La Fayette, We Are Here! Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:28:22 -0400 https://www.lafayettepodcast.com en-us © 2026 Emmanuel Dubois yes Support this Podcast c5fe95e3-3e82-5e16-83a5-38ed86758e6b Emmanuel Dubois episodic false Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) history,france,french,america,europe,napoleon,lafayette,monarchy,republic,historical,war Emmanuel Dubois https://storage.buzzsprout.com/33jqscyur296775fseqw1cp0tw68?.jpg La Fayette, We Are Here! https://www.lafayettepodcast.com Emmanuel Dubois It's time to move on It's time to move on My dear listeners and friends,

After four years and over forty episodes, I believe my podcasting days are over. I’ve loved making my podcast, it’s been one of the best experiences of my life. It has allowed me to dig into history as I did when I was younger. I have also had the chance to meet and interview truly wonderful people. I am extremely grateful for that.

I have simply reached a time in my life where I have other aspirations and priorities. If producing the show feels like it’s becoming a chore, then it’s time to stop.

I will keep the podcast feed online and the website as well, so that my work remains accessible. I just won’t be releasing new episodes.

To everyone who has ever listened to the show or reached out to me, a huge merci ! I wish you all the best. Keep listening to history podcasts, keep reading about history. History gives nuance to our existence and allows us to be better persons, I firmly believe that.

Au revoir !

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> My dear listeners and friends,

After four years and over forty episodes, I believe my podcasting days are over. I’ve loved making my podcast, it’s been one of the best experiences of my life. It has allowed me to dig into history as I did when I was younger. I have also had the chance to meet and interview truly wonderful people. I am extremely grateful for that.

I have simply reached a time in my life where I have other aspirations and priorities. If producing the show feels like it’s becoming a chore, then it’s time to stop.

I will keep the podcast feed online and the website as well, so that my work remains accessible. I just won’t be releasing new episodes.

To everyone who has ever listened to the show or reached out to me, a huge merci ! I wish you all the best. Keep listening to history podcasts, keep reading about history. History gives nuance to our existence and allows us to be better persons, I firmly believe that.

Au revoir !

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Buzzsprout-18472079 Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:00:00 -0500 90 42 bonus false Napoléon III - France's Last Monarch Napoléon III - France's Last Monarch Imagine growing up with the world’s most famous uncle, the one who conquered Europe and redefined France. For young Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, bedtime stories came with cavalry charges and imperial dreams.

In this episode, we follow the nephew who turned admiration into ambition, rising from exile to become Napoléon III, Emperor of the French.

Join us as we talk about France's Last Monarch!


Timecodes
Introduction
04:27 - A Royal without a Kingdom

09:49 - Conspiracies and the Road to Power

17:08 - From President to Emperor

22:38 - The Empire Strikes Back

29:21 - The Liberal Empire

36:41 - The Collapse

42:34 - Conclusion


Relevant Episodes:

Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena

The 1830 Revolution. Barricades in Paris!

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Napoléon III en uniforme de général de division dans son grand cabinet des Tuileries. Hippolyte Flandrin, 1861. Château de Versailles.

Support the show

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]]> Imagine growing up with the world’s most famous uncle, the one who conquered Europe and redefined France. For young Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, bedtime stories came with cavalry charges and imperial dreams.

In this episode, we follow the nephew who turned admiration into ambition, rising from exile to become Napoléon III, Emperor of the French.

Join us as we talk about France's Last Monarch!


Timecodes
Introduction
04:27 - A Royal without a Kingdom

09:49 - Conspiracies and the Road to Power

17:08 - From President to Emperor

22:38 - The Empire Strikes Back

29:21 - The Liberal Empire

36:41 - The Collapse

42:34 - Conclusion


Relevant Episodes:

Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena

The 1830 Revolution. Barricades in Paris!

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Napoléon III en uniforme de général de division dans son grand cabinet des Tuileries. Hippolyte Flandrin, 1861. Château de Versailles.

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]]> Buzzsprout-18046381 Wed, 05 Nov 2025 20:00:00 -0500 2832 41 full false Volney’s Vision: The Ruins of Empires in Our Time. With Thomas C. Williams Volney’s Vision: The Ruins of Empires in Our Time. With Thomas C. Williams Thomas C. Williams is an American author and historian living in France since 1989. A former U.S. Embassy staffer, he is a leading expert on Volney and Thomas Jefferson’s secret translation of The Ruins of Empires, a radical Enlightenment text that nearly derailed Jefferson’s presidency. He has lectured at the Robert H. Smith Research Facility (Monticello) and the French Senate, published widely on the subject, and donated the largest collection of Jefferson translations to Monticello. He is also the author of the historical novels English Turn and Kash Kachu.

In this episode, Thomas joins me for a deep dive into the life and legacy of Volney: Enlightenment thinker, revolutionary, and author of The Ruins of Empires. We begin with Volney’s intellectual formation and his role in the early days of the French Revolution, then explore his friendship with Thomas Jefferson and the political risks surrounding Jefferson’s secret translation of Ruins. Finally, we look at how Volney’s ideas continue to resonate today, offering a striking lens through which to view modern events.

Timecodes
Introduction
01:10 - Volney’s Biography & Intellectual Formation
25:58 - Volney and Jefferson: Transatlantic Ideals
56:30 - Volney’s Legacy and Contemporary Relevance
1:16:38 - Conclusion

Volney's Ruins, translated by Jefferson, on Project Gutenberg.

Thomas socials:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ruinsofempires.bsky.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RuinsOfEmpires

Thomas's novels:

English Turn: Napoleon Invades Louisiana: Volume I: Ruins of Empires

Kash Kachu (White House): Volume 1: Revenge of the Katchina


Artwork: Constantine Francois Volney, Count of Chasseboeuf, by Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1795. From PAFA.

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Thomas C. Williams is an American author and historian living in France since 1989. A former U.S. Embassy staffer, he is a leading expert on Volney and Thomas Jefferson’s secret translation of The Ruins of Empires, a radical Enlightenment text that nearly derailed Jefferson’s presidency. He has lectured at the Robert H. Smith Research Facility (Monticello) and the French Senate, published widely on the subject, and donated the largest collection of Jefferson translations to Monticello. He is also the author of the historical novels English Turn and Kash Kachu.

In this episode, Thomas joins me for a deep dive into the life and legacy of Volney: Enlightenment thinker, revolutionary, and author of The Ruins of Empires. We begin with Volney’s intellectual formation and his role in the early days of the French Revolution, then explore his friendship with Thomas Jefferson and the political risks surrounding Jefferson’s secret translation of Ruins. Finally, we look at how Volney’s ideas continue to resonate today, offering a striking lens through which to view modern events.

Timecodes
Introduction
01:10 - Volney’s Biography & Intellectual Formation
25:58 - Volney and Jefferson: Transatlantic Ideals
56:30 - Volney’s Legacy and Contemporary Relevance
1:16:38 - Conclusion

Volney's Ruins, translated by Jefferson, on Project Gutenberg.

Thomas socials:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ruinsofempires.bsky.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RuinsOfEmpires

Thomas's novels:

English Turn: Napoleon Invades Louisiana: Volume I: Ruins of Empires

Kash Kachu (White House): Volume 1: Revenge of the Katchina


Artwork: Constantine Francois Volney, Count of Chasseboeuf, by Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1795. From PAFA.

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]]> Buzzsprout-17551033 Thu, 07 Aug 2025 03:00:00 -0400 4810 40 full false Thomas C. Williams Emmanuel Dubois The 1830 Revolution. Barricades in Paris! The 1830 Revolution. Barricades in Paris! In July 1830, Paris erupted. For three days, workers, students, and veterans rose against royal ordinances that trampled the Charter of 1814. Barricades filled the streets, the tricolour flag flew once more, and the Bourbon monarchy collapsed. King Charles X fled, and Louis-Philippe, styled the “Citizen King”, took the throne. 

This revolution wasn’t just a power shift; it was a powerful reminder that France’s revolutionary spirit was far from extinguished. From backroom politics to street battles, the July Revolution marked a turning point in modern French history.
Join us to revisit this pivotal moment.

Timecodes

Introduction
04:06 - A Broken Country
11:19 - A Step Too Far
19:52 - The Barricades
25:38 - King of the French
35:50 - Conclusion

To know more about the world behind the 1830 Revolution — the politics, the kings, the chaos — check out The Siècle‬, a phenomenal podcast on 19th-century France. Available on your podcast app of choice or at: https://thesiecle.com/

Relevant Episodes:
The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor
Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: La Liberté guidant le peuple. Eugène Delacroix, 1830. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Support the show

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]]> In July 1830, Paris erupted. For three days, workers, students, and veterans rose against royal ordinances that trampled the Charter of 1814. Barricades filled the streets, the tricolour flag flew once more, and the Bourbon monarchy collapsed. King Charles X fled, and Louis-Philippe, styled the “Citizen King”, took the throne. 

This revolution wasn’t just a power shift; it was a powerful reminder that France’s revolutionary spirit was far from extinguished. From backroom politics to street battles, the July Revolution marked a turning point in modern French history.
Join us to revisit this pivotal moment.

Timecodes

Introduction
04:06 - A Broken Country
11:19 - A Step Too Far
19:52 - The Barricades
25:38 - King of the French
35:50 - Conclusion

To know more about the world behind the 1830 Revolution — the politics, the kings, the chaos — check out The Siècle‬, a phenomenal podcast on 19th-century France. Available on your podcast app of choice or at: https://thesiecle.com/

Relevant Episodes:
The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor
Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: La Liberté guidant le peuple. Eugène Delacroix, 1830. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

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]]> Buzzsprout-17119773 Tue, 20 May 2025 03:00:00 -0400 2458 39 full false Antoine Lavoisier - A Savant at the Scaffold Antoine Lavoisier - A Savant at the Scaffold If you weren't sleeping through your chemistry classes in high school, you probably heard the phrase "Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed." This is basically what we know as the law of conservation of mass. It was coined by Antoine Lavoisier, the man considered the father of modern chemistry and one of history's most influential scientists.

However, he will end his days under the blade of the guillotine in 1794. How can this be? Join us as we delve into the remarkable but tragic life of Lavoisier, a savant at the scaffold!

Timecodes

Introduction
06:36 - Young, Rich and Brillant
13:25 - Understanding Nature
20:39 - The French Revolution
25:37 - The Blade Falls
31:17 - Conclusion

Relevant Episode:
The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Portrait d'Antoine Lavoisier et de sa femme, Jacques-Louis David, 1788. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> If you weren't sleeping through your chemistry classes in high school, you probably heard the phrase "Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed." This is basically what we know as the law of conservation of mass. It was coined by Antoine Lavoisier, the man considered the father of modern chemistry and one of history's most influential scientists.

However, he will end his days under the blade of the guillotine in 1794. How can this be? Join us as we delve into the remarkable but tragic life of Lavoisier, a savant at the scaffold!

Timecodes

Introduction
06:36 - Young, Rich and Brillant
13:25 - Understanding Nature
20:39 - The French Revolution
25:37 - The Blade Falls
31:17 - Conclusion

Relevant Episode:
The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Portrait d'Antoine Lavoisier et de sa femme, Jacques-Louis David, 1788. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Buzzsprout-16762009 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0400 2183 38 full false The French Résistance - Refusing Defeat & Occupation The French Résistance - Refusing Defeat & Occupation The story of the Résistance is the story of ordinary men and women rising to the occasion. Risking everything to fight oppression, to defend their homes, their country, their way of life. Being a résistant could mean many things. You could be part of a network, you could just run errands or messages, you could spy on the Germans or just not answer their questions properly. The Résistance took many, many forms, just like the collaboration.

Join us as we explore this troubled, violent and fascinating period of French history!

