From the mass drownings to hell columns, this episode charts the Republic’s campaign to exterminate the western rebellion. Uncover the rivalries and atrocities that turned victory into massacre, and the controversial question of whether these events amount to genocide.

Bonus Content
1.97.1 Thoughts on the Genocide Debate
1.97.2 Paris and the Mass Drownings at Nantes
1.97.3 Orphans of the Vendée

Vendée In Images
Depictions of key events and leaders

Early Access
Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 1.98 Vendée with Jean-Clément Martin

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Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

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Searching for salvation, the royalists found hell. Retreat became catastrophe, and battles turned to massacres. This episode explores the rise of ultra-radical commanders and the Convention’s embrace of total war. It unpacks military defeats on both sides, factional chaos within Republican ranks, and the final collapse of the royalist cause following their doomed march to Granville.

Bonus Content

1.96.1 Massacres of Le Mans

With mass graves uncovered in 2009, this bonus episode explores the grim aftermath of the Battle of Le Mans. Drawing on forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts, it unpacks the brutal reality of the conflict and the Vendée's contested legacy in modern France.

Early Access

Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode ⁠1.97 Vendée: Massacres or Genocide?

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!

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About

Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

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Episode 97: Vendée Extermination

Coming August 15, this landmark episode will explore the Republic’s campaign of extermination in the Vendée. It will unpack the secret drownings in Nantes, the hell columns of 1794, and the genocide debate which still grips modern France.

This episode will also have three Episode Extras exclusively for members!

Remember Episode 96 Vendée: The March To Hell is already available for members with early access!

Suggest & Vote for the Next Bonus Episode

Submit your ideas by August 1 HERE. Community voting opens shortly after!

Watch the Video Explainer of the Vendée!

A new video visually explaining the Vendée region and its campaigns is now live. Watch HERE

Join the Community Discord Chatroom

Want to talk revolution? Join the conversation HERE

Submit Questions for the Next Q&A

The next People’s Voice episode is always on the horizon. Drop your questions HERE or on the Q&A channel on Discord.

Interview on Piedmont-Sardinia with Dr Storrs

We’re diving into the rise and fall of Piedmont-Sardinia. Send in questions HERE

Joint Episode with History of England Podcast

Recording soon! I’ll be joining David Crowther to compare the English and French Revolutions. Release expected in September.

As always, thank you for your support of the show!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the royalists surged through western France, the Republic’s response was pitiful. But when the time came to strike at Paris itself, the insurgents chose Nantes instead. This episode charts the defining battles of early 1793. From tremendous triumphs to stunning failures, unpack the chaos and bloodshed of the civil war in the Vendée.

Bonus Content

1.95.1 Generals and Guillotines

Unpack the grim fates of Republican generals. From scapegoats like Marcé and Quétineau to the downfall of Nantes' unlikely saviour, discover how paranoia, politics, and military disaster turned misfortune into a capital crime.

Early Access

Become a True Revolutionary and listen to Episode 1.96 Vendée: The March To Hell now!

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!

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About

Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baptised and weaponised in the capital’s factional struggles, this episode explores how Parisian politics created “the Vendée.” What began as scattered unrest became a manufactured menace: the ultimate threat to revolutionary France. From draconian laws to dysfunctional commands, discover how factional chaos in Paris turned rebellion into massacre and set the stage for accusations of genocide.

Don't miss this episode for community members! Support the show today!

Listen Now At Patreon

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Unpack a royalist's account on the importance of religion in the Vendée, and why the topography of the Vendée was so beneficial to the defending insurrectionists!

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!

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About

Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

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The inferno ignites. Arguably the most divisive theatre of the French Revolution, it’s time to return to the west.

This episode is a repost of Episode 1.55 Civil War in the Vendée, exploring the dramatic outbreak of rebellion in March 1793. We’ll unpack the origins of the insurrection, its initial stages, and the many debates that still divide historians. What role did religion play? How significant were the nobles? And was this truly a popular uprising?

From simmering tensions to explosive violence, this episode lays the groundwork for one of the Revolution’s darkest chapters. In future episodes, we’ll trace the bloody rise and fall of the rebellion, and confront the horrific crimes against humanity that followed.

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!

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About

Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From abandoned palaces to Revolutionary executions, this Q&A dives into five gripping questions from the community!

Why didn’t Louis XVI flee during the October Days of 1789?

What became of Versailles after the royal family moved to Paris?

Why didn’t the Royal Navy intervene during the 1793 Siege of Dunkirk?

Were there more “polite” versions of Republican marriages and baptisms?

Why did the Jacobins bother with the show trials of 1793? What was the purpose behind prosecuting the Girondins and Marie Antoinette?

Submit Your Questions!

Keen to have your questions answered? Either post them on Patreon or submit a question in the community chat on Discord!

As always, thank you for your support of the show!

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, 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!

⁠⁠Join Now And Support the Show⁠⁠

⁠⁠Make a one-off donation⁠⁠

Early Access

Don't wait! Support the show and listen to Episode 1.89 ⁠⁠⁠"The Republic Strikes Back!"⁠⁠⁠ now! Available for all True Revolutionaries and above!

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All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

About

Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

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From war crimes and Terror to Napoleon and nationalism, unpack the fascinating dynamics of total war in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

This interview with Dr David Avrom Bell explores the changing nature of warfare, the impact of the Enlightenment on total war, and the importance of rhetoric in this consequential struggle. We also examine controversial debates, including allegations of genocide in the Vendée and whether "the Terror" ever truly existed.

The perfect conclusion to our deep dive on the War of the First Coalition in 1793 - this episode is unmissable!

Learn More

Davidavrombell.com

Princeton Profile

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!

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About

Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scientist. Patriot. Engineer. Revolutionary. Explore the many faces of Lazare Carnot, the famed Organiser of Victory. Perhaps the most celebrated member of the Committee of Public Safety, this episode tracks his ascent to the heights of revolutionary government. From military prison to singing societies, prepare for an unusual career.

Sponsor: Lingopie

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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!

⁠⁠⁠Join Now And Support the Show⁠⁠⁠

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All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

About

Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices