Ready to blast through the walls of Napoleonic history? In this pounding episode of the Napoleonic Wars Podcast, we talk to Dr Zack White about his edited collection An Unavoidable Evil - Siege Warfare in the Age of Napoleon. Discover how the era of Napoleon wasn't all about Austerlitz and Waterloo; from the fortresses of Izmail and Braila to Wellington’s Peninsular sieges, we uncover the dramatic and gritty stories of sieges that shaped empires.We'll explore how siege warfare evolved during this period and why modern historians are turning their sights back on these crucial events. Dr White shares fresh insights from a team of top historians, bridging scholarly depth with battlefield excitement. Tune in as we delve into the strategies commanders used to crack fortress defenses, the challenges soldiers and civilians faced under relentless bombardment, and the lessons these epic sieges teach us about war and society. This is a must listen for military history enthusiasts craving a new perspective on the Napoleonic era's most explosive episodes!Zack's edited collection can be found here An Unavoidable Evil | From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815 | Helion & Company
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Bread, Boots and Bullets - Logistics of the British Army
Have you ever wondered how Britain’s redcoats marched across Europe with full bellies, coin in their pockets, and plenty of ammunition? In this episode, award winning historian Professor Kevin Linch returns to our British Army series to help us break down the gritty reality of military logistics behind the lines.We explore what was in a soldier's daily ration and how it was cooked up on campaign. We dig into how the army kept its soldiers paid, clothed, and armed in the heat of battle. From supply-line nightmares and busted boots to cunning contractors and a dash of black-market intrigue, nothing is off the table. It's a punchy, behind-the-scenes ride through the unglamorous but crucial "sinews of war" that kept the army fighting fit from the 1790s to Waterloo.Find more on Kevin's work here Pen and Sword Books: Titles by Kevin LinchFor all your exclusive NapWarsPod merchandise look no further than napoleonic-wars-podcast.printify.me
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Waterloo Medals
Why did Britain break its mould with the Waterloo medal? Were medals really that rare? And why do they matter?Expert auctioneer Robert Wilde-Evans joins Luke and Zack to discuss how you tell the real ones from the fakes, and what a Waterloo medal really represents. We discuss how they highlight a shift in attitudes to how the British soldier is viewed during the time, what the Holy Grail is when it comes to Waterloo medals, and much more, as we discuss possibly the most famous medal of the entire Napoleonic Wars.Support out work on patron: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod
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Wars of Revolution and Empire: The People's Perspective
What did ordinary Britons really think about the American and the French Revolutions as war erupted across the globe? In this lively episode of The Napoleonic Wars Podcast, we’re joined by Professor Emma Macleod of the University of Stirling to dig into the fascinating world of 18th Century Britain through the letters of two remarkable men: Rev. James Wodrow, a Scottish minister in Ayrshire, and Samuel Kenrick, an English merchant and banker from Worcestershire.Drawing on her brilliant work editing The Wodrow-Kenrick Correspondence, 1750–1810, Emma helps us unpack the fierce debates that divided Britain: Tory loyalists versus reformers, pro-war voices versus critics accused of radicalism, and the contrasts between urban and rural opinion. We explore how Britain viewed war with Revolutionary France compared to the American colonies, how politics, religion, and everyday anxieties shaped public opinion, and what these letters reveal about life on the home front during an age of revolution.This is a fresh, human perspective on the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, one that goes beyond Kings, Generals, and battles to show how ordinary people wrestled with extraordinary times.Professor Macleod's puplished works The Wodrow-Kenrick Correspondence, 1750–1810 can be found here The Wodrow-Kenrick Correspondence 1750-1810 - Martin Fitzpatrick, Emma Macleod, Anthony Page - Oxford University PressExclusive 'NapWarsPod' merchandise can be found here Discover Our Exclusive Range at Napoleonic Wars Podcast
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The Battle of Oporto - the Peninsular War saga
Following the disaster of the Corunna campaign, we again turn our attention to Portugal for the next phase of our Peninsular War saga. We talk about Napoleon's unrealistic ambitions for the second French invasion of Portugal, Britain's uncertainty about committing more troops to the defence of Spain and Portugal, and the challenges that both French Marshal Soult, and British General Arthur Wellesley faced in trying to execute a successful campaign.We also discuss the geography of the city, how Wellesley picked his audacious crossing point, and the way in which the macro and micro came into play with the planning of this campaign.Support the show on patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod
Who was Napoleon Bonaparte? What was his legacy on history? And why, more than 200 years later, does the conflict which he gave his name to still matter?
Join award-winning Napoleonic historians Dr Zack White, Dr Luke Reynolds, Liam Telfer and Josh Redden as they host Europe's leading show devoted to the American War of Independence, French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.
From interviews with leading researchers, to deep dive debates on some of the big questions, this show is ideal for those who want to start building their knowledge deepen their understanding of the period.
New Zealand