Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord

Charles Guillaume Frédéric Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord (16 May 1832 – 21 February 1910), prince of Sagan (from 1845), duke of Sagan and duke of Talleyrand (from 1898) was a famous French dandy, and the grandson of Dorothea von Biron.

Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord
Photograph of Talleyrand, 1910
Born	Charles Guillaume Frédéric Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord May 16, 1832
Died	February 21, 1910 (aged 77) Paris, France
Spouse(s)	Jeanne Seillière ​ ​ (m. 1858; died 1905)​
Children	Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord
Parent(s)	Napoléon Louis de Talleyrand-Périgord Anne Louise Charlotte Alix de Montmorency

Early life

He was the son of Napoléon Louis, III. duc de Talleyrand-Périgord (1811-1898) and Anne Louise Charlotte Alix de Montmorency (1810-1858). His paternal grandparents were Alexandre de Talleyrand-Périgord, Duke of Dino (1787–1872) and later duc de Talleyrand-Périgord, and of Dorothea of Courland, Duchess of Sagan (1793–1862).[1] His maternal grandfather was the Duke of Montmorency.

Career

A cavalry officer, he was one of the major figures in French high society in the second half of the 19th century. Boni de Castellane wrote of him:

A cabotin, brave, amiable, high but without airs-and-graces, he had a supreme elegance, with the air of a grand seigneur, but with a certain something of the actor Gil-Pérès. Quite diplomatic, very ignorant, without taste for things of value, he was full of a "chic" which showed itself in all his sounds, gestures, poses and even the black band of his spectacles. He excelled in the art of paying homage to women who showed themselves attentive to him, like a cat, without good-faith or law. He reigned in Paris over a crowd of personalities from the "grand monde", just as over more dubious people. A prince as well as a prince of fashion, he held the titles of peer of France and compère of the revue.

Peerage

In 1898, upon the death of his father, he succeeded to his father's titles, becoming His Serene Highness, the 4th Duke of Talleyrand and Herzog zu Sagan.[2] On 10 July 1912, he was confirmed as the 5th Duke of Dino by King Umberto II of Italy. After his death, his titles passed to his son, Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord, Duke of Sagan.[3]

Personal life

Château de Valençay, Duke de Talleyrand-Périgord's property

In 1858, he married Jeanne Seillière (1839-1905),[4] the heiress to Baron de Seilliere, army supply contractor who had enriched himself during the Franco-Prussian War.[3][5] Together, they had two children:

• Marie Pierre Camille Louis Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord, 4th Duke of Talleyrand (1859-1937), who married Anna Gould. She was previously married to Hélie's cousin Boni de Castellane from 1895 to 1906.
• Paul Louis Marie Archambault Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord, 5th Duke of Talleyrand (1867-1952), who married Helen Stuyvesant Morton (1876–1952),[6] daughter of former U.S. Vice President Levi P. Morton.[7] They divorced in 1904.[8][9]

Talleyrand died on 21 February 1910.[2]

References

1. Adolphe Robert, Edgar Bourloton and Gaston Cougny, Dictionnaire des Parlementaires français, volume V (Paris, 1891) p. 361.
2. "TALLEYRAND DEAD; SAGAN NOW A DUKE; Husband of Former Anna Gould Succeeds to Father's Titles, Including Serene Highness". The New York Times. 22 February 1910. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
3. "Talleyrand Dead. Wed Anna Gould. Duke Was Known as Prince of Sagan at Time of Courtship in First of Century". The New York Times. October 27, 1937. Retrieved 2011-11-18. Marie Pierre Camille Louis Helie de Talleyrand-Perigord, Prince of Sagan and fifth Duke of Talleyrand, was a principal in one of the international marriage of the first decade of this century. He married Anna Gould, heir to more than $80,000,000 of the fortune of her father, the late Jay Gould, after she had divorced his cousin, Count Boni de Castellane. ...
4. "MME. DE TALLEYRAND DEAD.; Duchess Was Born In 1839 -- Her Son Married Miss Morton". The New York Times. October 13, 1905. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
5. Dino (duchesse de), Dorothée (1909). Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino: 1831-1835. W. Heinemann. p. 346. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
6. "MRS. HELEN S. MORTON". Daily News. September 9, 1952. p. 83. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
7. "MISS HELEN MORTON TO WED COUNT DE PERIGORD.; Engagement Rumored Last Week Officially Announced -- The Count the Due de Talleyrand's Younger Son". The New York Times. August 29, 1901. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
8. "DUCHESS OF VALENCAY SUES FOR A DIVORCE; Levi P. Morton's Daughter Resents Action of Mother-in-Law. POPE ASKED FOR ANNULMENT Ex-Governor Bought Castle for Bride and Now the Duke Occupies It Exclusively". The New York Times. June 7, 1904. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
9. "GETS DIVORCE FROM VALENCAY.; Levi P. Morton's Daughter Obtains Decree In Paris -- Proceedings Private". The New York Times. July 1, 1904. Retrieved March 5, 2019.

External links

• Works by Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)