The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary (original) (raw)

Birth. October 18, 1736, Paris, France. Fourth of the eight children of Daniel de Talleyrand-Périgord, marquis of Talleyrand, and his second wife, Marie-Elisabeth Chamillart de La Suze. Uncle of Charles-Maurice de Tayllerand, bishop of Autun and minister of foreign affairs.

Education. Studied at Collège de La Flèche, Paris; at Saint-Sulpice Seminary, Paris (licentiate in theology); and at the Faculty of Law, Reims (licentiate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law).

Priesthood. Ordained, about 1761. Vicar general of the diocese of Verdun, 1761-1766.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Trajanopolis and appointed coadjutor of Reims, December 1, 1766. Consecrated, December 27, 1766, chapel of the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice, Paris, by Charles de la Roche-Aymon, archbishop of Reims, assisted by Jean de Roquelaure, bishop of Senlis, and by Joseph de Malide, bishop of Avranches. Transferred to the metropolitan see of Reims, October 27, 1777. Member of the Assemblées du Clergé; of 1780 and 1788. Member of the Assemblée des Notables of 1787. Deputy to the États Généraux of 1789. Did not accept the Civil Constitution of the Clergy and went into exile in Aachen, Weimar and finally in Braunschweig. Did not resign the pastoral government of his archdiocese in 1801 according to the concordat between France and the Holy See but did so on November 8, 1816. The Count of Provence (future King Louis XVIII) appointed him his representative in Poland in 1803 and his grand almoner in 1808. During the one hundred days, 1814-1815, sought refuge in Gent. Peer of the French Kingdom, 1815. Took part in the negotiations to finalize the 1817 Concordat that restored religion in France after the Revolution and the Napoleonic era.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of July 28, 1817; never received the red hat and the title. Transferred to the metropolitan see of Paris, October 1, 1817.

Death. October 20, 1821, Paris. Exposed in the metropolitan cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, and buried in the choir of the same cathedral next to the tomb of his immediate predecessor, Cardinal Jean-Baptist de Belloy. His heart was deposited in the basilica of Saint-Remi, Reims.

Bibliography. Les archevêques de Paris (1622-2002). Paris : Letouzet & Ané, 2002, pp. 36-37; Bausset, Louis François de. Notice historique sur S.E. Mgr Alexandre-Angélique de Tayllerand, cardinal de Périgord, archevêque de Paris. Versailles : Lebel et Le Clère, 1821; Chapeau, O.S.B. André and Fernand Combaluzier, C.M. Épiscopologe français des temps modernes, 1592-1973. Paris : Letouzey et Ané, 1974, p. Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VI (1730-1799). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, p. 356; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VII (1800-1846). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, p. 13 and 299.

Birth. July 17, 1738, Paris, France.

Education. Studied at Saint-Magloire Seminary, Paris; and at Collège de Navarre (licentiate in theology, 1762).

Priesthood. Ordained, March 27, 1762. Honorary canon of the cathedral chapter of Paris, 1754. Abbot of Mortemer, 1756-1782. Vicar general of the diocese of Narbonne, 1763-1770. General agent of the affairs of the clergy of the province of Vienne in the Assembly of the Clergy, 1765-1770. He obtained the promotion to the episcopate through the influence of the family of Lamoignonand was nominated by the king of France to the see of Langres on June 24, 1770.

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Langres, September 10, 1770. Consecrated, September 30, 1770, church of the Visitation, Paris, by Christophe de Beaumont du Repaire, archbishop of Paris (the co-consecrators are not known). Duke and peer of the French kingdom. Abbot of Bourgueil, 1782. Took part in the Assemblée des Notables, 1787; in the last Assembly of the Clergy, 1788; and in the Etats-Généraux, 1789. When he failed in his effort to keep the Constituante within moderation, he withdrew from the Etats-Généraux. He refused to accept the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, 1791, and went into exile in Switzerland, Austria, and finally Venice, where he offered generous hospitality to the French exiles and dedicated himself to write extensively (1). On October 31, 1801, he refused to resign his see, as mandated by the Concordat of 1801 between France and the Holy See, but the see was suppressed on November 29, 1801. In 1814, under the Restoration of the French monarchy, he returned to France. He remained in Paris during the the return of Napoléon Bonaparte to power during the One Hundred Days, March 20 to July 8, 1815, when King Louis XVIII was restored for the second time.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of July 28, 1817; never went to Rome to receive the red hat and the title. The diocese of Langres was reestablished on July 27, 1817 and he was appointed its bishop again on October 1, 1817, but the promotion did not take effect. Named state minister in 1817. He was a belated representative of the old Gallicanism.

Death. June 21, 1821, Paris. Exposed and buried in the church des Carmes in Vaugirard Street, Paris.

Bibliography. Berton, Charles. Dictionnaire des cardinaux, contenant des notions générales sur le cardinalat, la nomenclature complète, par ordre alphabitique, des cardinaux de tous les temps et de tous les pays; la même nomenclature par ordre chronologique; les détails biographiques essentiels sur tous les cardinaux sans exception; de longues études sur les cardinaux célèbres, qui, en si grand nombre, ont rempli un rôle supériér dans l'Église, dans la politique ou dans les lettres; par M. L'abbé C. B., publié par M. L'abbé Migne, éditeur de la Bibliothéque Universelle du Clergi ou Des Cours Complets sur chaque branche de la science religieuse. Tome unique. S'imprime et se vend chez J.-P. Migne, éditeur, aux ateliers catholiques, rue d'Amboise, au petit-Montrouge, barrier d'enfer de Paris, 1857. Republished in 1969 by Gregg International Publishers Limited, Westmead, Franborough, Hants, England. Printed in offset by Anton Hain KG, Meisenheim/Glam, Western Germany, cols. 1163-1170; Chapeau, O.S.B. André and Fernand Combaluzier, C.M. Épiscopologe français des temps modernes, 1592-1973. Paris : Letouzey et Ané, 1974, p. 361-362; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VI (1730-1799). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, p. 263; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VII (1800-1846). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, p. 13.

Webgraphy. Biography by Joseph Sollier, in English, The Catholic Encyclopedia; his arms, Héraldique européenne; his bust in the cathedral of Langres, Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, France.

(1) Among his writings are: Oraison funèbre de Louis XV (Paris, 1774); Considérations sur divers points de la morale chétienne (Venice, 1795-1799); Explication des évangiles des dimanches et des fêtes (Venice, 1807); and Considérations sur la déclaration du clergé de France en 1682 (Paris, 1821).

Birth. December 14 (1), 1748, Pondichéry, diocese of São Tomé de Meliapor, India.

Education. Studied at La Flèche College, Paris; and at Saint-Sulpice Seminary, Paris (licentiate in theology).

Priesthood. Ordained, 1773. Vicar general of the archdiocese of Aix, 1775. Vicar general and administrator of the diocese of Digne, 1778.

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Alè, June 25, 1784. Consecrated, chapel de Lorette, Issy, near Paris, July 18, 1784, by Jean de Dieu Raymond de Boisgelin de Cucé, archbishop of Aix, assisted by (no information found). Took part in the Assembly of Notables of Languedoc, 1786 and 1788. Declined the nomination to the see of Grenoble, 1788. Refused to accept the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, 1791 and left for Switzerland. Returned in 1792 and was imprisoned in the fall of Maximilien Robespierre. Went to live in Villemoison. Resigned the pastoral government of the diocese of Alès, September 22, 1801. The diocese was suppressed on November 29, 1801. Poor health prevented him from being appointed to one of the new dioceses. Canon of Saint-Denis, Paris, March 21, 1806. Member of the council of the Université de France, 1808. President of the council of public instruction and peer of the French Kingdom, 1815. Member of the Académie Française, 1816.

Death. June 21, 1824, Paris. Exposed and buried in the church des Carmes in Vaugirard Street, Paris.

Bibliography. Berton, Charles. Dictionnaire des cardinaux, contenant des notions générales sur le cardinalat, la nomenclature complète, par ordre alphabitique, des cardinaux de tous les temps et de tous les pays; la même nomenclature par ordre chronologique; les détails biographiques essentiels sur tous les cardinaux sans exception; de longues études sur les cardinaux célébres, qui, en si grand nombre, ont rempli un rôle supériér dans l'Église, dans la politique ou dans les lettres; par M. L'abbé C. B., publié par M. L'abbé Migne, éditeur de la Bibliothéque Universelle du Clergi ou Des Cours Complets sur chaque branche de la science religieuse. Tome unique. S'imprime et se vend chez J.-P. Migne, éditeur, aux ateliers catholiques, rue d'Amboise, au petit-Montrouge, barrier d'enfer de Paris, 1857. Republished in 1969 by Gregg International Publishers Limited, Westmead, Franborough, Hants, England. Printed in offset by Anton Hain KG, Meisenheim/Glam, Western Germany, cols. 330-332; Chapeau, O.S.B. André and Fernand Combaluzier, C.M. Épiscopologe français des temps modernes, 1592-1973. Paris : Letouzey et Ané, 1974, p. 181-182; Notice historique sur S.E. Mgr. Louis François de Bausset, d'après les documents les plus authentiques et les lettres autographes adressées à l'auteur, par J.F. de G. P, [Leclere], 1824; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VI (1730-1799). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, p. 74-75; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VII (1800-1846). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, p. 13.

Webgraphy. Biography by Joseph Sollier, in English, The Catholic Encyclopedia; his image and biographical information, in French; his drawing, Biblioteca dell'Archiginnasio, Bologna; engravings, Bildarchiv Austria, Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; engravings, Bildarchiv Austria, Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; engravings, Bildarchiv Austria, Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; engravings, Bildarchiv Austria, Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; engravings, Bildarchiv Austria, Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; his engraving, signature and biography, in French, Académie Française.

(1) This is according to Chapeau, Épiscopologe français des temps modernes, 1592-1973, p. 181-182; and his biography, in French, linked above; Berton, Dictionnaire des cardinaux, col. 330, says that he was born on December 3, 1748.