Timecodes
Introduction
05:29 - Rising from the Ashes
13:47 - Deciding to Fight
20:31 - Unifying the Movements
26:56 - Liberating France
37:07 - Conclusion

Relevant Episodes:
The Fall of France of 1940, German Victory or French Defeat?
Charles de Gaulle, Tales of Grandeur

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Photograph: The Résistance fighter Simone Segouin, aka "Nicole Minet", on August 23rd 1944.

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> The story of the Résistance is the story of ordinary men and women rising to the occasion. Risking everything to fight oppression, to defend their homes, their country, their way of life. Being a résistant could mean many things. You could be part of a network, you could just run errands or messages, you could spy on the Germans or just not answer their questions properly. The Résistance took many, many forms, just like the collaboration.

Join us as we explore this troubled, violent and fascinating period of French history!

Timecodes
Introduction
05:29 - Rising from the Ashes
13:47 - Deciding to Fight
20:31 - Unifying the Movements
26:56 - Liberating France
37:07 - Conclusion

Relevant Episodes:
The Fall of France of 1940, German Victory or French Defeat?
Charles de Gaulle, Tales of Grandeur

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Photograph: The Résistance fighter Simone Segouin, aka "Nicole Minet", on August 23rd 1944.

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Buzzsprout-16420919 Fri, 17 Jan 2025 03:00:00 -0500 2492 37 full false Bonus - The Raft of the Medusa Part II - From Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Bonus - The Raft of the Medusa Part II - From Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs This is part II of our episode swap on The Raft of the Medusa from the great podcast Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs by Rich Napolitano. Enjoy this bonus episode and check out Rich's podcast, it's fantastic!

The French frigate Medusa shipwreck is one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history, occurring in 1816 off the coast of present-day Mauritania. The ship, intended to transport French officials to Senegal, ran aground on the Arguin Bank due to the incompetence of its captain, Viscount Hugues de Chaumareys and an arrogant passenger Antoine Richefort, who convinced Chaumareys he was a skilled, experienced navigator. The evacuation of the vessel was chaotic and poorly managed, resulting in the abandonment of over 147 passengers on a crude, makeshift raft. The survivors endured a harrowing ordeal of starvation, dehydration, and cannibalism during their 13-day drift before rescue, with only 15 out of the 147 surviving. 

The aftermath of the Medusa shipwreck sparked public outrage in France, leading to a sensational trial and widespread condemnation of the ship’s officers and government officials involved. Théodore Géricault, a French artist, famously depicted the tragedy in his painting “The Raft of the Medusa,” capturing the despair and horror experienced by the survivors. The disaster highlighted systemic issues within the French naval administration, including nepotism and incompetence, prompting reforms in naval recruitment and training practices.

Links:
The Raft of the Medusa page, on Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs: https://shipwrecksandseadogs.com/blog/2024/03/11/the-raft-of-the-medusa/

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Le Radeau de la Méduse by Théodore Géricault, 1818-1819

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> This is part II of our episode swap on The Raft of the Medusa from the great podcast Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs by Rich Napolitano. Enjoy this bonus episode and check out Rich's podcast, it's fantastic!

The French frigate Medusa shipwreck is one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history, occurring in 1816 off the coast of present-day Mauritania. The ship, intended to transport French officials to Senegal, ran aground on the Arguin Bank due to the incompetence of its captain, Viscount Hugues de Chaumareys and an arrogant passenger Antoine Richefort, who convinced Chaumareys he was a skilled, experienced navigator. The evacuation of the vessel was chaotic and poorly managed, resulting in the abandonment of over 147 passengers on a crude, makeshift raft. The survivors endured a harrowing ordeal of starvation, dehydration, and cannibalism during their 13-day drift before rescue, with only 15 out of the 147 surviving. 

The aftermath of the Medusa shipwreck sparked public outrage in France, leading to a sensational trial and widespread condemnation of the ship’s officers and government officials involved. Théodore Géricault, a French artist, famously depicted the tragedy in his painting “The Raft of the Medusa,” capturing the despair and horror experienced by the survivors. The disaster highlighted systemic issues within the French naval administration, including nepotism and incompetence, prompting reforms in naval recruitment and training practices.

Links:
The Raft of the Medusa page, on Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs: https://shipwrecksandseadogs.com/blog/2024/03/11/the-raft-of-the-medusa/

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Le Radeau de la Méduse by Théodore Géricault, 1818-1819

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Buzzsprout-16237267 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 03:00:00 -0500 3074 36 bonus false Rich Napolitano Emmanuel Dubois Gaby & Robert Casadesus - With Thérèse Casadesus Rawson Gaby & Robert Casadesus - With Thérèse Casadesus Rawson In this very special episode, we interview Thérèse Casadesus Rawson, daughter of the renowned French pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus. The occasion is the publication of Gaby Casadesus' book My Musical Notes: A Journey in Classical Piano between the World Wars and Beyond, now available in English. We discuss the book, as well as Thérèse's parents' careers, lives, and enduring legacy.

Together, we travel around the globe, delve into the lives of some of the most celebrated musicians of the twentieth century, and even touch on encounters with other famous figures, including Albert Einstein. Join us for a musical journey unlike any other.

Timecodes
Introduction
02:45 - Pianists Careers and Love
07:18 - The 1920's & 30s
16:57 - Einstein, the War & the USA
30:59 - Post War Life in France and the USA
38:22 - The Tragedies of 1972
45:32 - The Couple's Legacy
50:10 - Conclusion

Links:
Get the book My Musical Notes: A Journey in Classical Piano between the World Wars and Beyond My Musical Notes by Gaby Casadesus. Available at Barnes & Nobles, Indigo and Amazon (unaffiliated links).

The Casadesus Family's Website: https://casadesus.com

The Fontainebleau Schools for Music and Fine Arts: https://fontainebleauschools.org

Robert Casadesus' page on Apple Music Classical: https://classical.music.apple.com/ca/artist/robert-casadesus-1899?l=fr-CA

Gaby Casadesus' page on Apple Music Classical: https://classical.music.apple.com/ca/artist/gaby-casadesus-1901?l=fr-CA

Casadesus: First Family Of The Piano (DVD): https://www.vaimusic.com/product/4276.html

Robert Casadesus Website: https://www.robertcasadesus.com/en/long-biography/

Danses Méditerranéennes and Dolly: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/casadesus-3-danses-m%C3%A9diterran%C3%A9ennes-chabrier-3-valses/1452594800

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Robert and Gaby Casadesus, photo by Axel Chambily-Casadesus

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> In this very special episode, we interview Thérèse Casadesus Rawson, daughter of the renowned French pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus. The occasion is the publication of Gaby Casadesus' book My Musical Notes: A Journey in Classical Piano between the World Wars and Beyond, now available in English. We discuss the book, as well as Thérèse's parents' careers, lives, and enduring legacy.

Together, we travel around the globe, delve into the lives of some of the most celebrated musicians of the twentieth century, and even touch on encounters with other famous figures, including Albert Einstein. Join us for a musical journey unlike any other.

Timecodes
Introduction
02:45 - Pianists Careers and Love
07:18 - The 1920's & 30s
16:57 - Einstein, the War & the USA
30:59 - Post War Life in France and the USA
38:22 - The Tragedies of 1972
45:32 - The Couple's Legacy
50:10 - Conclusion

Links:
Get the book My Musical Notes: A Journey in Classical Piano between the World Wars and Beyond My Musical Notes by Gaby Casadesus. Available at Barnes & Nobles, Indigo and Amazon (unaffiliated links).

The Casadesus Family's Website: https://casadesus.com

The Fontainebleau Schools for Music and Fine Arts: https://fontainebleauschools.org

Robert Casadesus' page on Apple Music Classical: https://classical.music.apple.com/ca/artist/robert-casadesus-1899?l=fr-CA

Gaby Casadesus' page on Apple Music Classical: https://classical.music.apple.com/ca/artist/gaby-casadesus-1901?l=fr-CA

Casadesus: First Family Of The Piano (DVD): https://www.vaimusic.com/product/4276.html

Robert Casadesus Website: https://www.robertcasadesus.com/en/long-biography/

Danses Méditerranéennes and Dolly: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/casadesus-3-danses-m%C3%A9diterran%C3%A9ennes-chabrier-3-valses/1452594800

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Robert and Gaby Casadesus, photo by Axel Chambily-Casadesus

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Buzzsprout-16197258 Tue, 10 Dec 2024 03:00:00 -0500 3124 35 full false Thérèse Casadesus Rawson Emmanuel Dubois Bonus - The Raft of the Medusa Part I - From Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Bonus - The Raft of the Medusa Part I - From Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs We have something special for today, an episode swap! Coming straight from the great podcast Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs by Rich Napolitano, I give you the story of the Radeau de la Méduse, The Raft of the Medusa.

The French frigate Medusa shipwreck is one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history, occurring in 1816 off the coast of present-day Mauritania. The ship, intended to transport French officials to Senegal, ran aground on the Arguin Bank due to the incompetence of its captain, Viscount Hugues de Chaumareys and an arrogant passenger Antoine Richefort, who convinced Chaumareys he was a skilled, experienced navigator. The evacuation of the vessel was chaotic and poorly managed, resulting in the abandonment of over 147 passengers on a crude, makeshift raft. The survivors endured a harrowing ordeal of starvation, dehydration, and cannibalism during their 13-day drift before rescue, with only 15 out of the 147 surviving. 

The aftermath of the Medusa shipwreck sparked public outrage in France, leading to a sensational trial and widespread condemnation of the ship’s officers and government officials involved. Théodore Géricault, a French artist, famously depicted the tragedy in his painting “The Raft of the Medusa,” capturing the despair and horror experienced by the survivors. The disaster highlighted systemic issues within the French naval administration, including nepotism and incompetence, prompting reforms in naval recruitment and training practices.

Links:
The Raft of the Medusa page, on Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs: https://shipwrecksandseadogs.com/blog/2024/03/11/the-raft-of-the-medusa/

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Le Radeau de la Méduse by Théodore Géricault, 1818-1819

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> We have something special for today, an episode swap! Coming straight from the great podcast Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs by Rich Napolitano, I give you the story of the Radeau de la Méduse, The Raft of the Medusa.

The French frigate Medusa shipwreck is one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history, occurring in 1816 off the coast of present-day Mauritania. The ship, intended to transport French officials to Senegal, ran aground on the Arguin Bank due to the incompetence of its captain, Viscount Hugues de Chaumareys and an arrogant passenger Antoine Richefort, who convinced Chaumareys he was a skilled, experienced navigator. The evacuation of the vessel was chaotic and poorly managed, resulting in the abandonment of over 147 passengers on a crude, makeshift raft. The survivors endured a harrowing ordeal of starvation, dehydration, and cannibalism during their 13-day drift before rescue, with only 15 out of the 147 surviving. 

The aftermath of the Medusa shipwreck sparked public outrage in France, leading to a sensational trial and widespread condemnation of the ship’s officers and government officials involved. Théodore Géricault, a French artist, famously depicted the tragedy in his painting “The Raft of the Medusa,” capturing the despair and horror experienced by the survivors. The disaster highlighted systemic issues within the French naval administration, including nepotism and incompetence, prompting reforms in naval recruitment and training practices.

Links:
The Raft of the Medusa page, on Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs: https://shipwrecksandseadogs.com/blog/2024/03/11/the-raft-of-the-medusa/

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Le Radeau de la Méduse by Théodore Géricault, 1818-1819

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Buzzsprout-16201023 Wed, 04 Dec 2024 03:00:00 -0500 2947 34 bonus false Rich Napolitano Emmanuel Dubois Marie-Antoinette & Louis XVII - The Cursed Family. With Charles MacKay Marie-Antoinette & Louis XVII - The Cursed Family. With Charles MacKay Charles MacKay, PhD, former university history professor at Morehead State University and West Virginia University joins us to discuss Queen Marie-Antoinette and her family, especially her son, the ill-fated Louis XVII.

