On the 21st October 1805, British Admiral Horatio Nelson famously defeated a combined French and Spanish navy under the command of Admiral Villeneuve. The French admiral's reputation has withered under the long shadow of his defeat at Trafalgar, but what was the bigger picture of his life, service, success and failure in the French navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Paul Chamberlain joins us to shed light on Admiral Villeneuve, his character, life and his death, offering insights on misconceptions and myths about one of the significant figures in the French Navy.

Buy Paul's book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/hell-upon-water/paul-chamberlain/9781862274662

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod

Dr Graeme Callister joins us to discuss how Napoleon conscripted the soldiers who would be so integral to his success on the battlefields of Europe, exploring how people were conscripted, how they evaded conscription, the political dangers of conscription, and the impact on both France and the men themselves.

Buy Graeme's books: https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/napoleons-conscripts-conscription-and-the-french-army-1798-1815.php

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Dr-Graeme-Callister/a/4546

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to French Conscription and Napoleon's Army

04:32 Origins of Conscription: From Levy to Formal System

12:40 Transition from Levy to Conscription System

16:24 Selling Conscription: Propaganda and Public Sentiment

20:55 Administrative Framework of Conscription

26:26 Evasion, Corruption, and Enforcement Challenges

35:46 Community Involvement and Resistance Tactics

43:12 The Conscription Process for Young Men

50:57 Resistance, Riots, and Policing of Drafts

56:26 Corruption and Abuse in the System

01:00:53 Summary and Future Episodes

On the 27th September 1810, British and Portuguese forces under the command of the Duke of Wellington defeated a French army under Marshal Massena. Dr Graeme Callister joins us for this latest instalment of our Peninsular War saga to talk through how Wellington's men fended off French attacks, discuss whether this was a battle that Wellington couldn't lose, and what this meant for the wider context of the Peninsular War.

Buy Graeme's books:

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Dr-Graeme-Callister/a/4546

https://www.helion.co.uk/people/graeme-callister.php

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod