Final answer:
The French foreign minister in the late 1700s was Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, involved in the XYZ Affair with the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
The French foreign minister in the late 1700s was Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord. During this period, America saw a diplomatic crisis known as the XYZ Affair, where French agents demanded bribes and loans to initiate negotiations to settle disputes over maritime issues and the French Revolution's aftermath. This situation unfolded under President John Adams, who had sent envoys to negotiate peace and avoid further conflict with France. The demands by Talleyrand and his agents caused an uproar in the United States and were refused by the American envoys, leading to the breakdown of negotiations.