Titans of History: Napoleon Bonaparte

With the growing threat of Austria looming, Napoleon heads to Erfurt to reaffirm his alliance with Russia, all the while planning his long awaited full scale invasion of Spain to put down their rebellious ambitions once and for all.

Before he became the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley rose from relative obscurity to become one of Great Britain's military legends. Today, we discuss the man's career prior to the Peninsular War as we learn about the solider who became the general that brought Napoleon's reign to its end.

Today, we discuss one of the most important figures of the Napoleonic Era--a man who was every bit as important to Napoleon's rise as he was to his eventual demise. Join us as we talk about the man who, to this day, creates contentious debate over his legacy: Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord

With the Spanish Uprising now a full blown war, we turn our attention back west to Portugal where an upstart Sir Arthur Wellesley begins his march into the history books.

As Spain rages out of control, the French rush to quell the uprisings all around the country before suffering one of the worst defeats in the Napleonic Era. Join us today as we discuss the bleeding summer of 1808 in the Spanish Uprising.

With his Invasion of Portugal now complete, Napoleon turned his eye to his southern neighbor. After centuries of steady decline, he used the opportunity to jump into Spanish affairs, an opportunity which would be the beginning of his downfall.

Today, we tackle the long and complex history of Portugal as Napoleon readies an invasion force to pacify the nation that has become an anathema to his Continental System.

Finally achieving the decisive battle he had long sought after, Napoleon delivers the final blow to Russia and the Fourth Coalition, ending the war as the unquestioned master of the European continent.

With the Russians constantly retreating and the French chasing with their supplies running low, the brutal winter and supply situation forces both sides to stop running and face off in one of the bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars--and one that tested the idea that Napoleon was unbeatable in the field..

Perhaps the most capable of all of Napoleon's commanders, the "Iron Marshal" Davout built a legacy of his own as one of the finest military minds in French history. Join us today as we discuss the impact he had--and, perhaps, should have had--on Napoleon, the Napoleonic Wars, and military history. GET 20% + FREE SHIPPING AT MANSCAPED.COM WITH PROMO CODE HUDDYHISTORIAN

Even after their disastrous defeat at the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt, the Prussians refused to give up the fight. The French would oblige--and would enter the capital in a week, while planning to implement a new continental economic order.GET 20% + FREE SHIPPING AT MANSCAPED.COM WITH PROMO CODE HUDDYHISTORIAN

I discuss my thoughts on the blockbuster film about our main subject and why it be in my top ten list anytime soon. GET 20% + FREE SHIPPING AT MANSCAPED.COM WITH PROMO CODE HUDDYHISTORIAN

With Prussia deciding to go to war with the French over his growing influence in the German provinces, they believed their storied military would be enough to end Napoleon once and for all. At Jena and Auerstedt, they were dealt a harsh reality of what was to come.GET 20% + FREE SHIPPING AT MANSCAPED.COM WITH PROMO CODE HUDDYHISTORIAN

We begin our "mini-series within a series" with Marshal Andre Masséna, one of Napoleon's finest commanders in the field and a man who proved that his commoner background could not prevent him from being a man of destiny.

With Austerlitz and the Peace of Pressburg behind him, Emperor Napoleon uses a small interlude of peace to rearrange the map of Europe in his image.

With the dust having settled after the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon and Austria began their negotiations at a quick peace. Meanwhile, the often forgotten Italian Theater raged on into the summer of 1806, formally ending the War of the Third Coalition.

In his grandest achievement, Napoleon defeats two emperors and cements himself amongst the greatest names in military history. Join us as we dive into Napoleon's masterpiece in the 1805 Battle of Austerlitz.

In the last major battle in the Age of Sail, Admiral Horatio Nelson authors his masterful swan song as the Royal Navy thwarts any last hopes of a French naval threat to the British.

In one the swiftest campaigns of Napoleon's career, the French face off against an Austrian army which they defeated "simply by marching."

With Napoleon now Emperor and with France back at war with Britain, the British begin setting about Europe to forming a new Coalition to thwart Napoleon's ambitions of expanding French influence on the continent.

Today we take a deep dive into one of the most influential legal systems ever written and how it is still being felt even to this day on nearly every continent around the world.

Today, we finally crown an emperor as Napoleon Bonaparte becomes Napoleon I, Emperor of the French in a lavish ceremony in the Notre Dame.

Napoleon sells off one of the largest tracts of land in the Americas to the United States, while another assassination plot on his life leads to one of the greatest geopolitical scandals prior to the War of the Third Coalition.

This week, Britain and France navigate a tenuous peace, while Napoleon secures his seat in power for life. Join us as we dive into the year of 1802 and the start of 1803, where much of Europe's future hinged on the fragile peace between her greatest powers.

