War and Peace · Character
Armand Augustin Louis de Caulaincourt
Also known as Auguste de Caulaincourt, Armand de Caulaincourt, Caulaincourt
- Supporting
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 114
Caulaincourt seems to enter a room already wrapped in ceremony, his presence so regal that he is said to look like a king. In the polished world of diplomacy, he is both a practiced courtier and a figure whose quiet grandeur invites attention.
- Gender
- male
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 114
- Books
- 1
A leading French diplomat in Napoleon’s circle, Caulaincourt moves among the people and ceremonies of the Napoleonic alliance. At a dinner with Napoleon, he receives the emperor’s appreciation after remarks about churches, and he speaks with Balashëv about the poor road from Petersburg to Moscow. Napoleon later summons him for a conversation, underscoring his place near the center of power. The novel presents him chiefly as a dignified ambassador, less through a personal arc than through his proximity to the machinery of diplomacy and empire.
Description
Caulaincourt’s defining visual impression is his kinglike appearance: dignified, imposing, and at ease in the highest diplomatic society. The text does not give precise details of his height, build, complexion, hair, eyes, or facial features. His fitting visual register is formal French ambassadorial attire of the period, worn with a composed, aristocratic bearing.
Connections
Family & partnersFriends & mentorsRivals
Mikhail Balashëvdiplomatic counterparts at Napoleon’s court
Caulaincourt is present at Napoleon’s dinner with Balashëv and redirects the conversation after Balashëv’s pointed reference to Poltava.
Story so far
BOOK 1War and Peace
Appearances
Meet Armand Augustin Louis de Caulaincourt in Bookworm
Meet Armand Augustin Louis de Caulaincourt in your EPUB — spoiler-safe to the book you're on.