"My only regret of my life is that I haven't made enough content for Epic History TV to make new videos about me every month." - Napoleon Bonaparte, 1821
We are so fortunate to be watching these for free. I honestly can't think of a higher quality UA-cam documentary channel on any topic; history, sports, geopolitics, etc.
"Hey guys. OH MY GOSH! QUICK! There's a dangerous Jacobin plot to overthrow you which we definitely aren't just making up. Better get inside this cage so we can protect you." "Ok." "Gentlemen, we got 'em."
The details are literally something I have never seen before. This topic wasn't really explained and was left somewhat as a "footnote", you explain this way better in such a short amount of time. I have been watching the Napoleonic Series for a while and I have to be surprised by the amount of details that are not even explained in your schools. You researched a lot. That's probably one of the best documentary series I have followed and enjoyed so far.
yeah Epic History does a great job. Most video documentaries don't cover a lot of details. The 2-part biography, "The Rise Of Napoleon Bonaparte" and "The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte" by Robert Asprey, is amazing. Check it out if you're still interested. I've read through those books like 5 times, at least, at this point. Very well done.
What is most surprising was how widespread the coup was. It basically had nearly every single senior government figure in Paris behind it. This is a classically executed coup. The police, the military, key government figures.
We don't really learn history in school, we just learn events. Because mediocre minds discuss events. Whereas, our benevolent Education Ministers, who have such great minds, discuss ideas and how to sanitize them for public consumption, in our stead.
@@johnham4485 Bernadotte never backstabbed anyone. Napoleon himself said so. I never understood why Napoleon fanboys call him a traitor when Napoleon himself didn't consider him that.
Fun fact: Not too long after Napoleon took power in France, George Washington passed away and because Napoleon was such a huge supporter of the United States and the revolution of the colonies decades before, he ordered a ten day mourning period. In the whole history of France, no other figure has before or to this day, ever received such an extended hommage.
Ironic that Bernadotte would later be a key element of Napoleon's downfall. While Napoleon didn't get guillotined, he absolutely was at the mercy of his captors.
Napoleon's downfall was his invasion of Russia and Spain; other factors were relatively minor. The army of 1813 was no match for the veterans he lost in Russia and Spain.
Regarding Bernadotte, remember Eugene's words when he was asked to betray Napoleon and switch sides: "I would rather die as a plain soldier than as a traitorous prince. Honor and gratitude are not for everyone."
@@noire6422 To be entirely fair to Bernadotte, he did warn Napoleon that if it came to having to choose between Sweden's interest and France's he's pick the former.
As a French it is amazing to have your history explained in such great details and objectivity by an English speaker. I would have love to have the text of the discussions written in French as well to have the true words of the protagonists. It would have add to the realism. Overall it's a channel of great quality that I follow with passion. Keep up guys!
Napoleon was just confused. He didn’t know where power lay during those crucial hours. Was it with him, the other directors or the legislature? If it was with the legislature, then surely he would be summarily arrested, tried and guillotined for treason. Yet that hadn’t happened. He left shaken but in one piece. After he emerged out of the palace and into the courtyard he suddenly realized the golden rule of power: bigger army diplomacy. He had the bigger army on the spot, so he wielded it ruthlessly. And he was able to seize power by dispersing the impotent legislature and establishing a new regime along with his co-conspirators
Talleyrand was the most sophisticated and pragmatic politician/ diplomat/ negotiatiator of the age. He always gave good advice, because he understood not only politics, but economics, finance, psychology, and public relations. Plus he had a private intelligence network almost as good as Fouché's. Had Napoleon only taken Prince de Talleyrand's advice, the Napoleonic dynasty might well be sitting on the throne of France as constitutional monarchs.
J'ai eu entre les mains sa biographie,, intitulée « La vie brève d'un grenadier Bressan ». Triste fin d'un homme qui mérite d'être mis en lumière pour un épisode dédié. J'habite à proximité de sa ville natale, et il y a une statue le représentant là-bas
Funny, eh? Like how the license plate of the car Archduke Franz Ferdinand was riding in when assassinated was A 11 11 18, which later turned out to be Armistice day November 11th 1918.
Putting this comment early to boost algorithm and to just absolutely shamelessly admit time and time again what a huge fan boy at 30 years old I am of this channel. Most importantly it actually made me deep dive into this era and the French Revolution in general whether by book or even more additional YT conent. That's what everyone interested in history *should* aspire to be.
The Directory styles themselves on the Roman Republic, only to be overthrown by a popular general returning from a successful campaign who reforms the nation into an Empire. It’s like poetry, it rhymes.
We hope you enjoy this episode delving into the Coup of 18 Brumaire - a momentous day in French history! Don’t forget, if you want to watch all our videos first, and ad-free, come and join us at Nebula, with 40% off an annual subscription using our link: go.nebula.tv/EpicHistoryTV. Thank you for watching, and of course a huge thank you to all our Patreon supporters. Get exclusive production updates, votes on future topics, as well as ad-free, early access to all our new videos by signing up here: www.patreon.com/EpicHistoryTV. As always, let us know if you had a favourite moment or learned something new in the comments below!