These members of the French royal family suffered terribly during the French Revolution, eventually losing their lives to the guillotine or to mistreatment. Join us for a riveting discussion on this Cursed Family.

Timecodes
Introduction
03:56 - The Austrian Bride
07:55 - Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France
19:29 - The Affair of the Diamond Necklace
34:18 - The Royal Couple's Family Life
39:39 - The French Revolution
45:52 - The Flight to Varennes and the Queen's Trial
56:02 - Louis XVII, an 8-year-old in solitary confinement
01:02:52 - The Legacies of Marie-Antoinette & Louis XVII
01:10:23 - Conclusion

Links:

Charles’s BlueSky profile: https://bsky.app/profile/bubblesvampire.bsky.social

Charles’s X profile: https://x.com/BubblesVampire

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Marie-Antoinette et ses enfants, by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, 1787.

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]]> Charles MacKay, PhD, former university history professor at Morehead State University and West Virginia University joins us to discuss Queen Marie-Antoinette and her family, especially her son, the ill-fated Louis XVII.

These members of the French royal family suffered terribly during the French Revolution, eventually losing their lives to the guillotine or to mistreatment. Join us for a riveting discussion on this Cursed Family.

Timecodes
Introduction
03:56 - The Austrian Bride
07:55 - Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France
19:29 - The Affair of the Diamond Necklace
34:18 - The Royal Couple's Family Life
39:39 - The French Revolution
45:52 - The Flight to Varennes and the Queen's Trial
56:02 - Louis XVII, an 8-year-old in solitary confinement
01:02:52 - The Legacies of Marie-Antoinette & Louis XVII
01:10:23 - Conclusion

Links:

Charles’s BlueSky profile: https://bsky.app/profile/bubblesvampire.bsky.social

Charles’s X profile: https://x.com/BubblesVampire

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Marie-Antoinette et ses enfants, by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, 1787.

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]]> Buzzsprout-15873858 Wed, 16 Oct 2024 03:00:00 -0400 4370 33 full false Charles MacKay Emmanuel Dubois The Five French Republics - From Revolution to Evolution The Five French Republics - From Revolution to Evolution We will traverse the peaks and valleys of five republics, each reflecting France’s evolving spirit and struggles. From revolutionary fervour to imperial ambition, from the trials of war to the triumphs of modern democracy, each republic has contributed to the rich mosaic of France as we know it today.

Join us as we unravel the dramatic narrative of the Five French Republics, where every chapter is a tale of resilience and reinvention. Prepare to be captivated by a story as rich and complex as France itself.


Timecodes
Introduction
05:15 - Establishment of the First Republic
17:38 - The Directorate and the Consulate
25:05 - The short-lived Second Republic
34:47 - The Third Republic - Out of the Ashes, into the Fire
45:11 - The Belle Époque and the World Wars
51:12 - The Fourth Republic - Colonial Crisis
58:45 - The Fifth Republic - Presidential authority
01:04:19 - Conclusion

Relevant Episodes:


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: La République triomphante préside à la grande fête nationale du 14 juillet 1880, 1880 (Archives nationales, Paris).

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]]> We will traverse the peaks and valleys of five republics, each reflecting France’s evolving spirit and struggles. From revolutionary fervour to imperial ambition, from the trials of war to the triumphs of modern democracy, each republic has contributed to the rich mosaic of France as we know it today.

Join us as we unravel the dramatic narrative of the Five French Republics, where every chapter is a tale of resilience and reinvention. Prepare to be captivated by a story as rich and complex as France itself.


Timecodes
Introduction
05:15 - Establishment of the First Republic
17:38 - The Directorate and the Consulate
25:05 - The short-lived Second Republic
34:47 - The Third Republic - Out of the Ashes, into the Fire
45:11 - The Belle Époque and the World Wars
51:12 - The Fourth Republic - Colonial Crisis
58:45 - The Fifth Republic - Presidential authority
01:04:19 - Conclusion

Relevant Episodes:


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: La République triomphante préside à la grande fête nationale du 14 juillet 1880, 1880 (Archives nationales, Paris).

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]]> Buzzsprout-15753406 Tue, 24 Sep 2024 03:00:00 -0400 4110 32 full false La Fayette's USA Tour of 1824 - The Hero Returns. With Elizabeth Reese. La Fayette's USA Tour of 1824 - The Hero Returns. With Elizabeth Reese. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of La Fayette's grand tour of the USA in 1824, we have a special episode featuring guest Elizabeth Reese. Elizabeth is a public historian whose work focuses on the American Revolution and the Early Republic.

She recently published a book on the famed Marquis' visit to America: "Marquis de Lafayette Returns - A Tour of America's National Capital Region".

Join us as we discuss the circumstances, unfolding, and consequences of this great endeavour.

Timecodes
Introduction
04:23 - Brief overview of La Fayette and why President Monroe Invited Him
15:26 - The Scale of the Tour
21:35 - La Fayette Visits DC
28:33 - Important Events during the Tour
37:17 - The Legacy of the Tour
46:23 - Conclusion

Relevant Links:


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: La Fayette in 1825, portrait by Matthew Harris Jouett

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]]> To commemorate the 200th anniversary of La Fayette's grand tour of the USA in 1824, we have a special episode featuring guest Elizabeth Reese. Elizabeth is a public historian whose work focuses on the American Revolution and the Early Republic.

She recently published a book on the famed Marquis' visit to America: "Marquis de Lafayette Returns - A Tour of America's National Capital Region".

Join us as we discuss the circumstances, unfolding, and consequences of this great endeavour.

Timecodes
Introduction
04:23 - Brief overview of La Fayette and why President Monroe Invited Him
15:26 - The Scale of the Tour
21:35 - La Fayette Visits DC
28:33 - Important Events during the Tour
37:17 - The Legacy of the Tour
46:23 - Conclusion

Relevant Links:


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: La Fayette in 1825, portrait by Matthew Harris Jouett

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]]> Buzzsprout-15484603 Tue, 13 Aug 2024 03:00:00 -0400 2896 31 full false Elizabeth Reese Emmanuel Dubois Jules Verne - France's Great Adventure Jules Verne - France's Great Adventure Jules Verne is one of the most influential authors who ever lived, from every country and genre. He is the most translated author in the world after Agatha Christie and is by far the most translated French author. Verne's vision, stories and characters still resonate with us today, whether as part of new fictional storylines, or as cultural beacons and references.

Verne didn't just write stories; he opened portals to new worlds and inspired generations to dream bigger and reach farther. Join us as we delve into the life and legacy of Jules Verne, the father of science fiction and a true visionary of his time.

Timecodes
Introduction
04:42 - Growing up in Nantes
11:06 - Young Parisian Playwright
19:05 - Success, at last
31:36 - Darker Times
41:47 - Conclusion

Links to relevant episodes:


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Jules Verne in 1892, photograph by Charles Herbert

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]]> Jules Verne is one of the most influential authors who ever lived, from every country and genre. He is the most translated author in the world after Agatha Christie and is by far the most translated French author. Verne's vision, stories and characters still resonate with us today, whether as part of new fictional storylines, or as cultural beacons and references.

Verne didn't just write stories; he opened portals to new worlds and inspired generations to dream bigger and reach farther. Join us as we delve into the life and legacy of Jules Verne, the father of science fiction and a true visionary of his time.

Timecodes
Introduction
04:42 - Growing up in Nantes
11:06 - Young Parisian Playwright
19:05 - Success, at last
31:36 - Darker Times
41:47 - Conclusion

Links to relevant episodes:


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Jules Verne in 1892, photograph by Charles Herbert

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]]> Buzzsprout-15389322 Tue, 16 Jul 2024 03:00:00 -0400 2757 30 full false The French Wars of Religion - Faith in Destruction The French Wars of Religion - Faith in Destruction On one side, the Catholic majority, unwavering in their devotion to Rome. On the other, the Huguenots, French Protestants inspired by the teachings of Jean Calvin.  Caught in the crossfire of this religious divide was the monarchy, struggling to maintain order amidst growing tension. But their efforts often only fuelled the flames of conflict.

And so, in 1562, the first shots were fired in what would become known as the French Wars of Religion. Over the next three decades, France would be engulfed in a series of bloody clashes between Catholics and Protestants, tearing the nation apart.

Join us as we unravel the intricate tapestry of alliances, betrayals, and power struggles that defined this turbulent period. From the grand halls of royal palaces to the blood-soaked fields of battle, we'll bring to life the key events and personalities that shaped the destiny of France.

Timecodes:
Introduction
05:15 - From Strength to Chaos
17:34 - Instability and Crisis
27:24 - War, War, War!
33:53 - The Saint-Barthélemy Massacre
41:05 - The Eighth and Final War
47:55 - Henri IV - "Paris is well worth a Mass"
52:06 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: "St. Bartholomew's Day massacre' by François Dubois (1572)

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]]> On one side, the Catholic majority, unwavering in their devotion to Rome. On the other, the Huguenots, French Protestants inspired by the teachings of Jean Calvin.  Caught in the crossfire of this religious divide was the monarchy, struggling to maintain order amidst growing tension. But their efforts often only fuelled the flames of conflict.

And so, in 1562, the first shots were fired in what would become known as the French Wars of Religion. Over the next three decades, France would be engulfed in a series of bloody clashes between Catholics and Protestants, tearing the nation apart.

Join us as we unravel the intricate tapestry of alliances, betrayals, and power struggles that defined this turbulent period. From the grand halls of royal palaces to the blood-soaked fields of battle, we'll bring to life the key events and personalities that shaped the destiny of France.

Timecodes:
Introduction
05:15 - From Strength to Chaos
17:34 - Instability and Crisis
27:24 - War, War, War!
33:53 - The Saint-Barthélemy Massacre
41:05 - The Eighth and Final War
47:55 - Henri IV - "Paris is well worth a Mass"
52:06 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: "St. Bartholomew's Day massacre' by François Dubois (1572)

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]]> Buzzsprout-15135631 Tue, 11 Jun 2024 03:00:00 -0400 3332 29 full false Napoléon : the Man and his Books, with Louis Sarkozy Napoléon : the Man and his Books, with Louis Sarkozy When we talk about Napoléon, we often talk about battles or politics, but we don't talk nearly enough about the man. Some dismiss him as a proto-Hitler, others adore him as they would a god. But few actually try to crack open the mysteries of the Napoleonic mind. Author Louis Sarkozy did just that, by studying Napoléon Bonaparte and his most important personal activity: his readings.

Louis Sarkozy's upcoming book, Napoleon's Library, is both a fantastic character study and a thoroughly executed research on the emperor's reading habits. It informs us of the importance of his readings, as well as the evolution of his mind throughout the years.

Louis and I had a fantastic discussion regarding Napoléon's character, achievements, failures and legacy. We also threw a few jabs at the 2023 movie by Ridley Scott.


Update from October 2025: my stance on political censorship, the Sarkozy affair in France and this podcast episode: https://bsky.app/profile/lafayettepodcast.com/post/3m2wddsmoos2l


Timecodes:
Introduction
04:13 - Napoléon's Readings
12:55 - From Words to Action
19:06 - From Thinker to Soldier
33:59 - Napoléon's Mythos & Legacy
52:11- Napoléon's Greatest Strengths and Weaknesses
01:01:28 - The 2023 Movie
01:08:11 - Conclusion

Louis Sarkozy's Profile on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarkozy.louis/


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Bonaparte, Premier consul, by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1804)

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]]> When we talk about Napoléon, we often talk about battles or politics, but we don't talk nearly enough about the man. Some dismiss him as a proto-Hitler, others adore him as they would a god. But few actually try to crack open the mysteries of the Napoleonic mind. Author Louis Sarkozy did just that, by studying Napoléon Bonaparte and his most important personal activity: his readings.