The often overlooked Haitian Revolution became a major pain for Napoleon's ambitions in the Americas and, in response, he sent his brother-in-law to put down a troublesome rebellion that just wouldn't go away until they achieved their ultimate goal: independence.

Britain attacks Copenhagen to assert her dominance over the Baltic Sea trade while she and France finally achieve something that Europe had pleaded for ten years: peace

One final blow takes Austria out of the War of the Second Coalition while Napoleon comes about as close to death as he ever would on Parisian soil. Join us as we discuss the Battle of Hohenlinden and the Plot of the Rue Saint Nicaise!

In one of Napoleon's most important domestic policy decisions, France finally reconciles with the Catholic Church while Bonaparte also navigates the complex and seldom spoken about relationship between France and the newly formed United States of America.

In a decisive battle, Napoleon gave further credence to his supposed aura of invincibility, while the Austrians miss a golden chance to take out the French Consulate before it could even get off the ground. Join us as we discuss the battle that solidified Napoleon's place as the leader of France--and setting the stage for the next fifteen years of war in Europe.

Faced with a renewed Austrian offensive in Northern Italy at the French frontier, Napoleon made the decision to cross the Alps to help retake what was lost in 1799. In one of history's most famous mountain crossings, Napoleon would bring his Army of the Reserve to teeth of the Austrians at Marengo.

After the Brumaire Coup, Napoleon embarked on his quest to consolidate his place as head of the newly founded French Consulate. Join us as we go through some of the reforms that the young Bonaparte implemented in securing his place as the quintessential Enlightened Despot.

The climatic moment that ended the 18th Century: after four years at the helm, the French Directory comes crashing down at the hands of a small group of conspirators in one history's most famous coups: the Coup of 18 Brumaire.

As the failed Siege of Acre prevents Napoleon's Alexandrian dreams, he begins the long trek back to Cairo with the chaos in France setting the stage for one of history's momentous events.

In the turning point of Napoleon's quest to conquer the Middle East, fierce Ottoman resistance (with some help from the British) proved that Napoleon was not the invincible general he thought himself to be

As Napoleon dealt with the loss of his fleet at the Battle of the Nile and rising Egyptian resistance, he looked to find new purpose for his mission in Egypt as he shifted his expedition eastward with a looming Ottoman threat just over the horizon.

In one of the most decisive naval engagements in the history of warfare, the British Royal Navy hand the French Republic one of their most crushing losses. Join us this week as we break down a battle for the ages.

Happy Holidays! This week, we're taking a break from Napoleon and diving into the man that mastered the oceans and prevented Napoleon from ever gaining naval supremacy: Britain's great military hero--Horatio Nelson

From Malta to Alexandria, Napoleon entered Egypt with a mission to expel seven centuries of Ottoman rule and dent British influence in the Middle East.

After returning to Paris a hero following the Italian Campaign, Napoleon and the Directory began to turn their attention across the Channel as they could not shake off her long time ulcer, the British Empire

After seizing Mantua and forcing the Austrians to the negotiating table, Napoleon manages a delicate peace in Europe, while the situation in Paris becomes tenuous and new major player to our story comes onto the scene.

The Austrians launch two final attempts to relieve Mantua from the French, as Napoleon eyes their final capitulation and a shot at earning France's glory.

As Napoleon launched his assault on the critical fortress city, the Austrians attempt two major relief efforts to keep a foothold in Italy and drive the French back from whence they came.

Now focusing his attention to the Austrians, Napoleon begins his push to total victory in Italy, while preparing for the longest protracted struggle of his military career to date.

As Napoleon begins his first campaign into Italy, he splits the Coalitions forces in two, showing his enemies the new battle tactics he has in store to take the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia out of the war and put Austria on the run.

France, l'armée, tête d'armée, Joséphine. France, the army, the head of the army, Joséphine.--Napoleon's last words, 1821

Toulon put Napoleon on the map. Vendémiaire put Napoleon on the path to immortality.

Not as celebrated as what's to come, the transition from Thermidor to the Directory proved critical to helping forge who Napoleon would become in his later military conquests. We also dive into his social life and peel back the mask to see not a legend, but a young man.

In the words of the famous general himself, “It was in Toulon where my reputation began.”--Napoleon Bonaparte

Join us this week as Napoleon navigates the perilous geopolitical landscape in Revolutionary France, coming face to face with the three-way struggle between his Corsican countrymen, his French military career, and his personal ambitions. Enjoy!

We dive into the second half of the first half of the French Revolution, as we set the stage for Napoleon Bonaparte to become, well, Napoleon.

Join us over the next two weeks as we delve into the beginning of the French Revolution, giving us some context into the world that would help lead to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. Enjoy!