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Talleyrand

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Diplomat

The Resume

    (February 2, 1754-May 17, 1835)
    Born and died in Paris, France
    Birth name is Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
    Known simply as Talleyrand from the turn of the 19th century
    Prime Minister of France (Restoration of the Bourbon Dynasty, July to September 1815)
    Agent General of the French clergy (1780-1790)
    French ambassador to the United Kingdom (1830-1834)
    Credited with the expression ‘learned nothing and forgotten nothing' regarding the restoration of the Bourbon rulers
    Nicknamed ‘the Limping Devil'

Why he might be annoying:

    He was born into aristocracy.
    He claimed he had injured a foot as a child, thus preventing him from upholding the Talleyrand military tradition.
    Because of his club foot, his family disowned him almost completely - including any inheritance.
    While serving under Napoleon, he accepted bribes from Austriaand Russia - both hostile to France - to betray his leader.
    He was a womanizer.
    While the charges were not made clear, a warrant for his arrest was issued by the National Convention in 1793.
    He took the charges seriously and fled to the United States to become a commodities broker following his deportation from England.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He had a remarkable capacity for recognizing change by the moment. Thus, he changed loyalties accordingly.
    He had a hand in almost every aspect of French history that took place in his lifetime.
    He became an ordained minister in 1779, at age 25, in the hopes of being of some benefit to his family.
    Since he felt Napoleon's incessant ambitions were a detriment to France's progress, he acted as a paid agent of opposing nations such as Austria and England.
    He was sent on a diplomatic mission to London to explain French politics to the English monarchy (1792).
    Expelled from England in 1794, he went on to become a commodities broker in the United States.
    He served as Foreign Minister of France at four different points (1797-1799, 1799-1807, 1814-1815, and again in 1815).
    He was a signatory of the Treaty of Paris in April 1814.
    He died mere hours after signing a letter of retraction for past errors.

Credit: Cool It All Right?


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 36 Votes: 72.22% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 23 Votes: 73.91% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 14 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 24 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 60 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 69 Votes: 75.36% Annoying