Talleyrand-Perigord, Charles Maurice de
Talleyrand-Perigord, Charles Maurice de (1754-1838). French statesman and diplomat. As his club foot prevented him from following the family tradition of entering the army, he went into the Church instead, serving as Bishop of Autun (1788-91). After the fall of the monarchy, he was accused of dealings with Louis XVI and banned from France (1794-96). He later became Napoleon’s foreign minister (1799-1807) but, worried by Napoleon’s ambition, worked secretly for the restoration of the Bourbons. On the accession of Louis XVIII Talleyrand became his foreign minister and secured favorable peace terms for France at the Congress of Vienna (1814-15).
