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Talleyrand: Betrayer and Saviour of France
Born in 1754, Prince Talleyrand was brilliant, witty and always dangerous.
He survived the French Revolution, helped make and break Napoleon, and went on to re-shape Europe with his subtle diplomacy. In extreme old age, at the end of a turbulent career, he became an outstanding ambassador in London, the toast of British society.
This insightful biography does ample justice to Talleyrand’s character and achievements. Despite his corruption and cynicism, the Prince emerges as one of that rare breed – an intellectual who was also a world-class statesman.
Praise for Talleyrand...
‘Written with immense scholarship, captivating wit … fluent, intelligent and engaging’ - Andrew Roberts, Sunday Telegraph
‘Fluent and lucid, always readable, palpably fair … scrupulously researched’ - Matthew Parris, The Times
‘Intelligent and well written, sure-footed and balanced’ - Adam Zamoyski, Sunday Times
Robin Harris was born in Falmouth, Cornwall. He studied at Oxford University, won the Gibbs Prize, and obtained a DPhil in modern history. In the 1980s he served in various political and governmental capacities, including as a member of Margaret Thatcher's Number Ten Policy Unit, and in later years turned to free-lance journalism and to writing works of history and biography.
Among his books are Valois Guyenne: A Study of Politics, Government and Society in Late Medieval France (1994), Dubrovnik – A History (2003), The Conservatives – A History (2011), Not for Turning – The Life of Margaret Thatcher (2013), Stepinac – His Life and Times (2016). He now lives in Zagreb and is currently writing a history of modern Croatia.
He survived the French Revolution, helped make and break Napoleon, and went on to re-shape Europe with his subtle diplomacy. In extreme old age, at the end of a turbulent career, he became an outstanding ambassador in London, the toast of British society.
This insightful biography does ample justice to Talleyrand’s character and achievements. Despite his corruption and cynicism, the Prince emerges as one of that rare breed – an intellectual who was also a world-class statesman.
Praise for Talleyrand...
‘Written with immense scholarship, captivating wit … fluent, intelligent and engaging’ - Andrew Roberts, Sunday Telegraph
‘Fluent and lucid, always readable, palpably fair … scrupulously researched’ - Matthew Parris, The Times
‘Intelligent and well written, sure-footed and balanced’ - Adam Zamoyski, Sunday Times
Robin Harris was born in Falmouth, Cornwall. He studied at Oxford University, won the Gibbs Prize, and obtained a DPhil in modern history. In the 1980s he served in various political and governmental capacities, including as a member of Margaret Thatcher's Number Ten Policy Unit, and in later years turned to free-lance journalism and to writing works of history and biography.
Among his books are Valois Guyenne: A Study of Politics, Government and Society in Late Medieval France (1994), Dubrovnik – A History (2003), The Conservatives – A History (2011), Not for Turning – The Life of Margaret Thatcher (2013), Stepinac – His Life and Times (2016). He now lives in Zagreb and is currently writing a history of modern Croatia.
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
97 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Robin Harris
104 books16 followersRobin Harris studied at Oxford University, won the Gibbs Prize, and obtained a DPhil in modern history. In the 1980s he served in various political and governmental capacities, including as a member of Margaret Thatcher's Number Ten Policy Unit, and in later years turned to free-lance journalism and to writing works of history and biography.
Among his books are Valois Guyenne: A Study of Politics, Government and Society in Late Medieval France (1994), Dubrovnik – A History (2003), The Conservatives – A History (2011), Not for Turning – The Life of Margaret Thatcher (2013), Stepinac – His Life and Times (2016). He now lives in Zagreb and is currently writing a history of modern Croatia.
Among his books are Valois Guyenne: A Study of Politics, Government and Society in Late Medieval France (1994), Dubrovnik – A History (2003), The Conservatives – A History (2011), Not for Turning – The Life of Margaret Thatcher (2013), Stepinac – His Life and Times (2016). He now lives in Zagreb and is currently writing a history of modern Croatia.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 19, 2019
To be bored with Tayllerand is to be bored with life says the author, can’t say he is wrong.
