At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the victorious allied powers restore Central Europe to its pre-war status: a bunch of small, semi-independent German and Italian states, dominated by more powerful neighbors. But the idea of nationalism, spread by Napoleon’s armies, is a genie you can’t put back in the bottle.

In the German Confederation, 38 tiny countries try to establish their legitimacy, but are overshadowed by the Austrian Empire in the south and the Kingdom of Prussia in the north. Without a clear path to political nationalization, German intellectuals instead focus on building a unified German culture.

In Italy, revolutionaries like Giuseppe Mazzini openly call for Risorgimento – a resurgence of Italian national identity. Drawing their inspiration from ancient Rome, these young revolutionaries will spend an entire generation battling to overthrow their Austrian overlords while avoiding French domination.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

SOURCES:

David Blackbourn, The Long Nineteenth Century: A History of Germany 1780-1918 – https://www.scribd.com/document/261666797/Long-Nineteenth-Century-History-of-Germany-1780-1918-the-David-Blackbourn

Tim Chapman, The Risorgimento: Italy 1815-71 – https://read.amazon.com/?asin=B003SNK19G&ref_=dbs_t_r_kcr

Gordon A. Craig, Germany 1866-1945

Friedrich Engels, Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Germany – https://archive.org/details/germanyrevolutio00enge_0

Erich Eyck, Bismarck and the German Empire

Giuseppe Garibaldi, Autobiography of Giuseppe Garibaldi – https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofg0003gari/page/4/mode/2up

Giuseppe Mazzini, Address to Pope Pius IX, On His Encyclical Letter – https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=YURTAAAAcAAJ&pg=GBS.PP4&hl=en

Jürgen Osterhammel, The Transformation of the World, A Global History of the Nineteenth Century – https://www.everand.com/read/261688401/The-Transformation-of-the-World-A-Global-History-of-the-Nineteenth-Century

Alan Palmer, Twilight of the Habsburgs: The Life and Times of Emperor Francis Joseph – https://archive.org/details/twilightofhabsbu0000palm

Pope Pius IX, Non Semel (Italian) – https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-ix/it/documents/allocuzione-non-semel-29-aprile-1848.html

Mike Rapport, 1848, Year of Revolution

Denis Mack Smith, The Making of Italy, 1796-1870 – https://archive.org/details/makingofitaly1790000mack/page/n3/mode/2up

Denis Mack Smith, Modern Italy, A Political History

Nick Svendsen, The First Schleswig-Holstein War 1848-50 – https://www.everand.com/read/402302021/The-First-Schleswig-Holstein-War-1848-50

Bonus Episode – Why Capitalists Make the Best Communists

In this bonus episode, Dan delves into the nitty-gritty of far-left politics and the history of various ideologies dedicated to the establishment of communism.

Then he asks the question: What if the best way to build an egalitarian utopia is via the power of capitalism?

Apologies for the constant birdsong in the background. It was a gorgeous day and I decided to record with the window open. Never again!

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In the sixth and final installment on the French Revolution, Dan takes a deep dive into one of history’s most influential and controversial figures: Napoleon Bonaparte.

After winning victory for France in Northern Italy, the brilliant young general has the attention of the French Directory. A campaign in Egypt and victory in another war will put Napoleon in a position to become Emperor. But across the English Channel, Great Britain continues a naval blockade and a diplomatic campaign to unite Europe against the new French Empire.

To hold onto power, Napoleon will battle a series of coalitions, each time hoping it will be the last. Win or lose, one thing is certain: Europe – and the world – will never be the same.

NOTE: Because this is a very long episode, I have included timestamps for each chapter at the end of this description.

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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS:

Introduction – 0:00:00

Chapter 1: The French Directory – 0:5:09

Chapter 2: The Invasion of Egypt – 0:33:03

Chapter 3: The Second Directory – 0:55:04

Chapter 4: Napoleon Takes Command – 1:10:32

Chapter 5: The War of the Second Coalition – 1:41:18

Chapter 6: The French Consulate – 2:20:01

Chapter 7: A Changing Continent – 2:47:07

Chapter 8: Emperor Napoleon – 3:08:54

Chapter 9: The War of the Third Coalition – 3:32:04

Chapter 10: Austerlitz – 3:52:41

Chapter 11: The End of an Empire – 4:13:22

Chapter 12: The War of the Fourth Coalition – 4:30:35

Chapter 13: The Continental System and the Peninsular War – 4:48:09

Chapter 14: Re-Painting the Map of Europe – 5:02:30

Chapter 15: The War of the Fifth Coalition – 5:21:38

Chapter 16: Life in Napoleonic France – 5:42:49

Chapter 17: Spies and Diplomats – 5:54:01

Chapter 18: The Grande Armée – 6:10:27

Chapter 19: The Arson of Moscow – 6:31:46

Chapter 20: The War of 1812 – 6:41:45

Chapter 21: The War of the Sixth Coalition – 6:49:15

Chapter 22: The Fall of an Emperor – 7:28:24

Chapter 23: Elba – 7:44:39

Chapter 24: The Bourbon Restoration – 7:56:20

Chapter 25: The March to Paris – 8:13:11

Chapter 26: The Hundred Days – 8:28:31

Chapter 27: Waterloo – 8:43:24

Chapter 28: The Death of a Legend – 9:02:22

Chapter 29: The World After Napoleon – 9:14:19

Epilogue: What Did the French Revolution Achieve? – 9:42:38

The Reign of Terror reaches a climax when the French Revolutionaries begin to turn on one another. Jacques Hébert and Georges Danton are executed, and Robespierre rules briefly as a dictator, verging on a god-king. After the Festival of the Supreme Being, he too will face the guillotine.

A new government takes power, ruled by men like the corrupt Paul Barras, who have survived the Reign of Terror. Meanwhile, a new generation of military commanders also takes the stage, led by an artillery commander named Napoleon Bonaparte. Will the republic survive, or will the French Revolution lead to another dictatorship?

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When the young French Republic declares war on the Netherlands, all hell breaks loose. Within a month, the French find themselves facing a coalition that includes Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and most of Italy.

At home, a counter-revolution in the rural Vendee region threatens to tear the country in two, and smaller federalist revolts break out in several major cities. In Paris, Robespierre and the Mountain seize control of the government from the Girondins, and send a flurry of people to the guillotine.

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After the Flight to Varennes, the Parisian public turns decisively against Louis XVI. The French constitutional monarchy teeters on the brink, reliant on a war with Austria to maintain public confidence. When the war turns against France, the French people turn against their government and overthrow the King for good.

A new legislature is formed, and the revolutionaries struggle to achieve their goals on the battlefield and in politics. Meanwhile, the French Revolution cannot move forward with a deposed King who sits in limbo. As 1792 comes to a close, Louis XVI is put on trial for his life.

***CONTENT WARNING***

Since we’re coming up on the Reign of Terror and a lot of people are about to get guillotined, the last portion of this episode is an addendum on the history of capital punishment. This addendum covers both the pre-modern and modern world, and I talk about both state and non-state actors. There are graphic descriptions of torture and execution, so proceed with caution.

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After the Storming of the Bastille, the French Revolution shifts into high gear. The Constituent Assembly quickly abolishes feudal reforms and promotes the foundation of a new government with a document: the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

1790 is a quieter year, but under the surface, divisions harden as the Paris political clubs metamorphosize into modern political parties. Meanwhile, the Assembly faces unexpected backlash when it passes the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, a law that converts all Catholic clergy into civil servants employed by the state.

All of this culminates in the famous Flight to Varennes, an ill-fated attempt by the royal family to escape France altogether. The consequences for France – and for humanity – are yet to be seen.

Dan’s interview with Ro Martin on the Stoned Genius podcast: https://spotify.link/wZdJiSEY4Db

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan