The Napoleonic Quarterly

Follow The Napoleonic Quarterly
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Taking the epic conflicts of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars three months at a time. Each episode features interviews with leading historians of the period - covering the campaigns, diplomacy and political dramas of an extraordinary 24 years.

Alexander Stevenson


    • Jun 11, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 58m AVG DURATION
    • 140 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from The Napoleonic Quarterly with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from The Napoleonic Quarterly

    A lost 2013 interview: David Andress on beating Napoleon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2025 34:46


    Seven years before the Napoleonic Quarterly got going properly, a single interview was recorded in 2013 - in the Palace of Westminster, of all places. A young Alex Stevenson, then a lobby journalist, spoke to Professor David Andress of the University of Portsmouth about his new book, 'The Savage Storm - Britain on the brink in the age of Napoleon' (it was subsequently retitled 'Beating Napoleon' - for obvious Bonaparte-googling reasons). David kindly returned to the podcast once it hit its stride in 2020, but it's a great pleasure to finally get around to releasing this outlier. Twelve years might be some sort of record...Quartermasters - keep a look out on Patreon for more from this interview from David, where he discusses the situation in the first half of 1803.Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    Episode 46: Q2-1803 - The Napoleonic Wars

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 88:01


    1803… April… May… June… Three months in which war once again breaks out between Britain and France… American negotiators worrying about Louisiana's future get an unexpected offer from the First Consul… And on Saint-Domingue, General Jean-Jacques Dessalines unifies resistance to the struggling French expedition.This is episode 46 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months which sees the beginning of what will become known as the Napoleonic Wars.[04:25] - Headline developments[16:25] - Graeme Callister on the resumption of war between Britain and France[39:40] - Peter Kastor on the Louisiana Purchase[1:01:20] - Marlene Daut on the Arcahaie Agreement, the anti-French slide and progress towards Haitian independence on Saint-Domingue

    Exploring Napoleonic Malta (w/ Liam Gauci)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 55:01


    Liam Gauci, Senior Curator at the Malta Maritime Museum in Valletta, returns for another conversation about Maltese history, this time with the goal of planning a future visit by the Napoleonic Quarterly to the 'crossroads of the Mediterranean'.This episode is sponsored by Heritage Malta, whose support for the podcast is enormously appreciated. Liam's book Morte o Fortuna: Corsairs in Malta 1747-1798 is out now. 

    What led to... the Louisiana Purchase? (w/Peter Kastor)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2025 45:23


    What led to the Louisiana Purchase, one of the most important territorial acquisitions in world history? Prof Peter Kastor of Washington University in Saint Louis describes the build-up all the way to the negotiations in Paris, which we'll cover off in our main episode on Q2-1803 (out Wednesday 2nd 2025).

    [PILOT] Battlefield despatches: Montenotte, 12 Apr 1796

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2025 92:23


    We're very excited, after such a long time working on this concept, to bring you the pilot for our new approach to battle episodes. Given 1802-4 is relatively quiet in military history terms, we're going to use this period to work our way through some of the key battles of the 1796 campaign, beginning with Bonaparte's victory at Montenotte in April. Clemens Bemmann presents; Rick Schneid is our battlefield correspondent, reporting from Montenotte itself as the day develops; Graeme Callister is in the studio with Clemens as our French Army expert; and John (Jack) Gill is alongside him as our Austrian Army expert.The result is our attempt to present battles in a novel audio format, bringing an immediacy to the story. This remains a work in progress, of course - we'll keep improving it to make it even better, and please let us know if you have any feedback to help with this by dropping us a line to napoleonicquarterly [at] gmail.com.We'll aim to produce one of these every couple of months or so, so bear with us!Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    Episode 45: Q1-1803 - The dying peace

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 94:51


    1800. January… February… March… Three fateful months for the Hapsburgs, for Austria, and for the patchwork of territories east of the Rhine… In Switzerland the French impose a revised settlement in a bid to end years of unrest… And in the interior of modern-day Sri Lanka the Kingdom of Kandy is ready and waiting for the British as the ill-fated redcoats make their advance… this is episode 45 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three historic months for Switzerland and for Germany. [06:17] - headline developments[25:40] - Michael Rowe on the Imperial Recess, the Reichsdeputationhauptschluss and the dividing-up of Germany[51:40] - Biancamaria Fontana on the Act of Mediation and the re-establishing of cantonal government in Switzerland[1:13:30] - Josh Provan on the British offensive against the Sri Lankan Kingdom of KandyHelp us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    Indian soldiers and the British Empire (w/Ravindra Rathee)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 33:31


    Ravindra Rathee's first book True To Their Salt wouldn't have come about without the extensive research he'd undertaken into the military career of his grandfather. The result is a fascinating study of the role Indian soldiers played in supporting the British, and in this discussion with Josh Provan Ravi reflects on elements of the complex dynamic between the two countries explored in the book. As we work our way through 1802-3 and beyond the Napoleonic Quarterly is paying careful attention to British ambitions in India, making this a timely exploration.

    Napoleon's Switzerland triumph, 1802-3

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 55:29


    Bonaparte's decision to intervene in Switzerland in 1802 after years of unrest with the French-imposed Helvetic Republic led to a return to the kind of localist, cantonal government which the Swiss had always been more comfortable with. This bonus episode with Biancamaria Fontana of the University of Lausanne tells the story all the way up to the Act of Mediation, which features in episode 45 of this podcast - a positive story which, seen in isolation instead of the context of European affairs at the time, seems to reflect itself much more positively towards Napoleon than the British would have liked - or accepted.

    Redrawing Germany's political map, w/ Michael Rowe

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 49:49


    Modern-day Germany was at a turning point in the Napoleonic period, with the French Revolutionary Wars prompting an enormous shake-up in which its various small-scale secular and ecclesiastical entities were gobbled up by bigger states. The change marked something of a no-going-back point for the Austrian-led Holy Roman Empire, and its historical resonances continue to this day - as regular listener and contributor Hans-Karl Weiss describes in this episode. He got to put his points to our interviewee, Dr Michael Rowe of King's College London, who was able to explain why this period was so important.This bonus episode will be followed by a segment in ep45 on the Reichsdeputationhauptschluss, the key moment when the negotiations about the redrawing of the political map east of the Rhine was determined.

    Episode 44: Q4-1802 - The bloody quadrupeds

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 104:27


    1802. October, November, December… Three months in which the full brutality of the French approach on Haiti becomes abundantly clear… Potential threats to British control of India are worrying Richard Wellesley… And in the wastes of Afghanistan a weakened empire is creating an opportunity for Richard Wellesley to exploit. This is episode 44 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which conflict beyond Europe sets the tone for the years to come. [06:49] - Headline developments [32:00] - Marlene Daut on Saint-Domingue strife as key black generals turn against the brutality of the French [52:20] - Josh Provan on Afghanistan's ailing Durrani Empire [1:12:40] - Ravindra Rathee on the Treaty of Bassein between the British East India Company and the Maratha Confederacy's Peshwa Baji Rao II

    Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul (w/ Alan Forrest)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 71:49


    What were Napoleon Bonaparte's biggest achievements during the Consulate period from 1799 to 1804? Prof Emeritus Alan Forrest of the University of York sizes up the greatest hits: ending the Revolution, domestic reforms in administration, education, finance and justice - and one or two flops along the way, including a very partial resolution of the religious question. Here's a link to Charles Esdaile's more general conversation with Alan Forrest, mentioned in this discussion. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/in-conversation-alan-forrest-and-charles-esdaile/id1547058446?i=1000656425026 Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    The Glorious First of June: Howe v Villaret-Joyeuse, 1 June 1794

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 68:06


    Bernie Campbell is joined by Rachel Blackman-Rogers and Olivier Aranda for a deep dive - pun intended - into the Battle of the Glorious First of June and the first major fleet action of the French Revolutionary Wars.

    Danton, Desmoulins, Robespierre: Hilary Mantel's A Place Of Greater Safety and the French Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 61:37


    (**spoiler alert below**) Hilary Mantel's novel A Place Of Greater Safety is, according to Oxford History of the French Revolution author William Doyle, one of the two greatest books about those turbulent years in Paris and France. Its exploration of the fascinating relationships between three of the revolution's most important figures - Georges-Jacques Danton, Camille Desmoulins and Maximilien Robespierre -  reveals so much about the importance of personality to politics during periods of crisis. Prof Doyle discusses what motivates these characters and indeed what drove the revolution itself forwards through all its tempestuous phases.  Spoiler alert: You don't need to have read A Place Of Greater Safety to enjoy listening to this episode, because the novel is really a starting point for a discussion about its three protagonists rather than being the primary subject of this conversation. This episode anyhow reveals very little about the plot given it is a largely historical, chronological-based treatment. However, there is some discussion about the timing of the ending of the novel which might be viewed by some as a mild spoiler of sorts. To be honest it wouldn't have put me off listening to this before finishing the book, but others might feel differently - you have been warned! Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    Episode 43: Q3-1802 - Pushing the boundaries

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2025 100:40


    1802. July… August… September… Three months in which Napoleon Bonaparte outmanoeuvres France's Senate to move even closer to absolute power… In St Petersburg Russia's new Tsar seems to have got over the distressing circumstances of his predecessor's murder… And on both sides of the English Channel the Peace of Amiens is starting to look more than a little shaky. This is episode 43 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which France moves closer to what many fear looks, feels, smells… like monarchy. [08:30 - Headline developments] [17:55] - Philip Dwyer on Bonaparte being made Consul For Life [44:50] - Elise Wirtschafter on Tsar Alexander I's first 18 months in power [1:11:50] - Graeme Callister on the fraying Piece of Amiens as tensions grow between Britain and France once again. Plus professorial panellists Charles Esdaile and Alexander Mikaberidze offer their own perspectives on this three months of history. Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    Christmas special: Napoleonic Secret Santa!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 87:05


    Season's greetings to Quartermasters everywhere! This festive edition sees participants including Charles Esdaile and Alex Mikaberidze nominate, steal and veto Napoleon-themed presents from each other, even as the process is disrupted by the sinister influence of Fouche himself... Take a look at some of the objects mentioned in the Twitter thread here: https://x.com/napoleonic_q/status/1871570495054979174 Thank you to all those who have supported the podcast. Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

    PHILIP DWYER on Napoleonic violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 48:27


    Of all the biographies of Napoleon, Philip Dwyer's three-volume masterpiece is the one Charles Esdaile is the keenest on. Philip, who is Professor of History at the University of Newcastle in Australia, has since moved on to establish the Centre for the History of Violence, and much of this conversation is informed by this later work. But he also has a lot to say about Napoleon himself, a man responsible for so much violence during the 1792-1815 period. Do his achievements outweigh this suffering? Not everyone will agree, but whatever your view please let us know with questions or comments to napoleonicquarterly [at] gmail.com. Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    Meet the Ottomans (w/ Michael Talbot)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 47:04


    The Ottomans played a critical role in the 1792-1815 period, but we haven't been paying too much attention to them - until now. The signing of a peace treaty with France is the hook for this bonus episode which introduces us to the Ottomans and the challenges facing their reforming leader, Sultan Selim III. He faces a tough challenge in shaking up what is, after all, "an Empire besieged", and the tensions his policy agenda creates against entrenched forces of conservatism will come to a head in the most jaw-dropping fashion. That's still to come on the Napoleonic Quarterly - for now, Dr Michael Talbot, Associate Professor of History at the University of Greenwich here in the UK, gives us a guided tour of the Ottoman Empire - and sets ourselves up for the dramas to come.

    Episode 42: Q2-1802 - The plot against Toussaint

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 89:00


    1802. January… February… March… Three months in which republican resistance on Saint-Domingue falters and the French commanders' well-laid plans appear to be succeeding… France makes peace with the Ottoman Empire, as Sultan Selim III faces some tricky questions… And back in France Bonaparte adds the so-called Organic Articles to the Concordat deal with the Catholic Church. This is episode 42 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which France appears to be winning the peace at home and abroad. [07:40] - The strategic irrelevance/relevance of the United States in 1802 [12:42] - Headline developments [23:00] - Marlene Daut on the Leclerc expedition pacifying Saint-Domingue [44:20] - Michael Talbot on the Ottomans and their peace treaty with France [1:02:45] - Mary Robinson on the Organic Articles and Bonaparte's deal with the Catholic Church Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    The NQ masterplan

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 46:59


    It was always the plan that we would use this quieter period before the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars to ensure the podcast is firing on all cylinders before we hit 1805. With the help of many listeners supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly with either their money all the time, that is exactly what we are now getting ready to do. So this week Alex and Clemens are revealing what those plans look like, sharing some inside info along the way, in the hope that some more of you might just come forward to offer assistance. Here are the main ways you can help: -Sign-up on Patreon or, if you already have, consider diverting an even greater proportion of your income to the general betterment of the Napoleonic Quarterly! -Leave us a five-star review wherever you get your podcasts. Especially if they happen to be Apple Podcasts or Spotify. -If you would be able to spare some time to help the podcast, there are a myriad of little jobs which could make a big difference. I mention quite a few of these in the episode, but here is a fuller list. You could… Help us create more social media content… Run a new You-tube channel for the podcast, potentially chopping episodes up into lots of different segments… Look after our existing content with some proper admin work - adding chapters to Spotify, improving the SEO of the show notes, that sort of thing… Give us some advice on how best to use Facebook ads... Contribute to the fledgling podcast website… Lend us your video skills by working on a trailer which would be the central intro to the project for new listeners… Come up with your own ideas for how to help push the podcast along… -Anybody contributing either financially or with their time is very welcome to get involved on the editorial side too. Would you like to have a go at doing one of our interviews? Is there a particular topic you would like to explore doing something on? Get in touch and we can work something out. -Failing all the above, it's great to have you listening and engaging with the podcast. Do send any questions or comments through, either via social media or napoleonicquarterly (all one word) at gmail dot com. Thanks for your support, and here's to the road to Waterloo! Vive le podcast!

    Are we getting battles all wrong?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 65:57


    Dr Graeme Callister, Senior Lecturer in History and War Studies at York St John University, joins Clemens and Alex S to explore the nature and character of battle during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

    Q&A: The French Revolutionary Wars

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 73:42


    As we've reached the Peace of Amiens it felt like a good time to pause and review the French Revolutionary Wars... Charles Esdaile and Alexander Mikaberidze took questions from Quartermasters about a decade of fighting in which the French defied expectations, the allies never quite clicked and Napoleon Bonaparte emerged as a truly great military commander. Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    Episode 41: Q1-1802 - Saint-Domingue burns

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 97:04


    1800. January… February… March… Three months in which the British and the French finally end the war with the Peace of Amiens… The French force sent to reassert control over Saint-Domingue meets with an unfriendly welcome… And back home Napoleon Bonaparte is considering his next moves as the de facto ruler of France. This is episode 41 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which the revolutionary fight for freedom shifts to the Caribbean. [24:57] - headline developments [27:25] - Graeme Callister on the Peace of Amiens [44:27] - Marlene Daut on the fighting in Saint-Domingue [1:09:12] - William Doyle on Napoleon Bonaparte's to-do list Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

    1802-03: PLANNING MEETING!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 89:05


    Yes, it's time for the Festival of Structured Bureaucracy once again! From the makers of the 1800-01 planning meeting... there comes another laborious and sometimes painful process of determining what topics will be covered by each main episode's three segments... come for the occasional appalled reaction to less attractive ideas... stay for the poor pronunciation of certain Germanic words! If you want to know how the podcasting sausage gets made - a Napoleonic podcasting sausage made by committee, no less - then these Zoom audio-quality high-level talks are for you.

    The Battles of Algeciras: Saumarez v Linois, June-July 1801

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 52:19


    Bernie Campbell is joined by Rachel Blackman-Rogers, lecturer in defence studies at Kings College London, and Olivier Aranda, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Brest, to discuss a remarkable set of naval engagements, unique in many ways in the 1792-1815 period and the last of their kind during the French Revolutionary wars.

    Napoleonic D-Day: The British in Egypt, 1801

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 54:25


    Is this the most significant opposed landing of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars? The assault on the beaches of Aboukir Bay by British forces under Abercromby [from around 13:00] was certainly a dramatic affair. So too was the Battle of Alexandria [from 23:15] which followed against the desperate remnants of the French expeditionary force abandoned by Napoleon Bonaparte less than a year and a half before. While this might not have been a strategically vital affair, it did provide the British with a bargaining chip ahead of the talks culminating in the Peace of Amiens. Phil Ball talks us through the Army-Navy bust-ups which preceded the landing, the fighting on the beaches and in front of Alexandria. Then from around [45:00] Phil offers some final thoughts in defence of amphibious operations like these. Here's a link to the map mentioned in this episode: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Faden_1801_alexandria_battle.jpg#/media/File:Faden_1801_alexandria_battle.jpg

    Episode 40: Q4-1801 - 'Vive Bonaparte!'

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 102:00


    1802. October... November... December... three months in which the longstanding contest between the British and the French switches from the battlefield to the negotiating table... After two complete years in power Napoleon Bonaparte's position looks increasingly secure... And the decision is taken to send a French fleet across the Atlantic with Saint-Domiongue's Toussaint Louverture in the firing line. This is episode 40 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which the curtain falls on the French Wars of the French Revolution. [16:52] - headline developments [21:05] - Graeme Callister on peace negotiations between Britain and France [41:30] - William Doyle on Bonaparte's first two years in power [1:07:30] - Marlene Daut on the decision to send a fleet to Saint-Domingue [1:20:52] - Season five closing comments from Charles Esdaile and Alexander Mikaberidze

    The French Institute in Egypt: What did they achieve?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 41:18


    Charles Mackay reviews the experiences and achievements in Egypt of the extraordinary group of savants - engineers, scientists, mathematicians - who accompanied Napoleon Bonaparte to Cairo and beyond in 1798 and whose findings laid the groundwork for modern Egyptology.

    MARLENE DAUT on the Haitian Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 32:42


    Marlene Daut, Professor of French and African Diaspora Studies at Yale University, discusses the incredible 13-year period from 1791 to 1804 which saw self-liberated slaves, not least leader Toussaint Louverture, overcome French colonial rule to win freedom on Haiti. Including: [01:00] - Reflections on the complexity of the Haitian Revolution [05:15] - The intellectual roots of the Haitian Revolution [09:30] - Metropolitan France's negative / imperialist attitudes towards Toussaint Louverture and Saint-Domingue [14:00] - Bringing Haitian writers' thoughts and ideas to life [18:00] - Competing narratives about the Haitian Revolution - and what the revolutionaries said themselves [20:50] - Spelling out the end of slavery during the Revolution [22:30] - The challenges of implementing liberty after centuries of enslaved labour (or, how it all went wrong) [25:30] - Writing the biography of Henri-Christophe, the first king of Haiti [28:00] - Race and racism in Haiti's Anglophone historiography.

