‎(ROHAN, H. DUC DE.)‎
‎Interests et Maximes des Princes & des Estats Souverains. A Cologne, Chés Jean du Païs, 1666. Sphere on title. - (Bound with:) MAXIMES des Princes et Estats Souverains.‎

‎A Cologne, 1665. Sphere on title. (8), 248 pp.; 245, (1) pp. 12mo. Contemporary overlapping vellum, handwritten title to spine. Willems 1371; Rahir 1431; BMSTC, French Books, 1601-1700, I.102; Barbier, ii, col. 954.Original edition. These two volumes are usually found bound together: the first text is by de Rohan, or at least based on de Rohan's work, additional material has been added. The author of the second text has remained unknown. This edition is rare. Willems writes that the text by de Rohan is almost unchanged, there was only substantial new matter added concerning subjects that de Rohan had not dealt with. The work is the chef-d'oeuvre in this particular field of political literature: its main thesis is that the interest of the state imposes itself upon kings: this interest of the state is the tyrant imposing itself upon the tyrant. It is written to give an overview of the situation in Europe and to determine which position France should take in various conflicts or potential conflicts, to establish what the influence of various countries and rulers is on and in various parts of Europe. It maintains that what constitutes good government changes over time just as conditions change over time and that good government bases itself not on old conceptions and abstractions but on the situation as it is at present. De Rohan was most likely influenced by the theorists of "raison d'Etat" in Italy, where he served for a long time. ‎

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