Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand
1754 – 1838 French Diplomat, foreign minister
The supreme survivor of French diplomacy, who served the Revolution, Napoleon, and the restored monarchy in turn.
- Religion
- Roman Catholic (former bishop)
- Affiliations
- French state under successive regimes
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand was a former bishop who became France's most durable diplomat, serving the Revolution, Napoleon, and then the restored Bourbons. As Napoleon's foreign minister he shaped the empire's early diplomacy before turning against the emperor's endless wars. At the Congress of Vienna he skilfully restored France's standing among the victorious powers despite its defeat. His name became a byword for cunning, principled or unprincipled depending on the observer.
Connections
- associate of Klemens von Metternich — Fellow architect of the Vienna settlement.
- ally of Louis XVIII — Helped restore him and served his government.
- ally of Louis XVIII — The diplomat who helped restore and serve him.
- associate of Napoleon Bonaparte — His foreign minister, who later worked against him.
- associate of Napoleon Bonaparte — Served as his foreign minister, then turned against him.
In the timeline
- 1804 Napoleon Crowned Emperor the foreign minister
- 1814 – 1815 Congress of Vienna the French envoy who restored France's standing
- 1814 First Treaty of Paris the negotiator for France