Talleyrand

From church establishment figure to revolutionary, supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte to promoter of the Bourbon Restoration, the twists and turns of Charles Maurice Prince de Talleyrand's remarkable career through one of the most turbulent periods of French and European history have been traditionally portrayed as those of a political opportunist without moral scruples. Philip Dwyer offers a detached, more nuanced analysis of the role of Talleyrand in the corridors of power over five different French regimes. Focusing on the role of religion during the Ancien Regime and the Revolution, and foreign policy from the Empire through to the Restoration, the book is a clear, accessible synthesis and the first serious, scholarly account in the English language.

Preface Foreign Ministers, 1787-1834 Introduction: Revealing the 'Imaginary' Talleyrand 1 Cultivating an Ambition, 1754-89 2 The Revolutionary, 1789-95 3 In the Corridors of Power, 1796-99 4 The Devoted Servant, 1800-7 5 The Courtier in Opposition, 1897-14 6 The Reconstruction of Europe, 1814-15 7 The Political Outsider, 1815-30 8 The London Embassy, 1830-34 Conclusion: Talleyrand: Cynical Opportunist or Agent of Change? Bibliographical Essay Chronology Maps Index