Louis Sarkozy's upcoming book, Napoleon's Library, is both a fantastic character study and a thoroughly executed research on the emperor's reading habits. It informs us of the importance of his readings, as well as the evolution of his mind throughout the years.

Louis and I had a fantastic discussion regarding Napoléon's character, achievements, failures and legacy. We also threw a few jabs at the 2023 movie by Ridley Scott.


Update from October 2025: my stance on political censorship, the Sarkozy affair in France and this podcast episode: https://bsky.app/profile/lafayettepodcast.com/post/3m2wddsmoos2l


Timecodes:
Introduction
04:13 - Napoléon's Readings
12:55 - From Words to Action
19:06 - From Thinker to Soldier
33:59 - Napoléon's Mythos & Legacy
52:11- Napoléon's Greatest Strengths and Weaknesses
01:01:28 - The 2023 Movie
01:08:11 - Conclusion

Louis Sarkozy's Profile on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarkozy.louis/


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Bonaparte, Premier consul, by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1804)

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]]> Buzzsprout-14839290 Tue, 07 May 2024 03:00:00 -0400 4228 28 full false Louis Sarkozy Emmanuel Dubois Camille Saint-Saëns and France's Music Camille Saint-Saëns and France's Music We often see history as a succession of dates, events, wars and political machinations. But we should not forget that history is also forged by culture and by art. Art reflects society's values and aspirations, but also helps create them and move people forward. It also elevates us and makes us better in many ways.

Among the many art forms available to us, music is the one that transports us with the greatest strength. It surrounds us, lifts us and takes us to places we didn't know existed. Oh, literature and paintings can do that too, but music is special. It is unique as it can be savoured with our eyes closed. 

Let's meet Camille Saint-Saëns and France's music!

Timecodes:
Introduction
04:33 - A Young Prodigy
12:28 - The Remarkable Organist & Pianist
19:17 - World Famous Composer
32:13 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Musical excerpts (in order):

Finale - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Phaeton, Op. 39 

Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78, "Organ", 4th movement 

Danse Macabre, Op. 40 

Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78, "Organ", 1st movement 

The Swan - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Aviary - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Aquarium - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Pianists - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Royal march of the Lion - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125

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]]> We often see history as a succession of dates, events, wars and political machinations. But we should not forget that history is also forged by culture and by art. Art reflects society's values and aspirations, but also helps create them and move people forward. It also elevates us and makes us better in many ways.

Among the many art forms available to us, music is the one that transports us with the greatest strength. It surrounds us, lifts us and takes us to places we didn't know existed. Oh, literature and paintings can do that too, but music is special. It is unique as it can be savoured with our eyes closed. 

Let's meet Camille Saint-Saëns and France's music!

Timecodes:
Introduction
04:33 - A Young Prodigy
12:28 - The Remarkable Organist & Pianist
19:17 - World Famous Composer
32:13 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Musical excerpts (in order):

Finale - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Phaeton, Op. 39 

Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78, "Organ", 4th movement 

Danse Macabre, Op. 40 

Symphony #3 In C Minor, Op. 78, "Organ", 1st movement 

The Swan - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Aviary - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Aquarium - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Pianists - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125 

Royal march of the Lion - Carnival of the Animals, R. 125

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]]> Buzzsprout-14824722 Tue, 09 Apr 2024 03:00:00 -0400 2206 27 full false The First World War. The French Experience The First World War. The French Experience For France, the Great War is a serious and deep wound that she partially inflicted on herself. It is painful and has never fully healed. It is something personal, felt by all strata of the nation. From the humblest peasant to the richest industrialist, no layer of French society was spared in the great slaughter that the trenches were. The country itself still bears the scars of battles dating back nearly 110 years. Every city and village in France has a monument to the dead of the First World War, often with a staggering number of fallen soldiers considering the local population. And that's not counting the wounded, the mutilated, the traumatized.

We are not going to go through dates and battles. We are not going to summarize four years of destructive conflict by analyzing every move and strategic decision. Others have done it many times, surely better than me. No, we will focus on the experience of the country of France during those dreadful years from 1914 to 1918. 

Timecodes:
Introduction
05:18 - On The War Path
13:22 - The Poilus
26:51 - France at War
42:18 - Life after 1918
48:11 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Fête de L’Alsace-Lorraine le 17 novembre 1918. Les blessés défilent avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris. Agence Rol, Public Domain (Gallica)

Recommended link: Blueprint for Armageddon, Hardcore History podcast by Dan Carlin

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]]> For France, the Great War is a serious and deep wound that she partially inflicted on herself. It is painful and has never fully healed. It is something personal, felt by all strata of the nation. From the humblest peasant to the richest industrialist, no layer of French society was spared in the great slaughter that the trenches were. The country itself still bears the scars of battles dating back nearly 110 years. Every city and village in France has a monument to the dead of the First World War, often with a staggering number of fallen soldiers considering the local population. And that's not counting the wounded, the mutilated, the traumatized.

We are not going to go through dates and battles. We are not going to summarize four years of destructive conflict by analyzing every move and strategic decision. Others have done it many times, surely better than me. No, we will focus on the experience of the country of France during those dreadful years from 1914 to 1918. 

Timecodes:
Introduction
05:18 - On The War Path
13:22 - The Poilus
26:51 - France at War
42:18 - Life after 1918
48:11 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Fête de L’Alsace-Lorraine le 17 novembre 1918. Les blessés défilent avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris. Agence Rol, Public Domain (Gallica)

Recommended link: Blueprint for Armageddon, Hardcore History podcast by Dan Carlin

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]]> Buzzsprout-14387761 Wed, 07 Feb 2024 03:00:00 -0500 3153 26 full false Nathanael Greene and La Fayette, Partners in Freedom. With Salina B. Baker. Nathanael Greene and La Fayette, Partners in Freedom. With Salina B. Baker. In this unique episode, we engage in a conversation with Salina B. Baker, an accomplished author of historical fiction, who has received multiple awards for her work. Additionally, she is a historian specializing in the American Revolution and Victorian America.

She has just released an outstanding novel titled "The Line of Splendor: A Novel of Nathanael Greene and the American Revolution." In our conversation, we delve into the intricate relationship between General Greene and his close French ally, the Marquis de La Fayette. This profound friendship holds significance not only for the two men but also for the broader context of the American Revolution, symbolizing the enduring and meaningful connection between France and the United States of America in various aspects.


Timecodes:
Introduction
03:01 - Meet Nathanael Greene
09:57 - Greene and La Fayette
20:40 - Working Together
27:39 - Fighting for the Cause
30:41 - Friends after the War
40:16 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork:  "Nathanael Greene in General uniform" by Charles Willson Peale (left) and "The young Marquis de Lafayette wearing his uniform as Major General of the Continental Army" by Charles Willson Peale (right).

Recommended link: Salina B. Baker's website (https://www.salinabbaker.com/)

Support the show

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]]> In this unique episode, we engage in a conversation with Salina B. Baker, an accomplished author of historical fiction, who has received multiple awards for her work. Additionally, she is a historian specializing in the American Revolution and Victorian America.

She has just released an outstanding novel titled "The Line of Splendor: A Novel of Nathanael Greene and the American Revolution." In our conversation, we delve into the intricate relationship between General Greene and his close French ally, the Marquis de La Fayette. This profound friendship holds significance not only for the two men but also for the broader context of the American Revolution, symbolizing the enduring and meaningful connection between France and the United States of America in various aspects.


Timecodes:
Introduction
03:01 - Meet Nathanael Greene
09:57 - Greene and La Fayette
20:40 - Working Together
27:39 - Fighting for the Cause
30:41 - Friends after the War
40:16 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork:  "Nathanael Greene in General uniform" by Charles Willson Peale (left) and "The young Marquis de Lafayette wearing his uniform as Major General of the Continental Army" by Charles Willson Peale (right).

Recommended link: Salina B. Baker's website (https://www.salinabbaker.com/)

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]]> Buzzsprout-14197211 Tue, 09 Jan 2024 03:00:00 -0500 2545 25 full false Salina B. Baker Emmanuel Dubois The Dreyfus Affair. France's Shame The Dreyfus Affair. France's Shame Liberté, égalité, fraternité. This is the French Republic’s motto. Liberty and equality are also in the first article of the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" of 1789. The French are very proud of that heritage, of France’s struggle during and after the Revolution. They think of their homeland as the cradle of liberty in Europe, as a welcoming and understanding land, ruled by reason and intellect, rather than by prejudice and bigotry. Sadly, those clear and healthy waters of freedom and justice often got muddied over the years.

In the late nineteenth century, France was a wounded country. Her honour had been tarnished in 1870-71 and her population was deeply traumatized by the civil war that ensued. Fears of an enemy, and of traitors, was at an all time high. This very specific phase mixed with an element older than France herself: antisemitism. In 1894, captain Alfred Dreyfus would suffer greatly as a consequence of those elements. Although there are some saving graces, and some might even say a silver lining, this whole series of events really are France’s shame!

Timecodes:
Introduction
03:38 - La Belle Époque
08:48 - Alfred Dreyfus, Jewish French officer
14:28 - Dreyfus Arrested
21:17 - L'Affaire begins
26:07 - J'accuse...!
34:03 - The Rennes Trial
39:20 - Rehabilitation
44:10 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: "The traitor: Degradation of Alfred Dreyfus, degradation in the Morland Court of the military school in Paris" front page of the illustrated supplement of the Petit Journal, Sunday, January 13, 1895.

Recommended link: The Siècle podcast by David H. Montgomery, available at http://thesiecle.com/

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]]> Liberté, égalité, fraternité. This is the French Republic’s motto. Liberty and equality are also in the first article of the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" of 1789. The French are very proud of that heritage, of France’s struggle during and after the Revolution. They think of their homeland as the cradle of liberty in Europe, as a welcoming and understanding land, ruled by reason and intellect, rather than by prejudice and bigotry. Sadly, those clear and healthy waters of freedom and justice often got muddied over the years.

In the late nineteenth century, France was a wounded country. Her honour had been tarnished in 1870-71 and her population was deeply traumatized by the civil war that ensued. Fears of an enemy, and of traitors, was at an all time high. This very specific phase mixed with an element older than France herself: antisemitism. In 1894, captain Alfred Dreyfus would suffer greatly as a consequence of those elements. Although there are some saving graces, and some might even say a silver lining, this whole series of events really are France’s shame!

Timecodes:
Introduction
03:38 - La Belle Époque
08:48 - Alfred Dreyfus, Jewish French officer
14:28 - Dreyfus Arrested
21:17 - L'Affaire begins
26:07 - J'accuse...!
34:03 - The Rennes Trial
39:20 - Rehabilitation
44:10 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: "The traitor: Degradation of Alfred Dreyfus, degradation in the Morland Court of the military school in Paris" front page of the illustrated supplement of the Petit Journal, Sunday, January 13, 1895.

Recommended link: The Siècle podcast by David H. Montgomery, available at http://thesiecle.com/

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]]> Buzzsprout-14076356 Tue, 12 Dec 2023 03:00:00 -0500 2896 24 full false The Seven Years' War. The Great French Disaster The Seven Years' War. The Great French Disaster This particular conflict goes by multiple names and definitions. While it is globally recognized as the Seven Years' War, it is more commonly referred to in America as the French and Indian War, and in Canada as the War of Conquest. These wars are all interconnected and are part of a vast global struggle between the two superpowers of the mid-eighteenth century: France and Great Britain.

