Napoleon is simultaneously one of the most well-known and most misunderstood figures in Western history. He has been portrayed as both the ultimate romantic hero and the most despicable war-mongering dictator. Napoleon's life is riddled with legends, exaggerations, lies, and many unbelievable-but-true events! Has Napoleon become more of a myth than a man? Tu ... Show More
Apr 14
Bonus Episode - Minor Miners, Activist Entertainers, and Spanish Painters
In this bonus episode Sebastian takes question from the listeners about the recent episodes on Henry Box Brown and Snow White. First, we hear some comments from a listener in Iceland who wanted to weigh in on the North American Vikings. Then Sebastian unpacks some tricky question ... Show More
35m 2s
Mar 24
Episode #247 - Was Box Brown Magically Emancipated?
One of the most celebrated stories from the Underground Railroad is that of Henry Box Brown, the man who mailed himself to freedom. In 1849 Henry Brown successfully had himself shipped out of slavery in a packing crate from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Brown ... Show More
1h 29m
Nov 2023
Vive la révolution, Vive L’Empereur: The Mixed Legacy of Napoleon (Part I)
<p>This week we had our long time comrade and resident France expert, Matthew, back on the show to talk about the mixed legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte. Was Napoleon a force for progress or the death of the revolution? <br/><br/>The answer is yes. <br/><br/><b>Revolutionary Figures: ... Show More
57m 57s
Dec 2023
Napoleon in Egypt (with Grey History Podcast)
In 1798, an army of soldiers and scientists invaded Egypt. At their head, the young general Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Expedition had an enormous impact on Egypt's political history, and Egyptology as a field of scholarly inquiry. Remarkable discoveries, and dedicated study, ... Show More
1h 46m
May 2016
Episode #21 - How Do You Explain Joan of Arc? (Part I)
The story of how Joan of Arc, an unassuming peasant girl, became the leader of French armies is one of the most dramatic in all of European history. In many ways Joan's biography can read like a fairytale, or like the classic hero's journey. As you might imagine it is a story tha ... Show More
44m 25s
May 2018
Napoleon Bonaparte Was Attacked by Bunnies -- And Lost
Born in Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte rose from obscurity during the French Revolution, crowning himself Emperor of France in 1804. This brilliant, ruthless tactician changed the course of French history. Despite his meteoric rise and bloodied fall, Bonaparte still needed to grab l ... Show More
35m 36s