Diplomacy was of an ad hoc character in Europe until the 15thcentury. Permanent diplomacy emerged in a region of Italy in the 14th century and then expanded to the rest of Europe. From the 16th century onwards, imperial France advanced both the institutional and methodological practice of permanent, professional diplomacy. Later, during the 19th century, permanent diplomatic practice became central to international relations, and still continues to be of vital service to the conduct of world affairs