Talleyrand

Talleyrand (Charles Maurice de Talleyrand‐Périgord, 1754 – 1838) French statesman and diplomat famous for serving under multiple masters as France underwent revolution and reaction. .

He was foreign Minister under the Directory from 1797 where he mismanaged affairs with the U.S. leading to the Quasi-War of 1898. After the failure of Napoleon's plans for a New World Empire, he sold Spanish Louisiana to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, with France keeping the $15 million paid by Washington. He aided the coup in 1799 that brought Napoleon to power, and remained held Foreign Minister under Napoleon (1799 – 1807), keeping track as major countries switched back and forth in the great war between France and Britain, In 1807 he resigned office and engaged in secret negotiations to have Napoleon deposed.

Talleyrand became head of the new French government after the fall of Napoleon in 1814 and recalled Louis XVIII to the throne. He played a major role in reorganizing Europe at the Congress of Vienna, 1814-1815. In 1830 he was instrumental in the overthrow of King Charles X and the accession of Louis Philippe.

Further reading

• Brinton, Crane. The lives of Talleyrand (1963)
• Lawday, David. Napoleon's Master: A Life of Prince Talleyrand‎ (2007) 386 pages excerpts and text search
• Stinchcombe, William. "Talleyrand and the American Negotiations of 1797-1798," Journal of American History, Vol. 62, No. 3 (Dec., 1975), pp. 575-590 in JSTOR