Podcasts about napoleonic

Discover the complex and often volatile relationship between Napoleon Bonaparte and the Catholic Church—a story filled with ambition, compromise, and conflict. In this episode, special guest & author Ambrogio Caiani breaks down how Napoleon went from restoring Catholicism in France to ultimately clashing with the Pope himself.After the chaos of the French Revolution, religion in France was in ruins. Napoleon saw an opportunity. Through the Concordat of 1801, he reestablished ties with the Catholic Church, bringing stability to a fractured nation. But was this a genuine act of faith—or a calculated political move?As Napoleon's power grew, so did tensions with the papacy. From controlling church appointments to annexing Papal territories and even imprisoning Pope Pius VII, Napoleon pushed the limits of his authority. What began as cooperation quickly turned into a dramatic struggle between empire and faith.In this episode, you'll learn:How the French Revolution reshaped religion in FranceWhy Napoleon signed the Concordat of 1801The growing conflict between Napoleon and the PopeThe annexation of the Papal StatesThe arrest and imprisonment of Pope Pius VIIHow religion became a tool of imperial control

A guide to the artillery of the Napoleonic era... the artillery was a marvel of organization and logistics, and stood at the forefront of technical and doctrinal innovation. Its internal culture made a major impact on Napoleon's character and outlook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few actors have embodied obsession, corruption, guilt, and authority quite like Harvey Keitel. In this Triple Feature actor focus, we examine three defining performances across three decades of filmmaking: The Duellists (1977), Bad Lieutenant (1992), and Cop Land (1997). From Ridley Scott's visually stunning debut feature, where Keitel plays a Napoleonic officer consumed by honor and vengeance, to Abel Ferrara's infamous portrait of addiction, moral collapse, and redemption in Bad Lieutenant, to James Mangold's examination of loyalty, corruption, and institutional decay in Cop Land, these films showcase the remarkable range and intensity that made Keitel one of the essential actors of the New Hollywood generation. Along the way, we'll discuss masculinity, power, violence, faith, police culture, and the evolution of American cinema from the 1970s through the 1990s. Join Mark Radulich and company as they explore three unforgettable films connected by one of the most compelling screen presences of the last fifty years.Disclaimer: The following may contain offensive language, adult humor, and/or content that some viewers may find offensive – The views and opinions expressed by any one speaker does not explicitly or necessarily reflect or represent those of Mark Radulich or W2M Network.Mark Radulich and his wacky podcast on all the things:https://linktr.ee/markkind76alsohttps://www.teepublic.com/user/radulich-in-broadcasting-networkFB Messenger: Mark Radulich LCSWTiktok: @markradulichtwitter: @MarkRadulichInstagram: markkind76RIBN Album Playlist: https://suno.com/playlist/91d704c9-d1ea-45a0-9ffe-5069497bad59 

You can send a text, include contact info to get a response. More focus on Mexico and California than is ideal, but there is a general overview of Spanish America.Spanish America, more than  anywhere else, shows us the global ramifications of the Napoleonic Wars.  “The crisis and collapse of Spain's empire was the direct result of political turmoil in Europe.  During the Napoleonic wars this vast empire got fragmented, was henceforth relegated to the sidelines of world politics.”  It's a big deal.  Spanish America was important to the world and world politics.  The disparate countries of Latin America stopped mattering after independence when they are separate things rather than a huge mass.  This is sort of a harsh, brutal truth,   This was partly because of the Monroe doctrine, Thou Shalt Not Interfere in the Western Hemisphere lest thou tempt the wrath of God, and British policy also was to keep other Europeans out, more practically by means of controlling the seas, and giving a firm no to plans from the Spanish and Russians for interference from non Spanish forces. 

Keep watch for that Captain trying to slip you the King's Shilling, as on this month's episode of Forgotten Melodies we're talking all about Soldiers and Sailors!We're discussing two different kinds of broadside at once today - both ballads and rows of cannon, with explorations of the contexts of three old folk songs we've recorded.The first, William Taylor, sees us folding together two folk classics to have another bite at a familiar enough theme.The second, Stand By Your Guns, gives Eleanor cover to tell us all about canon management during the Napoleonic era.The third, The Soldier's Prayer, then skewers the grand irony of many songs sung by soldiers and sailors - they're often about peace!We - Ben, Eleanor and Martin - dig into each, and, around moistening our cannon holes and trying not to get shot, very much hope you enjoy the episode.Speak to you again on Thursday for our Lang Fairy Tale triple-bill featuring The Voice of the Devil, The Six Sillies, and Drakestail!The Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOURVisit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

⚓ Naval Tactics of the Napoleonic Era Explained ⚓Step into the age of sail and discover how naval warfare shaped the fate of empires during the Napoleonic Wars. In this episode, special guest and author Joshua Meeks will break down the key tactics, strategies, and innovations used by legendary commanders like Admiral Nelson.From the devastating effectiveness of the “line of battle” to bold maneuvers like breaking the enemy line at the Battle of Trafalgar, you'll learn how discipline, signaling, and seamanship determined victory on the high seas.

In this episode, special guest & author Jonathan North explores the dramatic story of 2 of the most devoted French officers of the Napoleonic Wars: La Bedoyere and CambronneLa Bédoyère - From his early service in the Grande Armée to his pivotal role in the Emperor's return during the Hundred Days, La Bédoyère risked everything for Napoleon. When France stood divided after the fall of the Empire, he made a fateful choice that would seal his destiny.Discover how La Bédoyère rallied troops to Napoleon in 1815, helped reignite the imperial cause, and stood by the Emperor during the final campaign that culminated at the Battle of Waterloo. After defeat, La Bédoyère refused to abandon his principles — and paid the ultimate price under the restored Bourbon monarchy.Was he reckless? Romantic? Or the purest symbol of Napoleonic loyalty?Cambronne - Did Pierre Cambronne really say, “The Guard dies but does not surrender” at the Battle of Waterloo — or was it something far more blunt?In this episode, we dive into the life and legend of one of the most famous officers of Imperial Guard. From his early service in the Revolutionary Wars to his rise within the elite Old Guard, Cambronne became forever linked to one of the most dramatic moments in military history.As the Grande Armée collapsed in 1815, Cambronne commanded a square of the Guard surrounded by Allied forces. What happened next has become myth: Did he defiantly proclaim that the Guard would die but never surrender? Or did he utter the single word — “Merde!” — that cemented his place in legend?X/Twitter: @andnapoleonjpnorth.co.uk

Wandering Works for Us PodcastDate: 2 May 2026Title: Day Trips Beyond Lisbon: Cascais, Santa Cruz, Vimeiro, LourinhãSummary of EpisodeAfter three years of living in Portugal, Shelley and Beth are still discovering new corners of the country, and this episode is proof. In part one of their day trips series, they wander through the upscale-but-welcoming coastal town of Cascais (including a stunning seafood platter at Baía de Peixe), explore the charming beach town of Santa Cruz, uncover the little-known Napoleonic battlefield at Vimeiro, geek out over dinosaur fossils in Lourinhã, and sing the praises of Areia Branca, one of their favourite beaches on the Silver Coast. Lesser-known doesn't mean less worth visiting. Grab your car keys.Key Topics[03:10] Why Cascais deserves more than a half-day stop — and why Shelley and Beth almost missed it after three years of living in Portugal[04:35] Getting to Cascais: driving vs. the commuter train from Lisbon (both about 40 minutes)[05:40] The best bakery find in Cascais: Padaria Brunch & Specialty Coffee[06:15] Walking the Cascais waterfront — the ocean path, Boca do Inferno rock arch, and what they'd do differently next time[08:40] Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães and the gorgeous Parque Marechal Carmona (peacocks, turtles, and chickens who ignore the "do not feed" signs)[11:18] The Citadel of Cascais — repurposed as galleries, restaurants, and shops, Fortress of Our Lady of Light and the statue of King Carlos I at the marina[13:50] Lunch at Baía de Peixe: a seafood platter for two at €35 per person that was worth every euro[19:10] Santa Cruz: a beach town with great cliffs, a walkable waterfront, a Saturday market, and a small chapel worth stepping into[23:30]  The accidental discovery — the river trail to Porto Novo beach that led them straight to a Virgin Mary statue on the cliffs[26:45] Vimeiro and the Battle of Vimeiro Interpretation Center: the first major Napoleonic battle in Portugal and Wellington's first significant victory [32:30] Lourinhã's surprising dinosaur heritage — and why they recommend the Museu da Lourinhã over the Dino Park (unless you have kids)[35:30]  Areia Branca: one of their favourite local beaches, with restaurant recommendations including West 23 by Chakall, Alta, and Ansom BreweryImportant Links To follow all of our antics and adventures, please visit our social media pages and our website at wwforus.com! You can send us a message at any of these places, and feel free to email us at wandering@wwforus.comLike what we are doing? Buy us a gin and tonic and help us keep going!InstagramFacebookTiktokYouTubeLooking for a tour guide in Portugal? I have a whole list!Check out our travel guides! WWforus.comThanks to Everyone who has been so supportive!Special thanks to all of you who have listened, subscribed, followed us on social media and just took the time to say hello and tell us how much you enjoy our podcast and blog. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!RESOURCES & LINKSLooking to plan your next trip to Portugal? We can help! Check out our guides and Itineraries at wwforus.comFree Lisbon ItineraryPacking ListEssentials for every tripRenting a car in PortugalLooking for a tour guide in Portugal? I have a whole list!

