Prof Emeritus Alan Forrest of the University of York, biographer of Napoleon, is back in conversation with Alex Stevenson to give his appraisal of imperial France as it was in 1804-05. Featuring -

• France’s shift from revolutionary chaos to Napoleonic stability in 1804-1805, with the rise of executive power and curtailment of parliamentary influence.

• Ongoing security threats and conspiracies from both Jacobins and royalists, including assassination plots and political purges.

• The challenges and social impact of conscription, causing widespread resentment, draft dodging, and community resistance.

• Transformation of the French economy and society under the pressures of renewed war, British blockade, and loss of overseas colonies.

• The emergence of new administrative strengths and legal reforms, alongside the growing reach of centralized state authority into everyday life.

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1804. January… February… March… Three months in which Napoleon acts ruthlessly by abducting and killing a royalist figurehead... Both Haiti and Louisiana face momentous questions about their future... And in the forested, rugged terrain of the Balkans, a figure called Karadjordje rises to challenge the Ottomans. This is episode 49 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which the murderous shedding of more royal blood sends shockwaves across Europe.

[15:18] - Headline developments

[34:30] - Peter Kastor on the Louisiana Purchase and Haiti

[58:50] - Alan Forrest on the Cadoudal plot, the abduction of the Duc D'Enghien and the conspiracists mindset

[1:19:20] - Michael Talbot on Karadjordje and the Serbian uprising

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April 1796 - time for another critical chapter in the young Napoleon Bonaparte's legendary Italian campaign, brought to you once again by our Battlefield Despatches dream team. Clemens Bemmann presents; Rick Schneid is our battlefield correspondent; John Gill is with the Austrian command; and Graeme Callister is on Bonaparte's staff to provide the French perspective.

Maps x2 can be found here.

Produced by Alex Stevenson, with audio editing support from Sam Loose.

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Bernie Campbell is joined by Rachel Blackman-Rogers of King's College London and Olivier Aranda of the University of Western Brittany to discuss naval strategy in the Mediterranean theatre in the 1790s, with a particular emphasis on the Battle of the Nile.

• The episode explores the strategic importance of the Mediterranean for both France and Britain during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods, particularly focusing on the lead-up to the French invasion of Egypt and the Battle of the Nile. It highlights how each nation’s naval priorities shifted over the 1790s depending on political alliances and military objectives.

• Olivier Aranda explains the French dilemma of having to split their naval forces between the Atlantic and Mediterranean, and how this dual-front created both opportunities and problems for the French navy. The discussion contrasts the fortunes of France’s Mediterranean (Toulon) and Atlantic (Brest) fleets, illustrating the divergent outcomes and strategic thinking.

• Rachel Blackman-Rogers provides insight into British strategy, emphasizing the significance of trade, power projection, and political influence in the Mediterranean. The episode also discusses Britain’s reliance on bases, alliances with smaller regional powers, and the critical impact of controlling Mediterranean routes for economic and diplomatic reasons.

• Both speakers detail the roles and shifting alliances of other Mediterranean powers—such as Spain, Naples, Venice, the Ottoman Empire, and the Barbary States—influencing French and British strategies. The complexity of these ever-shifting diplomatic relationships is shown to be a constant challenge for both major powers.

• The consequences of the Battle of the Nile are examined in terms of their profound impact on French and British strategic options. The destruction of the French fleet isolated Napoleon in Egypt, shifted the naval initiative firmly to Britain, and set the stage for changing coalitions and further military campaigns in the region.

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Yes, it's the planning meeting once again - this is the third go in our festival of bureaucracy, the critical discussion which sees us sort out what each of our main episodes should include as topics for their three segments. The years 1804 and 1805 are exciting times for the podcast, as we actually hit the Napoleonic Wars proper. All roads lead to the fabled episode 56, covering the final quarter of 1805...

Alex Stevenson hands over the presenting reins to Josh Provan, whilst Alex Mikaberidze and Rick Schneid (in Charles' absence) lead the debate about what we should include.

Spoiler: we are going to talk about Austerlitz. And Trafalgar. Not in that order.

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1803. October… November… December… Three months in which French forces wave the white flag on Saint-Domingue... In Washington the Louisiana Purchase gets a green light from Congress - without working out the detail... And in India a series of defeats for the Marathas force Scindia to the negotiating table. This is episode 48 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months in which the Haitian Revolution finally reaches its culmination.

[11.10] - Headline developments

[32.30] - Marlene Daut on independence for Haiti

[53.50] - Peter Kastor on the Louisiana Purchase

[1.20.00] - Ravindra Rathee on India, the Treaty of Deogaon and the end of the Second Anglo-Maratha War

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This episode offers a deep dive into the pivotal Battle of Assaye fought on September 23, 1803, a clash that shaped British dominance in India and forged the reputation of Arthur Wellesley—better known to history as the Duke of Wellington. Host Clemens Bemmann welcomes a special panel to explore the campaign, armies, personalities, and chaos that defined one of the most dramatic battles on the Indian subcontinent during the Napoleonic era. Josh Provan is the battlefield correspondent; Zack White is the East India Company expert; Andy Copestake is the Maratha army expert. Featuring:

• The Maratha Confederacy: European mercenaries, regular brigades, and command struggles

• British Army composition: The rise of Arthur Wellesley, Indian sepoys, and logistical prowess

• Lead-up to Assaye: The Treaty of Bassein, Maratha-British diplomacy, and campaign maneuvers

• The battlefield: Terrain, climate, and strategic options

• The battle unfolds: Surprise encounters, flanking maneuvers, massed artillery, discipline under fire

• Leadership and morale: Command breakdowns vs. individual heroism on both sides

• The outcome: Heavy losses, psychological aftermath, and the reshaping of Indian and British military futures

The panel considers how the mix of European mercenaries and Indian soldiers within the Maratha army both enhanced and undermined its fighting ability at Assaye; what the leadership style of Arthur Wellesley at Assaye—and the razor-thin margin of his victory—reveal about the nature of military success and reputation in the colonial era; and, in a battle filled with confusion, split-second decisions, and shifting morale, the role of discipline, training, and individual initiative in determining battles like these.

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Rachel Blackman-Rogers and Catherine Scheybeler, both of King's College London, join Alex Stevenson for an in-depth look at one of Horatio Nelson's most famous formative battles. The Royal Navy in the 1790s was always going to do well against the Spanish Navy, but it was Nelson's decisive use of initiative - and then the double-boarding to capture not one but two Spanish ships his Captain had become entangled with - which marked this battle out.

This episode also features written contributions by Rif Winfield, co-author of Pen and Sword's Warships In The Age of Sail series. Thank you to Rif for taking part. You can read Rif's contributions in full on Patreon.

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