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

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

Born to a rich noble family, because of lameness he entered the Catholic priesthood, and became bishop of Autun. He represented the clergy at the États Généraux and was prominent in proposing nationalization of Church lands in the early years of the [[French Revolution]].<ref. On his deathbed he became reconciled with the Catholic Church.</ref> When his enemies came to power he temporarily moved to London and then New York, returning to France in 1796.  

He was born to a rich aristocratic family. A childhood accident left him lame so instead of the military his family sent him into the Catholic priesthood and purchased for him the bishopric of Autun, which paid very well.<ref> His uncle, the archbishop of Rheims, made the arrangements.</ref> He represented the clergy at the États Généraux and helped to draft the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen in 1789, He took the lead in 1789 in the nationalization of Church lands, a major event in the [[French Revolution]].  He became very rich as adminsitrator of the seized lands.  The pope saw him as a principal villain of the religious schism into which France then plunged, and he was excommunicated in 1792.<ref> On his deathbed he became reconciled with the Catholic Church.</ref> When his enemies came to power he temporarily moved to New York, returning to France in 1796.  

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.  

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.  

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Brinton, Crane. ''The lives of Talleyrand'' (1963)

* Brinton, Crane. ''The lives of Talleyrand'' (1963) [http://www.amazon.com/Lives-Talleyrand-Brinton-Crane/dp/0393001881/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239401904&sr=8-8 excerpt and text search]

* Lawday, David. ''Napoleon's Master: A Life of Prince Talleyrand‎'' (2007) 386 pages [http://books.google.com/books?id=kJOxHeWgTOUC&pg=PA274&dq=%22congress+of+vienna%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=2000&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=2009&num=30&as_brr=3&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpts and text search]  

* Lawday, David. ''Napoleon's Master: A Life of Prince Talleyrand‎'' (2007) 386 pages [http://books.google.com/books?id=kJOxHeWgTOUC&pg=PA274&dq=%22congress+of+vienna%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=2000&as_maxm_is=12&as_maxy_is=2009&num=30&as_brr=3&as_pt=ALLTYPES 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 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2936215 in JSTOR]

* Stinchcombe, William. "Talleyrand and the American Negotiations of 1797-1798," ''Journal of American History,'' Vol. 62, No. 3 (Dec., 1975), pp. 575-590 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2936215 in JSTOR]