Talleyrand Born: France's Supreme Political Survivor
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand survived revolution, empire, and restoration by mastering the art of political reinvention, serving as France's chief diplomat under five successive regimes. His negotiation at the Congress of Vienna preserved France's territorial integrity after Napoleon's defeat and established the balance-of-power framework that kept Europe relatively stable for a century.
February 2, 1754
272 years ago
What Else Happened on February 2
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