Imagine growing up with the world’s most famous uncle, the one who conquered Europe and redefined France. For young Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, bedtime stories came with cavalry charges and imperial dreams.

In this episode, we follow the nephew who turned admiration into ambition, rising from exile to become Napoléon III, Emperor of the French.

Join us as we talk about France's Last Monarch!

Timecodes
Introduction
04:27 - A Royal without a Kingdom

09:49 - Conspiracies and the Road to Power

17:08 - From President to Emperor

22:38 - The Empire Strikes Back

29:21 - The Liberal Empire

36:41 - The Collapse

42:34 - Conclusion

Relevant Episodes:

Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena

The 1830 Revolution. Barricades in Paris!

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: Napoléon III en uniforme de général de division dans son grand cabinet des Tuileries. Hippolyte Flandrin, 1861. Château de Versailles.

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Thomas C. Williams is an American author and historian living in France since 1989. A former U.S. Embassy staffer, he is a leading expert on Volney and Thomas Jefferson’s secret translation of The Ruins of Empires, a radical Enlightenment text that nearly derailed Jefferson’s presidency. He has lectured at the Robert H. Smith Research Facility (Monticello) and the French Senate, published widely on the subject, and donated the largest collection of Jefferson translations to Monticello. He is also the author of the historical novels English Turn and Kash Kachu.

In this episode, Thomas joins me for a deep dive into the life and legacy of Volney: Enlightenment thinker, revolutionary, and author of The Ruins of Empires. We begin with Volney’s intellectual formation and his role in the early days of the French Revolution, then explore his friendship with Thomas Jefferson and the political risks surrounding Jefferson’s secret translation of Ruins. Finally, we look at how Volney’s ideas continue to resonate today, offering a striking lens through which to view modern events.

Timecodes
Introduction
01:10 - Volney’s Biography & Intellectual Formation
25:58 - Volney and Jefferson: Transatlantic Ideals
56:30 - Volney’s Legacy and Contemporary Relevance
1:16:38 - Conclusion

Volney's Ruins, translated by Jefferson, on Project Gutenberg.

Thomas socials:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ruinsofempires.bsky.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RuinsOfEmpires

Thomas's novels:

English Turn: Napoleon Invades Louisiana: Volume I: Ruins of Empires

Kash Kachu (White House): Volume 1: Revenge of the Katchina

Artwork: Constantine Francois Volney, Count of Chasseboeuf, by Gilbert Stuart, ca. 1795. From PAFA.

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

• Contact me or follow the podcast on social media
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify
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• Buy me a Coffee

In July 1830, Paris erupted. For three days, workers, students, and veterans rose against royal ordinances that trampled the Charter of 1814. Barricades filled the streets, the tricolour flag flew once more, and the Bourbon monarchy collapsed. King Charles X fled, and Louis-Philippe, styled the “Citizen King”, took the throne.

This revolution wasn’t just a power shift; it was a powerful reminder that France’s revolutionary spirit was far from extinguished. From backroom politics to street battles, the July Revolution marked a turning point in modern French history.
Join us to revisit this pivotal moment.

Timecodes

Introduction
04:06 - A Broken Country
11:19 - A Step Too Far
19:52 - The Barricades
25:38 - King of the French
35:50 - Conclusion

To know more about the world behind the 1830 Revolution — the politics, the kings, the chaos — check out The Siècle‬, a phenomenal podcast on 19th-century France. Available on your podcast app of choice or at: https://thesiecle.com/

Relevant Episodes:
The French Revolution, a Worldwide Tremor
Napoléon Part II - From Paris to Saint Helena

Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche.

Artwork: La Liberté guidant le peuple. Eugène Delacroix, 1830. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Support the show

Reach out, support the show and give me feedback!

• Contact me or follow the podcast on social media
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify
• Become a patron on Patreon to support the show
• Buy me a Coffee