Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>This book locates and analyses nearly 1,000 surviving copies of the first nine Latin editions of Hugo Grotius’ De iure belli ac pacis (IBP), which were published between 1625 and 1650. Regarded as the foundation of modern international law, IBP was reissued at pivotal historical moments and celebrated by major scholars and politicians. This book explores IBP as a physical object, revealing its complex publication history and a treasury of handwritten marginalia that argue, agree, and adapt its contents. Reconstructing the publishing history of these first nine editions and cataloguing copies across hundreds of collections, The Unseen History of International Law provides fundamental data for reconstructing the impact of IBP across time and space. It examines annotations left by thousands of owners and readers over four centuries, offering unique insights into the evolution of international law. This book expands our understanding of IBP and the theory and practice of international law.</jats:p>