Happy Bastille Day Everyone! In celebration of the 232nd anniversary of the Fall of the Bastille, this bonus episode is a recording of my presentation at the Intelligent Speech Conference earlier this year. It covers the key events of the Flight to Varennes, some minor (and key) details which foiled the escape, as well as
In the aftermath of 20 June, the nation’s factions immediately resume their bitter disputes. As foreign armies prepare to invade France, the Legislative Assembly is compelled to declare the nation to be in danger. The arrival of the fédérés changes the power dynamics in Paris, empowering agitators who are calling for a second revolution. The
With the Intelligent Speech Conference now behind us, it’s time for me to focus my attention on the next Bonus Episode for sponsors of the show! Thank you to everyone who has submitted a range of ideas for possible bonus episodes! The blurbs for each idea are just initial thoughts while we narrow down the
“I know that the stern language of the truth is rarely welcome close to the throne. I also know that, because it is almost never heard there, that revolutions become necessary.” – Jean-Marie Roland A new ministerial crisis erupts thanks to the bold actions of Interior Minister Jean-Marie Roland. The people of Paris conduct a
“The Girondins too were frightened… The appearance of sans-culottes scared them into taking a path that was to lead to conservatism.” – Georges Lefebvre As the nation faced a multitude of threats, a particular cohort of Parisians emerged as a powerful revolutionary force. This episode introduces the famous Sans-culottes of the French Revolution. Just who
Hello everybody! With the script for Episode 31, “Rise of the Sans-Culottes”, almost done (I hope!), I’m starting to turn my attention to the next bonus episode for Patreon supporters of the show. I’m looking for your ideas for the next bonus episode! If you’re already a Patreon supporter of the show, please comment on
Happy New Year Everyone! Grey History is back for 2021 and we’re starting the new year with a (cannon) bang! Episode 30 has just been released! Despite claims of an easy war, setbacks cripple the French armies. Seeking to reverse the deteriorating situation, the Brissotins adopt radical remedies. These measures renew divisions amongst the revolutionary
An interview with Historian Christopher Tozzi on the experience of foreign soldiers in the French Revolutionary Army. Focusing initially on the experience of foreign troops during the Old Regime, this episode also covers the hostile treatment of non-citizen soldiers during the revolutionary era. In addition to discussing Swiss, German and Irish soldiers, the interview also
When the French War Minister Narbonne is forced to resign in March 1792, a political crisis engulfs the nation. Seeking to sooth tensions between the Court and the Legislative Assembly, King Louis XVI installs a new cabinet. This episode contains a thorough introduction and analysis of the key individuals who rose to power in the
Episode 1.27, “The Nancy Mutiny”, is now available exclusively to Patreon supporters and is the first full-length bonus episode! The often-overlooked Nancy Mutiny was a bloody and important insurrection that occurred during the summer of 1790. Already facing several challenges prior to the fall of the Old Regime, the French army began to deteriorate further
