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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 27/09/2026

Here's the relevant passages from pages 333-4 of Puymaigre's memoirs. The full book is free online: play.google.com/store/books/...

C'est dans cet état d'anxiété qu'acheva de s'écouler
l'année 1829. Dans le mois d'octobre, j'eus l'honneur
de donner à déjeuner à madame la duchesse de Berry ,
qui passa un jour à Mâcon, allant au-devant de son
père, le roi de Naples. On lui fit fête, et comme elle ne
voulait pas sortir de son incognito , elle refusa un bal
que je lui offris , mais se montra fort satisfaite d'une
petite guerre de nuit dont le spectacle lui fut donné
par le troisième régiment d'infanterie légère en garnison
à Mâcon .
J'allai cet hiver à Paris ; si j'avais eu besoin de me
confirmer dans l'opinion que toute la France partageait
de la nullité du prince de Polignac , il m'aurait suffi de
la visite que je lui fis à cette époque, me croyant obligé
de lui dire la vérité sur les funestes avant- coureurs
d'une révolution dont les symptômes étaient partout.
Il reçut mes communications avec une suffisance qu'il
prenait pour de la fermeté, avec cet optimisme dont
l'homme imprudent fait parade en pensant qu'il a tout

prévu, tout jugé d'avance. Enfin ce ministre , de si
désastreuse mémoire , me parut ne connaître ni la
France, ni les hommes, ni ce qu'il fallait craindre,
ni les ressources qui restaient au Roi : ( «
Ils n'oseront
rien , ils ne feront rien , monsieur le préfet , tout se
passera en vains propos ; il n'y a qu'une ébullition à
la surface ; en soufflant dessus , tout disparaîtra . » Ge
fut la conclusion sur laquelle je le quittai en haus-
sant les épaules. Dès que je fus hors de son cabinet,
j'allai raconter mon audience au duc de Fitz-James et
au duc de Maillé. « Ce pauvre Jules , me dit le premier ,
se croit une autre pucelle d'Orléans envoyée pour le
salut de la France . Il perdra le Roi » ,
» , me répondit
le second. La prophétie s'est vérifiée .

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 27/09/2026

In Puymaigre's memoirs, published posthumously in 1884, he describes meeting with Polignac in the winter of 1829-30. Puymaigre says he came to warn the prime minister about discontent — "the ominous signs of a revolution." Polignac had "an air of self-importance [Polignac] mistook for firmness."

François Gérard, portrait of Jules de Polignac, 19th Century.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 27/09/2026

Back in Fact Check 3, I found many of the claims about Polignac's visions traced back to the Duc de Fitz-James, a leading ultraroyalist. For example, Auguste Jal's 1877 memoirs describe meeting Fitz-James "often in 1831," and that Fitz-James there told him that Polignac claimed to see Marian visions

Jacques Étienne Pannier after Lizinska de Mirbel, “Édouard de Fitz-James, duc de Fitz-James,” 1835. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 16/09/2026

The cumulative word count of The Siècle episode transcripts by category. The x-axis is the order of all episodes, not just main ones (hence why the numbers go past 70 when I just released Ep. 51). "Excerpts" are readings of period books. "Supplemental" includes Fact-Check episodes.

A line chart titled "Cumulative word count by primary category"

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 15/09/2026

As François & his family arrived for the dinner, they were suddenly pushed to the side by a group of armed soldiers, escorting a precious treasure they announced in a thundering voice: "La viande du Roi!" Or, roughly, "Make way for the King's meat!" Young François never forgot this moment.

François d'Orléans, "La viande du Roi!," 19th Century. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 15/09/2026

But François's most dominant memory of Louis XVIII's 1824 Twelfth Night party was not of finding the bean, nor of crowning his favorite aunt the evening's queen. It had to do with the supreme importance that Louis XVIII placed on food. (He was mocked as "Louis des huitres," Louis of the oysters.)

Unknown artist, detail from "Glorieux règne de 19 ans. Comme il gouverne depuis 15 ans," 1815. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 15/09/2026

Growing up in proximity to the royal court, François would later say King Louis XVIII featured in his earliest memory. The occasion is January 1824, at a Twelfth Night (Epiphany) dinner Louis hosted at the Tuileries Palace. François would find the bean in the galette du roi, a big deal for a kid.

Antoine-Jean Gros, portrait of King Louis XVIII, 1816. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 15/09/2026

This is François again, some 6-7 years earlier. He's the little child at far right. He and some of his siblings are being presented to France's then-king, Louis XVIII. François's dad is Louis XVIII's cousin.

Louis XVIII meets Marie, Louise, Louis, Clementine, and François d'Orléans, in the year or two before Louis XVIII's 1824 death. François d'Orléans, detail from "Présentation au roi Louis XVIII," 19th Century.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 15/09/2026

This little scamp is François. He's 12 years old in this picture, and in two months his father Louis-Philippe will become King of the French. An older François was also the artist of this painting. He was a watercolorist and painted many scenes from his life, including voyages & revolutions.

A 12-year-old François d'Orléans climbs on the balcony of the Palais-Royal in Paris during a May 1830 party. François d'Orléans, detail from "Bonjour, mon peuple!," after 1830. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 14/09/2026

A young man attends plays with a playwright. Sounds educational! But these two — the new Duc d'Orléans & Alexandre Dumas — were among the most notorious horndogs of their day, & their post-play chats focused more on actresses than scripts. Find out more in Episode 51: thesiecle.com/episode51/

Ary Scheffer, Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orleans (1810-1842), in hussar's uniform, circa 1830.

Achille Devéria, drawing of Alexandre Dumas, 1829.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 10/09/2026

Printed a PDF of my upcoming episode's script for review. 10,000 words, 53 footnotes, and 29 pages including 27 different public domain works of art. Coming soon!

A promotional image for Episode 51 of The Siècle: The House of Orleans, featuring unknown artist, detail from portrait of King Louis-Philippe of France and his family, 19th Century. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

051

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 28/08/2026

8/ In 1870, Napoleon III lost his throne. France's new regime was a republic, not a monarchy. So when IT renamed the town, they didn't name it after an emperor or royal family. Instead, they returned it to La Roche-sur-Yon — a name it bears to this day. Sometimes it's good to stick with what works.

Small river Yon passing at la Roche sur Yon in Vendée, France. Florian Pépellin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L%27Yon_(85).JPG)

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 28/08/2026

6/ The name Bourbon-Vendée survived France's next revolution (1830), but the Revolution of 1848 coincided with a surge of enthusiasm for the memory of Napoleon. Electorally, that helped Napoleon's nephew Louis-Napoleon get elected president; toponymically, Bourbon-Vendée became "Napoléon-Vendée."

The 19th Century train station in La Roche-sur-Yon, still bearing its midcentury name "Napoléon-Vendée." Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gare_Roche_Yon_-_La_Roche-sur-Yon_(FR85)_-_2026-08-02_-_1.jpg)

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 28/08/2026

5/ In 1815, Napoleon escaped Elba and returned to France to take power. Bourbon-Vendée was renamed to Napoléon, only to be quickly switched again to Bourbon-Vendée after Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo.

Coat of arms of La Roche-sur-Yon. Note the capital N (a common symbol of Napoleon) and the handshake. CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blason_ville_fr_La_Roche-sur-Yon_(Vend%C3%A9e).svg).

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 28/08/2026

4/ Beneficient Genius or not, Napoleon didn't rule forever. In 1814 he abdicated, and the old Bourbon kings came back. One of their early matters of business was renaming the town of Napoléon — but not back to La Roche-sur-Yon. Instead, they called it "Bourbon-Vendée."

Statue of Saint Louis (King Louis IX), in the Église Saint-Louis in La Roche-sur-Yon. Selbymay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%C3%89glise_Saint-Louis_(statue_St_Louis)_-_La_Roche-sur-Yon.jpg)

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 28/08/2026

3/ In 1804, Napoleon made La Roche-sur-Yon capital of the Vendée. He also renamed it "Napoléon." "If the name of the department recalls memories of the devastation & destruction, may the name of the new city retain that of the beneficent Genius who repaired his misfortunes," wrote the local prefect.

Statue of Napoleon in the Place Napoléon in La Roche-sur-Yon, France. William Chevillon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Roche-sur-Yon._Statue_de_Napol%C3%A9on_par_Alfred_Emilien_Ohara_de_Niewerkerke_(1854).JPG)

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 28/08/2026

2/ Historically, this was a modest town. Civil war in the Vendée had left it in ruins in the 1790s; as the 19th Century dawned in 1800 it had around 1,000 residents. At this time it bore the name "La Roche-sur-Yon," or "The Rock on the Yon River."

Ruines du château de La Roche-sur-Yon. Dessin à la plume de M. Augustin Douillard, d'après une esquisse conservée par M. Dugast-Matifeux, dans L. Rousseau (abbé), Saint-Lienne et son prieuré, La Roche-sur-Yon, Raoul Ivonnet, imprimeur-éditeur, 1898, p. 97.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 28/08/2026

This is a lovely little town in western France, capital of the Vendée department. It's called... well, in the 19th Century, the name of this little town was a contentious issue. See, succeeding governments kept renaming it in their own honor. 1/

Aerial photo of the Place Napoléon in La Roche-sur-Yon, France.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 31/07/2026

No, John, I assure you, I'm very aware of what my podcast needs to grow, and it's more episodes on a consistent schedule. A me problem, not a you problem.

An email reading: David, from my experience, most teams with an existing podcast don't need more production work. They need more value from what is already recorded.

The gap is usually discoverability and conversion: episodes don't become YouTube visibility, LinkedIn trust, search traffic, or a path from listener to lead.

We've seen this show up as 3.5X higher revenue after fixing the podcast funnel.

Worth seeing a 15 minute breakdown of where The Siècle Podcast's podcast could be doing more of that? No call and nothing to pitch.

John

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 14/07/2026

It's July 14, Bastille Day. But you wouldn't want to be caught waving a tricolor flag in France's Bourbon Restoration (1814-1830) — it was banned, and people went to jail after being caught with illicit tricolors. Find out more on The Siècle: thesiecle.com/supplemental8/

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 01/07/2026

Political divisions in France's July Monarchy can often come down to what people thought 1830's "July Revolution" actually was. Find out more in Episode 50 of The Siècle: thesiecle.com/episode50/

030

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 24/05/2026

Do any French speakers know if there's a pun here that I'm missing, as Jacques Laffitte — son of a carpenter, father of a princess — calls himself a "prince du rabot"? Literally rabot refers to a carpenter's plane, but is this a play on words?

Text reading: A sa
petite-fillě, dont les compagnes trouvaient étrange que le père
d'une princesse ne fût pas prince, il répondait : « Tu leur diras
que je suis prince aussi, prince du rabot , et si elles ne compren-
nent pas, tu. ajouteras, je te l'ordonne, que mon père était char-
pentier ». Il rappelait Ęii tout propos l'obscurité de sa naissance,
et l'on était sûr de lui plaire en s'étonnant que parti de si bas
il fût monté si haut.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 18/04/2026

Featuring arguably too much Jacques Laffitte — or, as wags called him during his personal and political struggles in 1831, "Jacques Lafaillite" — Jacques the Bankrupt.

Unknown artist, "Portrait of Jacques Laffitte." Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

060

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 02/04/2026

Laurence Constant's French-language biography of Felix Le Peletier didn't cover the Granville incident, but it did include a family tree that would have saved me a lot of headaches. That said, I had a reason for not reading this earlier — it required either ILL or really high shipping costs.

A photo of the family tree of the Lepeletier (or Le Peletier) family, from Laurence Constant's biography of Felix Lepeletier.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 01/04/2026

Not that I found, other than this one. But I'm certainly not confident that doesn't mean there's none there. Gallica's search can be unreliable.

Caricature of the 1830 arrest of Jules de Polignac.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 22/03/2026

@rlspang.bsky.social Can you recommend someone at IU who might be able to photograph/scan a couple pages of this book for me? I'm looking for just a particular entry, for Amédée Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau; Google Books says he's on pages 59-60 (might be digital pages, not print numbering).

Screenshot of an Indiana University Libraries entry for "Histoire des entomologistes français : 1750-1950" by Jean Gouillard

000

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 22/02/2026

Time for a night of light musical theatre! This should have a happy ending, right?

A theatre marquee for a showing of Les Misérables.

1100

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 13/02/2026

What a great opportunity for content I can put on thesiecle.com.

Screenshot of an email from "Jessica Brody" with the title "A Blog Post Idea I’d Love Your Thoughts On" and the following text:

Hello there,

Ever wondered what it really takes to open a cat café? I’d love to
write an article for your readers offering strategies and tips for
launching this purr-fect venture, from planning and permits to
creating a cozy, cat-friendly experience.

If this sounds like a fit for your site, I’d be happy to send the
article your way for review and consideration. Of course, I can adjust
the tone or focus to match your editorial style.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you very much,
Jessica Brody
OurBestFriends.pet

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 26/01/2026

In 1830, France's king and his ministers suspended the constitution. But the people of Paris resisted and overthrew the regime. Now crowds are chanting "Death to the ministers." The ex-ministers are on trial — but so is France's new regime. NEW EPISODE: thesiecle.com/episode49/

Depiction of a riot in the streets of Paris during the December 1830 treason trial of the former ministers of King Charles X. Auguste Joliet, “Procès des ministres (1830),” in Victor Duruy, Histoire populaire contemporaine de la France, vol. 1 (Paris: Ch. Lahure, 1864). Public domain via Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 26/01/2026

NEW EPISODE: The July Revolution is done, but Paris isn't sure if it's done with revolution. Protests and riots, treason trials and lynch mobs, suspicious deaths and epic betrayals — it's all here in Episode 49: The Trial. thesiecle.com/episode49/

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 23/01/2026

I get a lot of spam on my podcast email, usually people offering to SEO my YouTube videos or whatever. But the ~weirdest~ spam is this Italian pergola manufacturer, whose mailing list I have been unable to get off of for YEARS.

Screenshot of an email from an Italian pergola manufacturer.

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 20/01/2026

My favorite example of this *so far* was Charles Fabvier in Episode 30 (and guess who makes a cameo again in the upcoming Episode 49??): thesiecle.com/episode30/

A screenshot with a portrait of a French man in 1820s Greek clothing, with the text:

Athens had fallen despite increasing support for the Greeks from outsiders, including a flashy French colonel named Charles Fabvier. And I hope you’ll forgive one last tangent before we reach the end here, because Fabvier has actually been all over our narrative in the background. Back in Episode 11, I talked about an alleged revolutionary conspiracy in the city of Lyons in 1817, and how liberal elements in the French government later claimed that the entire affair had been a false flag operation by Ultra officials. The author of that liberal report was Col. Fabvier, in his role as a senior military aide. Fabvier was involved in the definitely real liberal coup attempt of 1820 that I talked about in Episode 15. In the aftermath of that failed coup, as I mentioned last time, the Doctrinaire Duc de Broglie acted to protect senior liberal politicians by dropping charges against the one conspirator who was capable of implicating them. That “one conspirator”? No points if you guessed it was Charles Fabvier. You also don’t get any prizes for guessing that Fabvier was heavily involved in France’s Carbonari uprisings. In Episode 18, I mentioned how the French army invading Spain in 1823 was met by a group of exiled French soldiers, waving the tricolor flag and encouraging their countrymen to mutiny. That contingent of exiled French soldiers was commanded by… well, I don’t think you need me to spell it out.89

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

28/ But while France's opposition politicians were slow to act, they were not, in the end, TOO slow. Before events on the ground completely passed them by, the politicians asserted themselves and arranged for Charles to be replaced by his more liberal cousin, Louis-Philippe, Duc d'Orléans.

King Louis Philippe, Portrait by Louise Adélaïde Desnos (1838)

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

26/ And so, as the night ended with no response to the opposition leaders' demands, many of them radicalized. Led by Jacques Laffitte, the banker-politician who had once declared, "Given my wealth, I am clearly interested in order," they began pursuing a change of dynasty.

Portrait of Jacques Laffitte, half-length directed to right, looking to front, with short curly hair, double-breasted coat, white shirt. 1831

130

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

21/ But Marmont, though he was obeying orders to suppress the rebellion, was no Ultra. He was a moderate caught in the middle, and he declined Polignac's suggestion to arrest the delegation. Instead, he heard them out.

Jean-Baptiste Paulin Guérin, portrait of Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, Marshal of France, 1837. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

160

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

16/ Charles rejected any such off-ramps. The time for compromise was over, he felt. And so on July 25, 1830, Charles signed the "Four Ordinances" — a royal coup that dissolved parliament, unilaterally re-wrote election law to help ultraroyalist candidates, and imposed strict press censorship.

Charles X signs the Four Ordinances, by Jules Pelcoq, 1864. From Victor Duruy, Histoire populaire contemporaine de la France, vol. 1 (Paris: Ch. Lahure, 1864). Public domain via Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

120

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

15/ Other opposition leaders, concerned at escalating tensions, tried to strike a deal. They offered to bring back Charles's old prime minister, Joseph de Villèle — who the opposition had chased out of office just 3 years before. Villèle was an Ultra, but he was seen as less crazy than Polignac.

Joseph, comte de Villèle, by Jean-Sébastien Rouillard

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The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

11/ So in August 1829, Charles appointed a new ministry led by his close friend, Jules de Polignac — one of the most uncompromising Ultras. Just making Polignac a minister was a declaration of war, and from August 1829 the opposition nervously waited for Charles & Polignac to make their attack.

Julien Metzeroth, portrait of Jules de Polignac, 1830.

140

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

9/ Charles X was the younger brother of Louis XVI. He said: "The first concession that my unhappy brother made was the signal for his fall… [his opponents] also made protestations of love and fidelity, all they asked for the was the dismissal of his ministers, he gave in, and all was lost."

Coronation portrait of Charles X, by François Gérard, 1825

120

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/01/2026

2/ Opposition politicians in the Bourbon Restoration were a diverse lot, but in general, these were not radical guys. The Restoration had a high wealth requirement for elected deputies, so they were all rich. "Given my wealth, I am clearly interested in order," one opposition leader once declared.

Artist unknown, “Portrait de Jacques Laffitte,” date unknown. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

140

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 07/01/2026

Henri V of France, the sole legitimate heir to France’s Bourbon dynasty, will return in Avengers: Doomsday (but he’s got some stipulations about the logo).

Portrait of Henri, Duc de Bordeaux, circa 1833

1171

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 20/12/2025

Throwing this out for anyone who might be able to help! I am trying to track down the woman mentioned in these documents, the memoirs of the Comte de Semallé (1772-1863), and in this 1829 report on former colonists from Saint-Domingue/Haiti. Claims made about her in these sources (cont):

des Lepelletier. Ils allèrent demeurer faubourg Saint-Ho-noré, avec leur tante de Saint-Fargeau, belle-sœur du régicide et fille de Mme Leclerc, née de Peyrac.

1. DE PEYRAC (Jean-Joseph),
DE PEYRAC,
1. Amélie-Caroline-Ernestine, épouse Fuller, seule héritière pour 1/4, de son père, fils des anciens propriétaires,
2. BOISGAUTIER DESPERRIÈREg (Louise - 2.
Francoise), son épouse.
catherie-Charlotte, veuve du comte de Gouvelle,
fitritiers,
Loutse-Agathe-Sophie,v.' du S/Lalaing, comte d' Audenard, chacun pour un quart, des anciens propriétaires,
leurs père et mère
1. LECLERC (Aglaé-Isidore), épouse Lepelletier, marquis de Saint-Fargeau, ayant droit au dernier quart, par représentation de sa mère, fille des anciens propriétaires.

120

The Siècle history podcast @thesiecle.com · 17/12/2025

A teaser trailer for the next episode of The Siècle (featuring guest narration from @lafayettepodcast.com!):

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