\"Dos visiones de la diplomacia hispano-persa en el siglo XVII: Uruch Beg y Don García de Silva y Figueroa\"

In 1601 Spain received a Persian embassy sent by Shah Abbas to Philip III. It was headed by the young Englishman Anthony Sherley and the Persian Hussein Ali Beg. They travelled through Europe visiting the most prominent Christian kings and princes searching for allies to fight against the Ottoman Empire. This journey, which was full of incidents and conversions to catholicism, produced a book written by Uruch Beg, one of the Persians in the embassy, who adopted the name of Juan de Persia on the day he was baptised in Spain. Philip III felt obliged to repay the visit of Shah Abbas with a Spanish embassy. The 8th April1614 don García de Silva y Figueroa left Lisbon and headed to Persia. It was a long journey full of calamities and setbacks. He was received by Shah Abbas on the 15th June 1618 and he remained in Persia until mid-1620, when Silva y Figueroa began his journey back to Spain. Don Juan de Persia and don García de Silva y Figueroa both wrote their impressions of the journey. The stories are truly interesting, and they offer us historical, geographical, geological, anthropological and, of course, diplomatic data and information. We will compare the twotexts, Relaciones de don Juan de Persia [Relations of don Juan de Persia] and the Comentarios de Don García de Silva y Figueroa, de la embajada que de parte del rey de España Don Felipe III hizo al rey Xa Abbas de Persia [Remarks by Don García de Silva y Figueroa onthe embassy sent by Philip III the King of Spain to King Xa Abbas of Persia] emphasising the details related to diplomatic protocol such as the handing over of diplomatic passes, the exchange of gifts or the attendance at parties, to thus highlight the similarities and differences,if any, between the diplomatic protocols of both courts.