From the March/April 2026 edition of The Scottish Rite Journal.  Any accompanying photographs or citations for this article can be found in the corresponding print edition.Make sure to like and subscribe to the channel!  Freemasons, make sure you shout out your Lodge, Valley, Chapter or Shrine below!OES, Job's Daughter's, Rainbow, DeMolay?  Drop us a comment too!To learn how to find a lodge near you, visit www.beafreemason.comTo learn more about the Scottish Rite, visit www.scottishrite.orgVisit our YouTube Page: Youtube.com/ScottishRiteMasonsJoin our Lost Media Archive for only $1.99 a month!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv-F13FNBaW-buecl7p8cJg/joinVisit our new stores:Bookstore: https://www.srbookstore.myshopify.com/Merch Store: http://www.shopsrgifts.com/

General Wittgenstein: Russia's “Savior of St. Petersburg” General Peter Wittgenstein was one of Imperial Russia's most important commanders during the Napoleonic Wars, earning the nickname “The Savior of St. Petersburg” for stopping Napoleon's advance in 1812. In this special guest, Jimmy Chen will explore Wittgenstein's rise through the Russian army, his crucial victories at Kliastitsy and Polotsk, and his role in halting French momentum during the invasion of Russia.Often overshadowed by generals like Kutuzov and Bagration, Wittgenstein proved to be one of Russia's most aggressive and effective field commanders. His actions on Napoleon's northern flank protected Russia's capital and helped turn the tide against the Grande Armée.Whether you're a fan of Napoleon, Russian military history, or the decisive campaigns of 1812, this deep dive into General Wittgenstein reveals why he deserves far more recognition.

Full Text of Readings Monday of the Third Week of Easter Lectionary: 273 The Saint of the day is Saint Conrad of Parzham Saint Conrad of Parzham's Story Conrad spent most of his life as porter in Altoetting, Bavaria, letting people into the friary and indirectly encouraging them to let God into their lives. His parents, Bartholomew and Gertrude Birndorfer, lived near Parzham, Bavaria. In those days, this region was recovering from the Napoleonic wars. A lover of solitary prayer and a peacemaker as a young man, Conrad joined the Capuchins as a brother. He made his profession in 1852 and was assigned to the friary in Altoetting. That city's shrine to Mary was very popular; at the nearby Capuchin friary there was a lot of work for the porter, a job Conrad held for 41 years. At first, some of the other friars were jealous that such a young friar held this important job. Conrad's patience and holy life overcame their doubts. As porter, he dealt with many people, obtaining many of the friary supplies and generously providing for the poor who came to the door. He treated them all with the courtesy Francis expected of his followers. Conrad's helpfulness was sometimes unnerving. Once Father Vincent, seeking quiet to prepare a sermon, went up the belltower of the church. Conrad tracked him down when someone wanting to go to confession specifically requested Father Vincent. Saint Conrad of Parzham also developed a special rapport with the children of the area. He enthusiastically promoted the Seraphic Work of Charity, which aided neglected children. Saint Conrad of Parzham spent hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. He regularly asked the Blessed Mother to intercede for him and for the many people he included in his prayers. The ever-patient Conrad was canonized in 1934. His liturgical feast is celebrated on April 21. Reflection As we can see from his life as well as his words, Conrad of Parzham lived a life that attracted others because of a special quality, something Chesterton alluded to when he wrote, “The moment we have a fixed heart we have a free hand.” If we want to understand Conrad, we have to know where he fixed his heart. Because he was united to God in prayer, everyone felt at ease in Conrad's presence.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

General Louis Charles Antoine Desaix was one of Napoleon's most brilliant and underrated commanders. Known as “the Just Sultan” for his integrity and calm leadership, Desaix played a crucial role in the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleon's early rise to power. From his campaigns in Germany to his legendary service in Egypt, Desaix earned a reputation for discipline, humanity, and battlefield brilliance.Special guest Charles Mackay explores Desaix's military career, his close relationship with Napoleon, and his decisive actions at the Battle of Marengo (1800)—where his timely arrival helped secure victory for France, but cost him his life. Often compared to Marshal Davout for his reliability and tactical skill, Desaix was widely expected to become one of Napoleon's greatest marshals had he lived longer.Learn why Napoleon mourned Desaix deeply, how his death shaped the Napoleonic Wars, and why many historians consider him one of the great “what-ifs” of Napoleonic history.

This is the third in our series of recap episodes, offering a synthesis of our 1792-1804 coverage one year at a time. Chris Sloan talks presenter Alex Stevenson through specific key clips he's picked out from our old episodes grouped around four themes which, we argue, help frame the period and shape our understanding of it in a whole new way. We hope this will provide a helpful refresh for longstanding listeners - whilst at the same time offering an 'entry ramp' to the podcast for those who want to get up to speed relatively easily before we crash full-speed into the intensity of the Napoleonic Wars. This episode covers 1794, a year of revolution, turmoil, and transformative conflict across Europe and beyond. Once again we're recapping an extraordinary year featuring pivotal moments in the French Revolution, including Robespierre's dramatic fall; the surprising tos and fros of the war in Europe; some grimly familiar shocking events in Eastern Europe; all whilst continuing to explore the global repercussions of revolutionary ideals. Or, in other words:The height and collapse of the Terror in Revolutionary France, culminating in the Thermidorian ReactionKey military innovations and battles, including the strategic leadership of Carnot and the Battle of FleurusThe dramatic final chapter of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the failed Kociuszko UprisingThe abolition of slavery in French colonies and the far-reaching impact on Haiti and the CaribbeanCrucial global developments, from the Glorious First of June naval battle to transformative events in the United States and beyondExplore the interconnected stories of 1794 and discover how this pivotal year shaped the course of the Napoleonic era and world history.

Just back from Adepticon and yes I got into a new game! ESR Napoleonics, while I haveknown Dave for a while I never sat in one of his demos. However I got the book and got into the game. Dave and I talk about the design and how this game is a different take on playing Napoleonics.  Check out their site  https://thewargamingcompany.com/

Greg Jenner is joined in medieval Spain by historian Professor Nora Berend and comedian Toussaint Douglass to learn about the colourful life and afterlife of the warrior known as El Cid. El Cid – real name Rodrigo Díaz – was a mercenary in eleventh-century Spain who fought for both Christian kings and Muslim rulers before setting himself up as ruler of Valencia. This episode explores his dramatic life in the period before religious divisions were key on the Iberian Peninsula, and an ambitious warrior might fight for whoever would pay him. It then traces the legend that grew up around him after his death, taking in the medieval romances written about El Cid, the surprising role his bones played in the Napoleonic wars, his appropriation by General Franco after the Spanish Civil War, and even the classic Hollywood film starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren.If you're a fan of legendary but mysterious figures from the past, medieval romances, and the use and misuse of history for political purposes, you'll love our episode on El Cid. If you want to learn more about other historical events mentioned in this episode, listen to our episodes on al-Andalus and Young Napoleon. And for more from Toussaint Douglass, check out our episodes on Frederick Douglass and the Causes of the British Civil Wars.You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Adam Simcox Written by: Adam Simcox, Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Dr Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

This is the first in a series of recap episodes, offering a synthesis of our 1792-1804 coverage one year at a time. Chris Sloan talks presenter Alex Stevenson through specific key clips he's picked out from our old episodes grouped around four themes which, we argue, help frame the period and shape our understanding of it in a whole new way. We hope this will provide a helpful refresh for longstanding listeners - whilst at the same time offering an 'entry ramp' to the podcast for those who want to get up to speed relatively easily before we crash full-speed into the intensity of the Napoleonic Wars. This episode covers 1792, a year of extraordinary upheaval and transformation across the globe. We take stock of the events, crises, and turning points that defined the period, focusing on four major themes:The French Revolution: The mounting political pressure in Paris, culminating in the radicalization of the revolution, the arrest and trial of Louis XVI, and the proclamation of the First French Republic.The War in Europe: France's chaotic military situation and surprising victories, as the War of the First Coalition begins, defying the odds against a decimated army and foreign invasion.The Eastern European Dimension: The critical developments in Poland, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, as the fate of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is decided and imperial rivalries set the stage for future Napoleonic conflicts.The Wider World: The global ramifications of revolutionary ideals, including the dramatic slave uprising in Saint Domingue (Haiti), highlighting the extraordinary importance and turmoil in the Caribbean and colonial geopolitics.

Here's what you need to know: - Having reached the end of 1804, the Napoleonic Quarterly is now halfway through its decade-long project.- That means it's time for a half-time break to reboot and relaunch the project, with the twin goals of offering an alternative 'entry point' for Napoleonic Wars afficionados and allowing the establishment of an end-state production pipleline.- It's not exactly the Super Bowl's half-time entertainment, but for this relaunch period we'll have two limited miniseries running in parallel.- The first is a recap series; one episode per year of the chronology. Each episode will look at the four main themes illustrated by clips from the main episodes, and then do a quick month-by-month reminder of the main events.- The second is season two of our movie project. But instead of looking at Ridley Scott's Napoleonic monstrosity, this time round we'll be working up our own treatment for how we'd fit the life of Napoleon around the traditional Hollywood screenplay structure.- Meanwhile in the background work is underway on our 1805 episodes.- The relaunch period hopefully starts with an episode a day for, hopefully, a full week; and then we'll revert to weekly for the duration. - Vive le podcast!

Roy Davies joins us to talk about his book The Darwin Conspiracy: Origins of a Scientific Crime. Did Charles Darwin really come up with the theory of evolution? Some say he stole the idea from others, but is there proof? And to what degree? Roy Davies does a fantastic job in this book of fleshing out what really happened in those days and revealing who really discovered what. It's a fascinating book, and will be an equaling fascinating conversation!In nearly 30 years at the BBC, Roy Davies wrote, produced and directed many acclaimed documentaries for the archaeology and history series Chronicle and was for seven years Series Editor of Timewatch. He specialized in ground-breaking investigative and revisionist documentaries which challenged and re-examined popular historical beliefs among which were stories about the discovery of the tomb of Philip of Macedon and the row between Sir Arthur Evans and Professor Alan Wace over the origins of the Minoan civilization in Crete. Roy is also the author of Nautilus: Story of Man under the Sea, and was Executive Producer of the five-part BBC series of the same name which revealed the dangers of submarines since Napoleonic times and stories of the men who served in them. He was with Thor Heyerdahl when he burnt his reed boat off an island in the Red Sea in 1978, produced the programme which covered the raising of the Mary Rose off Southsea Castle in 1982 and covered the trial of O.J. Simpson for the BBC in 1995.You can download the eBook here for free. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can send a text, include contact info to get a response. Before the 1807 attack on Denmark, Napoleon gave an ultimatum to Denmark, to Talleyrand's horror btw.  The ultimatum was for Denmark to turn over their fleet.  But before the deadline for the French ultimatum passed the British invaded, which obviously required months of preparation beforehand.  The British, warned by intelligence, that was remarkably accurate, were able to act.  The question of whether it was the wisest action is a separate question.While focusing on intelligence around the French Navy, the episode covers the Post Office packet system and the King's Messengers, the problems Napoleon had with subordinates lying to him, or telling him what he wanted to hear and the problems of intelligence in faraway waters.There are a couple insights you might not otherwise hear. 1) That British intelligence within Napoleon's realm was so successful that it was also confused by the lies generated within the Napoleonic system.2) The failed Pichegru plot could be said to have worked for Britain, by kicking off the War of the 3rd Coalition and Napoleon's Glory Years, the threat of invasion was lifted for Britain at the price of French dominance over Central Europe.

March 23, 2026 | Season 8 | Episode 8One Middle East headline can knock Dow futures down hundreds of points, and the next can launch a rally just as fast. That kind of market volatility is exhausting, but it's also a test of whether we're investing with a plan or just reacting to the news.We walk through what the early-morning whipsaw in stocks, oil, and Treasury yields reveals about geopolitical risk and portfolio management. Then we get practical about investing psychology: how fear and greed show up as panic, euphoria, and the expensive urge to “do something.” We lean on ideas from James Clear's Atomic Habits to focus on daily patterns that create clear thinking, and we share simple tools that keep us grounded when the media cycle is trying to hijack our attention.From there, we connect the dots to the bigger macro picture: inflation pressure from higher energy prices, shifting expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts, and why input costs like the producer price index can matter before consumers feel it. We also touch on a less obvious driver of inflation and growth, the artificial intelligence buildout and rising chip and component prices, plus why gold can behave in surprising ways when rates move.Finally, we zoom out with history, comparing modern trade tensions and conflict to the Napoleonic era and the long-tail consequences that still shape today's world, including Iran's memory of humiliating treaties and why that matters for current sentiment.Subscribe, share this with a friend who's stressed by the markets, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What's the one habit that helps you stay calm when headlines hit?** For informational and educational purposes only, not intended as investment advice. Views and opinions are subject to change without notice. For full disclosures, ADVs, and CRS Forms, please visit https://heroldlantern.com/disclosure **To learn about becoming a Herold & Lantern Investments valued client, please visit https://heroldlantern.com/wealth-advisory-contact-formFollow and Like Us on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn | @HeroldLantern

Following its enactment on 21 March 1804, the Napoleonic Code became the foundation of the French legal system and was gradually extended to territories under French control during the Napoleonic ...

Discover the Top 15 most surprising moments of the Napoleonic Era—from unexpected battlefield reversals to political shocks that reshaped Europe forever. ⚔️

Now, When people think of the British Army in the age of Napoleon, they usually picture the big stuff - Waterloo. Salamanca. Lines of redcoats smashing French columns.  But that was only part of the story. Because the British Army of this era was not just fighting set-piece battles in Spain and Belgium. It was everywhere. Corsica. Egypt. The Low Countries. Strange little expeditions, half-forgotten raids, awkward amphibious landings, sieges, disasters, and operations that now sit in the shadows of the more famous campaigns. And some of them are extraordinary. In this episode, I'm joined once again by historian Steve Brown - he is a Goliath of British military history of the Napoleonic era and his books are incredible . Today he is digging into three neglected actions: the invasion of Corsica in 1794, the Ostend raid of 1798, and the Fraser expedition to Egypt in 1807. They may be obscure, but they are anything but dull. We've got Horatio Nelson losing the sight in an eye, British troops smashing their objectives and then being wrecked by the weather and Highlanders and Swiss soldiers ending up in Egyptian slave markets. So put the big battles out of your mind for a bit and grab a brew. I started off by asking Steve what made him want to research these obscure corners of the Great War against France.   Buy Steve's books here - https://amzn.to/4rlq6x1  Join my Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/RedcoatHistory  

Girdy unpacks the sudden collapse of the Neopets tabletop roleplaying game and the launch of card-based kaiju battles in Godzilla. Plus, Napoleonic dragons in Temeraire, PocketQuest 2026, and new research into the psychological benefits of our hobby. About Audio EXP Audio EXP is Geek Native's podcast. Each week, there's some favourite or exciting geeky news, conventions, interviews, and thought pieces. The average length of the podcast is around 10 minutes. You will find a transcript of this week's podcast and links to the stories mentioned here: https://www.geeknative.com/227894/audio-exp-325-the-neopets-rpg-collapse-napoleonic-dragons-and-card-based-kaiju/

I'm thrilled to announce two new small-group tours for 2026! The first is a 6-day French Revolution & Napoleon tour in Paris this October. The second is a 10-day Christmas Markets & History tour across France, Germany, and Austria this December. JOIN THE WAITLIST They are two very different journeys, but both are built around the same idea: thoughtful, history-led travel for people who want more than a quick overview and a checklist of sights. The Paris tour is the more focused of the two. It is centred on the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras, exploring the key places where those histories actually unfolded. The Christmas Markets tour is broader in scope and combines history, festive traditions, and beautiful winter towns. Stops in places such as Strasbourg, Nuremberg, Munich, and Salzburg, along with iconic towns in Alsace and Bavaria.  If one or both sound like your kind of journey, join the waitlist and I'll make sure you hear first when places open. JOIN THE WAITLIST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Duke of Wellington wasn't just the man who defeated Napoleon — he was also one of Britain's most influential political leaders of the era.In this episode, special guest Marcus Cribb examines Arthur Wellesley's political career, including his time as Prime Minister, his role in shaping Britain after the Napoleonic Wars, and his controversial decision to support Catholic Emancipation in 1829. Discover how Wellington transitioned from battlefield command to high politics, faced public unrest, and left a lasting mark on 19th-century British government.We also discuss his later years and his funeral, one of the largest in British history. Perfect for fans of Napoleonic history, British politics, and Waterloo, this video reveals the statesman behind the soldier.X/Twitter: @mcribbhistory, @andnapoleon

Clemens Bemmann is joined by Rick Schneid, John Gill and Graeme Callister for the final of our Italian campaign series, this time looking at the Battle of Rivoli - a pivotal moment for Napoleon Bonaparte which provided him with yet another triumph. This episode concludes our pilot series exploring whether we can do more to make battles presentable in audio format.Here's a good map to visualise the battle... here's an even better one... and here's a summary courtesy of N-AI-poleon Bot-aparte on what to expect in this episode:A front-row seat at the Battle of Rivoli: Experience the dramatic twists and turns of the battle, including strategic decisions, troop movements, and real-time chaos, bringing the conflict vividly to life.Insider perspectives: Gain a balanced view of the campaign, with detailed insights from the French and Austrian camps—from Bonaparte's restless ambition to the Austrian army's struggles and eventual defeat.Behind-the-scenes of Napoleonic leadership: Learn how Napoleon and his staff responded to challenges, kept their forces motivated, and managed crises as the momentum shifted back and forth across the battlefield.Historical anecdotes and colourful commentary: Firsthand accounts, rumors, and memorable moments—such as Napoleon's legendary “ditch” incident at Lodi, cavalry charges, and officers rallying (or failing to rally) their men.Consequences beyond Rivoli: Discover the aftermath of the battle and why Rivoli marked a decisive turning point, setting the stage for further French victories and reshaping the fate of the Italian campaign and the War of the First Coalition.Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

You can send a text, include contact info to get a response. You probably know that by the middle of the 19th century, the  British dominated India.  The British introduced railroads and electricity, public health and infrastructure, and a population boom began.  By the end  Victoria became the Empress.  But before the French Revolution the British footprint in India was relatively small.  It was during the revolutionary wars and the Napoleonic wars that British control and domination greatly expanded, from early footholds in Bengal and Madras.The China trade was responsible of one six of British state revenue during this period so it was of vital importance.  Also, tea had an interesting property, the people who drank it did not need to dedicate so much grain to small beer production, allowing tea to change the supply and demand equation for grain, during a critical period.There is also the argument that the Chinese authorities contributed to the opium trade by not allowing any legal trade.  The drain of silver into the immensity of China is a problem that was going to be solved, whenever the right product was found.The Tokugawa were prompted to make serious reforms by embarrassments  caused by young Pellew and the Russian under Rezanhov.The Vietnam story of Gia Long and Bishop Pigneau is probably the most interesting.Oman and Muscat reinforce the idea of the struggle between imperialism and the pursuit of profits for the East India company.  imperialism is expensive.  The company lost money, and doubled its debt during one of the periods we are discussing.  