    Napoleonic Qs #4: Your questions answered

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 92:23


    Clemens Bemmann is joined by Zack White and Alex Mikaberidze to work their way through the Napoleonic Quarterly mailbag. Topics include Napoleon's motives in Illyria, the reasons behind British success, Alex S' 'Trump derangement syndrome', the chances of war and... flogging, actually.

    Episode 39: Q3-1801 - Bargaining chips

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 101:58


    1801. July... August... September... Three months in which the British mount an opposed amphibious landing against French forces in Egypt... on Saint Domingue Toussaint Louverture promulgates a constitution for the colony before getting the greenlight from Bonaparte... and tensions between the French state and the Catholic church are resolved but not before the Pope's representative warns Napoleon against dismantling religion altogether. This is episode 39 of the Napoleonic Quarterly- covering three months in which all eyes are looking ahead to looming negotiations and the question of who will win the coming peace.

    Strategic insights: The Black Sea, then and now

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 63:06


    Rachel Blackman-Rogers is joined by contemporary Black Sea maritime scholar Prof Deborah Sanders of Kings College London to discuss the history and evolution of Black Sea Navies, the historical significance of the Black Sea itself, and the Black Sea's current importance in Russia's war with Ukraine. [01:00] - to what extent has the Black Sea been a centre of great power competition? [08:50] - given the vital role of the Bosphorus/Turkish Straits in giving Russia access to the Levant, did Turkey and Russia see the Black Sea in the same way? [11:50] - what difference did the Montreaux Convention of 1926 make to maritime power in the region? what difference will President Erdogan's plans for a canal make? [17:40] - how did Russia leasing Sevastopol in the post-Soviet era impact the development of the Ukrainian Navy? [22:00] - how much has Putin deliberately targeted littoral states in his 21st century to help build his ability to project naval power? [25:00] - what are the main maritime issues in the Black Sea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine? [28:00] - China's role in the Black Sea: its Belt and Road initiative, and its role in rebuilding Ukraine [34:30] - does the Black Sea grain initiative suggest the Black Sea could in the future be more like the Arctic, with a higher degree of international cooperation? [39:00] - how does NATO better support its partners in the Black Sea? [41:00] - do unmanned surface vehicles undermine the value of Navies, and is the Black Sea an incubator for a new type of warfare? [48:00] - what does Russia's invasion of Ukraine teach us about the strategic relationship between land and sea?

    MARK LAWRENCE on Spain's 'Black Legend'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2024 42:09


    Spain's story during the Napoleonic period is an Atlantic one, as Dr Mark Lawrence of the University of Kent has pointed out. Fresh from recording on the War of the Oranges, which you can hear in episode 38, here Mark discusses a range of topics including the legacy of the Spanish Empire and notions of the 'Black Legend' of anti-Spanish propaganda; South America during the Napoleonic Wars; Spain's position at the end of the 1792-1815 period; Spanish memoirs and source material on the Peninsular War; and Charles Esdaile's position in the historiography of Spain.

    The Battle of Copenhagen, 2 April 1801: Fischer v Nelson

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 48:54


    Rachel Blackman-Rogers joins Alex Stevenson to discuss the First Battle of Copenhagen - featuring some tricky navigation, the Royal Navy's superior bludgeoning rate of firepower, some brutal diplomacy and Horatio Nelson's infamous blind eye. Please support the podcast on Patreon at patreon/com/napoleonicquarterly.

    Episode 38: Q2-1801 - Nelson's blind eye

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 93:08


    1801. April... May... June... Three months in which Horatio Nelson pulverises the Danish fleet at Copenhagen... Napoleon Bonaparte turns his ire on the pro-British Portuguese... and war breaks out between the piratical Barbary States and the fledgeling US of A. This is episode 38 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months which show that, despite the wider drift towards a French-dominated peace, there is still plenty of scope for conflict. 09:26 - Mark Lawrence on the War of the Oranges between Portugal and Spain 31:17 - Liam Gauci on Tripoli's declaration of war against the United States 1:00:55 - Rachel Blackman-Rogers on the Battle of Copenhagen

    Pitt's dilemmas: British politics in the 1790s

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 53:28


    While France was thrown into chaos by the revolution, the political situation in Britain wasn't exactly calm either. Bernie Campbell sat down with Jacquelin Reiter and Neil Gregory Howe to talk about the tumultuous mood in Britain during the 1790s, Pitt's policies and much more.

