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 1793, and the Convention’s decision to remain “until the peace.” From foreign plots and factional struggles to the subordination of ministers and generals, discover how dissent became treason as the Revolution laid the foundations for both survival and dictatorship.

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Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 101: The Foreign Plot!

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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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Explore France in 2026!
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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!⁠

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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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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, tracing similarities and differences and assessing how the English Revolution influenced events in France.

Video Version

Patreon

Early Access

Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 100 Revolutionary Until The Peace!

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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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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 as a political invention.

Video Versions:

Patreon

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Further Reading

La Vendée et la France (1987)

Robespierre. La fabrication d’un monstre (2016)

La Terreur. Vérités et légendes (2017)

“The Vendée, chouannerie, and the State, 1791–99,” in Peter McPhee (ed.), A Companion to the French Revolution (2013)

Vendée In Images

⁠Depictions of key events and leaders⁠

Early Access

Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 99 English & French Revolutions with History of England.

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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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

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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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!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Now And Support the Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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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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