Considered by many as the first true world war, it continues to reverberate even today. Join us as we embark on a historical journey, with Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour, the Marquis de Montcalm, and general Wolfe as our guides, to examine "the Great French Disaster." 

Timecodes:
Introduction
04:18 - The Origins of Conflict
13:21 - From Frontier Struggle to Global War
22:12 - Downward Spiral
28:51 - The Great Disaster
37:46 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: The death of the Marquis de Montcalm, by Juste Chevillet, National Gallery of Canada

Recommended link: "The Life and Times of Frederick the Great" podcast by Alec Avdakov

Support the show

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]]> This particular conflict goes by multiple names and definitions. While it is globally recognized as the Seven Years' War, it is more commonly referred to in America as the French and Indian War, and in Canada as the War of Conquest. These wars are all interconnected and are part of a vast global struggle between the two superpowers of the mid-eighteenth century: France and Great Britain.

Considered by many as the first true world war, it continues to reverberate even today. Join us as we embark on a historical journey, with Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour, the Marquis de Montcalm, and general Wolfe as our guides, to examine "the Great French Disaster." 

Timecodes:
Introduction
04:18 - The Origins of Conflict
13:21 - From Frontier Struggle to Global War
22:12 - Downward Spiral
28:51 - The Great Disaster
37:46 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: The death of the Marquis de Montcalm, by Juste Chevillet, National Gallery of Canada

Recommended link: "The Life and Times of Frederick the Great" podcast by Alec Avdakov

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]]> Buzzsprout-13848298 Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:00:00 -0500 2654 23 full false Richelieu and Louis XIII, France’s Dynamic Duo? Richelieu and Louis XIII, France’s Dynamic Duo? King Louis XIII and the Cardinal de Richelieu. These two men are quite important and deserve to be better known. The Cardinal is probably the most known of the two, because of his policies, wars and his long lasting impact on French institutions and Europe's destiny.

Louis XIII is often perceived as the weaker of the two, the king who merely signed his minister's recommendation. But history is never quite that straightforward, that easy. It is under these men that France will become an absolute monarchy and will begin her rise as Europe's dominant power. Louis XIII's son, Louis XIV will complete his father's work and become Europe's most powerful monarch. 

Join me as I discuss the Just king and the famed red eminence, France's dynamic duo! 

Timecodes:
Introduction
04:13 - Bloodied France
09:47 - The Red Eminence
13:48 - The Phoenix Rises
19:56 - The Great Partnership
26:28 - A Reinforced Kingdom
33:40 - France and the World
38:31 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Louis XIII in coronation costume and Portrait of Cardinal Richelieu. Both by Philippe de Champaigne.

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]]> King Louis XIII and the Cardinal de Richelieu. These two men are quite important and deserve to be better known. The Cardinal is probably the most known of the two, because of his policies, wars and his long lasting impact on French institutions and Europe's destiny.

Louis XIII is often perceived as the weaker of the two, the king who merely signed his minister's recommendation. But history is never quite that straightforward, that easy. It is under these men that France will become an absolute monarchy and will begin her rise as Europe's dominant power. Louis XIII's son, Louis XIV will complete his father's work and become Europe's most powerful monarch. 

Join me as I discuss the Just king and the famed red eminence, France's dynamic duo! 

Timecodes:
Introduction
04:13 - Bloodied France
09:47 - The Red Eminence
13:48 - The Phoenix Rises
19:56 - The Great Partnership
26:28 - A Reinforced Kingdom
33:40 - France and the World
38:31 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Louis XIII in coronation costume and Portrait of Cardinal Richelieu. Both by Philippe de Champaigne.

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]]> Buzzsprout-13661212 Tue, 03 Oct 2023 03:00:00 -0400 2501 22 full false Nouvelle-France, the French in North America Nouvelle-France, the French in North America The Nouvelle France (New France) is the French colonization of North America. And by this I mean North America, not just Canada. Over a couple of centuries, the French established settlements all over North America, especially along the St-Lawrence and Mississippi River but also in Nova Scotia, Florida, Louisiana and more.

New France basically existed from the first adventures of Jacques Cartier in 1534 to the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763 and the signature of the treaty of Paris, that saw France lose most of its American possessions. It is a remarkable, violent, tragic and perennial story. Embark with me on this grand adventure! 

Timecodes:
Introduction
06:03 - Adventure and Discovery in America
13:27 - The First French Settlers
21:09 - Expansion Along the Rivers
26:53 - War and Peace
35:25 - New France Peaks
44:07 - New France Dies
53:26 - The Following Years
57:42 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: L'expédition de Cavelier de la Salle pour la Louisiane, 1684, by Théodore Gudin (1844). (Grand Palais, Château de Versailles).

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]]> The Nouvelle France (New France) is the French colonization of North America. And by this I mean North America, not just Canada. Over a couple of centuries, the French established settlements all over North America, especially along the St-Lawrence and Mississippi River but also in Nova Scotia, Florida, Louisiana and more.

New France basically existed from the first adventures of Jacques Cartier in 1534 to the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763 and the signature of the treaty of Paris, that saw France lose most of its American possessions. It is a remarkable, violent, tragic and perennial story. Embark with me on this grand adventure! 

Timecodes:
Introduction
06:03 - Adventure and Discovery in America
13:27 - The First French Settlers
21:09 - Expansion Along the Rivers
26:53 - War and Peace
35:25 - New France Peaks
44:07 - New France Dies
53:26 - The Following Years
57:42 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: L'expédition de Cavelier de la Salle pour la Louisiane, 1684, by Théodore Gudin (1844). (Grand Palais, Château de Versailles).

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]]> Buzzsprout-13420220 Tue, 22 Aug 2023 03:00:00 -0400 3683 21 full false François I, King of the Renaissance François I, King of the Renaissance We delve into the life and reign of King François I (Francis the First), who ruled France from 1515 to 1547. Despite facing significant challenges and experiencing notable failures during his rule, François I remains one of the most renowned French monarchs. He is particularly associated with the Renaissance in France and has left a lasting legacy, particularly in the fields of arts and sciences.

He's also responsible for the establishment of New France by sending Jacques Cartier across the Atlantic. Join me for one of the most extraordinary adventures of the Sixteenth century!

Timecodes:
Introduction
03:55- An Unexpected King
09:02- A Young and Ambitious King
16:50- A Builder King
26:24- A Torn King
32:33- An Old King
36:25- Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: François Ier around 1530 by Jean Clouet (Louvre Museum).

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]]> We delve into the life and reign of King François I (Francis the First), who ruled France from 1515 to 1547. Despite facing significant challenges and experiencing notable failures during his rule, François I remains one of the most renowned French monarchs. He is particularly associated with the Renaissance in France and has left a lasting legacy, particularly in the fields of arts and sciences.

He's also responsible for the establishment of New France by sending Jacques Cartier across the Atlantic. Join me for one of the most extraordinary adventures of the Sixteenth century!

Timecodes:
Introduction
03:55- An Unexpected King
09:02- A Young and Ambitious King
16:50- A Builder King
26:24- A Torn King
32:33- An Old King
36:25- Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: François Ier around 1530 by Jean Clouet (Louvre Museum).

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]]> Buzzsprout-13186460 Thu, 13 Jul 2023 03:00:00 -0400 2450 20 full false De Gaulle, JFK and the New World Order with Sean J. McLaughlin De Gaulle, JFK and the New World Order with Sean J. McLaughlin In this special episode, I am joined by Sean J. McLaughlin, historian specialized on the relationship between Charles de Gaulle and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  He is the author of JFK and de Gaulle: How America and France Failed in Vietnam, 1961-1963 (University Press of Kentucky, 2019).

Together, we discuss the complex but utterly fascinating relationship between France and America in the post-WWII world, especially in Southeast Asia. France and America, two Allies with very different perspectives, had a rough time discussing the situation in Vietnam in the 1950's and 1960's. Add to that the personalities of key characters like de Gaulle and Kennedy, and you end up with a fascinating, if sad, story.

Join us for this great discussion!

Find Sean's books at the University Press of Kentucky

Timecodes:
Introduction
02:35- France's Place at the Outcome of WWII
10:23- De Gaulle's Relationship with America
21:21- John F. Kennedy, France and Vietnam
45:50- Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and France
54:52- France's International Role Since the Vietnam War
59:24- France and America's Relationship Now
1:01:55- Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Photo: De Gaulle and JFK in Paris, 1961. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston

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]]> In this special episode, I am joined by Sean J. McLaughlin, historian specialized on the relationship between Charles de Gaulle and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  He is the author of JFK and de Gaulle: How America and France Failed in Vietnam, 1961-1963 (University Press of Kentucky, 2019).

Together, we discuss the complex but utterly fascinating relationship between France and America in the post-WWII world, especially in Southeast Asia. France and America, two Allies with very different perspectives, had a rough time discussing the situation in Vietnam in the 1950's and 1960's. Add to that the personalities of key characters like de Gaulle and Kennedy, and you end up with a fascinating, if sad, story.

Join us for this great discussion!

Find Sean's books at the University Press of Kentucky

Timecodes:
Introduction
02:35- France's Place at the Outcome of WWII
10:23- De Gaulle's Relationship with America
21:21- John F. Kennedy, France and Vietnam
45:50- Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and France
54:52- France's International Role Since the Vietnam War
59:24- France and America's Relationship Now
1:01:55- Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Photo: De Gaulle and JFK in Paris, 1961. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston

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]]> Buzzsprout-13073537 Tue, 27 Jun 2023 03:00:00 -0400 3929 19 bonus false Sean J. McLaughlin Emmanuel Dubois French Indochina, from Imperial Jewel to Hell on Earth French Indochina, from Imperial Jewel to Hell on Earth "The pearl of the Empire", that's how the French described their colony of Indochina, comprised of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. They took over control in the nineteenth century, exploited the place for decades, and finally got kicked out in 1954-55. 

It is a story of violence and exploitation. Of colonization and war. Of exchanges and legacies. And sometimes, of beauty. A story also rarely told in France, as the French aren't proud of what they did there.

Let’s find out more about French Indochina; from Imperial Jewel, to Hell on Earth. 


Timecodes:

Introduction
03:23- The Second French Colonial Empire
08:26- The Establishment of French Indochina
16:43- A Colony of Exploitation
21:58- Bloody Greed
25:52- World War II and the Vietnamese Emancipation
30:07- The Indochina War
42:43- Conclusion


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Poster for tourism in French Indochina drawn by J. Lhuissier, circa 1920.

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]]> "The pearl of the Empire", that's how the French described their colony of Indochina, comprised of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. They took over control in the nineteenth century, exploited the place for decades, and finally got kicked out in 1954-55. 

It is a story of violence and exploitation. Of colonization and war. Of exchanges and legacies. And sometimes, of beauty. A story also rarely told in France, as the French aren't proud of what they did there.

Let’s find out more about French Indochina; from Imperial Jewel, to Hell on Earth. 


Timecodes:

Introduction
03:23- The Second French Colonial Empire
08:26- The Establishment of French Indochina
16:43- A Colony of Exploitation
21:58- Bloody Greed
25:52- World War II and the Vietnamese Emancipation
30:07- The Indochina War
42:43- Conclusion


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Poster for tourism in French Indochina drawn by J. Lhuissier, circa 1920.

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]]> Buzzsprout-12999723 Tue, 20 Jun 2023 03:00:00 -0400 2809 18 full false Napoleonic Discussion with Very Special Guests Napoleonic Discussion with Very Special Guests In this very special episode, I am joined by a coalition of Napoleonic experts to discuss this fascinating period of history and its legacy. We cover Napoléon's personality, some campaigns, the roles of his marshals, the era's lasting impact, as well as a variety of other topics. A truly interesting and enjoyable discussion.

