschrift für Theo Mayer-Maly zum 70. Geburtstag, Köln, Böhlau, 2002, pp. 933-944.
Periodicals, serial publications
- Fundamina: A Journal of Legal History
- Journal of the History of International Law
- The Legal History Review
Bibliographies
- MacAlister-Smith, P., "Bio-Bibliographical Key to Membership of the Institut de Droit International, 1873-2001", Journal of the History of International Law, 5 (2003), No. 1, pp. 77-159.
- MacAlister-Smith, P. and J. Schwietzke, "Bibliography of the Textbooks and Comprehensive Treatises on Positive International Law of the 19th Century", Journal of the History of International Law, 3 (2001), No. 1, pp. 75-142.
- MacAlister-Smith, P. and J. Schwietzke, "Literature and Documentary Sources relating to the History of Public International Law: an Annotated Bibliography Survey", Journal of the History of International Law, 1 (1999), No. 2, pp. 136-212.
- Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, History of International Law, Basic Questions and Principles, by Wolfgang Preiser.
- Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, History of International Law, Ancient Times to 1648, by Wolfgang Preiser.
- Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, History of International Law, 1648 to 1825, by Stephan Verosta.
- Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, History of International Law, 1815 to World War I, by Hans-Ulrich Scupin.
- Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, History of International Law, since World War II, by Martti Koskenniemi.
- Documents from Medieval and Early Modern England from the National Archives in London
- The 1582 edition of the Corpus Juris Canonici put online by UCLA's Charles E. Young Research Library
- English Medieval Legal Documents AD 600 - AD 1535: A Compilation of Published Sources. Prepared by Hazel D. Lord
- Harvard Resarch Guide Rare Books & Early manuscripts
- The History of International Law Today Published in Rechtsgeschichte, 2004 Martti Koskenniemi
- Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Medieval Legal History The Internet Medieval Sourcebook is now part of ORB, the Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies
- Legal Portraits Online
- Roman and Secular Law in the Middle Ages, by Kenneth Pennington
- Roman Law Resources Edited by Ernest Metzger
- The Timetable of World Legal History
- Website of the Program in the History and Theory of International Law , Institute for International Law and Justice, New York University School of Law