On today’s episode, David and I talk about Napoleon’s struggles with Hudson Lowe, the theory that he was slowly being murdered while on St Helena, poisoned by someone in his own retinue, his sexual escapades with Albine de Montholon, and whether or not he had a “foxhole” religious conversion.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #44 – The Murder Of Napoleon appeared first on Napoleon.

The story of Napoleon’s years on St Helena is dominated by one man, whose name is infamous in Napoleonic history – Sir Hudson Lowe, Napoleon’s “jailer”.

The Duke of Wellington later said that he was “a very bad choice; he was a man wanting in education and judgement. He was a stupid man, he knew nothing at all of the world, and like all men who knew nothing of the world, he was suspicious and jealous”.

On today’s show we discuss the arrival of Lowe to St Helena and Napoleon’s forced move to new premises, Longwood.

We also talk a bit about Corsica and Paris! Keep an eye out for the DVD pack which I’ll hopefully have ready in a few weeks.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #43 – Sir Hudson Lowe appeared first on Napoleon.

Would you like to spend some time with David and I in Paris? Keep an eye on this blog over the next couple of weeks for details but it will be in the evening of July 13th, probably at the Cafe de la Paix around 5pm.

On today’s episode, we discuss Napoleon’s journey on the Northumberland to St Helena and his arrival on the island, one of the most remote locations on earth and the last place he would ever visit.

We also discuss the people who chose to go with Napoleon into exile and their possible motivations, the impression Napoleon made on various people aboard the Northumberland, and the decision to imprison Napoleon in Longwood.

This version of La Marseillaise is sung by the Stade de France crowd, recorded on the occasion of the 2007 Rugby World Cup semi-final between France and England (source).

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #42 – The Prisoner of Longwood appeared first on Napoleon.

Hey folks – do you think we can make David’s new book, THE ROAD TO ST HELENA, the #1 History book on Amazon? Buy five copies today, give them to your friends, and make Napoleon NUMBER ONE!

In this episode of The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast we examine how the British government came to the conclusion that it would be a cold day in hell before “Old Boney” would ever set foot on British soil or given the opportunity of justice before a fair trial. Breaking laws, making up new laws, defying their own people – the British government decided to banish Napoleon forever to a tiny island in the middle of nowhere – St Helena.

David explains that Napoleon *could* have ended up here

This version of La Marseillaise is sung by the Stade de France crowd, recorded on the occasion of the 2007 Rugby World Cup semi-final between France and England (source).

This show is based on David’s book “Napoleon For Dummies”.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #41 – The Lion Roars appeared first on Napoleon.

Hey folks – do you think we can make David’s new book, THE ROAD TO ST HELENA, the #1 History book on Amazon? Buy five copies today, give them to your friends, and make Napoleon NUMBER ONE!

On today’s show, David examines the political machinations the British went through to make sure Napoleon never set foot on British soil. According to the British law of ‘habeas corpus’, Napoleon should have been given a fair trial, but of course several people in England didn’t want that to happen. Did all of the British feel the same way? What were the reasons for denying Napoleon the right to justice?

Listen to today’s show to find out!

This show is based on David’s book “Napoleon For Dummies”.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #40 – The Road to St Helena appeared first on Napoleon.

I know it’s been a while between drinks, my friends, but there are good reasons. Listen to today’s show to learn more!

Today we finally… FINALLY… get Napoleon on “the boat”!

David walks us through Napoleon’s last days in France and his reasons for choosing to surrender himself to the British instead of making a run for the United States.

This show is based on David’s book “Napoleon For Dummies”.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #39 – Au Revoir France! appeared first on Napoleon.

Let me start off by apologizing for my audio – it seems I had the wrong microphone on. Luckily I’m just the button pusher so the impact is small. 🙂

In today’s episode, David explains the range of options Napoleon considered after his abdication of 22 June, 1815. Should he go to England, Russia, Austria or the United States?

This show is based on David’s book “Napoleon For Dummies”.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #38 – Napoleon’s Options appeared first on Napoleon.

Somehow we managed to get another entire episode just out of Joseph Fouche, Minister of Police, Duke of Otranto, and his machinations after Napoleon’s abdication to try to ensure his own position of power in post-Napoleonic France. We also talk about what’s happening during this period of instability with Marshals Ney, Davout and Murat. Napoleon, although the topic of much discussion, is, in this episode, almost a minor character.

This show is based on David’s book “Napoleon For Dummies”.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #37 – Fouche’s Machiavellian Machinations appeared first on Napoleon.

In this episode David explains the Machiavellian machinations of Joseph Fouche in the days after Waterloo; how Napoleon was trying to manage the destiny of the Empire from his bath; and the events leading up to Napoleon’s final abdication from the throne and then declaring a regency in the name of his son, Napoleon II.

This show is based on David’s book “Napoleon For Dummies”.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #36 – The End Of The Empire appeared first on Napoleon.

First of all, let me wish you all a happy 2008 from David and myself.

Second, please allow me to apologize – both for the delay in this episode of our little show as well as the audio problems with it. As I explain in the introduction to the show, there was a major technical snafu with the recording (apparently a result of a Skype upgrade not playing nice with my recording software) which left David’s voice sounding like Darth Vader after a couple of Ambien. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks trying to clean it up as best as I can. It’s still not perfect but hopefully won’t hurt your ears too much. I think for future shows I’ll record on the Macbook – we might even do a VIDEO episode (if, of course, any of you would be interested in watching our handsome mugs while we talk).

Now… on with the show notes.

After the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon had to make a series of strategic decisions. Can he save Paris? Can he still raise an army? Is all, finally, lost? In this episode, David takes us through some of Napoleon’s thinking and actions in the days immediately following his last appearance on the battlefields of Europe.

This show is based on David’s book “Napoleon For Dummies”.

The post The Napoleon Bonaparte Podcast #35 – After Waterloo appeared first on Napoleon.