The pod crew drills endlessly to fire three shots a minute in Sharp Practice v2, the Napoleonic/black powder large skirmish game for 40+ miniatures from Too Fat Lardies. Find the Sharp Practice rules here:https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/sharp-practice/Find the companion post here:https://www.barreldrill.com/sharp-practice-v2-review/Support Fortified Niche on Patreon:⁠https://www.patreon.com/fortifiedniche⁠Follow Fortified Niche on BlueSky:https://bsky.app/profile/fortifiedniche.bsky.socialFollow the creators of Fortified Niche on social media! JcDent:⁠Barrel Drill blog⁠BlueSky⁠T-shirt store⁠Show editing by ⁠Serf McSerfington⁠Show logo by ⁠Kristina Amuan⁠Show intro/outro by Bevan Tanttu

In this episode of Gangland Wire, I sit down with retired FBI agent Geoff Kelly, a specialist in art theft investigations who inherited one of the most notorious unsolved cases in American history—the 1990 robbery at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. He recently wrote a book about this theft titled 13 Perfect Fugitives: The True Story of Mob, Murder, and the World’s Largest Art Heist. Kelly's law enforcement career began as a New York City transit police officer before transitioning to the FBI. Like many agents, he initially sought violent crime work. Instead, he was assigned to economic crimes before eventually transferring to a violent crime squad. It was there that he encountered the Gardner case—a cold case largely untouched by senior agents at the time. The robbery itself remains extraordinary: two men posing as police officers gained entry to the museum and stole 13 works of art, including masterpieces by Rembrandt. More than three decades later, none of the works have been recovered. Inside the Gardner Heist Geoff explains how art theft is often misunderstood. Popular culture portrays refined, sophisticated criminals orchestrating elaborate capers. The reality, he says, is usually more opportunistic and frequently violent. Art theft often intersects with organized crime, drug trafficking, and even homicide. Massachusetts has a documented history of art-related crimes, and several individuals connected to the Gardner investigation met violent ends. The criminal underworld surrounding stolen art is less about wealthy collectors hiding paintings in private vaults and more about leverage—using artwork as collateral in criminal negotiations. The FBI's Art Crime Evolution Following the 2003 looting of Iraq's National Museum during the Baghdad invasion, the FBI formalized its Art Crime Team. Kelly discusses how intelligence gathering, informants, and international cooperation became central tools in recovering stolen artifacts. He emphasizes that solving art crimes often depends less on forensic breakthroughs and more on human intelligence. Informants remain essential, especially in cases where organized crime overlaps with high-value theft. Kelly also discusses his upcoming book, 13 Perfect Fugitives, which explores the intersections of mobsters, murder, and the illicit art market. Organized Crime and the Reality of Stolen Art Drawing on my own experience working organized crime in Kansas City, I found clear parallels between traditional mob rackets and art theft networks. The same structures—intimidation, secrecy, and violence—apply. Once a painting disappears into criminal circulation, it becomes a liability as much as an asset. Kelly challenges the myth that thieves profit easily from masterpieces. High-profile works are difficult to sell. The black-market art world is volatile and dangerous. In many cases, the artwork becomes bargaining collateral rather than a cash windfall. A Case Still Waiting for Closure More than 30 years later, the Gardner Museum still displays empty frames where the paintings once hung. Kelly remains committed to the idea that public awareness may eventually generate new leads.  The Gardner heist stands as both a cultural tragedy and a criminal mystery—one that continues to intersect with organized crime, violence, and international intrigue. Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” Subscribe to the website for weekly notifications about updates and other Mob information. To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. Transcript [0:00] Hey, you guys, Gary Jenkins back here in studio Gangland Wire. Y’all know me. I’m a retired Kansas City Police Intelligence Unit detective and now podcaster and documentary filmmaker. I have in the studio today… Jeff Kelly, he’s a now-retired FBI agent. He was an expert in recovering stolen artifacts and art pieces. He was involved. He wasn’t involved in the original theft of the Boston art theft, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, but he ended up inheriting that case. So welcome, Jeff. Hi. Thanks, Gary. Nice to be here. And guys, I need to mention this right off the bat. Jeff has a book, 13 Perfect Fugitives, The True Story of the Mob, Murder, and the World’s Largest Art Heist. Be out on Amazon. I’ll have links down below in the show notes if you want to get that book. I think it would be pretty interesting. I was telling Jeff, I just interviewed Joe Ford, the million-dollar detective, the guy that goes after classic cars, and I read that book. I love these kind of caper kind of books and caper crimes. Those are the ones I like the best is the caper crimes. And Jeff is an expert at working caper crimes. And that’s what these are, capers. So Jeff, how did you get into this? Now you came on the FBI. You were a policeman before, I believe. So tell the guys a little bit about yourself and your FBI career. Yeah, I started out with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police in New York City. It was a transit cop. I did that for three years. And then I got into the FBI in October of 95. [1:30] And my goal was always, I wanted to work violent crime. That’s what drew me to law enforcement in the first place, working bank robberies and kidnappings and fugitives. I had to do my five years on working economic crime, telemarketing fraud. It was interesting, but not all that exciting. And finally in 2000, I got my transfer to the violent crime squad. And I loved working it. And I did it for my entire career from then on, right up until my retirement in 2024. But back then, art theft was considered a major theft violation, [2:01] and it was worked by the Violent Crime Squad. And so in 2002… My supervisor dumped this old moribund cold case in my lap. It was the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist. [2:15] Nobody wanted it on the squad, so they figured, let’s give it to the new guy. I was ecstatic to get it because I’d heard about it. I went to school in Boston. I went to Boston University and graduated the year before it happened, but I knew about it. [2:28] That’s how I started working this case, this particular case, and then the following year during the U.S., there was a, the U.S. And coalition forces invaded Baghdad in Iraq. And during a 36-hour period, more than 15,000 objects of very, very important cultural history were looted from the National Museum of Iraq. And it’s really one of the most important museums in the world in terms of our shared history. Kind of the cradle of civilization over there in the Tigers and Euphrates River. Yeah, and that was the time when the FBI kind of belatedly realized that there was no art crime team to investigate this. And of course, FBI agents have been working art theft like any other property crime since the beginning of the FBI’s existence, but there was no codified team. So they did a canvas for the team in 2004 and I applied for it because at this point I’d been working the Gardner case for a couple of years and really was fascinated by it and made the team. And so then over the next 20 years, we continued to expand the team both in size and in scope and in our intelligence base and knowledge base. And when I left the Bureau in 2024, it was and still is a tremendous team with a lot of very dedicated and professional agents and professional support. [3:51] Now, guys, if you don’t know about the Isabella Stewart Gardner case, there was a Netflix documentary on it a few years ago. It was an art museum in Boston. [4:01] Two guys showed up. They had Boston police uniforms on, and they got in. They basically, it was an armed robbery, and they took control of the museum. The guards were in there late at night and took these really valuable paintings out. I believe you told me earlier they were Remington paintings. We’ll get into that. And it was a violent crime. It was an armed robbery of paintings, and you told me about other armed robberies of paintings. I think you got into some other armed robberies of paintings. You always think of, as you mentioned before, the Thomas Crown Affair character that goes out and does these sophisticated art thefts. That’s not always true, is it? It’s never that way, but it doesn’t matter. Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story. Everybody wants to believe that art thefts are pulled off by the Thomas Crown Affairs and these gentlemen thieves repel in through skylights and do all that fancy stuff, put it in their underground lair. That’s just not the way it works. But if you look to art theft. [4:55] Massachusetts really is a cradle of art theft in this country, and it’s very unique. The first armed robbery of a museum occurred in Boston in 1972. It was committed by a guy named Al Monday, who was a prolific art thief. And they stole four pieces from the Worcester Art Museum in central Massachusetts with a gun. They ended up shooting the guard. And one of the pieces that they stole was a Rembrandt called St. Bartholomew. [5:26] And in keeping with the milieu of true art thieves, the paintings were stored on a pig farm just over the state line in Rhode Island. And when this Connecticut safecracker by the name of Chucky Carlo, who was looking at some serious time in prison for some of the crimes that he committed, when he found out that Al Monday had these paintings, he just simply kidnapped Al Monday and stuck a gun in his ribs and said he would kill him if he didn’t give him the paintings. which is no honor among thieves. And Al turned over the paintings, Chucky returned them, and he got a very significant break on his pending jail sentence. Right here in 1972, Boston thieves see Rembrandt as a valuable get-out-of-jail-free card. [6:09] And then if we jump forward three years to 1975, there was a very skilled art thief, really a master thief by the name of Miles Conner. I interviewed Miles for my book. It was very gracious of him to sit down with me for it. And he had robbed or committed a burglary of the Woolworth estate up in Maine, the family, the five and dime family magnets. And he got caught for it because he tried to sell those paintings to an undercover FBI agent. And so he was looking at 12 years in prison for it. And he was out on bail. And he reached out to a family friend who was a state trooper. And he asked him, how can I get away with this one? How can I get out of this? Because he was in serious trouble. The trooper’s response was meant to be hyperbolic. The trooper said, Miles, it’s going to take you a Rembrandt to get out of this one. [6:57] And so Miles said, okay, I’ll go get a Rembrandt. And he got a crew together and they did a daylight smash and grab at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, just across the street from the Gardner. And they stole Rembrandt, the girl in a gold-trimmed cloak. [7:12] And he was able to return that painting. Instead of doing 12 