The Story of France: Revolution, Empire, and National Identity — Fexingo History

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the rise and fall of absinthe in France, from its origins as a Swiss medicinal elixir to its status as the iconic drink of Belle Époque Paris. They discuss how the green fairy captured the imaginations of artists like Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Paul Verlaine, and became a symbol of bohemian rebellion. The conversation delves into the temperance movement, the role of the wine lobby, and the pseudoscience that fueled the ban in 1914. Along the way, they touch on the myth of thujone as a hallucinogen, the rituals of the absinthe fountain, and the legacy of the drink after its legalization in the 21st century. This episode offers a vivid portrait of a cultural phenomenon that shaped French social life and continues to fascinate.#Absinthe #BellePoque #GreenFairy #FrenchHistory #VanGogh #ToulouseLautrec #Temperance #Thujone #AbsintheFountain #PaulVerlaine #BohMe #Montmartre #CafCulture #LaFEVerte #France #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Treaty of Verdun of 843, the agreement that split Charlemagne's vast Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms—the seeds of modern France, Germany, and Italy. They trace the events leading up to the treaty: the weakening of the empire under Louis the Pious, the bitter sibling rivalries between Lothair I, Louis the German, and Charles the Bald, and the pivotal Battle of Fontenoy in 841 where brothers shed each other's blood. Lucas explains how the treaty's division along linguistic and cultural lines inadvertently shaped national identities, with the West Frankish kingdom evolving into France and the East Frankish kingdom into Germany. They also discuss the Oaths of Strasbourg, sworn in both Romance and Germanic languages—the earliest written evidence of the linguistic divergence that still defines Europe today. A story of ambition, betrayal, and the fragile nature of imperial unity, this episode reveals the deep medieval roots of modern nation-states.#TreatyOfVerdun #CarolingianEmpire #Charlemagne #LouisThePious #LothairI #CharlesTheBald #LouisTheGerman #BattleOfFontenoy #OathsofStrasbourg #Francia #MedievalFrance #HistoryOfFrance #HistoryOfGermany #HistoryOfItaly #843AD #DividedKingdom #FexingoHistory #History #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In October 1789, a crowd of thousands—mostly women—marched from Paris to Versailles, demanding bread and forcing King Louis XVI to return to the capital. This episode explores the Women's March on Versailles, a pivotal moment in the French Revolution. We follow the marchers from the markets of Paris to the palace gates, recounting their confrontation with the royal family and the National Guard led by the Marquis de Lafayette. The march ended the king's isolation at Versailles and brought him to Paris, where he was effectively a prisoner of the revolution. We discuss the role of women in the revolution, the economic desperation that fueled the march, and the immediate aftermath, including the royal family's relocation to the Tuileries Palace. The episode also touches on the symbolism of the tricolour and the fall of the Bastille as prelude to this event.#FrenchRevolution #WomensMarchOnVersailles #LouisXVI #MarieAntoinette #MarquisDeLafayette #Paris #Versailles #TuileriesPalace #BreadRiots #OctoberDays #NationalGuard #Tricolour #EstatesGeneral #1789 #FrenchHistory #History #FexingoHistory #RevolutionaryWomen #NapoleonBonaparte #LouisXIVBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In May 1968, France ground to a halt. Students occupied the Sorbonne, workers went on strike, and President Charles de Gaulle fled the country briefly. This episode explores the events of those weeks—the student protests at Nanterre, the occupation of the Odéon theatre, the street fighting in the Latin Quarter, the general strike of ten million workers, and the Grenelle Accords that ended it. We discuss how the protests toppled de Gaulle's government and reshaped French society, from education reform to gender roles. Lucas and Luna examine the slogans that defined the movement, the role of figures like Daniel Cohn-Bendit, and the legacy that still influences French politics today.#May1968 #FrenchProtests #StudentMovement #GeneralStrike #DanielCohnBendit #CharlesDeGaulle #Nanterre #Sorbonne #OdOn #LatinQuarter #GrenelleAccords #SituationistInternational #FrenchHistory #CulturalRevolution #CivilRights #SocialMovements #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

