A French politician and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under three regimes, starting with the Directory and ending with the government of Louis Philippe, a famous master of political intrigue - Charles Maurice Talleyrand was born on February 2, 1754 in Paris, into a noble but poor aristocratic family.

At the age of three he suffered a serious leg injury and was left lame for life. This incident deprived him of his right to primary inheritance and closed the path to a military career.

The parents directed their son to the church path. Charles Maurice entered the College d'Harcourt in Paris, then studied at the Seminary of St. Sulpicius (1770-1773), and at the Sorbonne in 1778 he became a licentiate in theology. In 1779, after much hesitation, he was ordained a priest.

Talleyrand, thanks to the influence of his uncle, who later became the Archbishop of Reims, was able to lead an easy social life in Parisian society. His wit made him a favorite of literary salons, where a passion for card games and love affairs was not considered incompatible with the prospect of achieving high clergy.

The strength of his intellect, as well as the patronage of his uncle, helped him to be elected in 1780 as one of the two general representatives of the French Spiritual Assembly. For the next five years, Talleyrand, along with his colleague, was responsible for managing the property and finances of the French Church. Thanks to this, he gained experience in financial affairs and discovered a talent for negotiations.

Louis XVI's prejudice against the bohemian lifestyle of the young abbot hampered his career, but his father's dying request persuaded the king to appoint Talleyrand in 1788 as Bishop of Autun.

1789 he was elected to the constitutional committee of the National Assembly. Contributed to the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. He initiated the decree on the transfer of church property to the disposal of the nation.

After the overthrow of the monarchy (1792) and the revelation of his secret connections with the royal court, he was excommunicated and went into exile, first in Great Britain (1792-94), then in the USA. He returned to France in 1796, after the establishment of the Directory regime.

In 1797, thanks to the influence of his friend Madame de Stael, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. In politics, Talleyrand relies on Bonaparte, and they become close allies. In particular, the minister helps the general carry out a coup (1799). However, after 1805, Talleyrand became convinced that Napoleon's unfettered ambitions, as well as his growing megalomania, were drawing France into continuous wars.

In addition, Talleyrand could not forgive the emperor for the fact that in 1802 he insisted on his marriage to the notorious Madame Grand. After many affairs, she became Talleyrand's mistress and took on the official duties of the wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Napoleon sought not only to resolve the scandalous situation, but also to humiliate Talleyrand.

In 1807, Talleyrand resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs. However, he continued to advise Napoleon on foreign policy issues and used his position to undermine the emperor's policies.

Considering Napoleon's desire to create a world empire through wars of conquest as unrealistic and foreseeing the inevitability of the fall of Napoleon I, in 1808 he entered into secret relations with the Russian Emperor Alexander I, and then with the Austrian Foreign Minister Metternich, informing them about the state of affairs in Napoleonic France. After the defeat of Napoleon and the entry of troops of the anti-French coalition into Paris (1814), he actively contributed to the Bourbon restoration.

Then he did not take active part in political life for almost 15 years. From 1830 to 1834 was ambassador to London.

He was distinguished by great insight, the ability to exploit the weaknesses of his opponents and at the same time treachery, extreme indiscriminateness in the means of achieving the goal. He was distinguished by his greed, took bribes from all governments and sovereigns who needed his help. “The servant of all masters,” who betrayed and sold everyone one by one, is a clever politician, a master of behind-the-scenes intrigue. The name “Talleyrand” has become almost a common noun to denote cunning, dexterity and unscrupulousness.

Charles Maurice Talleyrand died on May 17, 1838, in Paris, and was buried in his luxurious country estate in the Loire Valley.

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (French: Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord). Born February 2, 1754 in Paris - died May 17, 1838 in Paris. Prince of Benevento, French politician and diplomat, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under three regimes, starting with the Directory and ending with the government of Louis Philippe. A famous master of political intrigue. Bishop of Autun (from November 2, 1788 to April 13, 1791). The name Talleyrand became almost a household word to denote cunning, dexterity and unscrupulousness.

In his diary on April 11, 1816 he wrote about Talleyrand: “Talleyrand’s face is so impenetrable that it is completely impossible to understand him. Lannes and Murat used to joke that if he was talking to you, and at that time someone behind him gave him a kick, then you wouldn’t guess it from his face.”.

