The inimitable Professor Beatrice de Graaf returns for a deep and complex discussion about diplomatic history, the history of empire, and its controversies. We also discuss cheese in Stasi archives, and why washing machines get in the way of dinner parties. Beatrice's book: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/fighting-terror-after-napoleon/D1167BDE10A23C749B0490D6D9A7B6C7 Our socials, newsletters, and shop: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod...
Dec 30, 2024•1 hr 28 min
Matthew Taylor joins us for the first part of a long-anticipated and fascinating interview on the subject of his first book: The Corps of Colonial Marines, aka 'The Black Redcoats'. Matt's book: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Black-Redcoats-Hardback/p/49346 Check out our socials, join our mailing list or browse our shop at: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod
Dec 28, 2024•1 hr 20 min
Kate Jamieson returns as we continue our mini-series on the life of Horatio Nelson. In this instalment we talk about losing eyes in Calvi, meeting Emma Hamilton for the first time, and Nelson getting lairy at the Battle of Cape St Vincent and deciding to do his own thing. Join our mailing list, and browse our shop at: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod
Dec 26, 2024•1 hr 23 min
The Don of the Napoleonic historical community joins us for the first of our festive 'In Conversation' episodes, as we discuss why the global perspective is so integral to our understanding of what was going on during the Napoleonic Wars. Alex's book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-napoleonic-wars-9780199951062?cc=gb&lang=en& Our social media, shop and mailing list: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Josh Provan returns as we reprise our deep-dive discussions of the Peninsular War. The British are a banned topic of conversation in this one (although we do end up accidentally mentioning them several times along the way as we explore the Battle of Bailen - one of the most important battles of the early phase of the Peninsular War, which doesn't get nearly enough attention. Buy Josh's books at https://www.helion.co.uk/search-results.php Join our mailing list, follow our social media accounts, a...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 27 min
Beatrice de Graaf and Alex Mikaberidze return to this show, to discuss the implications and impact of the Peninsular War on the wider situation across Europe with a particular focus on 1808-10, considering whether the conflict was a sideshow, the extent to which Napoleon blundered, and why there are surprising echoes with modern times. Review this show on Apple Podcasts! Please, and thank you! Our social media and merch: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod...
Dec 22, 2024•1 hr 31 min
In the next of our festival instalments, we dive back into food history but this time with a seasonal twist. Rebecca Earle returns to guide us on matters culinary and Christmassy, stupefies us with potato trivia and shares a Christmas drink recipe you can make for yourself! Check out Rebecca's research at https://rebeccaearle.co.uk/news/ Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod Check out our merch at https://napoleonic-wars-podcast.printify.me/products Sign up to our ma...
Dec 21, 2024•1 hr 5 min
How did people celebrate the festive season in the early nineteenth century? Have we really lost the true meaning of Christmas? And would Sharpe recognise an Argos catalogue? All this (and so much more) is answered by our very own expert in the history of Christmas: Generalistimo Luke Reynolds. Follow the podcast, join our mailing list, and browse our shop at: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min
What motivated people to serve in the 18th century? Why was the term mercenary less loaded during that period? And what's with all the lace? Andrew Dorman and Alex Burns return in another instalment in our series on the 18th century way of war. Our socials, patreon and mailing list: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod Alex's next book: https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/infantry-in-battle-1733-1783-.php...
Dec 15, 2024•1 hr 33 min
Kevin Linch returns in the latest instalment of our series on the British army, as we focus on the question of reform. We look at how much changed, who was responsible, the successes and failures of that process, and the role of factional rivalries in holding up the march of progress. Kevin's book: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-British-Army-17831815-Hardback/p/24416 Georgian Army Officers database: https://www.georgianarmyofficers.org Our socials, mailing and shop: https://linktr.ee/napwar...
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr 27 min
David Lambert joins us in the first instalment of a series looking at life in Caribbean during the Napoleonic era. In this episode we discuss why the British chose to wage war in the Caribbean, the challenges they faced, and why the region mattered so much in the context of the period. David's book: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/soldiers-of-uncertain-rank/4E5D4B9A87063FE7E12A8A1863B3BE71 Follow the podcast, join our mailing list, and browse our shop at: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Trenton Cole Jones returns as we once again cross the Atlantic to put the American Revolution under the spotlight. Only today we actually get to talking about POWs, addressing who they were, what their stories were and why they matter. Find out more about Trenton's work at https://www.cla.purdue.edu/directory/profiles/t.-cole-jones.html Check out our new merch at https://napoleonic-wars-podcast.printify.me/products Support out work at https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod Sign up ...
Dec 08, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Miriam Leibman joins us to explain why women weren't just sitting at home knitting when there was diplomatic work to be done on behalf of the fledgling USA. Socials, mailing list and more content at https://linktr.ee/napwarspod
Dec 06, 2024•1 hr 21 min
Who says men get all the fun? This is a genuinely important episode in which the patriarchy gets an absolute kicking, as an all star cast of female historians (Kate Jamieson, Beatrice de Graaf, Jacqueline Reiter and Rachael Stark), make the case for an all star cast of female figures in Napoleonic history (championing Emma Hamilton, Dorothea von Lieven Mary Wollstonecraft and Empress Josephine respectively). This one starts as a 'greatest woman of the Napoleonic era' debate, and descends into im...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 38 min
Malcolm Crook joins Zack and Josh to talk about the troubled birth of democracy in France, and why democracy is something that doesn't really exist in this period. Our socials, patreon and mailing list: https://linktr.ee/napwarspod
Dec 01, 2024•1 hr 8 min
How did the people of the Napoleonic period feed themselves? How did the captains of the Napoleonic period feed their sailors? And how were the enslaved people of the Napoleonic period, themselves satisfying Europe's sweet-tooth, kept alive by what they ate? All this and more is the topic of the day as food history superstar Rebecca Earle joins Zack and Josh on today's culinary adventure back in time... You can check out Rebecca's work here, including her brilliant book about the history of the ...
