Charles Maurice de Talleyrand vs Helmut Kohl

Talleyrand was ordained as Bishop of Autun, despite his reputation for skepticism and libertine behavior. His ecclesiastical position gave him a platform in the Estates-General of 1789.

As a member of the National Assembly, Talleyrand proposed the confiscation of Church lands to address France's financial crisis. The proposal led to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy and his excommunication.

Talleyrand fled France during the Reign of Terror and lived in exile in the United States until 1796. He engaged in land speculation and wrote about American politics.

Talleyrand was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by Napoleon Bonaparte after the Coup of 18 Brumaire. He served as Napoleon's chief diplomat, negotiating treaties and shaping French foreign policy.

Talleyrand negotiated the Treaty of Amiens with Britain, which temporarily ended the Napoleonic Wars. The treaty brought a brief peace but collapsed within a year due to mutual distrust.

As Napoleon's empire collapsed, Talleyrand negotiated with the Allies to restore the Bourbon monarchy. He served as foreign minister under Louis XVIII and represented France at the Congress of Vienna.

Talleyrand represented defeated France at the Congress of Vienna. He skillfully exploited divisions among the Allies to secure lenient terms for France, including maintaining its 1792 borders.

Kohl became Chancellor of West Germany after a constructive vote of no confidence removed Helmut Schmidt. He led a coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP, beginning a 16-year tenure that would oversee German reunification.

Kohl negotiated the reunification of East and West Germany with international partners, including the Soviet Union. The Two Plus Four Treaty granted full sovereignty to a unified Germany, which formally occurred on October 3, 1990.

Kohl was a key architect of the Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union and the single currency, the euro. The euro was introduced as a virtual currency in 1999, with physical notes and coins following in 2002.