Talleyrand was born on February 2, 1754 in Paris, into the noble but poor aristocratic family of Charles Daniel de Talleyrand-Périgord (1734-1788). The ancestors of the future diplomat came from Adalbert of Périgord, a vassal of Hugo Capet. Charles's ancestor, Henri, was once a participant in one of the conspiracies against the all-powerful Cardinal Richelieu. Talleyrand's uncle, Alexandre Angelique de Talleyrand-Périgord, was at one time the Archbishop of Reims, then a cardinal and archbishop of Paris. According to his memoirs, Talleyrand spent “the happiest years of his childhood” at the estate of his great-grandmother, Countess Rochechouart-Mortemart, Colbert’s granddaughter.

Presumably, a knee injury (real or imaginary) prevented the boy from enlisting in military service. The parents decided to send their son to the church path, probably in the hope of making him a bishop and preserving the bishopric of Autun under the influence of the Talleyrand family. Charles Maurice entered the Collège d'Harcourt in Paris, then studied at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice (1770-1773) and at the Sorbonne. He received a licentiate degree in theology. In 1779, Talleyrand was ordained a priest.

In 1780, Talleyrand became the General Agent of the Gallican (French) Church at court. For five years, he, together with Raymond de Boisgelon, Archbishop of Aachen, was in charge of the property and finances of the Gallican Church. In 1788 Talleyrand became Bishop of Autun.

In April 1789, Talleyrand was elected as a deputy from the clergy (first estate) to the Estates General. On July 14, 1789, he was included in the Constitutional Committee of the National Assembly. Talleyrand participates in the writing of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen and puts forward a draft Civil Constitution for the Clergy, which provides for the nationalization of church property. On July 14, 1790, he celebrates a solemn mass in honor of the Feast of the Federation.

In 1791 he was defrocked and excommunicated by the Pope for his participation in revolutionary activities.

In 1792, Talleyrand visited Britain twice for informal negotiations to prevent war. The negotiations end unsuccessfully. In September, Talleyrand leaves for England just before the outbreak of mass terror in his homeland. In France, an arrest warrant was issued for him as an aristocrat in December. Talleyrand remains abroad, although he does not declare himself an emigrant.

In 1794, in accordance with Pitt's decree, the French bishop had to leave England. He goes to the North American United States. There he earns his living through financial and real estate transactions.

After 9 Thermidor and the overthrow of Robespierre, Talleyrand begins to work for his return to his homeland. He manages to return in September 1796. In 1797, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing Charles Delacroix in this post. In politics, Talleyrand relies on Bonaparte, and they become close allies. In particular, the minister helps the general carry out the coup of the 18th Brumaire (November 17, 1799).

During the era of the Empire, Talleyrand participates in organizing the kidnapping and execution of the Duke of Enghien.

In 1803-1806, under the leadership of Talleyrand, a reorganization of the political units that made up the Holy Roman Empire was carried out, known in history as mediatization in Germany.

In 1805, Talleyrand participated in the signing of the Treaty of Presburg.

In 1807, when signing the Treaty of Tilsit, he advocated a relatively soft position towards Russia.

Even during the first Empire, Talleyrand began to receive bribes from states hostile to France. He later contributed to the Bourbon restoration.

At the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815, he represented the interests of the new French king, but at the same time gradually defended the interests of the French bourgeoisie. He put forward the principle of legitimism (recognition of the historical right of dynasties to decide the basic principles of government) to justify and protect the territorial interests of France, which consisted in maintaining the borders that existed on January 1, 1792, and preventing the territorial expansion of Prussia. This principle, however, was not supported, because it contradicted the annexationist plans of Russia and Prussia.

After the revolution of 1830, he entered the government of Louis Philippe, and was later appointed ambassador to England (1830-1834). In this post, he greatly contributed to the rapprochement of France and England and the separation of Belgium from Holland. When determining the state border of Belgium, Talleyrand, for a bribe received from the Dutch king, offered to make Antwerp a “free city” under the protectorate of England. Due to the ensuing scandal, the diplomat was forced to resign. Subsequently, Antwerp nevertheless became part of Belgium.

In recent years he lived on his estate in Valence. Died on May 17, 1838. Before his death, at the insistence of his niece, Duchess Dino, he reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church and received absolution from the Pope.

Talleyrand is buried at his luxurious country estate of Valence in the Loire Valley. On his tomb it is written: “Here lies the body of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Prince of Talleyrand, Duke of Dino, born in Paris on February 2, 1754 and died there on May 17, 1838.”

