Charles Maurice de Talleyrand

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (February 2, 1754 - May 17, 1838) was a French diplomat. He worked successfully from the regime of Louis XVI, through the revolution and then under Napoleon I, Louis XVIII and Louis-Philippe. Known since the turn of the 19th century simply by the name Talleyrand, he is widely regarded as one of the most versatile and influential diplomats in European history, although he was known to accept bribes from other European powers, especially while serving under Napoleon. From [1] The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1754 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ... 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... Louis XVI (August 23 1754 – January 21 1793), was born in Versailles, King of France and Kingdom of Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then King of the French in 1791-1792. ... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the French sector of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... Napoleon I of France, by Jacques-Louis David Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution, and the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from 11 November 1799 to 18 May 1804, then as Emperor of the... Louis XVIII (November 17, 1755 - September 16, 1824) was King of France and Navarre from 1814 (although he declared that he considered his reign to have begun in 1795) until his death in 1824, with a brief break in 1815 due to Napoleons return in the Hundred Days. ... Louis-Philippe of France (October 6, 1773–August 26, 1850), served as the Orleanist king of the French from 1830 to 1848. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... World map showing Europe (geographically) When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ...

Talleyrand was born into an aristocratic family in Paris. By his own account, a foot injury in childhood left him unable to enter the anticipated military career. He was therefore directed by his family into a career in the Church, possibly in order for the Bishopric of Autun to remain in the Talleyrand family. He attended the Collège d'Harcourt and Saint-Sulpice College until the age of 21. He was ordained in 1779. In 1780 he became a Church representative to the Crown, as the Agent-General of the Clergy. In this position, he was instrumental in drafting a general tableau of church properties in France as of 1785, along with a defence of "inalienable rights of church"; a stance he was to deny later. In 1789, due to the influence of his father, the already notably unbelieving Talleyrand was appointed Bishop of Autun. Aristocracy is a form of government in which rulership is in the hands of an upper class known as aristocrats. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. ... 1779 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Crown is a term which is used to separate the government authority and property of the state in a kingdom from any personal influence and private assets held by the current Monarch. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... Autun is a town in the Saône-et-Loire département in Burgundy, France. ...

In the Estates-General of 1789, he represented the clergy, the First Estate. During the French Revolution he supported the revolutionary cause. He assisted Mirabeau in the secularization of ecclesiastical properties. He participated the writing of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and proposed the Civil Constitution of the Clergy that nationalized the Church, and was the person to swear in the first two constitutional bishops, though he had himself resigned as Bishop following his excommunication by Pope Pius VI. Notably, he promoted the public education in full spirit of Enlightenment. He celebrated the mass during the Fête de la Fédération on the 14 July 1790. The Estates-General of 1789 was the first meeting of the French Estates-General, a general assembly consisting of representatives from all but the poorest segment of the French citizenry, since 1614. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... In France of the ancien régime and the age of the French Revolution, the term First Estate (Fr. ... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the French sector of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... Mirabeau can refer to: Honoré Mirabeau Mirabeau, a commune of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département, in southeastern France Mirabeau, a commune of the Vaucluse département, in southern France Les Pennes-Mirabeau, a commune of the Bouches-du-Rhône département, in southern France the Cours Mirabeau is a famous street... The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, (French: La Déclaration des Droits de lHomme et du citoyen), was one of the fundamental documents of the French Revolution, defining a set of individual rights (and collective rights of the people vis a vis the state). ... The law of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy (Fr. ... Excommunication is a religious censure which is used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ... Pius VI, né Giovanni Angelo Braschi (December 27, 1717 – August 29, 1799), pope from 1775 to 1799, was born at Cesena. ... Public education is schooling provided for the general public rather than the privileged few. ... The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in European philosophy, and is often thought of as part of a larger period which includes the Age of Reason. ... Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year. ... July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1792 he was sent twice, though not officially, to Britain to avert war: Besides an initial declaration of neutrality during the first campaigns of 1792, it ultimately failed. In September 1792, he left Paris for England just at the beginning of September Massacres, yet declined the émigré status. Because of his aristocratic background, Convention issued a warrant for his arrest in December 1792. His stay in England wasn't uneventful as well; in March 1794, he was forced to leave the country by Pitt's expulsion order. He then arrived at the United States where he stayed until his return to France in 1796. During his stay, he subsidized himself by working as a bank agent, involving in commodity trading and real-estate speculation. After the 9 Thermidor and demise of Robespierre, he mobilized his friends (most notably Desrenaudes and Germaine de Staël) to lobby in Convention and newly established Directoire for his return. His name was then suppressed from the émigré list and he returned to France in September 25, 1796. In 1797 he became Foreign Minister. Talleyrand saw a possible political career for Napoleon during the Italian campaigns of 1796/1797. He wrote many letters to Napoleon and the two became close allies. Talleyrand was against the destruction of the Republic of Venice, but he complimented Napoleon when peace with Austria was concluded and Venice was finished, probably because he wanted to reinforce his alliance with Napoleon. Together with Napoleon's younger brother, Lucien Bonaparte, he was instrumental in the coup d'état of 18 Brumaire, 1799 and soon after he was made Foreign Minister by Napoleon, although he rarely agreed with Napoleon's foreign policy. The Pope also released him from the ban of excommunication. 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... In the campaigns of 1792 the French Revolutionary Wars opened. ... The September Massacres were a wave of mob violence which took place in Paris in late summer 1792, during the French Revolution. ... Émigré is a French term that shows how Martin B. loves stephanie. ... This article is about a legislative body and constitutional convention during the French Revolution. ... The Right Honourable William Pitt, the Younger (28 May 1759–23 January 1806) was a British politician during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. ... 9 Thermidor is a date under the French Revolutionary Calendar. ... Portrait of Maximilien Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (IPA //), (6 May 1758, Arras – 28 July 1794, Paris), known to his contemporaries also as the Incorruptible, is one of the best known of the leaders of the French Revolution. ... Madame de Staël Anne Louise Germaine de Staël (April 22, 1766 – July 14, 1817) was a French author who determined literary tastes of Europe at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. ... This article is about a legislative body and constitutional convention during the French Revolution. ... Executive Directory (in French Directoire exécutif), commonly known as the Directory (or Directoire) held executive power in France from 2 November 1795 until 10 November 1799: from the end of the Convention to the beginning of the Consulate. ... 1797 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... In 1589, the four French Secretaries of State became specialized, with one of the secretaries responsible for foreign affairs. ... Napoleon I of France, by Jacques-Louis David Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution, and the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from 11 November 1799 to 18 May 1804, then as Emperor of the... The Most Serene Republic of Venice was a city-state in Venetia in Northeastern Italy, based around the city of Venice. ... Lucien Bonaparte, painted by François-Xavier Fabre, after 1800. ... A coup détat (pronounced /ku de ta/), or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group or pillow that just replaces the top power figures. ... Napoléon Bonaparte in the coup détat of 18 brumaire. ... 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and leader of the Catholic Church. ...

In March 1804 he was involved in the kidnapping and execution of the Duke of Enghien; in response to those events, and once again, to avert any blame from himself, he made what was perhaps his most famous quip: "That was worse than a crime; it was a mistake". In May 1804 Napoleon made him Grand Chamberlain and Vice-elector of the Empire; during this year, Talleyrand also bought the Chateau Valençay. In 1806 he was made Sovereign Prince of Benevento (or Bénévent). Talleyrand was against the crude treatment of Prussia in the Peace of Tilsit in 1807. The queen of Prussia wept and was consoled by Talleyrand. This gave him a good name among the elite of the European countries outside France. He resigned as minister of foreign affairs in 1807 over his opposition to the Franco-Russian Alliance and by 1809 he was even further from the Emperor, a break completed in 1812 with the attack on Russia. Talleyrand had no responsible occupation between 1807 and 1812. Napoleon appointed him as representative of France at the Congress of Erfurt. Tsar Alexander I of Russia wanted his advice in dealing with Napoleon and they met regularly during the congress. It is said that Tsar Alexander changed his attitude towards Napoleon thanks to Talleyrand. Alexander was afraid of Napoleon, because the Russians had been defeated twice. He admired the modern institutions of France and wanted to reform his country. Talleyrand allegedly convinced him that Napoleon's France was a threat to European nation states and that Russia should resist the will of emperor Napoleon. Talleyrand became a Russian secret agent from 1812 onwards, but his political career was over until the fall of Napoleon. 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Louis-Antoine-Henri de Bourbon-Condé, duc dEnghien (August 22, 1772 – March 21, 1804) was a relative of the Bourbon monarchs of France, and is more famous for his death than his life. ... The tone of this article is inappropriate for an encyclopedia. ... 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Benevento is a town and archiepiscopal see of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 32 miles northeast of Naples. ... The Treaties of Tilsit were two agreements signed by Napoleon I of France in the town of Tilsit in July, 1807. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Congress of Erfurt was the meeting between Emperor Napoleon I of France and Tsar Alexander I of Russia in 1808 intended to reaffirm the alliance concluded the previous year with the Treaty of Tilsit which followed the end of the War of the Fourth Coalition. ... Aleksander Pavlovich Romanov or Tsar Alexander I (The Blessed), (Russian: Александр I Павлович) (December 23, 1777–December 1, 1825), Emperor of Russia (reigned March 23, 1801–December 1, 1825), King of Poland (reigned 1815–1825), son of the Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, afterwards Paul I, and Maria Fedorovna, daughter of the Duke...

While serving under Napoleon, Talleyrand began to accept bribes from hostile countries, particularly Austria and Russia, to betray Napoleon's secrets. It is said that Talleyrand's continuous intriguing and plotting caused Napoleon to once denounce him to his face as "shit in a silk stocking," [1] to which the minister coldly retorted, once Napoleon had left, "Pity that so great a man should have been so badly brought up!"

When Napoleon was succeeded by Louis XVIII in April 1814, Talleyrand was one of the key creators of the restoration of the Bourbons while opposing the new legislation of Louis's rule. Tsar Alexander would probably not have leaned that way, but Talleyrand wanted the restoration of Louis XVIII. Talleyrand was the chief French negotiator at the Congress of Vienna, and in that same year he signed the Treaty of Paris. It was due, in part, to his skills that the terms of the treaty were remarkably lenient towards France. At the start, only four countries made the decisions: Austria, the United Kingdom, Prussia, and Russia. France and other European countries were invited, but had no influence on the decision making. Talleyrand became the champion of the small countries and demanded admission with the decision makers. The big four admitted France and Spain to the decision making back rooms of the conference after a lot of havoc making. Spain was excluded after a while, but France (Talleyrand) was allowed to participate until the end. Russia and Prussia wanted to enlarge their territory during the congress. Austria was afraid to lose territories to them and United Kingdom was against their expansion as well. Talleyrand managed to establish a middle position and received some favours from the other countries in exchange for his support. France even returned to its 1792 boundaries with no reparations, with French control over papal Avignon and Salm, which had been independent at the start of the French Revolution in 1789. (Some historians critical of Talleyrand blame his diplomacy for establishing the faultlines of World War I, especially for allowing Prussia to engulf small German states west of Rhine. This simultaneously placed Prussian armed forces at the French-German frontier—which had never happened before—, made Prussia the biggest power in Germany in terms of territorial extent, population and the industry of the Ruhr and Rhineland; and eventually paved the way to German unification under Prussian throne.) Louis XVIII (November 17, 1755 - September 16, 1824) was King of France and Navarre from 1814 (although he declared that he considered his reign to have begun in 1795) until his death in 1824, with a brief break in 1815 due to Napoleons return in the Hundred Days. ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Following the ousting of Napoleon I of France in 1814, the Allies restored the Bourbon Dynasty to the French throne. ... The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house. ... The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria, from October 1, 1814, to June 9, 1815. ... The 1814 Treaty of Paris, signed on May 30, 1814, ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition of the United Kingdom, Russia, Austria, Sweden and Prussia. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ... Coat of arms of Avignon Avignon (pronounced in IPA, Provençal: Avignoun) is a commune in southern France with some 88,300 inhabitants in the city itself and 155,500 in the Greater Avignon area. ... Salm is a river in: Germany, tributary to the river Moselle, see: Salm, Germany; Belgium, tributary to the river Meuse, see: Salm, Belgium. ... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the French sector of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machine guns, and poison gas World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations and... The Ruhr in Essen-Kettwig The Ruhr is a large river in western Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia) starting near the town of Winterberg in Sauerland and ending in the Rhine in the city of Duisburg. ... The Rhineland (Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. ... This article gives an overview of the History of Germany. ...

Napoleon's return to France in 1815 and his subsequent defeat, the Hundred Days, was a reverse for the diplomatic victories of Talleyrand; the second peace settlement was markedly less lenient and it was fortunate for France that the business of the Congress had been concluded. Talleyrand resigned in September of that year, either over the second treaty or under pressure from opponents in France. He thereafter restricted himself to the role of 'elder statesman', criticising -and intriguing- from the sidelines. Under King Louis-Philippe he was ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1830-34, where he strived to reinforce the legitimacy of Louis-Phillipe which came to power after 1830 Revolution (also known as the July Revolution). As ambassador in London he proposed a partition plan for the Netherlands. The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Hundred Days (French Cent-Jours) or the Waterloo Campaign commonly names the period between 20 March 1815, the date on which Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Paris after his return from Elba, and 28 June 1815, the date of the restoration of King Louis XVIII. The phrase Cent jours was... Louis-Philippe of France (October 6, 1773–August 26, 1850) reigned as the Orléanist king of the French from 1830 to 1848. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution, was a revolt by the middle class against Bourbon King Charles X which forced him out of office and replaced him with the Orleanist King Louis-Philippe... Belgium, French partition plan, 1830 After the Belgian revolution of 1830, the Great Powers were divided over the Belgian cry for independence. ...

Catherine (Worlée) Grand, princesse de Talleyrand-Périgord, painted by François Gérard 1805–6

Talleyrand was a womanizer. Many women fell for his charms, his fluent conversation and elegant manner, despite his limping leg. He used women for his political networking. He became minister of foreign affairs in 1797, after initial letters of a woman towards Barras, the most powerful politician in France at that time. He lived together with Catherine Worlée, born in India and married there to Charles Grand, who then adventured about before settling in Paris as a notorious courtesan in the 1780s for several years before she divorced Grand and they married in 1802. Talleyrand tried to prevent a marriage, but after a lot of postponement, he was obliged to marry on instigation of Napoleon: otherwise his political career would have been over. Visitors to Talleyrand were shocked by the behaviour of his wife, who was regarded as a beauty, but very stupid. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (850x1198, 109 KB)Catherine (Worlée) Grant, Princesse de Talleyrand-Perigourd Gerard 1804-05 Oil on canvas Private collection File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (850x1198, 109 KB)Catherine (Worlée) Grant, Princesse de Talleyrand-Perigourd Gerard 1804-05 Oil on canvas Private collection File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Barras may mean: Paul François Jean Nicolas Barras (1755-1829), a French revolutionary and the main executive leader of the Directory regime of 1795 - 1799 Inhabitant of Ovifat, a Belgian town. ...

Talleyrand liked money as well. He got a lot of money from his occupations, for instance his behaviour during the German Mediatization (Reichsdeputationshauptschluss), the consolidation of the small German states. German rulers and elites paid him lots of money to save their possesions, or to enlarge their territories. // Background The German Mediatisation is a name applied to the series of mediatisations and secularisations which occurred in Germany during the Napoleonic Era (occurring 1795 - 1814AD). ... Mediatization, defined broadly, is the annexation of one sovereign monarchy by another sovereign monarchy in such a way that the ruler of the smaller state keeps their noble title (and sometimes, a measure of power). ...

Talleyrand was said to be vain: He kept on using his title, prince of Benevento, after Napoleon was defeated, despite his principality being reincorporated into Italy. This irritated king Louis XVIII and his court.

Talleyrand was a great conversationalist, gourmand, and wine connoisseur. From 1801 to 1804 he owned Château Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. He employed the renowned French chef Carême, one of the first celebrity chef known as "chef of kings and king of chefs." For the movie from Francis Ford Coppola, see The Conversation. ... A gourmand is a person given to excess in the consumption of food and drink: ones who lives for the hedonistic pleasure of dining. ... A glass of red wine Wine is an alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting grapes or grape juice. ... A connoisseur (Fr. ... 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Château Haut-Brion is located in Pessac, Graves just one mile (2 km) from the city of Bordeaux in France (Appellation Graves Controlée). ... City motto: Lilia sola regunt lunam undas castra leonem. ... Marie-Antione Carême Marie Antoine (Antonin) Carême (June 8, 1784–January 12, 1833), was a French chef and author. ...

Talleyrand died on May 17, 1838 and was buried at his Château of Valençay. May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ... 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Today, when speaking of the art of diplomacy, the phrase "he is a Talleyrand" denotes a statesman of great resource and skill.

Lord Talleyrand should not be confused with Lord Halleyrand who became the first 21st Regal lord of "The Regency" in St. Davids, PA in June of 2004. The Prime Minister of France (Premier ministre de la France) is the functional head of the Cabinet of France. ... Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu, French statesman Armand Emmanuel Sophie Septemanie du Plessis, duc de Richelieu (September 25, 1766 - May 17, 1822) was a French statesman. ...

References

• Orieux, Jean (1970). Talleyrand ou Le Sphinx Incompris, Flammarion. ISBN 2-08-067674-1.

External links

• Charles Maurice de Talleyrand Perigord 1754-1838
• Society of friends of Talleyrand
• Career of Mme Grand, Talleyrand's wife