My guests are:

Dr. Zack White, historian, battlefield guide, host of  "The Napoleonic Wars Podcast", Chair of the Napoleonic & Revolutionary War Graves Charity. (Twitter: @ZwhiteHistory), from the United Kingdom.

Marcus Cribb, podcaster, battlefield guide, blogger & author in progress on Duke of Wellington & the Peninsular War Heritage Manager, former Manager of Apsley House & a founding trustee of Napoleonic & Revolutionary War Graves Charity. (Twitter: @mcribbHistory), from the United Kingdom.

Philipp Wagenknecht, historian and teacher specialist of Prussia and the German States from 1740 to 1815. (Twitter: @PertinaxS), from Germany.

John Viscardo, host of the "Generals and Napoleon Podcast". (Twitter: @AndNapoleon), from the United States of America.

If you haven't already done so, I recommend that you listen to our two episodes on Napoléon. Listen to Part I and to Part II.

Timecodes:

Guests Introductions
06:00- Our Favourite Napoleonic Subjects
1:02:32- Napoléon’s lasting influence & Legacy
1:25:38- Uchronia: Napoléon Wins Waterloo. What happens next?
1:52:00- Open Discussion
2:08:42- Conclusion & Goodbyes


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Statue of Napoléon by French sculptor Pierre Stenne, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. (photo by Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)


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]]> In this very special episode, I am joined by a coalition of Napoleonic experts to discuss this fascinating period of history and its legacy. We cover Napoléon's personality, some campaigns, the roles of his marshals, the era's lasting impact, as well as a variety of other topics. A truly interesting and enjoyable discussion.

My guests are:

Dr. Zack White, historian, battlefield guide, host of  "The Napoleonic Wars Podcast", Chair of the Napoleonic & Revolutionary War Graves Charity. (Twitter: @ZwhiteHistory), from the United Kingdom.

Marcus Cribb, podcaster, battlefield guide, blogger & author in progress on Duke of Wellington & the Peninsular War Heritage Manager, former Manager of Apsley House & a founding trustee of Napoleonic & Revolutionary War Graves Charity. (Twitter: @mcribbHistory), from the United Kingdom.

Philipp Wagenknecht, historian and teacher specialist of Prussia and the German States from 1740 to 1815. (Twitter: @PertinaxS), from Germany.

John Viscardo, host of the "Generals and Napoleon Podcast". (Twitter: @AndNapoleon), from the United States of America.

If you haven't already done so, I recommend that you listen to our two episodes on Napoléon. Listen to Part I and to Part II.

Timecodes:

Guests Introductions
06:00- Our Favourite Napoleonic Subjects
1:02:32- Napoléon’s lasting influence & Legacy
1:25:38- Uchronia: Napoléon Wins Waterloo. What happens next?
1:52:00- Open Discussion
2:08:42- Conclusion & Goodbyes


Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Statue of Napoléon by French sculptor Pierre Stenne, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. (photo by Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)


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]]> Buzzsprout-12894936 Tue, 30 May 2023 03:00:00 -0400 8106 17 bonus false John Viscardo Marcus Cribb Philipp Wagenknecht Zack White Emmanuel Dubois Charles de Gaulle, Tales of Grandeur Charles de Gaulle, Tales of Grandeur Charles de Gaulle, the famous general who led the French Resistance during the Second World war before becoming President and the father of the current French political system: the Fifth Republic.

De Gaulle is a very, very complicated man. You will often read in the same paragraph that he was ultra-conservative, but that he was a troublemaker and favoured change. If anything, de Gaulle proves that great leaders are rarely black or white, but often many shades of grey. I shall offer you here, an overview of his character and what he did. Hopefully, this will help you understand Le Grand Charles a bit better.


Timecodes:

Introduction
03:32- The Great Asparagus
08:10- The First World War
14:33- France's Collapse
19:50- The Leader of the Résistance
31:12- The Fall of the French Empire
36:06- De Gaulle President
45:10- May 1968 and the Fall of de Gaulle
47:54- Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Charles de Gaulle broadcasting from the BBC studios in London, June 1940

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]]> Charles de Gaulle, the famous general who led the French Resistance during the Second World war before becoming President and the father of the current French political system: the Fifth Republic.

De Gaulle is a very, very complicated man. You will often read in the same paragraph that he was ultra-conservative, but that he was a troublemaker and favoured change. If anything, de Gaulle proves that great leaders are rarely black or white, but often many shades of grey. I shall offer you here, an overview of his character and what he did. Hopefully, this will help you understand Le Grand Charles a bit better.


Timecodes:

Introduction
03:32- The Great Asparagus
08:10- The First World War
14:33- France's Collapse
19:50- The Leader of the Résistance
31:12- The Fall of the French Empire
36:06- De Gaulle President
45:10- May 1968 and the Fall of de Gaulle
47:54- Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Charles de Gaulle broadcasting from the BBC studios in London, June 1940

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]]> Buzzsprout-12773369 Tue, 16 May 2023 03:00:00 -0400 3161 16 full false The Fall of France of 1940, German Victory or French Defeat? The Fall of France of 1940, German Victory or French Defeat? The Fall of France of 1940, the famous military campaign that saw France being conquered by the German army in a few weeks. This subject is one of the most misinterpreted military events in history.

Reading online, you’d believe that the French went to war with sticks to fight German Panzers, or that they fled at the first sign of enemy artillery. While it is perfectly true that the French army was defeated by the German in a short amount of time, the reasons for this are worth exploring and not just on the military level.

Join me as I dig into the deep roots of the French defeat of 1940.

Timecodes:

Introduction
06:10- Prelude to a Defeat
13:25- The Phoney War
19:17- The Great Offensive
28:02- The Final Collapse
36:30 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Adolf Hitler visits Paris with architect Albert Speer (left) and artist Arno Breker (right), June 23, 1940.

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]]> The Fall of France of 1940, the famous military campaign that saw France being conquered by the German army in a few weeks. This subject is one of the most misinterpreted military events in history.

Reading online, you’d believe that the French went to war with sticks to fight German Panzers, or that they fled at the first sign of enemy artillery. While it is perfectly true that the French army was defeated by the German in a short amount of time, the reasons for this are worth exploring and not just on the military level.

Join me as I dig into the deep roots of the French defeat of 1940.

Timecodes:

Introduction
06:10- Prelude to a Defeat
13:25- The Phoney War
19:17- The Great Offensive
28:02- The Final Collapse
36:30 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Adolf Hitler visits Paris with architect Albert Speer (left) and artist Arno Breker (right), June 23, 1940.

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]]> Buzzsprout-12566548 Tue, 11 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400 2487 15 full false Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena December 2nd 1804, Napoléon Bonaparte is crowned Emperor of the French. Over the next decade, he will keep reforming and modernizing France, but he will also fight the rest of Europe. He will become master of the continent, defeating all his enemies on land, only to go too far and to see Europe strike back at him and at France.

This is the second part of Napoléon's great adventure. If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to listen to the first part as well as to my episode on the French Revolution. Let us follow Napoléon and the Grande Armée on the battlefields of Germany, Poland, Russia, Spain and France. And then we will land on a tiny island, on the middle of the Atlantic. The Napoleonic adventure is one of strong contrasts, as you shall see.

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:20 - From Consul to Emperor
12:40 - The First French Empire and the Grande Armée
24:04 - The Fourth Coalition War and the Continental System
31:48 - The Peninsular War and the Fifth Coalition
44:02 - The Beginning of the Downfall: Russia
50:50 - Europe Strikes Back
1:00:00 - The Exile on Saint Helena
1:03:23 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: 1814, Campagne de France, by Ernest Meissonier

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]]> December 2nd 1804, Napoléon Bonaparte is crowned Emperor of the French. Over the next decade, he will keep reforming and modernizing France, but he will also fight the rest of Europe. He will become master of the continent, defeating all his enemies on land, only to go too far and to see Europe strike back at him and at France.

This is the second part of Napoléon's great adventure. If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to listen to the first part as well as to my episode on the French Revolution. Let us follow Napoléon and the Grande Armée on the battlefields of Germany, Poland, Russia, Spain and France. And then we will land on a tiny island, on the middle of the Atlantic. The Napoleonic adventure is one of strong contrasts, as you shall see.

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:20 - From Consul to Emperor
12:40 - The First French Empire and the Grande Armée
24:04 - The Fourth Coalition War and the Continental System
31:48 - The Peninsular War and the Fifth Coalition
44:02 - The Beginning of the Downfall: Russia
50:50 - Europe Strikes Back
1:00:00 - The Exile on Saint Helena
1:03:23 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: 1814, Campagne de France, by Ernest Meissonier

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]]> Buzzsprout-12329966 Tue, 07 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0500 4070 14 full false Napoléon Part I - From Corsica to Paris Napoléon Part I - From Corsica to Paris Napoléon Bonaparte doesn't really need an introduction. He's the most famous Frenchman ever. He's had more books written about him than any other person, except for Jesus Christ. This French general and emperor shook France, Europe and the world at the turn of the nineteenth century.

He is also a polarizing figure. Enlightened ruler, or tyrannic dictator? In this episode, we will explore the fantastic story that led him from humble origins in Corsica to being the focus of all of Europe's monarchs and armies.

Note: I strongly encourage you to listen to my previous episode on the French Revolution. You might miss a bit in the years of 1789 to 1799 if you are not aware of some facts that I talked about then.

Timecodes:

Introduction
06:10 - Humble beginnings
14:36 - From promising officer to superstar General
20:12 - Joséphine and the Italian Campaign
29:48 - The Egyptian Legend
42:36 - Napoléon takes over France
53:51 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Bonaparte devant le Sphinx by Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1867-1868

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]]> Napoléon Bonaparte doesn't really need an introduction. He's the most famous Frenchman ever. He's had more books written about him than any other person, except for Jesus Christ. This French general and emperor shook France, Europe and the world at the turn of the nineteenth century.

He is also a polarizing figure. Enlightened ruler, or tyrannic dictator? In this episode, we will explore the fantastic story that led him from humble origins in Corsica to being the focus of all of Europe's monarchs and armies.

Note: I strongly encourage you to listen to my previous episode on the French Revolution. You might miss a bit in the years of 1789 to 1799 if you are not aware of some facts that I talked about then.

Timecodes:

Introduction
06:10 - Humble beginnings
14:36 - From promising officer to superstar General
20:12 - Joséphine and the Italian Campaign
29:48 - The Egyptian Legend
42:36 - Napoléon takes over France
53:51 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Bonaparte devant le Sphinx by Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1867-1868

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]]> Buzzsprout-12142936 Tue, 07 Feb 2023 03:00:00 -0500 3415 13 full false The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor The French Revolution shook the world from 1789 to 1799 and completely transformed modern European societies. By ricochet, it transformed the whole world.  It was a real political tsunami, with immediate and long term consequences. With the following Napoleonic wars, it shaped the Nineteenth century in a way that nobody could foresee only a generation before.

There are many misconceptions about the French Revolution, like the idea that a mob captured the king and guillotined him right away. It's not at all what happened. It's a lot more complicated than that. Hopefully you will find this episode palatable and a good entry into the fascinating events of the Révolution.

For those who want to know more, I highly recommend that you listen to "Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon" by William Clark.

Timecodes:

Introduction
06:53 - The Origins of the Révolution
17:25  - Adieu, Old Regime!
26:48  - Working with Louis XVI
36:15  - The French Republic
41:37  - The Terreur
48:16  - The Directoire
53:58  - The Consulat
57:57  - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Prise de la Bastille by Jean-Pierre Houël, 1789

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]]> The French Revolution shook the world from 1789 to 1799 and completely transformed modern European societies. By ricochet, it transformed the whole world.  It was a real political tsunami, with immediate and long term consequences. With the following Napoleonic wars, it shaped the Nineteenth century in a way that nobody could foresee only a generation before.