Nov 27, 2024•1 hr 21 min
In the second instalment of the series, Kevin Linch returns to talk about the politics behind how the British Army operated, the role of the king, and turmoil of the regency, and the implications of Britain's global mindset on how the army went about its business. Georgian Army officers database: https://www.georgianarmyofficers.org Buy Kevin's book: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-British-Army-17831815-Hardback/p/24416...
Nov 24, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Emma MacLeod returns for the second instalment of the double bill on women and patriotism in Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. We talk about the shifts in mood over Britain's involvement in the war, how women were an equally energetic discussant of politics, and the implications of all of this on a wider scale. Read about Emma's research and find information on how to buy her books here: https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/255910#panel_1_3 Browse our new lines of merchandise at: https://napoleonic-w...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 13 min
What happens when you have prisoners of war, yet neither side is willing to acknowledge the legitimacy of the others' combatants? This was precisely the problem at play during the American War of Independence/Revolution. Award winning historian Trenton Cole Jones joins Zack and the Beau to explore this knotty problem, whilst Zack speculates that this conflict was the American Civil War 0.5, English Civil War 2.0 and British Civil War (no, we have no idea either!). Find out more about Trenton's w...
Nov 17, 2024•1 hr 19 min
Who was Napoleon's greatest marshal? The final heat of the series examining Napoleon's best and brightest commanders features a series of underdogs, as pitches are heard for Oudinot, Poniatowski, Grouchy and Marmont. Who will triumph, and claim the final semi-final places? Support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod Check out our merch at https://napoleonic-wars-podcast.printify.me/products...
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Steve Brown joins us to discuss what it took to command within the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. We explore a wide range of issues including their social structure, advancement and the pressures due to atritional losses. Steve Brown - Biography | Helion & Company | Military History Books
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 9 min
In the first instalment of a new series on the show, we explore the nature of warfare in the 18th century, as we endeavour to understand the origins and impacts of key themes, ideas and trends that straddle the 1750-1820 period. Guests Andrew Dorman, Alex Burns and Robbie MacNiven help us probe into the myths of conflict during the period. Buy Alex's book: https://www.helion.co.uk/people/alexander-s-burns.php?sid=a3102760a9f413f6c3bfded3ceefb79b Check out our new merch: https://napoleonic-wars-p...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Amidst the upheavals of the Napoleonic era, European music was undergoing a profound transformation of its own. Today, Christopher Kimbell talks us through key developments in Western art music during the age of Napoleon. And Zack exposes himself as a Swiftie. Christopher Kimbell's brand new book can be found here!: https://www.routledge.com/Tradition-Community-and-Nationhood-in-Richard-Wagners-Die-Meistersinger-von-Nurnberg/Kimbell/p/book/9781032390321?srsltid=AfmBOopVbKYeQw4xXzSuguMeruQ_oNdC4K...
Nov 03, 2024•1 hr 8 min
The Podcast’s Quartermaster Liam Telfer joins Zack to unveil a new line of apparel that will put your lace-clad friends to shame. We talk about why we’ve chosen to embark on this sartorial adventure, the joys of modelling merch in a balmy Waterloo dawn, and Zack goes off on a bizarre anecdote about battlefield dogs (don't ask - we edited most of it out!). Buy our merchandise at: https://napoleonic-wars-podcast.printify.me/products Contact the show at napwarspod@gmail.com...
Nov 01, 2024•36 min
How was the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars formulated? In the first instalment of a many part series we sit down with Dr Kevin Linch, a leading expert in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. We talk about how the army is formulated at a constitutional and political level, and the impact this had for how the army operated. Buy Kevin's book The British Army, 1783-1815 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-British-Army-17831815-Hardback/p/24416 Access the British Officers database at:...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Who was the sickly boy who would go on to become the darling of British naval history? Kate Jamieson returns to talk about the early years of the career of Horatio Nelson, exploring the patronage, the ability, and the hugely contentious question of whether he was a supporter of slavery. Exciting new merch available at https://napoleonic-wars-podcast.printify.me/products Support out work at https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod...
Oct 27, 2024•1 hr 24 min
What did patriotism look like in a country that was still trying to define what it stood for? And how could you express devotion to your country, when you weren't allowed to express a political opinion? Dr Emma Macleod joins us to talk about how women could engage with patriotism in the first instalment of a wide ranging double-bill. Read about Emma's research and find information on how to buy her books here: https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/255910#panel_1_3 Browse our new lines of merchandise at:...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Was it possible to fire four rounds a minute with a musket, like it was claimed in Sharpe? We put the myth to test with re-enactor Liam Telfer. Support out work at https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod
Oct 21, 2024•11 min
Andrew Lyter joins us to explore the careers of black pilots serving with HMS Poictiers during the War of 1812 and how they leveraged their vital knowledge to carve out identities as free maritime professionals. Sailors, Ships and Sea Fights | From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815 | Helion & Company...
Oct 20, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Why was Antwerp so significant during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars? Paul Leyland joins us to talk about how and why Antwerp became so strategically important to all sides, it's affect on naval policy and it's legacy. Support our work at The Napoleonic Wars Podcast | creating a Napoleonic era Podcast, Youtube show & fan community | Patreon
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min
