Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord entered the world on the 2nd of February 1754 in Paris. He was born into an ancient aristocratic family that lacked significant wealth. His father, Count Charles Daniel de Talleyrand-Périgord, was only twenty years old when his son arrived. The boy suffered from a congenital clubfoot that would define much of his early life. This physical infirmity prevented him from inheriting his father's title despite being the eldest surviving son. His parents chose a different path for him and sent him to the Collège d'Harcourt at age eight. They placed him in the seminary of Saint-Sulpice while he studied theology at the Sorbonne until he turned twenty-one. A nickname followed him through childhood: Diable boiteux or lame devil. The disability made armed service impossible so the Church became his career.
Talleyrand attended the Estates-General of 1789 representing the clergy as Bishop of Autun. He strongly supported the anti-clericalism of the revolutionaries alongside Mirabeau. The National Convention issued a warrant for his arrest in December 1792. He left Paris for England just before the September massacres began. Pitt expelled him from Britain in March 1794 when war threatened between the two nations. Talleyrand then traveled to the United States where rough weather forced his ship to stop at Falmouth. He met Benedict Arnold at an inn during this awkward journey. In Philadelphia he worked as a bank agent involved in commodity trading and real estate speculation. Matthew Clarkson received his oath on the 19th of May 1794 promising allegiance to the United States. He returned to France on the 25th of September 1796 after his name was removed from the émigré list.
Talleyrand served as Foreign Minister under Napoleon but secretly conspired against the Emperor. He resigned as minister of foreign affairs in August 1807 over policy disagreements. At the Congress of Erfurt in late 1808 he counseled Tsar Alexander I behind Napoleon's back. Napoleon discovered their actions and deemed them treasonous during a famous dressing down. The Emperor claimed he could break Talleyrand like glass yet found it not worth the trouble. Talleyrand retorted that such a great man should have been better brought up. He opposed the French invasion of Russia in 1812 and the harsh treatment of Austria. On the 1st of April 1814 he led the Sénat conservateur in establishing a provisional government in Paris. By the 11th of April the Senate approved the Treaty of Fontainebleau restoring the Bourbon monarchy.
Talleyrand negotiated a favorable settlement for France at the Congress of Vienna between 1814 and 1815. Four powers controlled decision-making: Austria, the United Kingdom, Prussia and Russia. France was initially excluded from the process until Talleyrand demanded admission. He formed a secret treaty with Metternich and Castlereagh on the 3rd of January 1815 against Russia and Prussia. This maneuvering allowed France to return to its 1792 boundaries without reparations. The treaty protected the state of security and independence while preventing partition by victors. Talleyrand managed to take advantage of contradictions within the former anti-French coalition. His diplomacy removed the threat of France being divided among European powers. Some historians argue his work established fault lines leading to World War I later.
Talleyrand had a reputation for promiscuity and as a voluptuary throughout his life. He left no legitimate children though possibly fathered over two dozen illegitimate ones. Four possible children have been identified including Charles Joseph comte de Flahaut. His venality was notorious as German rulers paid him to save their possessions during mediatization. Less successfully he solicited payments from the United States government precipitating the XYZ Affair disaster. Talleyrand owned Château Haut-Brion in Bordeaux from 1801 to 1804. He employed Marie-Antoine Carême as chef at Château de Valençay spending an hour daily with him. Near the end of his life he became interested in Catholicism again while teaching prayers. On the 16th of May 1838 he signed a retraction of errors towards the church before dying the next day.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord born and where?
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord entered the world on the 2nd of February 1754 in Paris. He was born into an ancient aristocratic family that lacked significant wealth.
Why did Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord enter the clergy instead of inheriting his father's title?
The boy suffered from a congenital clubfoot that prevented him from inheriting his father's title despite being the eldest surviving son. The disability made armed service impossible so the Church became his career.
What role did Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord play at the Congress of Vienna between 1814 and 1815?
Talleyrand negotiated a favorable settlement for France at the Congress of Vienna between 1814 and 1815. He formed a secret treaty with Metternich and Castlereagh on the 3rd of January 1815 against Russia and Prussia to allow France to return to its 1792 boundaries without reparations.
How did Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord die and what happened shortly before his death?
On the 16th of May 1838 he signed a retraction of errors towards the church before dying the next day. Near the end of his life he became interested in Catholicism again while teaching prayers.
Did Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord have any legitimate children during his lifetime?
He left no legitimate children though possibly fathered over two dozen illegitimate ones. Four possible children have been identified including Charles Joseph comte de Flahaut.