The Napoleonic Quarterly

Alex Stevenson is joined by Rick Schneid, John Gill and Graeme Callister for the latest in our 1796 battles series, this time looking at Castiglione when for the first time Napoleon Bonaparte found himself on the strategic defensive.
You'll find all the pictures and maps mentioned in this episode here: https://x.com/napoleonic_q/status/2013017694077911143
Expect “on the battlefield” atmosphere, expert analysis, maps you can almost see, and a riveting blend of strategy and storytelling:
A Walkthrough of the Battlefield and Its Geography
Listeners will be expertly guided through the geography of Castiglione and its surrounding landmarks—hills, rivers, villages—painting a vivid operational map crucial to understanding the movements and intentions of both armies.

The Austrian and French Perspectives
The panel adopts the roles of staff officers and commanders in both the Austrian and French camps, offering both granular and big-picture views on morale, strategy, and the unique challenges faced by each side.

Command Decisions and Tactics Unpacked
Explore why Austrian commander Wurmser and his French counterpart Bonaparte made the decisions they did, how logistical issues, communication breakdowns, and battlefield improvisation altered the course of operations.

Dramatic Near-Misses and Shifting Momentum
Experience the near-encirclement of the French, the Austrian attempts at pincer movement, and how crucial moments and battlefield heroics (like the timely arrival of French reinforcements) flipped the campaign’s momentum.

Aftermath, Analysis, and Why Castiglione Mattered
The episode delves into the outcomes of the battle: the relief and renewed siege of Mantua, troop exhaustion, command changes, loss of crucial siege artillery, and how Castiglione marked a turning point in Napoleon’s operational approach—and for the wider Napoleonic Wars.

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The second half of Hamilton the Musical, which covers the post-Revolutionary period that just happens to be that of this podcast, is a bit more confusing than the first: "can we get back to politics, please?" as Jefferson puts it. The precise role of Alexander Hamilton after he left office, covering the John Adams administration, the elections of 1800 and 1804 and of course the famous duel with Aaron Burr which ended Hamilton's life are brilliantly covered but still leave some questions hanging. To resolve some of those, this episode sees the return of Peter Kastor, Professor of History and American Culture Studies at Washington University in St. Louis...
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In this episode you'll hear:
- How the musical impacts on historical understanding, both illuminating and simplifying the era of the Founding Fathers;
- Reflections on what the musical gets right and what it leaves out;
- An exploration of the key events and debates of the 1790s, including the Jay Treaty, the Adams administration, and the complexities of early American politics that are glossed over or omitted in the musical;
- Recommendations for books and resources to deepen knowledge about Hamilton’s life and the broader revolutionary and post-revolutionary period, including the works of Alan Taylor and Joanne Freeman, as well as Peter Kastor's own research;
- A nuanced discussion on the code of honor that shaped political and personal decisions, including the famous duel between Hamilton and Burr; and
- Insights into the personal challenges and tragic second acts of the Founding Fathers, contrasted with their triumphs, and thoughts on how historical interpretation might change in years to come.

Mentioned in this episode:
Founders Online
Explore the digitized collections of the papers of America’s Founders, including Hamilton, Jefferson, Washington, and more.
https://founders.archives.gov
Ron Chernow's Biography of Hamilton
The biography that inspired “Hamilton: The Musical” and shaped popular understanding of Alexander Hamilton’s life.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/29384/alexander-hamilton-by-ron-chernow/
Joanne Freeman's “Affairs of Honor”
Highly recommended for anyone wanting to understand the culture of honor, dueling, and early American politics.
https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300088770/affairs-of-honor/
Alan Taylor’s “American Revolutions”
A Pulitzer Prize-winning historian’s sweeping account of the Revolutionary era.
https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393082815
Ken Burns’ Documentary: The American Revolution
A new, in-depth documentary series offering a broader perspective on the Revolution’s impact.

1804. July… August… September… Three months in which Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr take their political differences to the duelling ground… Tripoli’s pirates are bombarded by the United States… And another quarter, another new emperor - this time Francis I for Austria. This is episode 51 of the Napoleonic Quarterly - covering three months which continues this year’s theme of political violence.

[4:40] - Headline developments
[14:00] - Peter Kastor on US politics and the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr
[36:00] - Liam Gauci on the Barbary States' war with the United States
[59:50] - Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger on Francis' decision to become Austrian Emperor

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In April 1796, a 26-year-old Napoleon Bonaparte transformed a demoralized, ragged French army into a lightning-fast strike force that knocked the Kingdom of Sardinia out of the war in just over two weeks. By utilizing the strategy of the central position he successfully split the superior Austrian and Piedmontese forces, defeating them in rapid succession at battles like Montenotte and Mondovi - and proving in the process that a disciplined, mobile army could shatter traditional European alliances and permanently shift the balance of power in Italy.
Clemens Bemmann is joined once again by Rick Schneid, our battlefield correspondent, and John Gill and Graeme Callister, our Austrian/Piedmontese and French army experts, for this continuation of our series on the battles of 1796.

A conversation with Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger, Professor Emerita of Early Modern History at the University of Munster and Rector of the Institute for Advanced Study in Berlin. Germany is becoming increasingly important to this podcast, which is why we're digging into another aspect of this fascinating part of Europe. Dualism and dissolution; between fealty and federation; the unravelling of the Holy Roman Empire and a tumultuous period. All setting the stage for Napoleon Bonaparte...
This discussion:
- Explores the complexities and contradictions of the Holy Roman Empire in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including its structure, political dynamics, and the concept of legitimacy.
- Discusses the dualism and rivalry between Austria and Prussia, and how their ambitions and actions contributed to the fragmentation and eventual dissolution of the Empire.
- Examines the significance of symbolism, rituals, and ceremonies in sustaining imperial power—and the ways these traditional forms were both maintained and undermined in practice.
- Looks at cultural and intellectual responses to the era’s upheavals, including the reactions of figures like Goethe, Schiller, and Hegel to the French Revolution and emerging German nationalism.
- Considers the impact of Napoleon and the mediatisation of the Empire, questioning whether Napoleon was the executioner of the Holy Roman Empire or if its internal weaknesses had already sealed its fate.
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