French Revolution & Napoleon (Grey History)

To mark 250 years since the American Declaration of Independence, we're joined by Everett Rummage and David Montgomery for a wide-ranging conversation on French and American history. From rival constitutions to missed opportunities, we unpack how the Revolutionary, Napoleonic, and Restoration eras measured themselves against the young United States. You can find Everett's The Age of Napoleon and D...

We unpack the chaos of 1793! From the execution of Louis XVI and the fall of Dumouriez to the Vendée uprising, the Federalist revolts, and the birth of revolutionary government — this recap traces how France descended into the Terror. The full breakdown is available now as a members-only bonus episode on Patreon, along with ad-free listening and our full bonus archive. The Grey History Community ⁠...

Guest episode from Josh Zucker of the Grand Dukes of the West. The Grey History Community Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet,...

Guest episode from David Montgomery of the Siècle, covering French history from 1814-1914. The Grey History Community Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the...

Guest episode from Everett Rummage and the fantastic Age of Napoleon podcast. The Grey History Community Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on...

The plans for 1794 and 2026! The Grey History Community Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Was there a genocide in the Vendée? Joined by Historian Reynald Secher, we reexamine the violence in the west. In this interview episode, Dr Secher explains his thesis on a French Genocide, responds to his critics, and examines the violent conflict which remains the source of much controversy. We also discuss the ongoing debate over how these events should be interpreted and remembered in the mode...

Horrified that a foreign plot was destroying the Republic, Robespierre moved to halt the dechristianisation campaign. Motivated by practical, ideological, and political concerns, the influential Jacobin launched a blistering counterattack against radical anti-clericalism. In this struggle, he achieved only mixed success. Yet on the question of Revolutionary Government, Robespierre and his allies s...

I’m thrilled to announce two new small-group tours for 2026! The first is a 6-day French Revolution & Napoleon tour in Paris this October. The second is a 10-day Christmas Markets & History tour across France, Germany, and Austria this December. JOIN THE WAITLIST They are two very different journeys, but both are built around the same idea: thoughtful, history-led travel for people who want more t...

From the Cult of Reason to the Caribbean colonies, this Q&A episode unpacks your questions on a range of topics and hypotheticals! Questions include: 1. Could the Cult of Reason ever succeed? 2. Were “federalist” constitutional priests a real threat, or Jacobin paranoia? 3. Did universal male suffrage in 1793 include the colonies? What about slavery? 4. Is Fouché’s rise already underway, or is it...

Wedged between France and Austria, Piedmont-Sardinia is one of the most overlooked powers of the French Revolutionary Wars. Best remembered for unifying Italy in the 19th century, this episode unpacks the kingdom's early success and unique composition. Along the way, we touch on Admiral Nelson, the Polish Partition, and debates regarding the memory of Italian unification. Thank you to Dr Christoph...

A new calendar for a new France! From high hopes to utter confusion, Matt Shaw joins us to unpack the calendar's turbulent history. Explore the calendar’s gradual creation, its uneven adoption, and the Directory’s aggressive attempts to reinforce its use well after the Terror. We also discuss why Napoleon ultimately abolished the Republican calendar, and the last legacy of this infamous reform. Th...

I join the French History Podcast to discuss three overlooked sites of Revolutionary Paris! From the famous to the forgotten, enjoy the history of these key revolutionary landmarks. For another great podcast on the French Revolution, check out Dr. Gary Girod's French History Podcast! May 2026 Tour Bookings now live: Grey History’s French Revolution Tour (May 2026) ⁠Book Your Place Here⁠ Stand in M...

Bookings now live: Grey History’s French Revolution Tour (May 2026) Book Your Place Here Stand in Marie Antoinette’s cell. Recreate the storming of the Bastille. Spend a full day at Versailles. Bookings are now live for Grey History’s French Revolution Tour, running 12–19 May 2026: eight days across Paris and the Loire Valley, designed and hosted by Will Clark. Highlights include five nights in Pa...

I joined the team at History Dispatches for a fun Christmas special. Together, we explore the Revolution’s fraught relationship with the Catholic Church, and how festive cheer was targeted during the dechristianisation campaign of 1793. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Revolutionary France Tour - Join Me In Paris in May 2026! Book Now. Places are filling fast! The Grey History Community Help...

No Sundays, no saints, no salvation. As dechristianisation exploded in the capital, radical revolutionaries closed churches, forced abdications, and turned Notre-Dame into a Temple of Reason. Seeking to replace past errors with enlightenment values, the Cult of Reason was established with mixed success. This episode explores the dramatic escalation of dechristianisation, including the creation of...

A new crusade! Determined to purge superstition and fanaticism in all its forms, anti-clerical zeal erupts across the French Republic. This episode uncovers how Joseph Fouché’s campaign in central France helped ignite a national movement. From the forced marriages of priests to the destruction of churches, we explore the many dimensions of dechristianisation. We also trace the rising tensions betw...

Fortune, fraud, and the fall of empires. Dr Elizabeth Cross joins Grey History to uncover the turbulent history of the French East India Company. From royal privilege to revolutionary scandal, this episode traces how the troubled company became a symbol of greed and speculation. Often compared to its more successful rival, we’ll also touch on the challenges faced by the British East India Company...

You’ve listened to the Revolution — now it’s time to live it! I’m thrilled to announce that Grey History Tours are officially happening in 2026! Our first trip will take place in Paris in mid-May, and will run for about a week (approximately 12–19 May). We’ll walk the same streets as Lafayette and Robespierre, explore Versailles Palace, and even recreate the Storming of the Bastille. From Marie An...

Lies and deception imploded the Jacobin Republic. Needing to save themselves from accusations of corruption, multiple deputies invented foreign plots to mask their own conspiracies. Destroying trust while incriminating innocents, these fabrications are essential to understanding the fall of the Jacobins. This episode explores how Fabre d’Églantine and François Chabot created the “Foreign Plot” to...

After five years of turmoil, France needed a government. But how? With the Republic increasingly controlled by “rogues and scoundrels,” the battle was on for the Revolution’s future. Assailed from all sides, the Committee of Public Safety emerged triumphant. This episode traces Robespierre’s parliamentary victory of 25 September 1793, Saint-Just’s decree of “Revolutionary Government” on 10 October...

Explore France in 2026!This is your chance to experience French history together in person. Please complete the short survey to help design the first Grey History Tours. Everyone who takes part will be eligible for exclusive discounts when the tours are announced. Take the survey HERE. It will take less than 5 minutes and it's almost all multiple choice! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B8WPLTG Lear...

From influence to imitation, the discussion continues with David Crowther of The History of England podcast. We also explore how the English Revolution influenced events in France, why the revolutions diverged so sharply, and in what ways the new regimes replicated the worst aspects of the old. Early Access Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to ⁠Episode 100 Revolutionary Until The Peace!⁠...

Two kings, two revolutions, and two podcasters ready to unpack it all! In this collaboration with David Crowther of The History of England, we explore the English and French Revolutions. Part I examines the characters of Charles I and Louis XVI, their trials and missed opportunities, the role of religion, and the constitutional experiments of both upheavals. Part II will continue the discussion, t...

From monsters to myths, this episode unpacks the Vendée with Professor Jean-Clément Martin. One of the foremost authorities on the civil war, Martin shows how factional politics transformed local unrest into a national catastrophe. We explore how chaos and rivalries drove atrocities, why the conflict cannot be defined as genocide, and why “the Terror” should be seen not as historical reality but a...