Why did Talleyrand object to the four allied powers controlling the Congress of Vienna?

Talleyrand, representing France at the Congress of Vienna, objected to the four allied powers (Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain) controlling the proceedings because he denied that they constituted a legally authorized body.1

Upon his arrival in September 1814, Talleyrand discovered that these four powers intended to manage all major territorial decisions exclusively, relegating France and Spain to a secondary status. He argued that if any group held legitimate authority, it should be the "eight" powers—which included Sweden, Portugal, and Spain—that had signed the 1814 Treaty of Paris to end the Napoleonic Wars.1

Talleyrand advocated for the congress to be formally summoned to elect a directing committee, rather than allowing the "four" to operate informally and unilaterally. His resistance was rooted in a desire to prevent the exclusion of France and smaller powers from the decision-making process, and he correctly anticipated that these smaller nations would support his position if given the opportunity.1