years, he did 28 months. And he even managed to, he told me he even managed to get the $10,000 reward in the process. So you have this atmosphere in Massachusetts that Rembrandts are a valuable commodity, right? They can help you out in a jam. And so I think it’s no coincidence that in 1990, when the Gardner Museum heist came down, the Gardner Museum had this array of motion sensors all throughout the museum. It would alert to wherever you went, every gallery, hallway, whatever. [7:49] And we know from these motion sensors that after, as you said, the two guys went in disguised as cops and bluffed their way into the museum, they made a beeline for the Dutch room, which is the room of all things Rembrandt. They stole three Rembrandts. They stole a fourth piece called Landscape with an Obelisk, which was actually by Govard Flink, but it had been misattributed to Rembrandt until the mid 80s. And then they took a large Rembrandt oil-on-panel off the wall and it was recovered the next morning leaning against a piece of furniture. We believe they just overlooked it in the dark. So out of the 13 pieces taken, three were Rembrandt, a fourth was misattributed to Rembrandt, and there was going to be a 14th piece taken, which was also Rembrandt. It definitely falls into that theory that this was going to be a hold-on to these pieces for a while and see if you can use them for a break. [8:48] Interesting. Now, back in the 70s, for example, when somebody would work in an art robbery like that or an art theft, you got your tried and true ways of working a crime. You got to have sources, you got to have witnesses, and hopefully you can get a crime like this. You can get a source that says, hey, this guy, we had a guy in Kansas City that he was a fence for these kinds of guys. He had an antique auction and he took all this stuff and got it somewhere else. So at the time, just use your regular police methods. And what changed over the years as you’ve done this? Yeah, certainly we’ve become much more sophisticated with the techniques that we use. But at the end of the day, it’s always still going to be intelligence. But I found from working my entire career in violent crime, virtually my whole career in violent crime, the sources are crucial. Having a good informant can make and break a case. And working art theft investigations, you’re certainly going to have the same types of fences of informants, fences for stolen property and what they’re hearing about what organized crime guys are doing and what drug guys are doing. But it also opened up a whole new avenue of sources for me as working in art investigations, because now you’ve got pawn shops and gallery owners and auction houses, and they’re in a position to know when not only when stolen artwork is coming in, but also fakes and forgeries. We spoke about this, that. [10:16] Somebody comes in with one valuable piece that would be very difficult for somebody in his or her position to come across one piece like this, let alone a dozen of them. That really points to probably a fake. And so that’s really the key to solving these things is just having a good intelligence base who’s going to let us know about when something comes up that’s either stolen or it’s been forged. [10:43] Brings up a question. In my mind, did you ever work a gallery owner or a gallery [10:48] that then would filter in, knowingly filter in some fakes every once in a while? They couldn’t do it 100% of the time, but you could certainly make some extra money by filtering fakes out of it because many people would get it and they’d never know. Nobody would ever know. Listen, it is a really difficult thing when you’re working these types of crimes because unlike bank robber, you go into a bank and you stick them up with a gun and take them on. It’s not up to the government to be able to prove at trial that you knew that the bank was insured by the FDIC. You went in and you robbed it, you committed the offense. When you’re talking about interstate transportation of stolen property or possession of stolen property, there are what’s called specific intent crimes, meaning you have to prove the element of knowledge. You have to be able to prove that the person knew that that item was stolen. Not that it said it was stolen. and you had to show that they knew it. And that’s a really high hurdle to overcome. And typically what we do to try and prove that specific intent is we’re going to go through. [11:53] Recorded statements made to a source or to an undercover or emails or texts or something that we can show that this person knew that item was stolen. And so we would see that a lot in auction houses and galleries. There’s a lot of willful blindness where a lot of gallery owners and auction houses, they’re going to look the other way because it’s too lucrative to pass up. And in fact, in 2015, the art crime team, once we received information that ISIL or ISIS was using looted cultural property from Syria and Iraq as a form, a viable form of terrorism financing. And we put auction houses and gallery owners on notice in 2015, and we basically told them that if you’re selling objects of cultural patrimony or cultural heritage with a dubious provenance, like a wink and a nod, you may be unwittingly or wittingly funding terrorism. While we never charged anybody with it, hopefully it was an eye-opener that when you’re getting into this world, it’s not a victimless crime. There are very real victims involved. [13:07] And that’s one of the things that really is interesting about working our crime investigations. And I used to get ribbed by my friends who were not on the art crime team about [13:18] where like the wine and cheese squad were raised and everything. But our subjects are far from it. We’re dealing with organized crime, gangs, terrorists. This is no joke. These are serious individuals and the stakes are high. And in the Gardner case, three or four people that we believe were involved in the heist were murdered a year after the Gardner case crime occurred. Yeah, I was just going to go back to that a little bit, as we said before, a little bit like the Lufthansa case. All of a sudden, everybody that was involved in the theft. Started dropping like flies. So tell the guys about that. That is really interesting. [14:00] Yeah. So the two individuals that we believe went into the museum dressed as cops, just a week shy of the one-year anniversary, one of the guys was found dead in his apartment of an acute overdose of cocaine, intravenous. And his family admitted that he used Coke, but they said he was terrified of needles. He was scared of needles. So it really looked to be like a hotshot, an intentional overdose of cocaine. Two weeks later, the other guy who we believe went into the museum with him, his wife reported him missing. And a couple of weeks later, his bullet riddled body was recovered in the trunk of his car out by Logan Airport in East Boston. There was another member of that crew. These were all part of the same crew. This Carmelo Merlino, who was a Boston mobster, had an auto shop down in the Dorchester section of Boston. Another member of his crew, a guy named Bobby, six weeks after the heist, he brought in, he visited a jeweler in the downtown crossing jewelry district in Boston. He came in with this object and he unwrapped it. It was an eagle. [15:03] It was the finial from the Napoleonic flag that was stolen in the Gardner heist. And he asked the jeweler, how much is this thing worth? And the jeweler looked at it and he said, it’s worth nothing. Because he immediately recognized it as one of the people that had been stolen six weeks earlier from the Gardner heist. And then a few months later, Bobby was stabbed to death and nearly decapitated on the front porch of his house. And the responding police saw that his house had been broken into and ransacked like his killers had been looking for something. There was a fourth guy, Jimmy, who bragged to his girlfriend a few months after the heist that he had a couple of pieces from the Gardner Museum hidden in his attic. [15:47] And in February of 1990, 11 months after the heist, he was executed on his front porch in what the local police called a mob hit. So, yeah, these are the types of crimes that have a tendency to have a chilling effect on anybody who harbors any aspirations to come forward with information. Yeah, and we talked earlier a little bit about, like, the crime itself, and the statute of limitations is up on that, what you said, and the crime itself, but how we talked a little bit and explained to them about how this could be part of a RICO case. And you’ve got the murders and you’ve got the actual theft and whatever they did with the paintings, then maybe you could get over after a Bob boss as a Rico case. Tell the guys a little bit about doing that. Yeah. [16:32] I’ve heard it so many times in more than two decades that I worked the case and people would say, geez, why don’t people come forward? They’re just paintings. There are so many times they’re just paintings. They’re like, yeah, they are, but there’s two things about that. Number one, there’s some dead bodies on these paintings, three or four, and that there’s no statute of limitations for murder. And so if you implicate yourself in the theft or you implicate yourself in possessing or transporting these paintings at any time, the fear is that you’re then implicating yourself in a homicide. And the other aspect of this, which I think has a chilling effect, is the fact that transportation of stolen property is one of the predicate acts for RICO, racketeering influence corrupt organization case. And RICO is basically, Gary, is basically an entire organization is corrupt. Yeah. There’s no legitimate purpose. It’s what we think about the mob and the [17:27] FBI has taken down the mob in the past. So if you implicate yourself in stolen property and you’re part of organized crime, that’s one of the predicate acts for a RICO. And that’s basically life sentences. And so one of my goals in the years and years that I worked in this case was to try and convince people that you could come forward with information and the U S attorney’s offices, whether it’s up in Boston or new Haven or Philadelphia. [17:58] Would be willing to figure out a way to get the paintings back with immunity from prosecution for a RICO case. Look, that’s a high hurdle. That’s a high hurdle to convince somebody that if you come forward, you’re not going to get charged and you’re eligible for millions of dollars in reward. That’s a tough bill to swallow, but it’s the truth. I’m retired from the FBI now. I can tell you that it was, it’s a, it was, and still is a bona fide offer. And that’s one of the goals that I’ve always tried to impress on anyone is the opportunity to become a millionaire without going to jail. There you go, Jeff. Can you, now you’re not with the Bureau anymore. Can you go out, if you could go out and find them and bring them in, could you collect that reward? I would certainly hope so. [18:48] I can’t tell you how many of my friends thought that I had some of these paintings stashed in my basement. Waiting for retirement to go turn them in the next day. I think half the guys I worked with were expecting to see me pull into the parking lot of the FBI. [19:01] Big package, but no. But yeah, I suppose I could. By this point, I can tell you the amount of my very being that I put into this case over two days. Yeah. I just would love to see these paintings go back just because they need to be back at the museum. That’s where they belong. Now, these crimes, they seem, You said there’s a lot of murders attached to this. They seem a little boring. Did you have any exciting moments trying to pop anybody or do any surveillances? I know we did a big surveillance of a bunch of junkies that were going around stealing from small museums around the Midwest. And we follow them here in Kansas City. And they would have been pretty exciting had we had a confrontation with them. Did you have any exciting moments in this? It actually was a fascinating case. And for the first, there’s the really boring aspects of this job and tedious aspects. And I would say that in my, two decades working this case, I probably did, I don’t know, 50, 60, 70 consent searches, searching in attics and basements and crawling through crawl spaces and just getting sweaty and covered in cobwebs. But the break in the case for me came in 2009 when one of the guys who was part of Merlino’s crew who was deceased, his niece came forward to me and told me that the paintings. Some of them had been hidden up in this guy’s hide at his house up in Maine. I went up to Maine with Anthony Amore, who’s the director of security for the Gardner Museum. We worked on this case together for years. [20:29] And then we found that hide. And then we interviewed, right from there, we went and interviewed Guarenti. That’s the guy, Bobby Guarenti. We interviewed his widow and she broke down and admitted that he once showed her the paintings and she gave them to a guy down in Connecticut. And we identified that guy and we interviewed him. My name is Bobby Gentile. He’s a made member of the Philly Mob. He got straightened out with his crew back in the late 90s. [20:54] And he refused to cooperate. And then that’s where we really just started getting, using a lot of ingenuity to try and break it. And an agent down in the New Haven office, a guy by the name of Jamie Lawton, he joined our team and we started working this case. And he had a source who knew Gentile, Bobby Gentile, and the source started buying drugs from Gentile. Ah, there we go. We ended up arresting Gentile and we did a search warrant at his house. And it was crazy. Like we recovered, I want to say seven handguns, loaded handguns lying all over the place. He had a pump action shotgun hanging by the front door. He had high explosives. We had to evacuate the house and call him the bomb squad. But the interesting thing was he had the March 19th, 1990 edition of the Boston Herald with headlines about the Gardner heist and tucked inside that newspaper was a handwritten list of all the stolen items. With what looked like their black market values. This is in the house of a guy who swore up and down that he’d never heard of the Gardner Museum. And we were able to figure out who wrote the list. It was written by none other than Al Monday, who’s the guy that did the first armed robbery of a museum, of a Rembrandt. And we interviewed him and he told us that he wrote that list for Bobby Gentile and his buddy up in Maine, Bobby Garanti, because they had a buyer for the paintings and they wanted to know what they were worth. [22:24] So yeah, and then Gentile took 30 months. [22:28] He wouldn’t cooperate. And while he was incarcerated, we turned two of his closest friends to becoming sources. And so when he got out of prison in February or April of 2014, they started talking to him and talked about the gardener and they said they might know somebody who’d want to buy him. That’s how we then introduced an undercover agent. Gentile was introduced to Tony, this undercover FBI agent. Over six months, they had long talks about selling the paintings. Unfortunately, before Gentile would sell the paintings, he wanted to do a drug deal first, which we couldn’t allow to happen. We can’t let drugs walk on the street. So we had to take it down. And although we’d seized all these guns from Gentile back in 2012, he told the sources the FBI didn’t get all of his guns. Because of that disturbing comment, one of the sources asked Gentile if he could buy a gun for him. And Gentile sold him a loaded 38. So we arrested him again. And he still refused to cooperate. I don’t respect what he did for a living or a lot of the things that he did, but you do have to respect his adherence to his values. However, misguided they may have been, he took the code of omerta, the code of silence to heart, and he took it to his grave. He died, I think, in 2021 after going to prison a second time. [23:50] While we never got any paintings back, it was a tremendous ride, and I’m confident they will come back. It’s just going to be a question of when. Yeah, that kind of brings up the question that you hear people speculate. Did you ever run across this? Is there actually any rich old guys or an Arab sheik or somebody that buys stuff like this and then really keeps it and never shows it to anybody? Does that unicorn really exist? everybody wants that to be true i know virtually it’s not yeah there’s there’s never been a case of some wealthy what we call the doctor no theory some some reclusive billionaire with his underground lair filled with all the illicit stolen treasures of the world yeah that’s it’s never happened yeah i guess you never say never but but no look the majority statistically about three-quarters of everyone that collects art in this country does it for, and I assume it’s probably worldwide, does it for the investment potential. There’s a lot of money to be made in collecting art. It rarely, if ever, drops in value. So that’s why people collect art. If there’s somebody who has a particular piece that they want so badly that they’re going to commission its theft, it’s more the stuff of Hollywood. It could happen, but we’ve never seen that happen yet. Interesting. [25:14] We did have one case here where we had a medical doctor and he had it on the wall of his house. And it was, I believe it was a Western artist named Remington that these junkies stole out of Omaha. But it was such a minor piece that he could show it to anybody and they wouldn’t. They would say, oh, that’s cool. You got a Remington. [25:30] There’s plenty of those around. And he could afford a real deal Remington anyhow. So it wasn’t that big a deal. And that’s really what it comes down to is that art, high-end art does get stolen. It gets stolen quite often. The art market is about $60 billion, and the FBI, we estimated about $6 to $8 billion of that is illicit, whether it’s theft or fakes and forgeries. It’s a tremendous market, but it’s mostly second and third tier items. [26:02] Really valuable, well-known pieces. They do get stolen, but that’s the easy part. The easy part is stealing it. The hard part is monetizing it. That’s why you very rarely see recidivism among art thieves, high-end art thieves, because you do it once, and now you’re stuck with the thing. It’s easier to steal something else. You got to go out and boost fur coats and stuff to make a living. Exactly. Do a jewelry store robbery down there and make a living. And that’s exactly the point. That’s why you’re seeing a sea change in terms of art thefts, museum thefts. The Louvre was a great example of that. Dresden green vault robbery where 100 million euros in gems were stolen back in 2019 yeah. [26:45] Gems and jewelry, it can be broken down. It’s going to greatly diminish their value, but you can recut a gem. You can melt down the setting. You can monetize it for a greatly diminished value, but at least you can monetize it. You can’t cut up a Rembrandt into smaller pieces. [27:02] It’s only valuable as a whole complete piece. Yeah. I’m just thinking about that. We got a couple of guys, Jerry Scalise and Art Rachel in Chicago, flew to London, robbed a really valuable piece, the Lady Churchill’s diamond or something, I don’t remember, but really valuable piece and mailed it to somebody on their way to the airport and then got caught when they got back to Chicago and brought back to London and did 14 years in England and they never gave up that piece and nobody could, it never appeared anywhere, but it was just cut up and they didn’t make hardly any money off of it. Yeah. Look, there’s a, there’s much more profitable ways to. Yeah. To make an illicit living than stealing high-end artwork, but it does still get stolen. And that’s one of the cruel ironies when you’re talking about art theft is if somebody has a $20,000 piece of jewelry or a very expensive watch, they’re most likely going to lock it up in a safe in their bedroom or something. But you have a $10 million piece of artwork, you probably got it on the mantle. You’ve got it over the fireplace or in the front foyer of your house and probably doesn’t have a passive alarm system protecting it or security screws to keep it from being taken off the wall because people want to show it off. Yeah. It’s way too enticing. [28:24] Really? So, yes, you need to keep the word out there and keep this in people’s minds. And I’m sure the museum tries to do this in some ways in order, hopefully, that maybe somebody will say, oh. Yeah. [28:38] I think I saw that somewhere in this news program or on this podcast. [28:42] I’ll put some pictures on the podcast when I end up editing this. No, please do, Kerry. And that’s the thing. That’s the basis for the title of my book is it really is a fugitive investigation. And that’s how I work this case is fugitives and perfect fugitives because they’re not like their human counterparts. They’re not going to get tripped up on the silly things that we need to do as human beings, getting a driver’s license or whatnot. Yeah. [29:09] And so that’s how I worked the case. The FBI was really, I was always impressed with the FBI’s support that they gave me on this investigation. We did billboard campaigns and social media and a lot of things to get these images out there to the public, hoping it might resonate with somebody. And that’s really my goal for this book. I felt it should be written. I felt it’s an important case. Certainly, it’s something that I wanted to write about. It’s something that’s very important to me. [29:42] But it’s yet another attempt to apprehend these fugitives. And I’m hopeful that somebody, it might resonate with somebody. Somebody’s going to see something. And there’s so much disinformation and misinformation that’s out there in the media about this case. People are endlessly, all these armchair detectives, and I don’t say it in a deprecating way. Good for them. Work as hard as you can. But if you want to work this case from your armchair, great. but you should be going off accurate information because there’s a lot of bad information that’s out there on the internet. And if you want to help out, if you want to collect that $10 million reward, great, but you should be going off the most accurate factual information that’s available. Yeah. And you probably ought to go down to the deep seamy underbelly of Philadelphia or Boston or somewhere and get involved with a mob and then work your way up and make different cocaine deals and everything. And eventually you might be trusted enough that some might say, oh yeah, I’ve got those in this basement. I would suggest there’s better hobbies. [30:47] That could be hazardous to your health. I wouldn’t recommend it. Yes, it could. All right. Jeffrey Kelly, the book is 13 Perfect Tuesdays. Those are the paintings that were stolen that you’ll see on the podcast on the YouTube channel. The true story of the mob, murder, and the world’s largest art heist. Jeffrey, thanks so much for coming on to tell us about this. Thanks, Gary. Thanks for having me.

Brought to you by J.C. Newman Cigar Co.- On this episode, Matt Booth returns to the show and while we talk a little about cigars, Booth controls the conversation and discusses certain methods of stress release and the "troupes" that may accompany them as well as very specific historical artifacts from the Napoleonic times...this show is going to keep you entertained. Tune in now! Visit smokintabacco.com for more news, reviews and updates from the industry! Visit 2GuysCigars.com for the best selection of in the industry! Accessories provided by S.T. Dupont - Shake Up the Legacy with S.T. Dupont! Perdomo Cigars: Quality, Tradition, and Excellence! Gurkha Cigars: More than a cigar. A symbol of respect, gratitude, and legacy Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust: Cigars Without Compromise Nova Cigar: Make Nova Big!

The Battle of Bautzen (May 20–21, 1813) – Napoleon's Hard-Fought Victory in the War of the Sixth CoalitionIn today's episode, special guest Jonas de Neef breaks down the Battle of Bautzen, one of the most intense and strategically intriguing clashes of the 1813 campaign. Fought after Napoleon's retreat from Russia, Bautzen saw the Emperor attempt to crush the combined Prussian & Russian armies under Blücher and Wittgenstein. Despite a tactical French victory, the battle failed to deliver the decisive blow Napoleon desperately needed.We explore:Napoleon's strategy and the movements leading to BautzenKey commanders: Napoleon, Ney, Soult, Oudinot, Blücher, and WittgensteinThe brutal two-day fightNey's missed opportunity that allowed the Allies to escapeCasualties, consequences, and how Bautzen shaped the rest of the 1813 campaignPerfect for fans of Napoleonic history, military strategy, and anyone following the War of the Sixth Coalition.

In this episode from Highclere Castle, I sit down with Nick Hopton to talk about his book, "Marma Mia," which begins as the story of buying and restoring a holiday house in an unspoiled part of Tuscany, the Maremma and becomes a wider family and personal journey. Nick shares how reading "A Year in Provence" during COVID while he was British Ambassador to Libya helped inspire him to write a feel-good book that encourages readers to discover lesser-known regions. We discuss his Foreign Office career and his approach to languages, including learning Arabic across postings such as Morocco, Yemen, Qatar and Libya, along with French, Italian, Spanish, some German, and some Farsi ahead of becoming ambassador to Iran after the 2015 nuclear deal and the reopening of the British embassy. Nick explains how a friend's suggestion to look beyond Chianti led serendipitously to the first house they viewed and ultimately boughtalongside the realities of renovating abroad: high costs, practical challenges, and the highs and lows of making a place work for family life. We also talk about his unexpected love of landscaping and working with a skilled digger operator he calls “Michelangelo,” the region's food, wine, local olive oil and its strong Tuscan accent. Nick recounts a memorable moment when a friend arrived with an armed escort and the town's mayor turned out to greet them, and he updates me on ongoing projects, including drilling a 97-meter well to reach a fresh aquifer. Looking ahead, Nick describes writing best in the relative isolation of the Italian house and shares his interest in writing more broadly about the Mediterranean, linked to his role creating a new program at the University of Cambridge Centre for Geopolitics. We touch on the Napoleonic history of the area, including the principality of Piombino and Lucca and Napoleon's sister Elisa and end with a playful question about a dream dance guest Nick chooses Dante's Beatrice, reflecting his early love of Dante's poetry and its lifelong influence.00:00 Meet Nick Hopton & the book ‘Marma Mia' (restoring a house in Italy)00:50 Inspired by ‘A Year in Provence': writing a feel-good travel memoir during COVID01:59 Diplomatic life & learning languages: Arabic, French, Italian (and more)04:26 Why you should speak the local language (even with bad grammar)05:17 Falling for Tuscany's Maremma: the serendipitous house-buying story07:42 Renovation reality: highs, lows, and why the Maremma stays authentic08:44 Landscaping obsession: diggers, Kubotas, and ‘Michelangelo' the operator11:05 Food, wine & dialect: tomatoes, olive oil, and the Tuscan accent12:49 Small-town surprises: the ambassador friend visit and the mayor's welcome13:43 The work never ends: is the villa project ever really finished?14:01 Digging a 97m Well & the Never-Ending House Project14:27 What's Next After the Book: A Wider Mediterranean Focus14:58 Seeing the Mediterranean Holistically (Cambridge Geopolitics & Trade Routes)16:26 Duff Cooper, John Julius Norwich & Highclere's Colorful Guests17:20 Writing Habits: Tuscany, Isolation, Rhythm & Beating Procrastination18:37 Italy, Maremma & Napoleonic History: Elisa and the Principality of Piombino and Lucca20:30 Diplomatic Postings & Reopening the UK Embassy in Iran (2015)23:09 Iran Today: Regime Weakness, Protests, and a Hope to Visit the Cradle of Civilization24:21 Highclere's Library, the Book Club, and a Shared Love of Italy25:27 Finale: The Summer Dance Fantasy Guest—Dante, Beatrice & Vita NovaYou can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/New episodes are published on the first day of every month.

The US State Department advised its citizens in Northern Mexico to ‘shelter in place', as the cartels took their reprisals, following a major Mexican security forces operation against gang kingpin El Mencho - and then another called El Tuli. It's all LOL, until you realise that this is just the start. By targeting the cartels, the US has poked a hornet's nest; And the hornets are on cocaine. Meanwhile - have you paid a US steel tariff in recent months? Was it over 30%? If so, you could be due a refund. Just dial 1-800-WHITE HOUSE to see if you may be eligible. The Supreme Court acknowledged that sorting out the tariffs strike-down would be ‘a complete mess'. But after the mess, the reckoning: deep down, this is a story about the US balance of payments. Finally, Christine Lagarde is stepping down from the ECB. Emmanuel Macron' s Napoleonic pincer movement is that this frees the way for a Lagarde Presidential Run – and stops a National Rally government from appointing its own bank governor in 2028. But with these kinds of cynical machinations now effectively running the European elite, the entire Centrist establishment may be embarking on its Russia Campaign. All of this. Coming up. For premium subscribers. That's right - it's premium week. If you're not a premium subscriber, you can sign up on our new Metternich Tier on Patreon, for eight dollars, pounds or Euros a month. patreon.com/multipolarityFor clarity, we should point out that founder subscribers still on the old Palmerston tier will stay at $5 a month. For anyone else, try it once, you won't regret it. And you can cancel any time. And if you like visual Multipolarity, you can always check us out on Substack, where we're expanding our output with a weekly Multipolarity Briefing every Tuesday. multipolaritypod.substack.com

1804. October... November... December... three months in which the ruler of France completes his transition from Buonaparte to the Emperor Napoleon... the British seize three Spanish treasure ships, prompting a declaration of war from Madrid... and in India there's success for the British, continuing the downward slide of the Marathas. This is episode 52 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which the country of Charlemagne once again has an emperor on its throne.[05:45] - Headline developments[11:45] - Adam Zamoyski on the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon[38:00] - David Andress on Britain in 1804, its seizure of Spanish treasure ships and Spain's declaration of war[1:03:15] - Josh Provan on the Holkar War, the British in India and the end of the Second Anglo-Maratha WarAdam Zamoyski on the Napoleonic soap opera: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/ADAM-ZAMOYSKI-on-the-Napoleonic-soap-opera/B0G1HWMBH6Indian soldiers and the British Empire: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/indian-soldiers-and-the-british-empire-w-ravindra-rathee/id1547058446?i=1000696386813Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

While Napoleon's armies fought brilliant battles across Spain and Portugal, their greatest enemy wasn't always the British or the guerrillas — it was logistics.Supplying tens of thousands of soldiers across rugged mountains, scorched plains, and hostile territory tested the limits of Napoleonic warfare. Food shortages, broken supply lines, and guerrilla ambushes made every march a struggle for survival.In this video, special guest & author Gareth Glover will tell us

Liam Gauci of the Malta Maritime Museum is joined by Phillip Cuccia and Konstantine Peradze to discuss the complex history of the Barbary States, their war with the United States and their broader impact on the Napoleonic Wars.In this episode you'll hear:The 'Pirate' vs 'Privateer' debate: The panel dives into whether the Barbary States' seafaring activities should be considered piracy or state-sanctioned privateering, highlighting the political and legal complexities of the time.The US Navy's First Major Combat Encounter: A detailed look at the fierce 1804 close-combat in Tripoli, including Stephen Decatur's daring actions and the dramatic destruction of the USS Philadelphia.Personal Stories from the Mediterranean: Listeners hear about fascinating characters, like a Maltese who switched allegiances multiple times, and the roles played by Georgians and other Mediterranean peoples in these shifting alliances.How the Barbary Wars Shaped American Naval Policy: The episode explains how attacks by the Barbary corsairs prompted the young United States to invest in building a powerful navy, influencing both US politics and military priorities.Behind-the-Scenes Diplomacy and Local Perspectives: There's rich discussion around diplomatic efforts, ransom negotiations, and the constant need for resources in the Barbary States, tying in broader Mediterranean and Napoleonic geopolitics.Help us produce more episodes by supporting the Napoleonic Quarterly on Patreon: patreon.com/napoleonicquarterly

A suburban husband who never wanted to attend a séance discovers he's the rarest kind of medium — and a dead Napoleonic soldier discovers he's the perfect host. | #RetroRadio EP0577CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Sensitive” (April 05, 1977) ***WD00:45:09.178 = Dark Venture, “Miser” (December 09, 1946)01:14:14.478 = The Weird Circle, “Tapestry Horse” (January 28, 1945) 01:41:55.787 = The Whistler, “Death Walks a Tight-Wire” (November 27, 1944) ***WD02:11:38.801 = Witch's Tale, “Suicide” (January 22, 1937) ***WD02:36:54.262 = X Minus One, “The Last Martian” (August 07, 1956)03:05:33.811 = Zero Hour, “Scream of the Hawk” (May 01, 1974) ***WD03:22:49.720 = ABC Mystery Time, “Death Walked In” (1956-1957) ***WD03:46:50.922 = Appointment With Fear, “The Speaking Clock” (April 13, 1944)04:14:14.434 = BBC Radio 4, “The Almond Tree” (December 2010)04:42:48.009 = The Black Book, “My Favorite Corpse” (February 24, 1952) ***WD04:57:15.348 = Show Close(ADU) = Air Date Unknown(LQ) = Low Quality***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music LibraryABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.= = = = =#ParanormalRadio #ScienceFiction #OldTimeRadio #OTR #OTRHorror #ClassicRadioShows #HorrorRadioShows #VintageRadioDramas #WeirdDarknessCUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0577

Is there anything gayer than two straight men? Arguably no, and we have watched a movie that makes that case loud and clear. Join Milo, Phoebe and Pat as they analyse a movie about two Napoleonic cavalry officers who would literally do anything to each other except kiss. Get this full episode on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/148524651?pr=true Follow us on socials here: https://linktr.ee/mastersofpod See Milo on tour here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/liveshows

Join BeFluent - https://bit.ly/3PnVR6uМало кто знает, что «Война и мир» начиналась совершенно не как роман о войне. Few people know that War and Peace did not begin as a novel about war at all.Первоначально Толстой собирался писать книгу о декабристах, которые вернулись из ссылки в 1856 году. Originally, Tolstoy planned to write a book about the Decembrists who returned from exile in 1856.Он хотел создать историю о человеке, который пережил каторгу, вернулся домой и пытается заново войти в общество. He wanted to create a story about a man who had survived hard labor, returned home, and was trying to re-enter society.Для этого Толстой начал изучать прошлое героев — их молодость. To do this, Tolstoy began studying the past of his characters—their youth.Так появилась потребность описать события начала XIX века. This is how the need arose to describe the events of the early nineteenth century.Но когда Толстой начал писать предысторию, она быстро разрослась. But when Tolstoy started writing the backstory, it quickly expanded.Его интерес к эпохе Наполеона стал настолько сильным, что план полностью изменился. His interest in the Napoleonic era became so strong that the entire plan changed.Роман про декабристов «отодвинулся», а на его месте возник гигантский проект — «Война и мир». The novel about the Decembrists was pushed aside, and in its place emerged a gigantic project—War and Peace.Толстой работал над книгой почти шесть лет. Tolstoy worked on the book for almost six years.Он переписывал её несколько раз полностью, менял сюжетные линии, убирал и добавлял целые главы. He rewrote it several times from beginning to end, changed plotlines, and removed and added entire chapters.Например, Пьер Безухов в ранних версиях был совсем не таким мягким и философским. For example, Pierre Bezukhov in early versions was not nearly as gentle or philosophical.А Наташа Ростова сначала была второстепенным персонажем. And Natasha Rostova was originally a secondary character.Толстой изучал сотни источников: письма солдат, архивы, описания битвы при Бородине, мемуары французских офицеров. Tolstoy studied hundreds of sources: soldiers' letters, archives, descriptions of the Battle of Borodino, memoirs of French officers.Он лично ездил на места боёв, ходил по полям, спрашивал стариков, что они помнят о войне. He personally traveled to the battle sites, walked across the fields, and asked elderly people what they remembered about the war.Интересный факт: многие историки поначалу критиковали Толстого за то, что он «слишком свободно» обращается с фактами. An interesting fact: many historians initially criticized Tolstoy for handling historical facts “too freely.”Позже оказалось, что он был удивительно точным. Later, it turned out that he was remarkably accurate.Его объяснение военных ошибок Наполеона до сих пор считают одним из самых глубоких художественных анализов той кампании. His explanation of Napoleon's military mistakes is still considered one of the deepest artistic analyses of that campaign.Так роман, который должен был быть о декабристе, стал одной из самых знаменитых книг мира. Thus, a novel that was meant to be about a Decembrist became one of the most famous books in the world.Telegram Channel - https://t.me/befluentinrussian

Discover the dramatic story of Napoleon Bonaparte's state funeral and the return of his remains to France in 1840, nearly two decades after his death on Saint Helena. Special guest Charles Mackay joins us to explores the political symbolism, the public reaction, and the elaborate procession that accompanied the Emperor's final journey through Paris to Les Invalides.Learn why King Louis-Philippe agreed to bring Napoleon home, how French citizens responded, and what the funeral meant for Napoleon's legacy in French history.

If you thought the recent theft of the Napoleonic jewels from the Louvre was audacious then just wait for what I have in store for you today because it is one of the biggest, and I mean that literally, the biggest, art thefts in the Louvre's history. Today we are looking at Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana, a dazzling masterpiece that once filled an entire wall of the monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, and was proudly displayed there for more than two centuries, from its completion in 1563 until 1797 when French troops unceremoniously tore it from the wall, rolled it up and shipped it to Paris.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/panamepodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe has experienced warfare and violence at a scale most Americans can't fathom. As a result, countless millions of rounds of artillery, some of which is still buried in the earth poses a clear a present danger to 21st century citizens.Berten's job is to detect unexploded ordnance so that roads and buildings can be safely constructed. In the course of locating these dangerous implements of war, OTHER historic items and battlefield relics are discovered.As a result, Berten is often the first to detect these lost landscapes of battlefields that go back to Napoleonic times! Listen in as he talks about some of these historical sites and how some of them relate to veterans featured on The Warrior Next Door Podcast!Support the show

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick delves into the institutional failures of the Imperial Russian Army in the critical decade before World War I. Drawing from the essay collection Reforming the Tsar's Army, we explore how the disastrous defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 shook the foundations of Tsarist power.We examine the struggle between military modernizers like General N.P. Mikhnevich, who sought to adapt to the new realities of machine guns and trenches, and traditionalists who clung to the Napoleonic dictum of "bayonets before bullets." Why did the Russian General Staff fail to develop a coherent doctrine for modern warfare? And how did this structural incompetence pave the way for the catastrophes of 1914?Key Topics:The Shock of 1905: How defeat by Japan exposed the rot in the Tsarist military.The General Staff Debate: The clash between modernizers and the old guard over the role of staff officers.Mikhnevich's Survey: A rare moment of candor where officers admitted their training was "thoroughly inadequate."Structural Incompetence: Why individual bravery couldn't overcome a failure to understand modern industrial warfare.Books Mentioned:Reforming the Tsar's Army: Military Innovation in Imperial Russia from Peter the Great to the Revolution edited by David Schimmelpenninck van der Oye and Bruce W. Menning.Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Beau chats to the masterful Apostolic Majesty all about the life, times and career of Charles Talleyrand, one of the most pivotal figures in French history during the revolution, the entire Napoleonic era, and the post Napoleonic era. A political survivor of the very highest calibre; a truly remarkable man.

Greg Jenner is joined in 19th-century France by historian Professor Olivette Otele and comedian Celya AB to learn about acclaimed novelist Alexandre Dumas.Alexandre was born to an innkeeper's daughter and a legendary Black general who fought for Napoleon. After his father's death the family grew up in rural poverty, but after a visit to Paris as a teenager, Dumas fell in love with the city and its theatre. Using his father's connections he found a job there and was soon a successful playwright, before turning his attention to novels. He was a prolific author, writing such blockbusters as The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Christo. But amidst the writing, Dumas also found plenty of time for romantic dalliances, political entanglements, and global travel. This episode explores his extraordinary life and the incredible works of literature he created, set against the turbulent background of French politics in the years after the Napoleonic wars.This is a radio edit of the original podcast episode. For the full-length version, please look further back in the feed.Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Emma Bentley Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars