Book excerpt: The Treaty of Utrecht does not exist, at least not in the form of a single document bearing the signatures and seals of all parties. Instead it comprises a series of treaties, concluded in 1713 and in subsequent years, and not just in Utrecht but also in the South-German town of Rastatt, in Swiss Baden, and in Madrid. These treaties represent a turning point in world history. They not only put an end to a long series of wars that left much of Europe in ruins, but also to conflicts involving overseas colonies. A European exhibition is highlighting this historical event; first in Utrecht and then, in adapted form, in Madrid, Rastatt and Baden. In this book, scholars from the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Great Britain and the United States describe and explain well-known and especially less-known aspects of war and peace. The catalogue section provides explanatory notes to the main items displayed in the exhibitions.