While the French Revolution is often remembered for the storming of the Bastille and the Reign of Terror, a brutal civil war erupted in western France that pitted the revolutionary government against Catholic royalist peasants. This episode delves into the War in the Vendée (1793–1796), where the peasantry rose in defense of their priests and king. We meet leaders like Jacques Cathelineau and Henri de La Rochejaquelein, follow the unlikely peasant army that won battle after battle, and confront the Republic's chilling response: the 'infernal columns' and the drownings at Nantes. We ask: why did this war become a genocide in all but name? And how does its memory still divide France today? We trace the Vendée's story from the conscription decree of 1793 to the final guerrilla warfare under Jean-Nicolas Stofflet, exploring the legacy of hatred between the 'Blues' and the 'Whites'. This is a story of faith, rebellion, and the dark side of revolutionary ideals.#VendE #FrenchRevolution #WarInTheVendE #JacquesCathelineau #HenriDeLaRochejaquelein #InfernalColumns #NantesDrownings #ReignOfTerror #CatholicRoyalist #Genocide #RevolutionaryWars #FrenchHistory #Europe #FexingoHistory #History #CivilWar #PeasantRebellion #1793 #NapoleonBonaparte #LouisXIVBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

When France fell to Nazi Germany in 1940, the armistice divided the country into an occupied zone in the north and a collaborationist Vichy regime in the south. But from the very beginning, a small but determined network of men and women refused to accept defeat. This episode tells the story of the French Resistance, focusing on the everyday people who risked everything to fight back. We follow the journey of Jean Moulin, the prefect who united the disparate resistance groups under Charles de Gaulle's banner, and hear about the daring exploits of the Maquis, the rural guerrilla fighters who sabotaged German supply lines. We explore the crucial role of women like Lucie Aubrac and the dangers faced by those who printed clandestine newspapers, forged documents, and hid downed Allied airmen. From the first acts of defiance in 1940 to the liberation of Paris in 1944, we uncover the moral dilemmas, the brutal reprisals, and the legacy of a struggle that helped restore France's honour.#FrenchResistance #Maquis #JeanMoulin #LucieAubrac #CharlesDeGaulle #VichyRegime #WWII #Occupation #LiberationOfParis #FrenchHistory #OrdinaryHeroes #ResistanceFighters #Maquisards #1940s #WorldWarTwo #FreeFrench #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

This episode explores the transformation of a modest hunting lodge into the glittering Palace of Versailles, the symbol of Louis XIV's absolute monarchy. Lucas and Luna delve into the Sun King's motivations: controlling the nobility, centralizing power, and creating a stage for his divine right. They discuss the costly construction, the daily rituals of the court, and the palace's role in suppressing rebellion. The conversation covers the role of André Le Nôtre's gardens, the Hall of Mirrors, and the etiquette that bound nobles to Versailles. They also touch on the financial strain and the seeds of discontent that would bloom in the Revolution. A deep dive into how architecture and spectacle can shape a nation's politics and identity.#LouisXIV #Versailles #SunKing #AbsoluteMonarchy #HallOfMirrors #AndrLeNTre #DivineRight #Fronde #Nobility #CourtLife #FrenchHistory #Baroque #PalaceOfVersailles #FexingoHistory #History #France #17thCentury #Monarchy #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this episode of The Story of France, Lucas and Luna explore the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, a scandal that erupted in 1785 and fatally damaged the reputation of Queen Marie Antoinette. They delve into the intricate plot involving Cardinal de Rohan, the scheming Countess de La Motte, and the famed jewellers Boehmer and Bassenge. Lucas explains how a desperate cardinal, hoping to win royal favour, was duped into purchasing a 2,800-carat diamond necklace on behalf of the Queen, who never wanted it. The conspiracy unravelled at the Palace of Versailles, leading to a sensational trial at the Parlement de Paris. The affair exposed the monarchy's decadence and fueled revolutionary fervour. Listeners learn about the key figures: Jeanne de La Motte, who orchestrated the deception; the magician and mystic Count Cagliostro; and the public's voracious appetite for scandalous pamphlets. The episode connects this pre-revolutionary crisis to the broader erosion of royal authority.#DiamondNecklaceAffair #MarieAntoinette #CardinaldeRohan #JeannedeLaMotte #CountCagliostro #BoehmerandBassenge #PalaceofVersailles #ParlementdeParis #FrenchRevolution #AncienRGime #Scandal #18thCentury #France #History #FexingoHistory #RoyalScandal #PreRevolutionaryFrance #Trial #NapoleonBonaparte #LouisXIVBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the tragic final days of the Paris Commune in May 1871, known as La Semaine Sanglante or Bloody Week. They follow the Versaillais army's assault on Paris, the fierce barricade fighting, and the mass executions at Père Lachaise Cemetery. They discuss the role of women fighters known as pétroleuses, the destruction of the Tuileries Palace and the Vendôme Column, and the arrest and trial of Louise Michel. The episode examines how the Commune's suppression shaped modern French politics and why its memory still divides France today. Key figures include Adolphe Thiers, Patrice MacMahon, and Louise Michel. The conversation draws on prior episodes about the Franco-Prussian War and the Commune to provide context, but focuses on the violence and legacy of Bloody Week.#ParisCommune #BloodyWeek #LouiseMichel #AdolpheThiers #PReLachaise #SemaineSanglante #FrancoPrussianWar #ThirdRepublic #Versaillais #PTroleuses #VendMeColumn #TuileriesPalace #MacMahon #FrenchHistory #19thCenturyFrance #CivilWar #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In the 1860s, a tiny aphid from America nearly destroyed France's entire wine industry, threatening centuries of viticultural tradition. This episode explores the phylloxera crisis that ravaged vineyards from Bordeaux to Burgundy, the desperate search for a cure, and the ingenious solution that saved French wine. We meet the scientists—Jules-Émile Planchon, Charles Valentine Riley—who identified the pest, and the vintners who eventually grafted European vines onto American rootstocks, transforming viticulture forever. The crisis also sparked mass emigration from wine regions, fueled the rise of Champagne as a global brand, and led to the creation of France's strict appellation system. Listen as Lucas and Luna uncork the story of how France's national drink was nearly lost, and how its recovery reshaped the country's identity.#Phylloxera #FrenchWine #Viticulture #JulesEmilePlanchon #CharlesValentineRiley #Bordeaux #Burgundy #Champagne #Grafting #AmericanRootstock #AppellationOrigineControlee #WineHistory #France #19thCentury #Agriculture #EconomicHistory #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

The Eiffel Tower, the ultimate symbol of Paris, was almost never built. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the furious public debate that surrounded Gustave Eiffel's audacious project for the 1889 Exposition Universelle. They delve into the protests of the 'Committee of Three Hundred'—a group of artists and intellectuals who denounced the tower as a 'monstrous' blot on the cityscape—and examine how the tower became a lightning rod for deeper tensions in the Third Republic: between tradition and modernity, art and industry, and the legacy of the French Revolution. Along the way, they discuss the tower's innovative construction, its role as a wireless telegraph station, and how it was saved from demolition to become a beloved icon. This episode offers a fresh angle on a familiar landmark, revealing the controversy that shaped not just a monument, but modern France's identity.#EiffelTower #GustaveEiffel #ExpositionUniverselle1889 #ThirdRepublic #Paris #HistoryOfFrance #FrenchArt #IndustrialRevolution #CommitteeOfThreeHundred #JulesVerne #CharlesGarnier #ModernArchitecture #BellePoque #WorldsFair #FrenchHistory #Controversy #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In the 1860s, France's vineyards faced an invisible enemy: a tiny aphid from America called phylloxera vastatrix. Within decades, it destroyed nearly all of France's wine production, devastating an industry central to French identity and economy. This episode tells the story of the phylloxera crisis—how the pest arrived, the desperate search for a cure, the scientific breakthroughs, and the long road to recovery that transformed French viticulture. We explore the role of American rootstocks, the work of scientists like Jules-Émile Planchon and Charles Valentine Riley, and the social and economic upheaval that followed. Along the way, we consider how this crisis reshaped France's countryside, sparked new wine laws, and ultimately saved the very wines we know today. A tale of catastrophe and resilience, rooted in the soil of France.#Phylloxera #FrenchWine #Viticulture #WineHistory #JulesMilePlanchon #CharlesValentineRiley #Grafting #AmericanRootstocks #ParisWineMarket #Languedoc #Bordeaux #Champagne #Burgundy #ThirdRepublic #AgriculturalCrisis #History #FexingoHistory #WineScience #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this episode of The Story of France, Lucas and Luna explore the Vichy Regime, France's collaborationist government during World War II. They begin with the fall of France in 1940, when Marshal Philippe Pétain signed an armistice with Nazi Germany, leading to the division of France into occupied and unoccupied zones. The episode delves into the National Revolution, Vichy's reactionary ideology that replaced 'Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité' with 'Travail, Famille, Patrie.' Lucas explains how Pétain and Prime Minister Pierre Laval pursued a policy of collaboration, including the persecution of Jews, which culminated in the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup in July 1942. The conversation also covers the resistance movements, both internal and external, led by figures like Charles de Gaulle and Jean Moulin. They discuss the legacy of the regime, including the post-war purges and the long shadow it cast over French national identity. The episode ends with a reflection on how France has grappled with this painful past, from the trial of Paul Touvier to President Jacques Chirac's acknowledgment of French responsibility in 1995.#VichyRegime #PhilippePTain #PierreLaval #WWII #France #Collaboration #NationalRevolution #TravailFamillePatrie #VelodromeDHiver #JeanMoulin #CharlesDeGaulle #FreeFrance #Holocaust #FrenchHistory #Occupation #Resistance #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this episode of The Story of France, Lucas and Luna explore the Vichy Regime, the authoritarian government that collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II. They discuss how Marshal Philippe Pétain, a hero of Verdun, came to lead a regime that implemented anti-Semitic laws, deported Jews, and suppressed French liberties. The conversation covers the establishment of the regime after France's defeat in 1940, the creation of the French State in Vichy, the role of Pierre Laval, the Milice paramilitary, and the Resistance. Lucas explains the ideology of the Révolution Nationale, which sought to replace the republic's values with 'Travail, Famille, Patrie'. They also touch on the regime's collaboration in the Holocaust, the roundup of Jews at the Vélodrome d'Hiver in 1942, and the aftermath of liberation, including the trial and death sentence of Pétain. The episode ends with a reflection on how France has grappled with this painful chapter, noting President Jacques Chirac's 1995 acknowledgment of state responsibility.#VichyRegime #PhilippePTain #WorldWarII #Collaboration #Holocaust #RVolutionNationale #Milice #Resistance #PierreLaval #VLodromeHiver #FrenchState #NaziGermany #FreeFrance #CharlesdeGaulle #FrenchHistory #Europe #FexingoHistory #History #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the tumultuous aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, focusing on the birth and fragile early years of the French Third Republic. They discuss the Paris Commune's uprising, the National Assembly's conservative leanings, and the republican consolidation under figures like Léon Gambetta and Jules Ferry. Key topics include the Wall of the Fédérés, the establishment of laïcité, and the Boulanger crisis. The episode also examines the republic's symbolic foundations, including the adoption of the Marseillaise as the national anthem and the celebration of Bastille Day, and how these events shaped modern French national identity.#FrancoPrussianWar #ThirdRepublic #ParisCommune #LOnGambetta #JulesFerry #BoulangerCrisis #LaCit #Marseillaise #BastilleDay #WallOfTheFDRS #AdolpheThiers #PatriceMacMahon #JulesGrVy #FrenchRepublic #19thCenturyFrance #FrenchHistory #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In the decades between the Franco-Prussian War and World War I, France experienced an extraordinary cultural and technological renaissance known as the Belle Époque. This episode explores how Paris became the capital of modernity with the Eiffel Tower, the Métro, and the universal expositions. We dive into the vibrant world of Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge, and the Impressionists who redefined art. But beneath the glittering surface, the Third Republic grappled with political instability, colonial ambitions, and the Dreyfus Affair. We meet figures like Georges Clemenceau, Sarah Bernhardt, and Marie Curie, and examine how the separation of church and state in 1905 reshaped French identity. The episode also touches on the darker undercurrents of nationalism and militarism that would eventually lead to the trenches of 1914.