EPISODE · May 29, 2026 · 6 MIN
The Vendée: France's Forgotten Civil War
from The Story of France: Revolution, Empire, and National Identity — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
In 1793, the French Republic faced a rebellion that tore through the west—the Vendée militaire. This episode explores the uprising of peasants and nobles against the Revolutionary government's conscription and anti-Catholic policies. We follow the formation of the Catholic and Royal Army, the bloody battles at Cholet and Le Mans, and the infamous 'infernal columns' of General Turreau. Listeners will encounter figures like Jacques Cathelineau, François de Charette, and Jean-Baptiste Carrier, whose drownings at Nantes shocked even hardened revolutionaries. The episode grapples with contested terms: was this a 'genocide' or a brutal civil war? The memory of the Vendée still divides France today, a scar on the Republic's founding ideals. #Vendée #FrenchRevolution #CivilWar #CatholicAndRoyalArmy #JacquesCathelineau #FrançoisDeCharette #JeanBaptisteCarrier #InfernalColumns #Cholet #LeMans #Nantes #GenocideDebate #ReignOfTerror #1793 #France #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The Vendée: France's Forgotten Civil War
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