The Siècle

With Louis XVIII dead, the new king is his younger brother, the Comte d'Artois. But what kind of man is France's new king? To see, let's rewind back through the first 10 years of the Restoration, from the point of view of the very charming and very conservative Artois. Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 10 years on the throne, King Louis XVIII of France's health enters a terminal decline. As he tries to entrench his legacy with one final accomplishment, what are we to make of the reign of France's restored king? Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the defeat of his efforts to bring about liberal reform in France through both legal and illegal means, the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 boarded a ship for the fledgling United States, where he would be celebrated as "the nation's guest" in a momentous tour. Learn more in conversation with Lafayette expert Alan Hoffman. Visit the show's website for a transcript, pictures, and a link to purchase Hoffman's book. Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conspiracy is in the air in France. In a world of secret societies and paranoid styles, the Bourbon Restoration clings to power while secretive cells spread across the country. The fate of the entire country is up for grabs as the French army is forced to decide its loyalty. Visit the show's website for supplementary material, including a locator map and annotated timeline of events. Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An 1822 account of civil war on the Franco-Spanish border by an up-and-coming liberal journalist named Adolphe Thiers, who observes a refugee crisis, battles between liberal and conservative forces, and the disposition of French soldiers preparing to intervene. Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Bastille Day! But in the Bourbon Restoration, Bastille Day was banned, along with "La Marseillaise" and the tricolor flag. In this special episode, find out how these modern-day symbols of France were treated, and what the Bourbons used in their place. Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The wars, murders and political battles covered on The Siècle were first covered by France's newspapers — which were very different than the newspapers of today. Take a tour into the strange world of Restoration journalism, and learn the truth behind one of the most famous collections of French newspaper headlines. Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Napoleon Bonaparte is dead — but he still lives on, in myth and legend, in flowers and tobacco boxes, in jails and asylums, and above all in the political memory of Restoration France, for whom even death cannot rid them of their greatest foe.  Be sure to follow The Siècle on Twitter @thesiecle, or on Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recitation of the "19th Century Bonapartist Bible," a memoir from one of Napoleon's aides on St. Helena recounting the emperor's life in exile and his discourses on his rule and historical rulers before him.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Halfway across the world from France, the most famous man of his age dies in isolated exile — but not before profoundly reforging his legacy through both story and suffering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

French schemes in Spain play an underappreciated role in sparking one of the monumental documents in American history.  Like what you hear? Support the show on Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conservative powers of Europe strike back at the wave of liberal revolutions sweeping the continent, and France struggles with how to respond — a crisis that brings down one prime minister and elevates a new politician to center stage. Like what you hear? Support the show on Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the victorious powers met at the Congress of Vienna after Napoleon's defeat, they did more than just punish France. They redrew the map of Europe and tried to create a new, more stable world order. Learn about this new order and its impact on Restoration France. Visit thesiecle.com/episode17 to see helpful maps about this episode's content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Fernandez-Packham of the Age of Victoria podcast and I talk about the different experiences of erstwhile rivals France and Great Britain in the years after Waterloo. Like what you hear? Support the show on Patreon! And also be sure to check out Age of Victoria! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This cross-post with Pax Britannica is a discussion between that podcast's host Sam Hume and myself about the two political murders we've both covered in recent months: that of the Duc de Berry on The Siècle and that of the Duke of Buckingham on Pax Britannica.  Like what you hear? Support the show on Patreon! And also be sure to check out Pax Britannica! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A discussion with Philippe Moisan, a professor of French at Grinnell College, about the literary movement of French Romanticism — everything from what made it distinct to which books you should read to get started. Like what you hear? Support the show on Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

France swings hard to the right, as the government passes new repressive laws and the nation celebrates the birth of a Bourbon 'miracle child.' Pushed back on their heels, the French left turns to conspiracy. Like what you hear? Support the show on Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A second part of my interview with historian Philip Mansel discusses Franco-British relations during the first half of the 19th Century, as a century-plus of military rivalry turns into something much more complex. Brought to you by the show's supporters on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Restoration politics becomes a three-way battle for supremacy between liberals, Ultra-royalists, and "Ministerials" — until a shocking crime changes everything.  Like what you hear? Support the show on Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A look behind the scenes of The Siècle, including how I research, record and edit episodes, and a closer look at a few of the sources I use to research the podcast. Brought to you by the show's supporters on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices