Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon
William Clark
History isn't black and white, yet too often it's presented as such. Explore the ambiguities and nuances of the French Revolution.
- 54 minutes 26 seconds1.104 The Cult of Reason
No Sundays, no saints, no salvation.
As dechristianisation exploded in the capital, radical revolutionaries closed churches, forced abdications, and turned Notre-Dame into a Temple of Reason. Seeking to replace past errors with enlightenment values, the Cult of Reason was established with mixed success.
This episode explores the dramatic escalation of dechristianisation, including the creation of the Cult of Reason. It also examines Bishop Gobel’s resignation, and how marriages, abdications, and the cult itself varied across the nation.
Revolutionary France Tour
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Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
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About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
19 December 2025, 12:28 pm - 1 minute 59 secondsGrey History Tour is Live! Paris & Loire (Limited Places)
The first Grey History Tour is now live! From Tuesday 12 May to Tuesday 19 May 2026, I’m hosting an eight-day, small-group journey through Revolutionary France. We’ll spend five nights in Paris, then two nights in the Loire Valley.
The full itinerary is ready to read. Bookings will open once the waitlist reaches the tour minimum, and waitlist members will receive the first invitation to book.
Highlights
Experience a full day at Versailles with a specialist guide
Explore the Louvre in small groups (no more than six)
Relive July 1789, ending at the former Bastille
Enter the Conciergerie and stand in Marie Antoinette’s cell
Visit the Panthéon and meet France’s revolutionary heroes
Marvel at Napoleon’s Tomb and the Arc de Triomphe
Discover the Loire’s royal towns and châteaux, including Chambord and ChenonceauPlaces are strictly capped at 20. Join the waitlist for first access and early bird pricing.
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17 December 2025, 11:47 am - 1 hour 28 seconds1.103 Dechristianisation
A new crusade! Determined to purge superstition and fanaticism in all its forms, anti-clerical zeal erupts across the French Republic.
This episode uncovers how Joseph Fouché’s campaign in central France helped ignite a national movement. From the forced marriages of priests to the destruction of churches, we explore the many dimensions of dechristianisation. We also trace the rising tensions between constitutional clerics and the Jacobins, and how the Revolution turned against the Catholic faith in a bid to regenerate the nation.
Episode Extras
Rewriting Time: Naming The French Republican Calendar
Renaming Republican France: From Towns To BabiesRural Calendar
A horse? An apple tree? Find out what day were you born on here
Paris Tour May 2026
Early Access Pass - More Info Here!
Early AccessBecome a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 104 "The Cult of Reason"
The Grey History Community
Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
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Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon.
All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show here.
About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 November 2025, 10:13 am - 1 hour 21 minutes1.102 The French East India Company with Dr Elizabeth Cross
Fortune, fraud, and the fall of empires. Dr Elizabeth Cross joins Grey History to uncover the turbulent history of the French East India Company.
From royal privilege to revolutionary scandal, this episode traces how the troubled company became a symbol of greed and speculation. Often compared to its more successful rival, we’ll also touch on the challenges faced by the British East India Company and examine trade relations with the young United States. Discover the wild history of this forgotten enterprise and how its corruption helped to implode the Jacobin Republic.
Dr Cross is the author of Company Politics: Commerce, Scandal, and French Visions of Indian Empire in the Revolutionary Era.
Early Access
Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 1.103 Dechristianisation Part I
The Grey History Community
Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
Join Now And Support the Show
Make a one-off donation
Contact Me
Send your questions, praise, and scorn here
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Advertising
Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon.
All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show here.
About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
19 November 2025, 9:35 am - 3 minutes 36 secondsMay 2026 Paris Tour! Get Your Early Access Pass!
You’ve listened to the Revolution — now it’s time to live it!
I’m thrilled to announce that Grey History Tours are officially happening in 2026! Our first trip will take place in Paris in mid-May, and will run for about a week (approximately 12–19 May).
We’ll walk the same streets as Lafayette and Robespierre, explore Versailles Palace, and even recreate the Storming of the Bastille. From Marie Antoinette’s prison cell to Napoleon’s Tomb, the Louvre, and Notre-Dame, you’ll experience the Revolution like never before — with exclusive access, expert storytelling, and a small group of fellow history lovers.
To join this first-ever tour, I’ve opened a limited number of Early Access Passes.
Each pass gives you priority booking and $150 off next year’s tour.
It costs $100 — fully refundable at any time — and if you don’t use it, you’ll automatically get your money back in March 2026.
This will be a small-group experience, capped at 20 people, and early interest has already been huge. This is your chance to be first in line!If you’ve ever thought, “One day I’d love to explore Revolutionary Paris,” this is your moment!
Reserve your Early Access Pass now!
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12 November 2025, 11:16 am - 50 minutes 48 seconds1.101 The Foreign Plot
Lies and deception imploded the Jacobin Republic. Needing to save themselves from accusations of corruption, multiple deputies invented foreign plots to mask their own conspiracies. Destroying trust while incriminating innocents, these fabrications are essential to understanding the fall of the Jacobins.
This episode explores how Fabre d’Églantine and François Chabot created the “Foreign Plot” to conceal their own financial crimes. From the French East India Company to the murky world of Parisian finance, discover how greed and paranoia destroyed the Revolution from within.
2026 Tours
Don't forget to have your say with the 2026 Tour survey!
Early Access
Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 102 "The French East India Company with Dr Elizabeth Cross "
The Grey History Community
Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
Join Now And Support the Show
Make a one-off donation
Contact Me
Send your questions, praise, and scorn here
Newsletter
Sign Up for Free Bonus Episode
Follow on Social Media:
Advertising
Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon.
All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show here.
About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 October 2025, 4:38 pm - 59 minutes 59 seconds1.100 Revolutionary Until The Peace
After five years of turmoil, France needed a government. But how? With the Republic increasingly controlled by “rogues and scoundrels,” the battle was on for the Revolution’s future. Assailed from all sides, the Committee of Public Safety emerged triumphant.
This episode traces Robespierre’s parliamentary victory of 25 September 1793, Saint-Just’s decree of “Revolutionary Government” on 10 October 1793, and the Convention’s decision to remain “until the peace.” From foreign plots and factional struggles to the subordination of ministers and generals, discover how dissent became treason as the Revolution laid the foundations for both survival and dictatorship.
Early Access
Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 101: The Foreign Plot!
The Grey History Community
Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
Join Now And Support the Show
Make a one-off donation
Contact Me
Send your questions, praise, and scorn here
Newsletter
Sign Up for Free Bonus Episode
Follow on Social Media:
Advertising
Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon.
All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show here.
About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
22 October 2025, 12:14 pm - 1 minute 14 seconds2026 France Tours - Your Feedback Is Needed!
Explore France in 2026!
This is your chance to experience French history together in person. Please complete the short survey to help design the first Grey History Tours. Everyone who takes part will be eligible for exclusive discounts when the tours are announced.Take the survey HERE. It will take less than 5 minutes and it's almost all multiple choice!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B8WPLTG
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7 October 2025, 8:33 am - 46 minutes 30 seconds1.99 English & French Revolutions with History of England Part II
From influence to imitation, the discussion continues with David Crowther of The History of England podcast. We also explore how the English Revolution influenced events in France, why the revolutions diverged so sharply, and in what ways the new regimes replicated the worst aspects of the old.
Early Access
Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 100 Revolutionary Until The Peace!
The Grey History Community
Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
Join Now And Support the Show
Make a one-off donation
Contact Me
Send your questions, praise, and scorn here
Newsletter
Sign Up for Free Bonus Episode
Follow on Social Media:
Advertising
Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon.
All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show here.
About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6 October 2025, 10:01 am - 1 hour 3 minutes1.99 English & French Revolutions with History of England Part I
Two kings, two revolutions, and two podcasters ready to unpack it all!
In this collaboration with David Crowther of The History of England, we explore the English and French Revolutions. Part I examines the characters of Charles I and Louis XVI, their trials and missed opportunities, the role of religion, and the constitutional experiments of both upheavals. Part II will continue the discussion, tracing similarities and differences and assessing how the English Revolution influenced events in France.
Video Version
Early Access
Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 100 Revolutionary Until The Peace!
The Grey History Community
Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
Join Now And Support the Show
Make a one-off donation
Contact Me
Send your questions, praise, and scorn here
Newsletter
Sign Up for Free Bonus Episode
Follow on Social Media:
Advertising
Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon.
All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show here.
About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 September 2025, 7:34 am - 39 minutes 33 seconds1.98 Vendée with Jean-Clément Martin
From monsters to myths, this episode unpacks the Vendée with Professor Jean-Clément Martin.
One of the foremost authorities on the civil war, Martin shows how factional politics transformed local unrest into a national catastrophe. We explore how chaos and rivalries drove atrocities, why the conflict cannot be defined as genocide, and why “the Terror” should be seen not as historical reality but as a political invention.
Video Versions:
Further Reading
La Vendée et la France (1987)
Robespierre. La fabrication d’un monstre (2016)
La Terreur. Vérités et légendes (2017)
“The Vendée, chouannerie, and the State, 1791–99,” in Peter McPhee (ed.), A Companion to the French Revolution (2013)
Vendée In Images
Depictions of key events and leaders
Early Access
Become a True Revolutionary and listen now to Episode 99 English & French Revolutions with History of England.
The Grey History Community
Help keep Grey History on the air! Every revolution needs its supporters, and we need you! With an ad-free feed, a community discord, a reading club, and tonnes of exclusive bonus content, you're missing out! Do your part for as little as half a cup of coffee per episode! It's the best value on the internet, with the best people too!
Join Now And Support the Show
Make a one-off donation
Contact Me
Send your questions, praise, and scorn here
Newsletter
Sign Up for Free Bonus Episode
Follow on Social Media:
Advertising
Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon.
All members of the Grey History Community have an ad-free version of the show. Support the show here.
About
Grey History: The French Revolution and Napoleon is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of our history. By examining both the experiences of contemporaries and the conclusions of historians, Grey History seeks to unpack the ambiguities and nuances of the past. Understanding the French Revolution and the age of Napoleon Bonaparte is critical to understanding the history of the world, so join us on a journey through a series of events that would be almost unbelievable if it weren't for the fact that it's true! If you're looking for a binge-worthy history podcast on the Revolution and Napoleon, you're in the right place!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
16 September 2025, 6:35 am - More Episodes? Get the App