In April, 1809, the Austrians finally launched their long-awaited invasion of the Napoleonic Empire. The French were taken by surprise, but Napoleon had a plan to turn the tables.

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French and British forces continue fighting in Spain. In Paris, Napoleon's frustrations with Talleyrand finally boil over as he prepares to face off against a renewed and reformed Habsburg army.

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After taking Madrid, Napoleon chased a British army into northwestern Spain. Meanwhile, behind the lines, Spanish guerrillas waged a brutal war against the occupiers.

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The Spanish Patriots prepared to hold off Bonaparte in a rocky mountain pass, but they didn't count on the heroism of the Polish cavalry of Napoleon's Imperial Guard.

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I sat down with two fellow French history podcasters for a Paris Games-themed discussion of some of our favorite characters of 18th and 19th century French history. You can find Will's show, Grey History, at: https://greyhistory.com, and David's show, The Siècle, here: http://thesiecle.com/.

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In early November 1808, French troops crossed the Ebro River in their second invasion of Spain, led by the Emperor himself.

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The summer of 1808 saw desperate fighting across Iberia as Spanish and Portuguese patriots rose up against Napoleon. France's most powerful enemy, Great Britain, sought to take advantage.

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The Spanish uprising was a disaster for France. Napoleon tried to shore up his diplomatic situation but found himself undermined by a surprising new enemy. Cameo appearances by José de San Martín and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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In the spring of 1808, Napoleon said he considered Spain conquered. That summer, Spanish forces dealt France its first major battlefield defeat in nearly a decade. How did Spain manage this stunning reversal? 

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I recently recorded a collaboration with Will Clark of Grey History: the French Revolution.

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In the Spring of 1808, Napoleon installed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne. However, the people of Madrid had had enough of the French, and took matters into their own hands.

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