prince de Bénévent Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord

Born in Paris on February 2, 1754, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord came from an aristocratic family and was pushed toward the Church rather than the army. He became bishop of Autun just before the French Revolution, but soon stepped into national politics, where his talent for negotiation and cool judgment made him one of the most influential figures of his age.

Talleyrand held high office across a startling range of regimes: the Revolution, the Directory, Napoleon's Consulate and Empire, and later the restored Bourbon monarchy. He is especially remembered as a foreign minister and diplomat whose skill at reading power helped France remain influential even after military defeat. His role at the Congress of Vienna fixed his reputation as one of Europe's great political strategists.

He died on May 17, 1838. Admired by some and distrusted by others, Talleyrand still stands out as a figure of sharp intelligence, dry humor, and extraordinary political endurance.