The Siècle History Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 44: Bourbons on the Rocks Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

King Charles X just wants to spend some time at his vacation house playing cards, hunting, and hanging out with his family. But it's late July 1830, and people keep interrupting him to talk about some alleged revolution in Paris.

My apologies for the number of different ways I managed to pronounce "Neuilly" in this episode.

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Fact Check 2: The Lying Chef Nov 17, 2024

Show notes

Larger-than-life French chef Alexis Soyer helped revolutionize British cuisine in the Victorian period — but his widely reported personal encounter with France's 1830 revolution is just a tall tale.

Visit thesiecle.com/factcheck2 to read a full annotated transcript of this episode.

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Episode 43: The Politicians Oct 13, 2024

Show notes

While men fight and die on the streets of Paris, France's feckless politicians try to muster the will to take decisive action of their own to address a revolution no one on either side expected.

A quick refresher on important dates so far:

August 8, 1829: The Polignac ministry is appointed
Early July, 1830: Marshal Bourmont captures Algiers; opposition candidates win French elections
Sunday, July 25, 1830: King Charles X and his ministers approve the Four Ordinances
Monday, July 26, 1830: The Four Ordinances are published in the Moniteur. Journalists draft the Protest of the Forty-Four. Initial protests. A mob attacks Polignac's carriage.
Tuesday, July 27, 1830: Four newspapers publish in defiance of the Four Ordinances. Protests grow into riots. Marshal Marmont assumes command of Paris. Soldiers open fire on civilians. Initial barricades go up.
Wednesday, July 28, 1830: Marmont is given dictatorial control of Paris, and sends out his three attack columns. Deputies meet with Marmont. By the end of the night, Marmont's columns all retreat.

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Episode 42: Marmont Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

Marshal Auguste de Marmont was tasked with putting down Parisian rebels after the Four Ordinances of July 1830. There were only a few problems: he didn't have enough men or supplies, he opposed the Ordinances, and his bosses neglected to inform him of his new job.

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Visit thesiecle.com/episode42 to see maps and images about the fighting described in today's episode.

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Supplemental 21: The French History Games Aug 10, 2024

Show notes

Three French history podcasters come together to determine the most corrupt, idealistic, eloquent and idiotic figures — among others — from the Revolutionary, Napoleonic and post-Napoleonic eras. (Update: The original version of this file cuts out after 48 minutes. Re-download for a fixed version.)

Check out Age of Napoleon and Grey History: The French Revolution!

Submit your comments on this episode via Will Clark's link here.

View a full annotated transcript here, and find out how to support the show and receive an ad-free fee here.

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Episode 41: The People Jul 03, 2024

Show notes

That escalated quickly! Find out how — and why — the people of Paris went from ignoring Charles X's coup on Monday, July 26, 1830, to engaging in street fighting with the French Army less than 24 hours later.

See a full annotated and illustrated transcript online here.

Learn more about the Barricades convention, July 12 - 14, 2024, here.

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Episode 40: The Journalists Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

Charles X's Four Ordinances in July 1830 threatened to impose strict censorship on France's opposition newspapers. So what were the journalists going to do about it?

Visit thesiecle.com/support to find out how to support the show. Read a full annotated transcript of this episode at thesiecle.com/episode40.

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Supplemental 20: What's a franc? Apr 26, 2024

Show notes

Everything you ever wanted to know about francs and sous, centimes and louis d’or, and the bewildering array of 19th Century French currency. What were all these coins? What were they worth? How did they compare to other currencies like pounds and dollars, how does that compare to today — and what does Charlemagne have to do with all of this?

See a full annotated transcript with pictures on the show website. Join the show's Patreon to get an ad-free feed.

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Supplemental 19: Fifth Birthday Special Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

It's been five years since The Siècle first debuted! To mark the show's fifth anniversary, I'm joined by fellow history podcaster Everett Rummage of The Age of Napoleon podcast to answer listener questions and talk about history, podcasting, and more.

Check out the show's new YouTube channel, where I'm gradually uploading audio of back episodes.

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Episode 39: The Four Ordinances Jan 22, 2024

Show notes

On July 26, 1830, Parisians woke up to four stunning proclamations from King Charles X, four ordinances rewriting French politics and public life. Join me to explore what these Four Ordinances did, how Charles could issue them, and how they came to appear in Parisians' morning newspaper.

Visit thesiecle.com/episode39 for an annotated transcript, including images of the Four Ordinances in the July 27 Moniteur. Become a patron on Patreon to receive an ad-free fee.

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