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 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
27
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
28
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
29
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
30
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
31
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
32
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
33
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
34
Episode 83: The Chase
Napoleon pursues a Coalition army through Austria. Masséna fights in Italy. Prussian neutrality finally ends.
59 min
35
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
36
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
37
Episode 80: The Crown of Charlemagne
On December 2nd, 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor.
61 min
38
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
39
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
40
Episode 77: The Symposium
A recording of a panel on Napoleonic podcasting from the 2021 Massena Society symposium on Napoleonic History.
113 min
41
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
42
Episode 75: The Opening
As Haiti sinks deeper into chaos and tragedy, Toussaint begins his rise to leadership within the rebel movement.
50 min
43
Episode 74: The Age of Toussaint
Haiti was France's richest colony, but Europe's lust for sugar had created a barbaric and unstable social system in the colonies.
75 min
44
Episode 73: The Blood of a King
In 1803, Britain sent a team of assassins against Napoleon. They failed, but the plot led to one of the most controversial episodes of Napoleon's career.
93 min
45
Episode 72: The Experiment
With the war over, France was finally becoming prosperous again. Napoleon contemplated what this would mean for his regime as he worked to reform the country. In many ways, the Consulate was a golden age, but war with Britain was already looming on the horizon once again.
51 min
46
Episode 71: The Spoiled Child of Victory
France welcomes the Catholic Church back to the country in grand style, but the Concordat complicated Napoleon's relationship with staunch republicans in the army leadership.
35 min
47
Episode 70: Concord
Napoleon finally had his deal with the Vatican, but how would the Concordat of 1801 change France?
38 min
48
Episode 69: God Save the Republic
Napoleon continues his attempts to reconcile with conservatives. He finally manages to bring the Vatican to the negotiating table for an historic agreement.
41 min
49
Episode 68: The Eagle and the Owls
Napoleon wanted to bring social harmony to France, but to do that, he needed to resolve the bitter conflict between the Catholic Church and the revolution.
34 min
50
Episode 67: Resistance is Pointless
A conclusion to our discussion of the Napoleonic Code.
38 min