#BellePoque #ThirdRepublic #EiffelTower #Impressionism #MoulinRouge #Montmartre #MarieCurie #GeorgesClemenceau #SarahBernhardt #LaCit #1905Separation #ParisExposition #MTro #DreyfusAffair #Colonialism #History #FexingoHistory #France #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In 1870, France declared war on Prussia, expecting a swift victory. Instead, they faced a humiliating defeat that toppled Napoleon III, ended the Second Empire, and gave birth to the Third Republic. Join Lucas and Luna as they explore the causes, key battles, and aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War—from the Ems Dispatch that sparked the conflict to the Siege of Paris, the role of Otto von Bismarck, and the proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles. This episode dives into the military innovations of the Prussian army, the collapse of the French imperial regime, and the deep national trauma that set the stage for the Paris Commune and future Franco-German rivalry. Learn about Emperor Napoleon III's fateful decisions, the heroic but doomed resistance of Paris, and how the war reshaped European power dynamics for decades to come.#FrancoPrussianWar #NapoleonIII #Bismarck #SiegeOfParis #EmsDispatch #ThirdRepublic #GermanEmpire #VersaillesProclamation #Sedan #SecondEmpire #PrussianArmy #HelmuthVonMoltke #LeonGambetta #19thCenturyWarfare #FrenchHistory #GermanUnification #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

Before the Revolution, before the Republic, France was a kingdom torn apart by religious war. This episode dives into the Edict of Nantes, issued by King Henri IV in 1598, which granted unprecedented rights to the Protestant Huguenot minority. We explore the Wars of Religion that preceded it, the politique compromise that made it possible, and how it held for nearly a century before Louis XIV's revocation in 1685 sent France spiraling again. Along the way, we meet figures like Catherine de' Medici, the Duc de Guise, and Cardinal Richelieu, and see how the struggle over religious pluralism shaped the very idea of French unity. This is a story of tolerance, its fragility, and its consequences—from the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day to the forced conversions and the exodus of skilled artisans that weakened the nation.#EdictOfNantes #HenriIV #Huguenots #WarsOfReligion #CatherineDeMedici #StBartholomewDayMassacre #LouisXIV #Revocation #CardinalRichelieu #Politiques #FrenchHistory #Tolerance #Protestantism #CatholicLeague #Bourbon #1598 #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Paris Commune of 1871, a revolutionary government that ruled Paris for two months before being brutally suppressed by the French army. They discuss the Commune's socialist experiments, including the separation of church and state, workers' cooperatives, and the first use of the red flag as a political symbol. The conversation delves into the key figures like Louise Michel, the 'Red Virgin,' and Adolphe Thiers, the conservative president who ordered the crackdown. Lucas explains how the Commune's legacy influenced later movements, from the Bolshevik Revolution to the 1968 protests in Paris. The episode also touches on the destruction of historical landmarks like the Tuileries Palace and the Vendôme Column, and the lasting divisions in French society between the left and right. Ideal for listeners interested in the radical undercurrents of French history and the origins of modern political ideologies.#ParisCommune #LouiseMichel #AdolpheThiers #FrenchHistory #Socialism #Revolution #CivilWar #19thCentury #France #Communism #RedFlag #VendomeColumn #TuileriesPalace #History #FexingoHistory #PoliticalHistory #WorkingClass #Paris #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In 1894, Jewish artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason based on flimsy evidence, sparking a scandal that tore France apart for over a decade. This episode of The Story of France explores the Dreyfus Affair in depth: the forged bordereau, the role of antisemitism in the army and press, Émile Zola's explosive open letter 'J'accuse…!', the rival factions of Dreyfusards and anti-Dreyfusards, and the eventual exoneration of Dreyfus in 1906. We examine key figures like Colonel Picquart, who discovered the real traitor, Major Esterhazy; and the political convulsions that pitted republicans against monarchists, nationalists, and the Catholic Church. The affair exposed deep fault lines in French society—between left and right, secularism and religion, justice and authority—and its legacy shaped modern France. Join Lucas and Luna as they unravel this gripping tale of injustice, courage, and the fight for truth.