TALEYRAND Charles Maurice
(Talleyrand, Charles Maurice)

(1754-1838), French diplomat, Minister of Foreign Affairs during the reign of Napoleon and the Restoration. Born February 2, 1754 in Paris. At birth he received the name Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, the second son of Charles Daniel, Count de Talleyrand-Périgord from the oldest noble family of France, descended from the count family of Périgord, mentioned back in the 10th century, and Alexandrina de Dame d'Antigny. At the age of three, when Charles was left unattended by his wet nurse, he suffered a serious injury to his right leg and was left lame for life.This incident not only deprived him of the right of first inheritance, which should have passed to him after the death of his elder brother in 1757, but also closed path to a military career. According to the decision of the family, he was to become a minister of the Roman Catholic Church, to which the boy reluctantly agreed. Talleyrand studied at the College d'Harcourt in Paris, then entered the Seminary of St. Sulpice, where in 1770-1773 he studied theology, and at the Sorbonne in 1778 he became a licentiate in theology. In September 1779 he took upon himself sacred vows, and on December 18, after much hesitation, he was ordained a priest. Talleyrand received profitable sinecures at the church thanks to the influence of his uncle, who later became the Archbishop of Reims, and thereby gained the opportunity to lead an easy social life in Parisian society. Wit soon made Abbé de Talleyrand a favorite of literary salons, where his passion for card games and love affairs was not considered incompatible with the prospect of achieving high ecclesiastical rank. The strength of his intellect, as well as the patronage of his uncle, helped him to be elected in May 1780 as one of the two general representatives of the French Spiritual Assembly. For the next five years, Talleyrand, together with his colleague Raymond de Boisgelon, Archbishop of Aachen, was responsible for managing the property and finances of the Gallican (French) Church. As a result, he gained experience in financial affairs, discovered a talent for negotiation, and also developed an interest in educational reform. Louis XVI's prejudice against the bohemian lifestyle of the young abbot hampered his career, but his father's dying request persuaded the king to appoint Talleyrand in 1788 as Bishop of Autun.
Revolution. Even before 1789, Talleyrand's political views coincided with the positions of the liberal aristocracy, which sought to transform the autocracy of the Bourbons into a limited constitutional monarchy according to the English model. He was also a member of the semi-secret Committee of Thirty, which on the eve of the revolution considered it necessary to put forward an appropriate program. In April 1789, Talleyrand was elected by the clergy of his diocese as a deputy from the first estate to the Estates General. In this body, he first took moderate positions, but, encountering the indecisiveness of Louis XVI, the stupidity of court reactionaries, and the increasing pressure of the inhabitants of Paris, he moved to more radical positions. On June 26, 1789, he belatedly joined the majority of deputies of the first estate on a key issue - regarding their joint vote with representatives of the third estate. On July 7, Talleyrand made a proposal to lift the restrictive instructions to delegates who sought to free themselves from the control of the clergy who elected them. A week later he was elected to the constitutional committee of the National Assembly. Contributed to the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. In October, Talleyrand took a step towards even more radical positions, declaring that the management of church lands should be carried out by the state. In his opinion, they could be used as an additional means to cover the huge public debt, and, if necessary, sold. At the same time, the state had to provide the white clergy with an adequate salary and assume the costs of helping the poor and education. This statement, "edited" by the Comte de Mirabeau, served as the basis for a decree adopted on November 2, 1789, which stated that church lands should become "the property of the nation." In February 1790, Talleyrand was elected chairman of the Constituent Assembly. Later that year, he celebrated a festive mass on the Champs de Mars in honor of the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. In December 1790, Talleyrand became one of the few French bishops to take the oath of office on the basis of the decree on the new civil status of the clergy. He soon took advantage of his election to become one of the administrators of the department that included Paris, and refused to perform the duties of a bishop. However, despite this, in 1791 Talleyrand agreed to hold the consecration ceremony for the newly elected “constitutional” bishops of Camper, Soissons and Paris. As a result, the papal throne began to consider him the main culprit of the religious schism into which France plunged, and in 1792 he excommunicated him. Although his secret offers of assistance to Louis XVI after Mirabeau's death were rejected, Talleyrand supported the unsuccessful attempts to strengthen royal power after the monarch's family fled and returned from Varennes. He is one of the first members of the Feuillants Club. Since Talleyrand could not be elected to the Legislative Assembly, since he was a former member of the Constituent Assembly, he took up diplomacy. In January 1792, with France on the brink of war with Austria, he appeared in London as an unofficial mediator in negotiations to keep Britain from joining a continental coalition against France. In May 1792, the English government reaffirmed political neutrality, but Talleyrand did not succeed in achieving the Anglo-French alliance, which he consistently sought throughout his life. Talleyrand strongly advised the French government to pursue a policy of colonial conquests rather than territorial acquisitions in Europe. However, his advice was not taken into account, and in February 1793 England and France found themselves drawn into war. In March, after the revelation of intrigues with Louis XVI, Talleyrand's name was included by the French government in the official list of emigrants, and in 1794 he was expelled from England under the terms of the Aliens Act. Talleyrand emigrated to the USA. There he began to work for a return, and on September 4 he was given permission to return to France. In September 1796, Talleyrand arrived in Paris, and on July 18, 1797, thanks to the intervention of his friend Madame de Stael, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. For the next 10 years, with the exception of a short break in 1799, Talleyrand controlled French foreign policy. First of all, he entered into secret negotiations with Lord Malmesbury in order to achieve a separate peace with England. Talleyrand ensured recognition of Great Britain's colonial conquests, protecting them from the claims of France's allies - Holland and Spain. Official negotiations were interrupted as a result of the anti-royalist coup of the Directory of Fructidor 18 (September 4, 1797), but this was also facilitated by Talleyrand’s unauthorized maneuvers, which reduced the chances of restoring friendly relations between the states.
Napoleon's reign. As Foreign Minister, Talleyrand officially supported the independent policy towards Italy pursued by Napoleon Bonaparte in the second half of 1797. He supported Napoleon's dreams of conquest in the East and the Egyptian expedition. In July 1799, sensing the imminent collapse of the Directory, Talleyrand resigned his post, and in November assisted Bonaparte in seizing power. After the general's return from Egypt, he introduced him to Abbot Sieyes, and also convinced the Count de Barras to renounce his membership in the Directory. For facilitating the coup d'etat of the 18th Brumaire (November 9), Talleyrand received the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Consulate regime. By supporting Bonaparte's desire for supreme power, Talleyrand hoped to put an end to the revolution and the wars that began as a result outside France. Restoring public order during the Consulate, reconciling political factions, ending religious schism - these were his main goals. It seemed that peace with Austria in 1801 (Luneville) and with England in 1802 (Amiens) provided a solid basis for France's agreement with the two major powers. Talleyrand considered achieving internal stability in all three countries a necessary condition for maintaining diplomatic balance in Europe. Interested in the return of the monarchy, Talleyrand in 1804 supported the formation of the French Empire. He contributed to the turn of public opinion in favor of Napoleon, who sought to assume royal powers. There is no doubt about his participation in the arrest and execution of the Duke of Enghien, a prince from the Bourbon dynasty, on trumped-up charges of conspiracy to assassinate the First Consul. The resumption of war with England in 1803 was the first signal that Napoleon's regime was not aimed at preserving peace. After 1805, Talleyrand became convinced that Napoleon's unbridled ambitions, his dynastic foreign policy, and his ever-increasing megalomania were drawing France into continuous wars. However, this did not prevent him from enjoying numerous benefits during the Empire. In 1803, the minister received large financial profits from territorial acquisitions in Germany, in 1804-1809 he held a high and very well-paid post, being the great chamberlain of the empire, and in 1806 he was awarded the title of Prince of Benevento. Nevertheless, Talleyrand could not forgive the emperor, who despised him, for the fact that in 1802 he insisted on his marriage to the notorious Madame Grand. After many affairs, she became Talleyrand's mistress and took on the official duties of the wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Napoleon sought not only to resolve the scandalous situation, but also to humiliate Talleyrand. In August 1807, Talleyrand, who openly opposed the renewed wars with Austria, Prussia and Russia in 1805-1806, resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs. However, he continued to advise Napoleon on foreign policy issues and used his position to undermine the emperor's policies. He conveyed his plans to Russian Emperor Alexander I when meeting him at negotiations in Erfurt in 1808; connived at the outbreak of an unsuccessful war with Spain, entering into secret relations not only with Alexander, but also with the Austrian Foreign Minister, Prince von Metternich.
Restoration. In 1814, after the Allied invasion of France, Talleyrand became the main architect of the Bourbon restoration based on the principle of legitimacy. This meant, if possible, returning to the pre-1789 position of the ruling dynasty and state boundaries. As Louis XVIII's representative at the Congress of Vienna (1814–15), Talleyrand achieved a major diplomatic triumph by challenging the powers of the anti-French wartime alliance on the grounds that peace had already been concluded with France. In January 1815, he tied France into a secret alliance with Great Britain and Austria to prevent the complete absorption of Poland by Russia and Saxony by Prussia. His defense of the rights of small states at the Congress, support for the principle of legitimacy, and intention to restore the balance of power in Europe are not just tactical maneuvers on the part of a representative of a defeated power, but also evidence that Talleyrand had a broad vision and understanding of the prospects for the development of both Europe and France. He held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet, and from July to September 1815 he was the head of government. Talleyrand did not play an important role in the politics of the Restoration period, but actively intervened in the course of the July Revolution of 1830, convincing Louis Philippe to accept the crown of France in the event of the overthrow of the senior Bourbon line. In 1830-1834 he was ambassador to Great Britain and achieved his lifelong goal: the introduction of the first Entente (the era of “cordial agreement”) between the two countries. Talleyrand, in collaboration with the English Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston, performed the last great service of European diplomacy by securing a peaceful solution to the potentially dangerous problem of Belgian independence when the Netherlands refused to recognize the secession of the southern Catholic provinces that had created an independent kingdom. Talleyrand died in Paris on May 17, 1838 in Paris, having previously reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church.
LITERATURE
Talleyrand S.M. Memoirs. M., 1959 Tarle E.V. Talleyrand. M., 1962 Borisov Yu.V. Charles Maurice Talleyrand. M., 1986 Orlik O.V. Russia in international relations. 1815-1829. M., 1998

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

See what "TALEYRAND Charles Maurice" is in other dictionaries:

Talleyrand Périgord (1754 1838), French diplomat, Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1797 1999 (under the Directory), in 1799 1807 (during the Consulate and the Empire of Napoleon I), in 1814 15 (under Louis XVIII). Head of the French delegation... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Talleyrand, Talleyrand Périgord (Talleyrand Périgord) Charles Maurice (13.2.1754, Paris, 17.5.1838, ibid.), Prince of Benevento (1806 15), Duke of Dino (from 1817), French diplomat, statesman. From an aristocratic family. Received spiritual... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Talleyrand, Charles Maurice- C. Talleyrand. Portrait by P.P. Prudhon. TALEYRAND (Talleyrand Perigord) Charles Maurice (1754 1838), French diplomat, Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1797 1815. Head of the French delegation at the Congress of Vienna 1814 15, where he ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

TALLEYRAND, CHARLES MAURICE (1754–1838), Prime Minister of France. Born February 2, 1754 in Paris. He studied at the College d'Harcourt in Paris, entered the Seminary of St. Sulpice, where he studied theology in 1770–1773, and at the Sorbonne in 1778 he became a licentiate in theology. In 1779 he was ordained a priest.

The Abbé de Talleyrand became a regular at salons, where his passion for card games and love affairs was not considered incompatible with high clergy. His uncle's patronage helped him be elected in May 1780 as a representative of the French Spiritual Assembly. For the next five years, Talleyrand, together with his colleague Raymond de Boisgelon, Archbishop of Aachen, was responsible for managing the property and finances of the Gallican (French) Church. In 1788 Talleyrand was appointed Bishop of Autun.

Revolution. Even before 1789, Talleyrand was inclined to the positions of the liberal aristocracy, which sought to transform the autocracy of the Bourbons into a limited constitutional monarchy according to the English model. He was a member of the Committee of Thirty. In April 1789, Talleyrand was elected as a deputy from the first estate to the Estates General. He held moderate positions in this body, but soon moved to more radical positions. On June 26, 1789, he belatedly joined the majority of deputies of the first estate on a key issue - regarding joint voting with representatives of the third estate.

Talleyrand made a proposal to cancel the restrictive instructions to the delegates who sought to free themselves from the control of the clergy who elected them. A week later he was elected to the constitutional committee of the National Assembly. Contributed to the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. Declared that the management of church lands should be carried out by the state. This statement, "edited" by the Comte de Mirabeau, served as the basis for a decree passed on November 2, 1789, which stated that church lands should become "the property of the nation."

In July 1790, Talleyrand became one of the few French bishops to take the oath of office on the basis of the decree on the new civil status of the clergy. He was elected administrator of the department that included Paris and resigned as Bishop of Autun. Despite this, in 1791 he agreed to hold the consecration ceremony for the newly elected “constitutional” bishops of Camper, Soissons and Paris. As a result, the papal throne considered him the main culprit of the religious schism and excommunicated him in 1792.

In January 1792, with France on the brink of war with Austria, Talleyrand appeared in London as an unofficial mediator in negotiations to keep Britain from joining a coalition against France. In May 1792, the English government confirmed its neutrality, but Talleyrand did not succeed in achieving the Anglo-French alliance, which he sought throughout his life.

In February 1793, England and France found themselves drawn into war, and in 1794 Talleyrand was expelled from England under the terms of the Aliens Act. Talleyrand emigrated to the United States, where he sought his return, and on September 4 he was allowed to return to France. In September 1796, Talleyrand arrived in Paris, and on July 18, 1797, thanks to the influence of his friend Madame de Stael, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.

As minister, he entered into secret negotiations with Lord Malmesbury in order to achieve a separate peace with England. Official negotiations were interrupted as a result of the anti-royalist coup of the Directory on September 4, 1797.

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Napoleon's reign. As Foreign Minister, Talleyrand pursued an independent policy towards Italy. He supported Napoleon's dreams of conquest in the East and the plan of the Egyptian expedition. In July 1799, sensing the imminent collapse of the Directory, he left his post, and in November he assisted Bonaparte. After the general’s return from Egypt, he introduced him to Abbot Sieyes and convinced the Count de Barras to renounce his membership in the Directory. After the coup d'état on November 9, Talleyrand received the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

By supporting Bonaparte's desire for supreme power, Talleyrand hoped to put an end to the revolution and wars outside France. It seemed that peace with Austria in 1801 (Luneville) and with England in 1802 (Amiens) provided a solid basis for France's agreement with the two major powers. Talleyrand considered achieving internal stability in all three countries a necessary condition for maintaining diplomatic balance in Europe. There is no doubt about his participation in the arrest and execution of the Duke of Enghien, a prince from the Bourbon dynasty, on trumped-up charges of conspiracy to assassinate the First Consul.

After 1805, Talleyrand became convinced that Napoleon's unbridled ambitions, his dynastic foreign policy, and his ever-increasing megalomania were drawing France into continuous wars. In August 1807, openly opposing the wars with Austria, Prussia and Russia resumed in 1805–1806, he resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Restoration. In 1814, after the Allied invasion of France, Talleyrand contributed to the Bourbon restoration. As foreign minister and representative of Louis XVIII at the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815), he achieved a diplomatic triumph by challenging the powers of the anti-French wartime alliance of powers. In January 1815 he linked France with a secret alliance with Great Britain and Austria to prevent the complete absorption of Poland by Russia and Saxony by Prussia.

Talleyrand headed the government from July to September 1815. He actively intervened in the course of the July Revolution of 1830, convincing Louis Philippe to accept the crown of France in the event of the overthrow of the senior Bourbon line. In 1830–1834 he was ambassador to Great Britain and contributed to the achievement of the first Entente (the era of “cordial agreement”) between the two countries. In collaboration with the British Foreign Minister Lord Palmerston, he ensured a peaceful solution to the problem of Belgian independence.

Talleyrand-scum
Olel 23.07.2007 06:58:52

whom he betrayed and sold, everyone he served, from Napoleon’s directory to the Bourbons. a traitor, a bribe-taker, a deceiver, and talented, a dog, a diplomat, it was not for nothing that Napoleon valued him so much. Acquisitiveness was the meaning of his life, he wanted to be rich, that’s all, and France had nothing to do with it.

Charles Maurice was born into a noble family. The parents were absorbed in service at court, and the baby was sent to a nurse. One day she left the baby on the chest of drawers, the child fell, and Talleyrand remained lame for the rest of his life. Yu.V. Borisov - Talleyrand, page 10. The boy received his education at the Harcourt College in Paris. Those around him noted his restraint and ability to hide his thoughts. “Caution, that is, the art of showing only part of your life, your thoughts, your feelings, is the first of all qualities,” he later told 100 great diplomats http://www.maugus-hotels.com/97.php . In 1770, young Peri-gore, at the insistence of his parents, entered the Saint-Sulpice seminary. Talleyrand spent four years in the seminary and completed his education at the Sorbonne (1778). At the end of his life, Talleyrand wrote: “My entire youth was devoted to a profession for which I was not born.” Having not yet received the episcopal rank, Talleyrand became the “minister of finance” of the church, taking the post of agent general of the clergy of France under the royal government in 1780, which allowed him to get rich through financial speculation. His expenses - on women, on cards, on expensive clothes, on meetings with friends, on a house and books - grew very quickly. Talleyrand energetically defended the “inalienable rights of the clergy.” In 1785, the assembly of the French clergy heard a report from its agent general. Archbishop of Bordeaux Champion de Cisé highly appreciated Talleyrand's work. For his zealous service to the interests of the church, Talleyrand received a reward of 31 thousand livres from the assembly. Noble origin, upbringing, education, ironic, subtle mind attracted many representatives of the fair sex to Charles Maurice. He took care of his appearance and learned to hide his limp. At the age of 29, Talleyrand met Countess Adelaide de Flahaut. Adelaide lived separately from her husband and was not divorced from him. Her salon was popular in Paris. As a result of this almost family connection, Talleyrand had a son, Charles Joseph (1785). He became a general, Napoleon's aide-de-camp, and then, under Louis Philippe, ambassador. Talleyrand's interest in politics constantly intensified. Parisian salons served as an important source of information for him. He moved in court circles, was familiar with Walter, E. Choiseul, and the future writer Baroness de Stael; He was friends with Mirabeau, visited the Masonic lodge, and met the future English Prime Minister William Pitt, who was vacationing in France. By the age of 34, the Pope confirmed Talleyrand as Bishop of Autun, and after that he was elected as a deputy of the Estates General from the Clergy of Autun. Talleyrand's parliamentary career was swift and brilliant. He held the honorary positions of member of the first and second constitution committees, chairman of the Constituent Assembly and member of its Diplomatic Committee. Talleyrand made a number of important proposals at the meeting and participated in the preparation of documents that were a milestone in the history of the French Revolution.

Talleyrand's popularity especially increased after on June 7, 1790, from the rostrum of the Constituent Assembly, he proposed from now on to celebrate the national holiday of the federation on the day of the storming of the Bastille. During the holiday, the Bishop of Autun celebrated a solemn mass, gathered in the middle of the Champs de Mars. Talleyrand spoke at the Assembly with reports on issues of financial education, etc. Having gone over to the side of the bourgeoisie, he nevertheless! broke with the court, maintained contact with the Duke of Orleans and his entourage. At the beginning of 1791, the king granted Talleyrand's request for resignation from the post of Bishop of Autun. Talleyrand was elected to an administrative and financial post in the Seine department. But even then he was inclined towards diplomatic activities. After the death of the head of the Diplomatic Committee Mirabeau, in April 1791 his place was taken by Talleyrand, the former Bishop of Autun Free information encyclopedia - http://www.wikipedia.ru. He soon passed through the Constituent Assembly a decision to arm 27 ships for the Spanish fleet. It was alleged that for the extension of the Franco-Spanish treaty of 1761, Talleyrand received 100 thousand dollars from the Spanish ambassador Evgeniy Viktorovich Tarle - Talleyrand, Higher School, 1992., p. 12. The powers of the Constituent Assembly expired. Having ceased to be a deputy of the Constituent Assembly and seeing the approach of a new stage of the revolution, which Talleyrand feared because it posed a threat to the aristocracy, he finally decided to devote himself to diplomacy. They suggested that Talleyrand go to London for negotiations. Talleyrand, who had experience working on the Diplomatic Committee of the Constituent Assembly, was ready for his new mission. He analyzed and summarized his first experience in the “Note on the current relations of France with other European states.” In the Note, Talleyrand emphasized that a free people cannot build its relations with other peoples on “ideas and feelings”; he must base "political action on the principles of reason, justice and the common good."

Talleyrand returned to Paris. The first diplomatic mission ended successfully.

Everything contributed to Talleyrand’s success in the diplomatic field - noble manners, brilliant education, the ability to speak beautifully, unsurpassed mastery of intrigue, the ability to win over people Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Prigord - from the information portal http://www.worldhistory.ru. Having taken the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Directory, Talleyrand quickly created an efficiently working apparatus of the department. He took millions in bribes from kings and governments, not for a fundamental change in position, but just for editorial changes to some minor article in the treaty. Talleyrand's influence on the activities of French diplomacy was significant. The minister was a kind of intermediary between the Directory and the generals, who personally negotiated and signed peace or armistice agreements. However, the most important foreign policy issues were dealt with by the members of the Directory themselves. Talleyrand established close relations with General Bonaparte and, after his appointment as minister, hastened to offer the general services and cooperation. They became even closer during the period of preparation and implementation of the coup d'etat of the 18th Fructidor (September 4, 1797). It was a battle with right-wing forces seeking the restoration of the monarchy. Talleyrand did not hesitate to side with the republican majority of the Directory, which opposed the return of the Bourbons, but hated the principles of 1793. Napoleon did not find a common language with the Directory and needed the mediation of “his man,” his help, and timely and truthful information. Talleyrand willingly took on this difficult mission. On the night of October 17-18, 1797, an agreement was signed between France and Austria, which went down in history as the Treaty of Campoformia. For Austria, the conditions were extortionate. But for Bonaparte and Talleyrand the negotiations undoubtedly ended in success. In the eyes of the general public, the young commander was a hero who showed not only military, but also remarkable diplomatic abilities. But the real organizer of the victory in Campoformio, who remained unknown to the public, was the Minister of Foreign Relations of the Directory, who managed to prevent a break in relations with Austria. The beginning of the business cooperation between Bonaparte and Talleyrand was laid. As Minister of the Directory, Talleyrand relied on General Bonaparte and became one of the organizers of the coup on November 9, 1799. He was Napoleon's minister during the period of his ascent and greatest successes and played an important role in the formation of Napoleonic power. But gradually common sense began to tell Talleyrand that France’s struggle for European dominance would not bring him dividends. At the time of Napoleon's abdication, Talleyrand headed the provisional government, and at the Vienna Congress of European Powers (1814-15) he represented France as the minister of Louis XVIII Talleyrand (Biographies of famous contemporaries). "Domestic Notes", vol. 38. p. 67. Having put forward the principle of legitimism (legality), Talleyrand managed to defend not only the pre-war borders of France, despite its defeat, but also to create a secret alliance of France, Austria and England against Russia and Prussia. France was brought out of international isolation. The Congress was the pinnacle of Talleyrand's diplomatic career.

“I told General Bonaparte that the portfolio of the Minister of Foreign Affairs is secret in nature, cannot be open at meetings, that he should alone take on the work on foreign affairs, which should only be led by the head of government...” wrote Talleyrand in “ Memoirs". “It was agreed from the very first day that I would only count with the first consul.” Talleyrand became, as it were, the chief foreign policy adviser to the first consul and carried out his diplomatic assignments. Bonaparte believed that Talleyrand “had much of what is necessary for negotiations: secularism, knowledge of the courts of Europe, subtlety, to say the least, immobility in features, which nothing can spoil, finally, a famous name... I know that he belonged to the revolution only thanks to his dissipation; he is a Jacobin and a deserter from his class in the Constituent Assembly, and his interests are entrusted to us behind him. The Minister never worked for his subordinates. He kept his personal dictionary editing to a minimum. The authorized representatives received instructions from the head of the department, which they then had to formulate and put on paper, adding suitable arguments to them. Talleyrand was a master of negotiations and diplomatic conversation. | distinguished by the ability to choose a topic and arguments, the ability to express his point of view in a few words. At the same time, the essence of the problem, if circumstances or his personal goals required, seemed to remain. He knew how to listen carefully to his interlocutor, memorizing data well. “You are the king of conversation in Europe. What secret do you have! Napoleon once asked Talleyrand. He replied: “When you are at war, do you always choose your battlefields?.. And I choose the ground for conversation. I will only agree with what I can say something about.” "I don't answer... In general, I will not allow anyone to ask myself questions, with the exception of you. If they demand answers from me, then it is I who will answer."

His whole life was an endless series of betrayals and betrayals, and these acts were connected with such grandiose historical events, took place on such an open world stage, were always explained (without exception) to such an extent by clearly selfish motives and were accompanied by such immediate material benefits for him personally, that with his great intelligence, Talleyrand never expected that with simple, ordinary and generally accepted, so to speak, hypocrisy, he could actually deceive someone for a long time after committing one or another of his acts. It was important to deceive those interested only during the preparation itself and then during the execution of the case, without which the success of the enterprise would have been unthinkable. And this very success must be so decisive as to guarantee the prince from the revenge of the deceived when they learn about his moves and tricks. As for the so-called “public opinion”, and even more so the “judgment of posterity” and other similar sensitivities, Prince Talleyrand was completely indifferent to them, and, moreover, quite sincerely, there can be no doubt about it.

Prince Talleyrand was called not just a liar, but the “father of lies.” And indeed, no one has ever discovered such art in the conscious perversion of truth, such an ability to maintain a stately, careless, disinterested appearance, a serene calm, characteristic only of the most immaculate, dove-like purity of the soul; no one has achieved such perfection in the use of the figure of silence as This is truly an extraordinary person. Even those observers and critics of his actions who considered him a walking collection of all vices almost never called him a hypocrite. And indeed, this epithet somehow does not suit him: he is too weak and inexpressive Evgeniy Viktorovich Tarle - Talleyrand, Higher School, 1992, p. 17.

It is this feature that directly leads us to consider the question of the position taken by Prince Talleyrand-Périgord, Duke of Benevento and holder of all French and almost all European orders, in the era of those repeated assaults to which, during his life, his native social class was subjected - the nobility - on the part of the revolutionary bourgeoisie in those days.

A deeply cynical person, Talleyrand did not bind himself to any moral prohibitions. Brilliant, charming, witty, he knew how to attract women. Talleyrand was married (by Napoleon's will) to Catherine Grand, from whom he soon separated. For the last 25 years, Talleyrand's wife was his nephew, the young Duchess Dorothea Dino. Talleyrand surrounded himself with exquisite luxury and owned the richest court in Valence. Alien to sentimentality, pragmatic, he gladly recognized himself as a major owner and acted in the interests of his own kind.