Post by Michael Magri

Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838) was one of the most significant political figures in modern French history. Beginning his career as the cynical bishop of Autun, he went on to become a revolutionary leader, a diplomat, and ultimately, foreign minister under Napoleon I. Despite his reputation as a schemer and backstabber, Talleyrand always claimed to put the national interests of France first, informing his decision to turn against Napoleon. He played a major role in the Congress of Vienna, helping France get the best possible outcome after Napoleon's defeat. Talleyrand was born on 2 February 1754 in Paris, France, to an old but penniless noble family. He was the eldest son of Count Charles-Daniel de Talleyrand-Périgord and Alexandrine de Damas d'Antigny. His father had served as an officer in the French Army during the Seven Years' War and very much desired his son to follow in his footsteps and become a soldier. However, this would prove impossible. When he was four years old, Talleyrand fell off a chest of drawers and dislocated his foot. The injury never properly healed, and he would walk with a limp for the rest of his life. He was unable to serve in the army, and his father chose for him what he believed was the next best path to wealth and power: a life in the Church. In December 1779, he was finally ordained a Catholic priest. Less than a year later, he had become agent-general of the clergy, responsible for protecting the privileges of the Gallican Church (i.e., the Catholic Church in France) and acting as a liaison between the Crown and clergy. Like many of his peers, Talleyrand saw the coming of the Revolution as a chance to implement Enlightenment values and move away from the repressive institutions of the Ancien Régime. In 1790, he performed Mass at the Feast of the Federation and was thereafter regarded as the 'Bishop of the Revolution'. Article by Harrison W. Mark. Paintings by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon and Ary Scheffer. Painting 2 is by François Gérard.