You are invited to attend an enlightening free conference by Dr. Lucy Morros, Chair of the Board of Directors, which will explore the complicated relationship between Napoleon and his foreign minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord.

This conference will be presented in English. Free for active Alliance Française members and their guests.

Please use the button below to RSVP today.

Conference Details

"Love of glory can only create a great hero; contempt of glory creates a great man.”

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord

Napoleon was a great hero; Talleyrand was a great man. Napoleon is known worldwide; Talleyrand is not.  

The latter was the great supporter of Napoleon for years as his foreign minister. Then he became his enemy and his nemesis.  Talleyrand tried to stop Napoleon’s warring ways and indeed committed “treason” against the Emperor to do so.

Talleyrand is of particular interest to us today because, after his many years of supporting Napoleon on the world stage, he turned against Napoleon’s empire-building.  Talleyrand fought for an integrated Europe, one in which all the countries would work together as a union and support the larger entity while recognizing the diversity and cultural identities of all the members of the whole.