December 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. Harris is clearly a talented historian. His writing, while not exactly captivating, is nonetheless clear and easy to read. And all the more credit to him for tackling this most difficult of subjects. Biographies are always, I feel, a challenge for the author and for the reader, as there is so much ambiguity, nuance, and complexity that is hard to fit on such a limited medium. But Harris pays his homage to Talleyrand's own ambiguity and explains his acts, and contradictions, in a way that I found, as a reader, satisfying.
Talleyrand is such an interesting character. I couldn't help but want to read about him. A man who goes from being a bishop of aristocratic birth, to a foreign minister for both the Directory and Napoleon, and then prime minister, all before becoming a significant ambassador for the restored monarchy... Those are a lot of titles, and not exactly an obvious career progression given the volatility of the times. Talleyrand's story meets expectation in this regard, and is a character of history well worth getting acquainted with.
Harris also gets credit for writing about Talleyrand in English. I had a heck of a time finding a copy of this book, and, despite his fascinating profile, Talleyrand does not seem to be written about often.
A few minor criticisms: First, the organization of the book sometimes left me lost. Harris, understandably, writes in chronological order, except when he doesn't. Sometimes, Harris conveys his point thematically. Which is fine. But it did have me sometimes getting my internal timeline mixed up, which may be my failing more than his.
Second, Harris assumes a degree of familiarity with background events that I, frankly, did not have. Revolutionary and post-revolutionary France is not an area I had a lot of knowledge of. The Internet was a close companion while reading this book, and I'm richer for that. But to someone like me, Talleyrand does not stand on its own. The same goes for names - it was too easy for me to forget who was who, and tracking the solitary references dozens of pages previously was too much a chore for me to undertake.
Ultimately, however, I'm really glad I read this book. I'm grateful Harris wrote it. And I recommend anyone who is interested in one of the most fascinating characters in history pick this up.
Talleyrand is such an interesting character. I couldn't help but want to read about him. A man who goes from being a bishop of aristocratic birth, to a foreign minister for both the Directory and Napoleon, and then prime minister, all before becoming a significant ambassador for the restored monarchy... Those are a lot of titles, and not exactly an obvious career progression given the volatility of the times. Talleyrand's story meets expectation in this regard, and is a character of history well worth getting acquainted with.
Harris also gets credit for writing about Talleyrand in English. I had a heck of a time finding a copy of this book, and, despite his fascinating profile, Talleyrand does not seem to be written about often.
A few minor criticisms: First, the organization of the book sometimes left me lost. Harris, understandably, writes in chronological order, except when he doesn't. Sometimes, Harris conveys his point thematically. Which is fine. But it did have me sometimes getting my internal timeline mixed up, which may be my failing more than his.
Second, Harris assumes a degree of familiarity with background events that I, frankly, did not have. Revolutionary and post-revolutionary France is not an area I had a lot of knowledge of. The Internet was a close companion while reading this book, and I'm richer for that. But to someone like me, Talleyrand does not stand on its own. The same goes for names - it was too easy for me to forget who was who, and tracking the solitary references dozens of pages previously was too much a chore for me to undertake.
Ultimately, however, I'm really glad I read this book. I'm grateful Harris wrote it. And I recommend anyone who is interested in one of the most fascinating characters in history pick this up.
June 26, 2021
A brilliant diplomat, very shrewd. Perhaps a french Machiavelli would be most apt to describe him, but in the sense that he made himself useful to all administrations, as opposed to actively plotting against others
March 17, 2025
Talleyrand was a unique individual, both villified and praised, thus the sub-title of this book--'Betrayer and Saviour of France.'. This is my second book about Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord in recent weeks. This book is perhaps a tad more incisive of his character, but just as damning of his weaknesses. On the other hand, the author seems less an admirer although he certainly does recognize his service to France in an era of great tribulation. Talleyrand's greed for money and influence are apparent from the beginning. As a result, he learned to 'play the great game' as few others have. It is easy to condemn his weaknesses, but it is also difficult to forget his efforts to find a lasting peace in the face of a man who preferred war.
November 7, 2020
After reading three biographies of this man, and read about him in several other books. This one taught me that when Talleyrand was defending on third, final degree, at Sorbonne. He has to defend for 12 hours !
Good book I always value people who serve on top, despite national, worldwide, personal or any other problem.
Like with all hardships poor people accused him of being incarnation of the devil, yet he was, operating on like just minority of people. So he would be not understood by many, who perhaps didn't read like he did.
In this book there is this example that when he was reading, he was questiong books and giving them more splendid care, more then the authors themselves did.
Talleyrand is like people who are like "sharp tools, it's dangerous to play with such". Just like unshaken, steadfast people. Of whom I to have that quality and its not liked by people who just want to joke with me.
Good book I always value people who serve on top, despite national, worldwide, personal or any other problem.
Like with all hardships poor people accused him of being incarnation of the devil, yet he was, operating on like just minority of people. So he would be not understood by many, who perhaps didn't read like he did.
In this book there is this example that when he was reading, he was questiong books and giving them more splendid care, more then the authors themselves did.
Talleyrand is like people who are like "sharp tools, it's dangerous to play with such". Just like unshaken, steadfast people. Of whom I to have that quality and its not liked by people who just want to joke with me.
June 12, 2020
I found this book a fun romp through the life and career of Talleyrand, bishop, statesman, ambassador, emigree he led a huge life in an important period of history. I got a few laughs - which is not always easy in a politician's biography... As someone who knew very little about him, just his interactions with Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna, I learned a lot
I would say it would be a little hard to read if you didn't know what went on in the revolutions, the wars against Napoleon, Vienna etc, as names, places and events are dropped in without a great deal of context, so it might be best to pre-read a wider 18/19th Century history first if you don't know much about this period.
The author's switching between surname, first-names and various titles for the principles characters can be slight disconcerting, but I got used to it and it wasn't annoying, just notable
I would say it would be a little hard to read if you didn't know what went on in the revolutions, the wars against Napoleon, Vienna etc, as names, places and events are dropped in without a great deal of context, so it might be best to pre-read a wider 18/19th Century history first if you don't know much about this period.
The author's switching between surname, first-names and various titles for the principles characters can be slight disconcerting, but I got used to it and it wasn't annoying, just notable
October 13, 2020
The right level of detail for a casual history reader. Talleyrand is tangled up in French history from 1780s to the 1830s. That's a lot of complex history, and Talleyrand is busy changing sides and make deals throughout this. This book gives you the story without a lot of excessive detail, or obsession of minutiae.
Since I was not looking for a detailed tome, this was a great book to learn more about him.
Since I was not looking for a detailed tome, this was a great book to learn more about him.
April 28, 2024
Insightful Biography
This book told me a great deal about Talleyrand that I never knew. It admirably covers the periods of 18th and 19th century European history very fully. It is also an enjoyable read. The author keeps his own opinions of his subject within bounds. I’m the better and more knowledgeable for having read it.
This book told me a great deal about Talleyrand that I never knew. It admirably covers the periods of 18th and 19th century European history very fully. It is also an enjoyable read. The author keeps his own opinions of his subject within bounds. I’m the better and more knowledgeable for having read it.
February 25, 2023
This book had a lot of good information but I thought it could have been organized more effectively.
January 30, 2024
Solid account of Tallyrand's career and personal life.
June 12, 2009
If you are interested in the twists and turns of 1700's France I think this book is a must read. It displays all parts of the time without getting stuck in any one time (like Napoleon for example) and offers an interesting view on a man that i think no one understands.
But be Warned if you are not interested in matters of diplomacy, or france, and you are looking for a good read about Napoleon or the french revolution, or a beginning point to some study of the time period. This isnt it. You need at least a cursory knowledge of the times and people, for names are dropped like rain in a storm, and at times you have no idea who half the people are unless you already knew them, or your have wikipedia open.
But be Warned if you are not interested in matters of diplomacy, or france, and you are looking for a good read about Napoleon or the french revolution, or a beginning point to some study of the time period. This isnt it. You need at least a cursory knowledge of the times and people, for names are dropped like rain in a storm, and at times you have no idea who half the people are unless you already knew them, or your have wikipedia open.
February 14, 2008
Having read Madame deStael I enjoyed reading Talleyrand's view of the same time period, the people they knew in common and his view of her. Her character assessment of him was also of interest to me.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews