Napoleon's Master: A Life of Prince TalleyrandHe took on Napoleon with a set of weapons that seemed unsuited to the task: flattery, courtesy and an alarmingly straight face. And he won. Quite as much as the Duke of Wellington it was the club-footed genius of French diplomacy who defeated the greatest conqueror since Julius Caesar. This is the story of Prince Talleyrand, who attracts as much scorn as Napoleon wins glory. To his critics the arch-aristocrat who delivered France and all Europe from the Emperor's follies is the prince of vice - turncoat, hypocrite, liar, plotter, God-baiter and womaniser, and, to make matters worse, highly successful at them all. In this life of the master diplomat, David Lawday follows Talleyrand's remarkable career through the most turbulent age Europe has known - the mad leap from France's rotting ancient regime into the Revolution of 1789, Robespierre's Terror, Napoleon's epic wars and dramatic fall, and on through restored kings to more revolution. |
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Adelaïde affairs allies ambassador American ancien régime Austrian Barras Bonaparte Bourbon Castlereagh Catherine Caulaincourt Church congress Congress of Vienna Consul court Dard diplomatic Dorothy empire England English Erfurt Europe exile eyes favour felt Flahaut forces foreign minister Fouché France France's French Gouverneur Morris Grand Army Grand Chamberlain Habsburg hand head heart imperial keep King Louis king's knew land letter liberal London looked Louis XVIII marriage Mémoires Metternich military ministry Mme de Rémusat Mme de Staël monarchy Napoleon nation negotiations never once Orieux Palace Paris peace Périgord police political prince Prince of Benevento rank Revolution revolutionary royal royalist Russia salon seemed side Sire Spain stay sure talk Talleyrand things thought throne tion told took treaty Tsar Tsar Alexander Tuileries Tuileries Palace turned Valençay Vienna wanted Waresquiel Wellington wrote young
References to this book
Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800-1914: [2 Volumes] Carl C. Hodge No preview available - 2007 |