There are many misconceptions about the French Revolution, like the idea that a mob captured the king and guillotined him right away. It's not at all what happened. It's a lot more complicated than that. Hopefully you will find this episode palatable and a good entry into the fascinating events of the Révolution.

For those who want to know more, I highly recommend that you listen to "Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon" by William Clark.

Timecodes:

Introduction
06:53 - The Origins of the Révolution
17:25  - Adieu, Old Regime!
26:48  - Working with Louis XVI
36:15  - The French Republic
41:37  - The Terreur
48:16  - The Directoire
53:58  - The Consulat
57:57  - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Prise de la Bastille by Jean-Pierre Houël, 1789

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]]> Buzzsprout-11934467 Tue, 10 Jan 2023 03:00:00 -0500 3731 12 full false Aliénor d’Aquitaine, Queen of France and of England Aliénor d’Aquitaine, Queen of France and of England Of the millions of people who are born every year during the Middle Ages, an extremely small number are what we call “blue bloods”, members of the nobility. Out of that already small number, a little percentage can be called “royalty”. Someone who manages to be a monarch not only for one country but for two countries, two adversaries, that is more than rare, that’s unique.

Today, we have the chance of meeting such a woman. Duchess of Aquitaine, Queen of France and Queen of England. I give you: Aliénor d’Aquitaine (Eleanor of Aquitaine).

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:19 - Aquitaine, a Country within a Kingdom
07:53 - Aliénor, Remarkable Young Woman
12:16 - Queen of France
20:18 - The Failed Crusade
25:12 - Queen of England
30:15 - The Widow
32:53 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Aliénor d'Aquitaine by Frederick Sandys, 1858

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]]> Of the millions of people who are born every year during the Middle Ages, an extremely small number are what we call “blue bloods”, members of the nobility. Out of that already small number, a little percentage can be called “royalty”. Someone who manages to be a monarch not only for one country but for two countries, two adversaries, that is more than rare, that’s unique.

Today, we have the chance of meeting such a woman. Duchess of Aquitaine, Queen of France and Queen of England. I give you: Aliénor d’Aquitaine (Eleanor of Aquitaine).

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:19 - Aquitaine, a Country within a Kingdom
07:53 - Aliénor, Remarkable Young Woman
12:16 - Queen of France
20:18 - The Failed Crusade
25:12 - Queen of England
30:15 - The Widow
32:53 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Aliénor d'Aquitaine by Frederick Sandys, 1858

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]]> Buzzsprout-11740780 Tue, 06 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500 2175 11 full false The Hundred Years’ War, Death by all Means - Part Two The Hundred Years’ War, Death by all Means - Part Two This part-two of a two-part episode on the Hundred Years' War. I encourage you to listen to the previous episode if you haven't already done so. 

England owns a third of the French kingdom. War has ravaged France for a quarter of a century. The Black Death has killed millions of people and keeps coming back. At the end of the XIVth century, France is in its worst state probably ever.

But the French will fight back, under the leadership of Charles VII and of an extraordinary young woman, Jeanne d'Arc. Listen to this extraordinary medieval tale full of bravery, foolishness and cruelty.

Listen to HOLOCAUST HiSTORIES  podcast! 

Timecodes:

Introduction
05:56 - Civil War in France and the Arrival of Henry V
10:43 - The Battle of Azincourt (Agincourt)
13:26 - Jeanne d'Arc and the French Resurgence
21:58 - Jeanne d'Arc at Orléans
28:23 - France Reconquered
34:53 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: The death of John Talbot at the Battle of Castillon. XVth century.

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]]> This part-two of a two-part episode on the Hundred Years' War. I encourage you to listen to the previous episode if you haven't already done so. 

England owns a third of the French kingdom. War has ravaged France for a quarter of a century. The Black Death has killed millions of people and keeps coming back. At the end of the XIVth century, France is in its worst state probably ever.

But the French will fight back, under the leadership of Charles VII and of an extraordinary young woman, Jeanne d'Arc. Listen to this extraordinary medieval tale full of bravery, foolishness and cruelty.

Listen to HOLOCAUST HiSTORIES  podcast! 

Timecodes:

Introduction
05:56 - Civil War in France and the Arrival of Henry V
10:43 - The Battle of Azincourt (Agincourt)
13:26 - Jeanne d'Arc and the French Resurgence
21:58 - Jeanne d'Arc at Orléans
28:23 - France Reconquered
34:53 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: The death of John Talbot at the Battle of Castillon. XVth century.

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]]> Buzzsprout-11401464 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 03:00:00 -0400 2316 10 full false The Hundred Years’ War, Death by all Means - Part One The Hundred Years’ War, Death by all Means - Part One The Hundred Years' War or la guerre de Cent Ans in French. That enormous conflict, or series of conflicts actually, ravaged France from 1337 to 1453.

The vast majority of English or American history podcasts or books have an English point of view regarding this conflict. This is perfectly normal and understandable, but I will try to bring more of a French perspective, focusing more on the French side of things.

Given the scope of the war and its complexity, I have decided to split this story into two episodes. This is part one, covering the initial invasion of France by England up until the reign of Charles V of France in 1364.

This story has absolutely everything. Family feuds, epic battles, betrayals, heroes, villains. All set in medieval France. And narrated by yours truly. What else could you ask for?  

Listen to Cork Out History podcast!

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:01 - Context
08:39 - The Origins of the War
15:34 - Two Kingdoms at War
19:31 - Crécy and the Downward Spiral for France
23:35 - The Black Death and the Battle of Poitiers
31:35 - France, the Duchies and the arrival of Charles V

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Bataille de Crécy in the "Chroniques de Jean Froissart", XVth century

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]]> The Hundred Years' War or la guerre de Cent Ans in French. That enormous conflict, or series of conflicts actually, ravaged France from 1337 to 1453.

The vast majority of English or American history podcasts or books have an English point of view regarding this conflict. This is perfectly normal and understandable, but I will try to bring more of a French perspective, focusing more on the French side of things.

Given the scope of the war and its complexity, I have decided to split this story into two episodes. This is part one, covering the initial invasion of France by England up until the reign of Charles V of France in 1364.

This story has absolutely everything. Family feuds, epic battles, betrayals, heroes, villains. All set in medieval France. And narrated by yours truly. What else could you ask for?  

Listen to Cork Out History podcast!

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:01 - Context
08:39 - The Origins of the War
15:34 - Two Kingdoms at War
19:31 - Crécy and the Downward Spiral for France
23:35 - The Black Death and the Battle of Poitiers
31:35 - France, the Duchies and the arrival of Charles V

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Bataille de Crécy in the "Chroniques de Jean Froissart", XVth century

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]]> Buzzsprout-11401459 Tue, 04 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400 2145 9 full false Vikings and Franks, with Christophe Adrien Vikings and Franks, with Christophe Adrien Vikings in France. Here's an often ignored topic for historical discussion. In this special episode, we try to remedy to that situation. I say "we" because we have a guest on this one, historian and author Christophe Adrien, specialist on the Viking world and especially their role in Brittany.

Join us as we discuss Vikings, Franks, longships, silver and salt!

Listen to Passed, the podcast about those who would never rule. 

Timecodes:

Introduction
01:52 - What is a Viking exactly?
03:32 - Noiremoutier and the Vikings
09:54 - The Vikings' Genius  
14:49 -  Motivations and Viking Studies
21:54 - Viking Diplomacy
29:31 - The Normans
32:52 - Vikings in Brittany & Expansion
41:58 - Conclusion 

Christophe's Website: https://cjadrien.com
Christophe's Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCML3AVHfBP1H3QZn3aROvzw

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Drawing Viking by Rones (freesvg.org), design by Emmanuel Dubois

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]]> Vikings in France. Here's an often ignored topic for historical discussion. In this special episode, we try to remedy to that situation. I say "we" because we have a guest on this one, historian and author Christophe Adrien, specialist on the Viking world and especially their role in Brittany.

Join us as we discuss Vikings, Franks, longships, silver and salt!

Listen to Passed, the podcast about those who would never rule. 

Timecodes:

Introduction
01:52 - What is a Viking exactly?
03:32 - Noiremoutier and the Vikings
09:54 - The Vikings' Genius  
14:49 -  Motivations and Viking Studies
21:54 - Viking Diplomacy
29:31 - The Normans
32:52 - Vikings in Brittany & Expansion
41:58 - Conclusion 

Christophe's Website: https://cjadrien.com
Christophe's Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCML3AVHfBP1H3QZn3aROvzw

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Drawing Viking by Rones (freesvg.org), design by Emmanuel Dubois

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]]> Buzzsprout-11137367 Tue, 13 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400 2657 8 full false C.J. Adrien Emmanuel Dubois Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Roman Emperor Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Roman Emperor Charlemagne is one of the most important figures of the Middle Ages. He ruled from 768 to 814 as king of the Franks, and became Roman Emperor in 800. He conquered peoples, built institutions and completely changed Europe's political trajectory.

One cannot stress enough the importance of his reign and his legacy. I think you will find him a complex and fascinating character. And maybe, you will also recognize some of him and what he accomplished in yourself or in your daily life.

Listen to Grand Dukes of the West podcast!

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:03 - Charlemagne's Grand-Father and Father
10:52 - Charles, King of the Franks
16:20 -  Becoming Roman Emperor
22:04 -  The Carolingian Renaissance
27:01 - Charles the Great's Legacy
32:20 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer

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]]> Charlemagne is one of the most important figures of the Middle Ages. He ruled from 768 to 814 as king of the Franks, and became Roman Emperor in 800. He conquered peoples, built institutions and completely changed Europe's political trajectory.

One cannot stress enough the importance of his reign and his legacy. I think you will find him a complex and fascinating character. And maybe, you will also recognize some of him and what he accomplished in yourself or in your daily life.

Listen to Grand Dukes of the West podcast!

Timecodes:

Introduction
04:03 - Charlemagne's Grand-Father and Father
10:52 - Charles, King of the Franks
16:20 -  Becoming Roman Emperor
22:04 -  The Carolingian Renaissance
27:01 - Charles the Great's Legacy
32:20 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer

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]]> Buzzsprout-11146754 Tue, 06 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400 2119 7 full false Voltaire in Prussia, with Alec Avdakov Voltaire in Prussia, with Alec Avdakov In this special episode, we travel outside of France, to Prussia, guided by Alec Avdakov from the podcast "The Life and Times of Frederick the Great". Make sure to check out his podcast.

Voltaire was in Berlin, at the court of Prussia from 1750 to 1753, invited by the Prussian King Frederic II, known as Frederic the Great. This is a perfect example of the global effect of the French Enlightenment and how various monarchs reacted differently to the movement.

I've had the chance to conduct an interview with Alec regarding's Voltaire's Prussian experience. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Correction: I called Voltaire an atheist although he was in fact a deist. Sorry about that.

Timecodes:

Introduction
03:10 - What is Prussia?
08:40 - Voltaire and Frederick, the French Connection
15:35 - Arrival at the Prussian Court
27:08 - Voltaire's Prussian Experience
33:15 - The Consequences of Voltaire's Stay in Prussia
40:02 - Conclusion

The Life and Times of Frederick the Great Podcast by Alec Avdakov: https://anchor.fm/frederick-the-great

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Frederick II of Prussia and Voltaire, by Pierre Charles Baquoy, circa 1800

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]]> In this special episode, we travel outside of France, to Prussia, guided by Alec Avdakov from the podcast "The Life and Times of Frederick the Great". Make sure to check out his podcast.

Voltaire was in Berlin, at the court of Prussia from 1750 to 1753, invited by the Prussian King Frederic II, known as Frederic the Great. This is a perfect example of the global effect of the French Enlightenment and how various monarchs reacted differently to the movement.

I've had the chance to conduct an interview with Alec regarding's Voltaire's Prussian experience. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Correction: I called Voltaire an atheist although he was in fact a deist. Sorry about that.

Timecodes:

Introduction
03:10 - What is Prussia?
08:40 - Voltaire and Frederick, the French Connection
15:35 - Arrival at the Prussian Court
27:08 - Voltaire's Prussian Experience
33:15 - The Consequences of Voltaire's Stay in Prussia
40:02 - Conclusion

The Life and Times of Frederick the Great Podcast by Alec Avdakov: https://anchor.fm/frederick-the-great

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Art: Frederick II of Prussia and Voltaire, by Pierre Charles Baquoy, circa 1800

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]]> Buzzsprout-11091936 Tue, 16 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400 2544 6 full false Alec Avdakov Emmanuel Dubois The French Enlightenment: Les Lumières The French Enlightenment: Les Lumières We live in an enlightened world. We owe a lot to the men and women of the XVIIIth century and what they gave us. During this period, all over Europe, but especially in France, sciences, politics, literature, art, philosophy and many other aspect of society were being dissected, studied and written on.

You know their names: Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Montesquieu, du Châtelet, Lavoisier, de Gouges and others. They are the ones who laid the foundation for the very States we live in, at least in the democratic parts of the world. Modern governments and societies derive directly from the work of these people that we consider part of the Lumières era.

Let me give you an idea of how they managed to do that, why they did it, as well as the dramatic consequences that ensued.

Timecodes:

Introduction
05:45 - Turning the lights on
09:32 - Various aspects of the Enlightenment
14:25 - The Encyclopédie and the sciences
23:52 - Laws, societies and the consequences of the Enlightenment
30:14 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Painting: Première lecture chez Mme Geoffrin de la tragédie de Voltaire "L'Orphelin de la Chine" , 1755. By Anicet Charles Lemonnier

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]]> We live in an enlightened world. We owe a lot to the men and women of the XVIIIth century and what they gave us. During this period, all over Europe, but especially in France, sciences, politics, literature, art, philosophy and many other aspect of society were being dissected, studied and written on.

You know their names: Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Montesquieu, du Châtelet, Lavoisier, de Gouges and others. They are the ones who laid the foundation for the very States we live in, at least in the democratic parts of the world. Modern governments and societies derive directly from the work of these people that we consider part of the Lumières era.

Let me give you an idea of how they managed to do that, why they did it, as well as the dramatic consequences that ensued.

Timecodes:

Introduction
05:45 - Turning the lights on
09:32 - Various aspects of the Enlightenment
14:25 - The Encyclopédie and the sciences
23:52 - Laws, societies and the consequences of the Enlightenment
30:14 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Painting: Première lecture chez Mme Geoffrin de la tragédie de Voltaire "L'Orphelin de la Chine" , 1755. By Anicet Charles Lemonnier

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]]> Buzzsprout-11079289 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 03:00:00 -0400 2055 5 full false Louis XIV, The Sun King Louis XIV, The Sun King Probably the most famous French monarch, Louis XIV left a deep mark on France and Europe. Over his 72-year  reign, from 1643 to 1715, he accomplished many things. He conquered new territory, expanded France's colonies, modernized the country, built monuments, created major institutions and became an absolute monarch. Even North America was touched by him. Louisiana was named after him, and many American cities come from French forts and counters established then.

Learn about him and the changes he brought to France and the world during his reign in this episode!

Time codes:

Introduction
05:23 - The Fronde revolt, Louis’s childhood
09:26 - Louis’s Personal Reign
19:28 - Versailles
23:36 - Wars and Conquests
28:56 - New France and Louisiana
31:05 - The Sun King’s Dusk
33:39 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Portrait of Louis XIV in coronation costume, Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701.

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]]> Probably the most famous French monarch, Louis XIV left a deep mark on France and Europe. Over his 72-year  reign, from 1643 to 1715, he accomplished many things. He conquered new territory, expanded France's colonies, modernized the country, built monuments, created major institutions and became an absolute monarch. Even North America was touched by him. Louisiana was named after him, and many American cities come from French forts and counters established then.

Learn about him and the changes he brought to France and the world during his reign in this episode!

Time codes:

Introduction
05:23 - The Fronde revolt, Louis’s childhood
09:26 - Louis’s Personal Reign
19:28 - Versailles
23:36 - Wars and Conquests
28:56 - New France and Louisiana
31:05 - The Sun King’s Dusk
33:39 - Conclusion

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Portrait of Louis XIV in coronation costume, Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701.

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]]> Buzzsprout-10886450 Tue, 05 Jul 2022 03:00:00 -0400 2261 4 full false The Franco-Prussian War of 1870, rehearsal for the World Wars The Franco-Prussian War of 1870, rehearsal for the World Wars The Franco-Prussian war of 1870 is an important but often neglected conflict. Most people don't even know about it. In America,  even history fans go straight from the Civil War to World War I, not really taking into account this major conflict that happened in between.

Let's fix this, shall we? We'll discuss the origins of the conflict, its course and its huge consequences. In the last section, we'll discuss some alternative history. What if France had won that war? I think you'll be surprised as to what that entails.

Time codes:

Introduction
03:03 - Why this subject?
06:46 - The Northern German Confederation
11:26 - Origins of the Conflict
14:15 - The War
20:39 - Consequences
23:22 - What if? & Conclusion

Artwork for this episode: Ernest Meissonier, Le Siège de Paris, musée d'Orsay.

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]]> The Franco-Prussian war of 1870 is an important but often neglected conflict. Most people don't even know about it. In America,  even history fans go straight from the Civil War to World War I, not really taking into account this major conflict that happened in between.

Let's fix this, shall we? We'll discuss the origins of the conflict, its course and its huge consequences. In the last section, we'll discuss some alternative history. What if France had won that war? I think you'll be surprised as to what that entails.

Time codes:

Introduction
03:03 - Why this subject?
06:46 - The Northern German Confederation
11:26 - Origins of the Conflict
14:15 - The War
20:39 - Consequences
23:22 - What if? & Conclusion

Artwork for this episode: Ernest Meissonier, Le Siège de Paris, musée d'Orsay.

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]]> Buzzsprout-10702428 Tue, 07 Jun 2022 04:00:00 -0400 1587 3 full false An Overview of All French History An Overview of All French History For our second episode, we are taking a grand Tour de France. This is a complete overview of France's 20 centuries long history. It is not exhaustive, of course, but it should help people refresh their memory or get a better grip on the whole of French history. Everyone should then be able to enjoy and appreciate future episodes even more.

Should you wish to go directly to specific eras, here are the time codes:

00:00 - Introduction and Antiquity
03:31 - Barbarian Invasions and the Frankish Kingdom
07:25 - Charlemagne & Carolingian Empire
11:21 - The Birth of France
21:50 - The Hundred Years' War
28:49 - The Plague & The Renaissance
32:06 - Wars of Religion & Rise of Absolute Monarchy
35:25 - Louis  XIV
39:45 - Louis XV, Seven Years' War & the Lumières
43:25 - The French Revolution
49:25 - Napoléon
53:11 - The Restoration, Second Republic and Second Empire
1:00:23 - The Third Republic and WWI
1:06:21 - The Inter-War and WWII
1:09:34 - The Fourth Republic and Decolonization
1:11:59 - The Fifth Republic, De Gaulle and Conclusion

Recommended books:
Maurice Druon: Les Rois Maudits
Chrétien de Troyes: Perceval ou le Conte du Graal
Alexandre Dumas: Les Trois Mousquetaires
Victor Hugo: Les Misérables

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]]> For our second episode, we are taking a grand Tour de France. This is a complete overview of France's 20 centuries long history. It is not exhaustive, of course, but it should help people refresh their memory or get a better grip on the whole of French history. Everyone should then be able to enjoy and appreciate future episodes even more.

Should you wish to go directly to specific eras, here are the time codes:

00:00 - Introduction and Antiquity
03:31 - Barbarian Invasions and the Frankish Kingdom
07:25 - Charlemagne & Carolingian Empire
11:21 - The Birth of France
21:50 - The Hundred Years' War
28:49 - The Plague & The Renaissance
32:06 - Wars of Religion & Rise of Absolute Monarchy
35:25 - Louis  XIV
39:45 - Louis XV, Seven Years' War & the Lumières
43:25 - The French Revolution
49:25 - Napoléon
53:11 - The Restoration, Second Republic and Second Empire
1:00:23 - The Third Republic and WWI
1:06:21 - The Inter-War and WWII
1:09:34 - The Fourth Republic and Decolonization
1:11:59 - The Fifth Republic, De Gaulle and Conclusion

Recommended books:
Maurice Druon: Les Rois Maudits
Chrétien de Troyes: Perceval ou le Conte du Graal
Alexandre Dumas: Les Trois Mousquetaires
Victor Hugo: Les Misérables

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]]> Emmanuel Dubois Buzzsprout-10568049 Tue, 10 May 2022 07:00:00 -0400 4514 2 full false The Marquis de La Fayette, American Hero The Marquis de La Fayette, American Hero On our first episode, we get to meet the man himself, La Fayette. His importance, his actions in America during the War of Independence, as well as in France during the Revolution, Napoléon era and after. A truly fascinating figure!

Timecodes

Introduction & thanks
3:24 - La Fayette's youth and start of American adventure
7:19 - Historical context
14:20 - American War of Independence
15:55 - French Revolution & Napoléon
19:50 - Restoration, July Monarchy and 1830 Revolution
22:28 - Conclusion

Links to the podcasters who inspired and helped me:

Seth Healey: Hugos There Podcast &  Take Me to Your Reader Podcast
Lori, Amy, Haley & Kevin: Hugo Girl! Podcast
Phil Nichols & Colin Kuskie: Science-Fiction 101 Podcast
Jeff Palermo: Sci-Fi on Screen Podcast, Jeff Reads YouTube Channel, Jeff Screens YouTube Channel

Recommended reads:
Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence by John Ferling
The Global Seven Years War 1754 - 1763: Britain and France in a Great Power Contest by Daniel A. Baugh

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]]> On our first episode, we get to meet the man himself, La Fayette. His importance, his actions in America during the War of Independence, as well as in France during the Revolution, Napoléon era and after. A truly fascinating figure!

Timecodes

Introduction & thanks
3:24 - La Fayette's youth and start of American adventure
7:19 - Historical context
14:20 - American War of Independence
15:55 - French Revolution & Napoléon
19:50 - Restoration, July Monarchy and 1830 Revolution
22:28 - Conclusion

Links to the podcasters who inspired and helped me:

Seth Healey: Hugos There Podcast &  Take Me to Your Reader Podcast
Lori, Amy, Haley & Kevin: Hugo Girl! Podcast
Phil Nichols & Colin Kuskie: Science-Fiction 101 Podcast
Jeff Palermo: Sci-Fi on Screen Podcast, Jeff Reads YouTube Channel, Jeff Screens YouTube Channel

Recommended reads:
Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence by John Ferling
The Global Seven Years War 1754 - 1763: Britain and France in a Great Power Contest by Daniel A. Baugh

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]]> Emmanuel Dubois Buzzsprout-10468855 Wed, 20 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400 1460 1 full false Intro Episode, La Fayette, we are here! Intro Episode, La Fayette, we are here! In this intro episode you get to meet your host and learn about my goals for this podcast. Why am I doing it? Who is it for? Hopefully, it’ll be for you!

Support the show

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]]> In this intro episode you get to meet your host and learn about my goals for this podcast. Why am I doing it? Who is it for? Hopefully, it’ll be for you!

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

]]> Emmanuel Dubois Buzzsprout-10468751 Tue, 19 Apr 2022 19:00:00 -0400 377 0 trailer false