    William Wordsworth: The Revolution betrayed

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2024 53:05


    Assassinating Napoleon Bonaparte, it turns out, was on the minds of lots of people frustrated with how the French Revolution was playing out. Off the back of the Infernal Machine attempt on the First Consul's life we've got an episode here about William Wordsworth, that most revered of English Romantic poets, who was so frustrated by the unfulfilled promise of the Revolution that he dreamed of assassinating Bonaparte in his poem The Prelude. To unpick Wordsworth's direct experience of life in Paris in the early 1790s and his subsequent frustrations with French politics - frustrations which remained firmly locked up in his head at the time - it's great to welcome Ruth N. Halls Professor Emeritus of English Kenneth Richard Johnston to the podcast. Ken's biography The Hidden Wordsworth revealed how the young, radical WW was a strikingly different figure from the more conservative character he was to assume later in life.

    Malta: At the crossroads of the Napoleonic era

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2024 48:28


    Liam Gauci, Curator at the Malta Maritime Museum in Valletta, joins Dr Rachel Blackman-Rogers to discuss the fascinating history of his very special island. This episode is sponsored by Heritage Malta.

    Episode 37: Q1-1801 - The bedroom assassins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 100:56


    1801. January… February… March… Three months in which the assassination of Tsar Paul stuns Europe… The Act of Union brings together Britain and Ireland... And Austria and France sign the Treaty of Luneville, inking in French dominance in western Europe. This is episode 37 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which the grisly drama of a court assassination sets the stage for the Napoleonic dramas to come.

    KATHY BURK on diplomatic history

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 32:26


    Kathleen Burk, Professor Emerita of Modern and Contemporary History at University College London, is an amazing historian whose books spanning a long and distinguished career reflect the breadth of her interests: she's written about Anglo-American relations over the decades, a biography of AJP Taylor, even a history of wine reflecting her own background growing up on a California grape farm. We cover off all the bases - and find out how they apply to the Napoleonic period - in this fascinating discussion.

    In conversation: Alan Forrest and Charles Esdaile

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2024 73:54


    Professor Alan Forrest of the University of York sat down with his long time academic friend Charles Esdaile to talk about the Napoleon Movie, the legacy of the Emperor and more.

    LOUIS SARKOZY on Napoleon's Library

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 48:07


    Louis Sarkozy talks to Bernie Campbell about his upcoming book on Napoleon's Library, the cultural influence of the Emperor and how his legacy is seen today in France.

    In conversation: Michael Broers and Charles Esdaile

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 58:25


    Professor Emeritus Michael Broers of the University of Oxford, biography of Napoleon and historical adviser to 'Napoleon' (2023), sat down virtually with his old chum and sparring partner Charles Esdaile. In this conversation they covered: [02:00] - their shared outsider perspective on the French Revolution [06:00] - the usefulness of the Napoleonic period in terms of boosting the power of the state [13:00] - Different ways of looking at Napoleon - including as the greatest of the Enlightened absolutists [25:00] - Writing about Napoleon Bonaparte, whether you're Andrew Roberts or not [35:00] - The Hundred Days [43:00] - 'Napoleon' (2023), the epic spectacle-filled movie blockbuster for which Prof Broers served as historical adviser

    Production update: Charles, slaynt vie déy gerrid!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 6:57


    A Napoleonic professor is despatched to the field hospital, delaying our next main episode by a month. But we have lots of bonus episodes in the meantime.

    Containing Russia: Lessons from history

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2024 55:48


    Dr Rachel Blackman-Rogers is joined by King's College London colleague Professor Andrew Lambert to discuss the current conflict in Ukraine and how lessons from history can be applied to contemporary challenges in containing Russian aggression.

    The wider world in 1800

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2024 68:00


    Bernie Campbell takes us on a whistlestop tour of the world as it was at the turn of the 19th century, in the company of Professor Alexander Mikaberidze of Louisiana State University-Shreveport and the NQ's intrepid Quartermaster-Patreons.

    The Battle of Hohenlinden, 3 December 1800: Moreau v John

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2024 62:49


    Here's a deep dive into the Battle of Hohenlinden, in which Moreau decisively beats the Austrians under Archduke John. Thanks to David Hollins and Hans-Karl Weiß for talking us through it!

    Episode 36: Q4-1800 - Infernal Machine

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2024 96:28


    1800. January… February… March… Three months in which Jean-Victor Moreau's snowy victory at Hohenlinden takes the Austrians out of the war… Napoleon Bonaparte survives the world's first car bombing attempt in Paris… And across the Atlantic those huge swathes of land west of the Appalachians change hands between the European powers once again, causing disquiet in Washington DC. This is episode 36 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which French military prowess once again proves decisive. [09:32] - Headline developments [24:32] - Alan Forrest on the 'Infernal Machine' assassination attempt on Bonaparte's life [49:06] - Hans-Karl Weiss on the Battle of Hohenlinden [1:08:44] - Preliminary discussion on the Treaty of San Il Defonso [1:15:55] - Kathy Burk on the Treaty of San Il Defonso

    150-158mins: Our conclusions will SHOCK you!! The 'Napoleon' Movie... Quarter-Hourly

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 36:22


    Could some of the decisions made by those making Sir Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon' (2023) be better understood by the generally disappointed Napoleonic community? Alex Stevenson is joined by James Topham, who knows a thing or two about screenwriting, to conclude their analysis of the film. Yes that's right, it's the Napoleon Movie Quarter-Hourly - taking the epic frustrations of the 2023 film 15 minutes at a time. 'Napoleon' screenwriter David Scarpa's Write On interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61AWkKbfIco9D4bcRYCIeu?si=fREIQvLPREKn2_LtlID-fw Joachim Phoenix's ReelBlend interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/06YMu88cGK6eEfTqd24OYu?si=J5K4YbA2TXmiOAHPZ0x3hQ Music: Solo Cello Passion - Doug Maxwell, Media Right Productions

    135-150mins: Ghostefine - The 'Napoleon' Movie... Quarter-Hourly

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2024 32:35


    Could some of the decisions made by those making Sir Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon' (2023) be better understood by the generally disappointed Napoleonic community? Alex Stevenson is joined by James Topham, who knows a thing or two about screenwriting, to analyse the film in 15-minute chunks. Yes, that's right, it's the Napoleon Movie Quarter-Hourly - taking the epic frustrations of the 2023 film 15 minutes at a time.

    120-135mins: Ticking Blücher clock - The 'Napoleon' Movie, Quarter-Hourly

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 36:25


    Could some of the decisions made by those making Sir Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon' (2023) be better understood by the generally disappointed Napoleonic community? Alex Stevenson is joined by James Topham, who knows a thing or two about screenwriting, to analyse the film in 15-minute chunks. Yes, that's right, it's the Napoleon Movie Quarter-Hourly - taking the epic frustrations of the 2023 film 15 minutes at a time.

    105-120mins: "Waaahh!" The 'Napoleon' Movie... Quarter-Hourly

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 25:10


    Could some of the decisions made by those making Sir Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon' (2023) be better understood by the generally disappointed Napoleonic community? Alex Stevenson is joined by James Topham, who knows a thing or two about screenwriting, to analyse the film in 15-minute chunks. Yes, that's right, it's the Napoleon Movie Quarter-Hourly - taking the epic frustrations of the 2023 film 15 minutes at a time.

    Claim The Napoleonic Quarterly

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel