The present thesis represents a contribution to the history of diplomatic relations between Muscovy and the House of Habsburg. It includes an overall survey of those relations during the reign of Tsar Fyodor (1584--1598), as well as a more detailed study of the Muscovite embassy of 1599. It also provides original translations of important Russian documents related to the subject of the thesis. / The narrative of the embassy of 1599 is divided into three sections. It opens with the travels of the Muscovite delegation through several German cities, during which time the Tsar's representative engaged in discussions with the leading merchants of Hamburg and Lubeck. It then relates the arrival of this delegation at the court of Emperor Rudolf II, where the chief Muscovite representative raised the prospect of an alliance against Poland-Lithuania. Finally, it closes with the embassy's visit to Archduke Maximilian of Austria, whose pretensions to the throne of Poland-Lithuania had formed part of Russo-Imperial relations since 1587. / Analysis of the embassy of 1599 reveals that previous historiography on the subject was quite cursory and often based on misinterpretation or misuse of sources. The thesis points out these errors and seeks to provide a more accurate evaluation of the relations between Muscovy and the Empire in the late sixteenth century. It closes with a suggestion for further research into their dealings of the early seventeenth century.

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