#DreyfusAffair #AlfredDreyfus #ThirdRepublic #JAccuse #EmileZola #GeorgesPicquart #FerdinandEsterhazy #Antisemitism #FrenchHistory #MilitaryJustice #Bordereau #DevilSIsland #Dreyfusards #AntiDreyfusards #Secularism #Intellectuals #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In the spring of 1871, as the Franco-Prussian War ended with France's defeat and the capture of Napoleon III, Paris exploded. The working-class citizens of the capital, armed from the siege and furious at the new conservative government, declared their own independent government: the Paris Commune. For two months, the Commune enacted radical reforms — separation of church and state, free education, worker cooperatives — while the national government, led by Adolphe Thiers, prepared to crush them. The ensuing 'Bloody Week' in May 1871 saw as many as 30,000 Communards killed in street fighting, more than the Reign of Terror. This episode explores the Commune's rise, its ideals, its brutal suppression, and its lasting legacy in French politics and culture, from Marx to the modern French left. How did a revolutionary government born from the ashes of empire end in such a massacre? And why does the Commune still haunt France today?#ParisCommune #FrancoPrussianWar #AdolpheThiers #BloodyWeek #FrenchHistory #Revolution #CivilWar #WorkingClass #RadicalPolitics #ThirdRepublic #SiegeOfParis #Versailles #Communards #LouiseMichel #KarlMarx #FrenchLeft #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

This episode of The Story of France picks up after the Revolution and Napoleon, but instead of continuing chronologically, we take a step back to explore a foundational event that shaped French national consciousness: the Hundred Years' War. Lucas and Luna delve into the conflict's origins in the 14th century, the stunning English victories at Crécy and Agincourt, and the fractured French kingdom under the Valois kings. The heart of the episode is the extraordinary story of Joan of Arc, the peasant girl who turned the tide at Orléans and crowned Charles VII at Reims. We examine the political and religious forces that led to her trial and execution by the English, and how she later became a symbol of French unity and defiance. The conversation also touches on the war's long-term impact: the decline of feudalism, the rise of a professional army, and the forging of a distinct French identity separate from English and Burgundian influences. Specific terms like 'Gabelle' tax, the Treaty of Troyes, and the symbolism of the fleur-de-lis are woven into the discussion.#HundredYearsWar #JoanOfArc #CrCy #Agincourt #OrlAns #CharlesVII #HenryV #Valois #Plantagenet #TreatyOfTroyes #Burgundy #FleurDeLis #FrenchIdentity #MedievalHistory #MilitaryHistory #PeasantRevolt #History #FexingoHistory #FrenchRevolution #NapoleonBonaparteBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In Episode 2 of The Story of France, Lucas and Luna move beyond the guillotine and the Terror to explore the improbable rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. Born on Corsica to minor nobility, Napoleon leveraged military brilliance and revolutionary chaos to become First Consul and, eventually, Emperor of the French. They discuss his Italian campaign, the Egyptian expedition (and the discovery of the Rosetta Stone), the coup of 18 Brumaire, and the Napoleonic Code. The episode examines how Napoleon both preserved and betrayed revolutionary ideals, creating a centralized state that shaped modern France. Along the way, they touch on Josephine, the Battle of Austerlitz, and the enduring cult of Bonaparte. A nuanced portrait of a man who conquered Europe—and then lost it all.#NapoleonBonaparte #FrenchRevolution #Corsica #ItalianCampaign #EgyptianExpedition #RosettaStone #CoupOf18Brumaire #Consulate #NapoleonicCode #Josephine #BattleOfAusterlitz #FirstEmpire #19thCentury #MilitaryHistory #EuropeanHistory #History #FexingoHistory #RevolutionaryWars #LouisXIV #JoanOfArcBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.

In this pilot episode of The Story of France, hosts Lucas and Luna begin in the summer of 1789, standing with the Parisian crowd before the Bastille. Lucas traces the slow collapse of the ancien régime under Louis XVI, the financial crisis that forced the convocation of the Estates-General, and the radicalization of the Third Estate into the National Assembly. They discuss the fall of the Bastille not as a single event, but as a symbol of the end of divine-right monarchy in France. The episode then pulls back to preview the revolution's escalating phases: the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the flight to Varennes, the Reign of Terror, and the eventual rise of Napoleon. Lucas and Luna consider the core tensions of French identity—liberty vs. authority, revolution vs. order—that will echo through every era to come.#FrenchRevolution #Bastille #LouisXVI #EstatesGeneral #ThirdEstate #NationalAssembly #1789 #AncienRGime #Tricolour #DeclarationOfTheRightsOfMan #FexingoHistory #History #Europe #France #Revolution #Versailles #StormingOfTheBastille #MarieAntoinette #NapoleonBonaparte #LouisXIVBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-story-of-france-revolution-empire-and-national-identity-fexingo-history--6985233/support.