The Age of Napoleon Podcast
The Age of Napoleon is a history podcast about the life and career of Napoleon Bonaparte as well as the general context of Europe between the early eighteenth and early nineteenth century. It is about big trends and the grand sweep of history, as well as the smaller, individual stories that bring them to life.
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Episode 98: Eagles East
France and the Grande Armée were growing tired of war, but in the winter of 1806, Napoleon led his forces east, into a harsh, new environment that would test the limits of his soldiers' endurance.
50 min
27
Episode 97: The Rights of War
As Napoleon and the Grande Armée enjoyed a pleasant interlude in occupied Berlin, the war was escalating in unprecedented ways. Sailors, smugglers, and corsairs all over the world were engaged in a new style of total economic warfare.
49 min
28
Episode 96: Our Favorite Enemy
After their defeats at Jena and Auerstedt, the vaunted Prussian army collapsed in the face of Napoleon's onslaught. As the French pushed into the heart of Central Europe, their presence began to awaken complicated nationalist feelings on both sides.
59 min
29
Episode 95: The Iron Marshal's Stand
Germany, 1806: while Napoleon was winning another triumph at the Battle of Jena, the Third Corps of his army was forced to fight alone in a desperate battle against a superior force.
59 min
30
Episode 94: History on Horseback
In early October, 1806, Napoleon led the Grande Armée to war once again, this time against the Prussians.
58 min
31
Episode 93: A Ridiculous War
In 1806, France and Prussia went to war.
29 min
32
Dispatch #1
Introducing a new feature to the show
14 min
33
Episode 92: Fear and Expectation
Napoleon organized his new empire and continued to remake the map of the continent, but he would soon be faced with a powerful backlash.
52 min
34
Episode 91: The Cavalry
An overview of the most colorful and romanticized branch of a Napoleonic military: the cavalry. Depending on your perspective, they were either the bravest, most vital part of any army, or preening, arrogant prima donnas.
56 min
35
Episode 90: The New Order
After his stunning victories of late 1805, Napoleon sought to impose a new international order on central Europe.
54 min
36
Episode 89: Immortal Nelson
Horatio Nelson's last battle was a stunning British victory, but his fleet's troubles were just beginning. We examine the stunning aftermath of Trafalgar and the legacy of the greatest admiral of the age.
54 min
37
Episode 88: Eastward with Jesse Alexander
I interviewed Real Time History's Jesse Alexander about his latest project: tracing Napoleon's downfall from the invasion of Russia in 1812.
38 min
38
Episode 87: Thank God I Have Done My Duty
In October 1805, a Franco-Spanish fleet sailed out of Cadiz to seek a confrontation with a British fleet under Horatio Nelson. What ensued was one of the greatest naval battles of all time.
72 min
39
Episode 86: Six Hours
Napoleon famously said that if he could control the English Channel for 6 hours, he would control the world.
58 min
40
Episode 85: In the Hands of a Giant
The Battle of Austerlitz changed Europe forever. As news of his triumph reverberated across Europe, Napoleon began to redraw the map of the continent.
54 min
41
Episode 84: The Battle of the Three Emperors
On the first anniversary of his coronation, Napoleon faced off against a powerful Coalition army. He had to win a major victory.
75 min
42
Episode 83: The Chase
Napoleon pursues a Coalition army through Austria. Masséna fights in Italy. Prussian neutrality finally ends.
59 min
43
Episode 82: The Fortunes of War
A new coalition forms against France. Napoleon leads his new army into Germany in a stunning, lightning campaign.
60 min
44
Episode 81: The Eagles of Boulogne
Napoleon brings his army to the Channel Coast and builds it into one of the most formidable war machines in military history.
53 min
45
Episode 80: The Crown of Charlemagne
On December 2nd, 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor.
61 min
46
Episode 79: The Eagle's Landing
We examine Napoleon's colonial policies, the tragic end of Toussaint Louverture, and the final act of the Haitian War of Independence.
79 min
47
Episode 78: Free Haiti
After his victory over Britain, Toussaint Louverture began a new struggle: to build a new country out of the ruins of war and rebellion.
55 min
48
Episode 77: The Symposium
A recording of a panel on Napoleonic podcasting from the 2021 Massena Society symposium on Napoleonic History.
113 min
49
Episode 76: The Black Napoleon
As the war in Haiti rages on, Toussaint Louverture makes a fateful decision to leave his allies behind.
50 min
50
Episode 75: The Opening
As Haiti sinks deeper into chaos and tragedy, Toussaint begins his rise to leadership within the rebel movement.
50 min