Another amazing video! At many points if events had played out slightly differently, Bonaparte and the conspirators could have been executed or forced to flee for their lives. There was no guarantee of success. It is ironic for Bonaparte to accuse the legislative council of tarnishing the constitution considering his role as a conspirator and that he played a small role in a previous coup of The Directory (coup of Fructidor). Of course at what point is a government so corrupt and dysfunctional that the only reasonabe option is to overthrow it? The inherent problem with using military force, coercion or alternatively mob violence is, laws and due process are thrown out the window. Might makes right. And if the new leadership is weak and unstable another populist or strong man might be tempted to think they can and should orchestrate a coup. How do you legitimize a regime birthed by violence whether it is led by the military, citizens or a coalition of interest groups? How do you end the cyclical cycle of political unrest, violence and maintain the peace? Bread and circuses? Acts of goodwill? Correcting the mistakes of the prior regime? Getting input from various interest groups to refom the laws and structure of government? Which people do you re-integrate into society, which one's do you exile, which one's do you put on trial, imprison and execute? The political unrest that we call the French Revolution went on for more than a decade. Other coutries have been less fortunate, if you can believe it and have suffered and stagnated in a state of civil unrest for decades. When China unified under Mao in 1950 the coutry had been at war with itself on and off for 50 years! Japan for a long time had an Emperor with very little political power and the day to day affairs were governed by feudal warlords. Caution needs to be taken so we don't romanticize this type of thing. If Bonaparte objected on moral and ethical principles to partake in the coup, there isn't a shortage of other people willing to step into the power vacuum. And I do believe that it was never intended for Bonaparte to be First Consul, to effectively be a dictator with few checks and balances to his political power. The Consulate may have maintained a facade of republicanism but in practice this was far from being true. I do believe that Sieyes wanted to lead the new government, but Bonaparte had more allies and support. I haven't been able to find a written source that substantiates this, but allegedly Sieyes had plans to enact more purges of political and ideological enemies. If Epic History does a direct follow-up on this latest entry... It will be revealed that Napoleon's political problems didn't end with the coup or needing to decisively defeat France's enemies on the battlefield. During the early days of the Consulate there was scheming and plotting in the background to potentially replace Bonaparte. And in December 1800 Napoleon would survive an assassination attempt that was backed by Royalists and certain parts of the British government. I do wonder if Lucien would be heckled in public later in life and asked when he intended to kill his brother for the crime of tyranny... The accusation that a knife or knives were drawn to kill Bonaparte during the coup are generally regarded as propoganda and not credible.
@@kevinxu3892 Yes, you are correct. Supposedly, over the course of his life there were 32 assassination attempts. I am guessing that most of these were close calls on and around the battlefield. When I have tried to get more details there are usually only 3-4 attempts that are discussed in any depth. I suppose an assassination attempt doesn't have to consist of a carefully choreographed game of chess to corner and kill the King with as little collateral damage as possible. 1) The "infernal machine" December 1800. 2) There was some sort of alledged plot that is believed to have been orchestrated by the French state. In our modern language we would call this entrapment, providing the means, the strategy and going so far as to target vulnerable people and encourage them to act and then dashing in to arrest them just before or immediately after carrying out their plan. 3) A young man, age 17 somewhere in the French controlled Germanic territory (for want of a better term I don't remember exactly when and where this happened) approached Napoleon with a petition and a knife or dagger concealed in his coat. He was going to walk up to him, hand him the petition and stab Napoleon, the officer with Napoleon sensed something was off and intercepted him before reaching his target. 4) 1804 there was an alledged plot by Royalist to assassinate Bonaparte and then lay seige to France and re-install the Bourbon dynasty. I am really bad with my French names... There was some blood relative of the last Bourbon King living in Switzerland who was alledged to be involved and he was apprehended in Switerland, brought across the boarder into France and eventually executed. I have been wanting to read more about this particular episode and how it fits into the greater narrative of the Napoleonic era, but in order to do that I would probably need to learn to read French. His arrest, being moved to France and then killed legally constitutes a grey area at the very least or was outright illegal. I believe the Swiss authorities consented and allowed the French to arrest and move him to France, however IF this permission was given under duress... That could arguably undermine the consent of the Swiss authorities. 5) During the Russia campaign there was one close call where he was at risk of being killed or captured. I believe it was after this episode that Napoleon started to wear a sachel that contained poison. 6) In Egypt he got his hat shot off his head at one point. 7) Before he was a general, at Toulon he was stabbed by a bayonet, left leg, inner thigh, above the knee. Initially the doctor recommended amputation, but upon getting a second opinion or re-evaluating the patient they decided again it. I don't believe this wound ever fully healed. I don't recall how many times this happened, but on a number of occasions the horse he was riding was wounded or fatally shot. There was one particular battle that Napoleon retreated to get checked out by a doctor for a minor injury. I think a bullet shaved off a tiny layer of skin from the back of his foot near his achilles tendon. Toward the end of his military and political career there was a soldier who got within range to swing a sword at him and another time someone got within range to shoot him dead, but someone beside Bonaparte took him out. Alledged during Napoleon's Mediterranean journey from Elba to the shores of France. Alledged, he was knocked off the boat at one point. Could you imagine if you landed on the shores of France and somehow nobody noticed that Napoleon was no longer with them... I guess this wouldn't count as assassination unless the seas were conspiring with the British. lol And during Napoleon's meddling in Corsican politics, when he still entertained ideas of Corsican independence. Alledged, both he and his brother Joseph escaped nearly being hanged by the neck. A bandit intervened on their behalf. As First Consul, Napoleon would give him a reward for saving his life and Joseph's life. Yeah...not all Corsicans agreed with the ideals of the French Revolution or what it represented in their minds. Overall, Corsicans were still catholic and didn't think church property should be appropriated by the state. There's a few others I can vaguely remember... Napoleon Bonaparte ranks pretty high on the list of political figures with the most assassination attempts, but I believe the number one spot goes to Fidel Castro.
It seems that you have time, money, and knowledge. Make something good out of it. To the question about overthrowing government: the point when it's so bad that it has to be overthrown has to be decided by how much the people bear. If it's too much, then there will be revolt. Laws can be changed. They are not objective truths. Why can't government be so? It's the coice of the people. Sometimes the group that throws them other over is no better than the predecessor, and sometimes they don't represent the majority. But this time I believe it did. Who was and is more valued? Bonaparte or the directory? And also there comes the dilemma of the leader-genius. Do you make your hands dirty in order to take the steering wheel, or you throw out your potential in favour of a bunch of misfits? With the proven abilities of Napoleon, I think this would be rightful. Of course it was also about glory. Napoleon's pragmatism made him able, able to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances. Once you decide between lives of many and lives of few, there's no turning back. It's like the Jaffa massacre. Leave the liars alive and let your own soldiers be backstabbed again and be without food and water, or take Jaffa. But you must let your soldiers loose or otherwise they will turn upon you. There will be blood on your hands either way. Moral backing... If there is God, then there is Truth. And that's the objective morality. If there's no God, then morality is judged by the people. And I think Napoleon acted like as if the second was the case. If that's the case, then after all, might makes right.
Well, the problem here is that democratic institutions in France are inherently built upon violence, and so are most democratic institutions of Europe. If you say that violence does not make right in any case, you would have to condemn the whole European democratic heritage, such as the French revolution, the 1848 revolutions, the 1830 revolutions, etc. You would also have to condemn the unification of Germany and Italy, as these two nations were unified based on wars. At that point, you would have more in common with monarchists who were in support of the old order. Do you f.ex condemn the Jacobin terror? I glorify Napoleons coup, because it was a moment where corrupt and ineffective government was removed more or less non-violently and replaced with an actual competent dictator who made significant improvements in French law and politics, in addition to resisting the military pressure from monarchies in Europe eager to crush the French republic. I am not against the use of force on principle, as most things in this world are achieved this way whether we like it or not. As Carl Schmitt argues in his criticism of Liberalism, that politics is inherently violent. Wherever there is conflict there is the potential for violence. The most important thing is who ends up on-top in these battles.
Spot on. Also want to call out art direction, narration and an unusual one, the music which could be entirely cliched is pretty good too. Much prefer this to Hollywood overall!
@zupalan2265 It was epic, but not exactly unique. Basically most founders of a great nation/empire share similar life story to Napoleon Bonaparte. 1. Figures from ancient time: Cyrus the Great (founder of Achaemenid Empire), Julius Caesar, Octavian (Emperor Augustus), Arminius, Eumenes (Alexander the Great's page/secretary who became general and then ruler), Chandragupta Maurya (founder of Mauryan Empire), Liu Bang (founder of Han Dynasty), Ardashir (founder of Sasanian Empire), Trajan, Aurelian, etc. 2. Medieval/Renaissance: Muhammad (prophet of Islam), Charlemagne, Temujin (Genghis Khan), Vijaya (founder of Majapahit), Timur, Zhu Yuanzhang (founder of Ming Dynasty), Hernan Cortez, Francisco Pizarro, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, etc. 3. Modern figures: George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte himself, Simon Bolivar, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, Abdulaziz Al-Saud, etc.
Your work on videos about Napoleon is very much appreciated, and I love your details and information you put out in your videos, thank you for your hard work ❤️
I too often leave or turn off the sound on videos because the music is intrusive and distracting. But this music really enhances the narrative. Bravo to the "music dude."
When Napoleon said, "It was worse at Arcole" I literally smiled. I can only imagine how Augereau reacted to that, because I was won over. Say what you want about the man but he had charisma for days. 🙌💯
From Argentina 🇦🇷I love the series of Napoleon. This channel is awesome. I prefer the original version in English, the voice in English gave a sense of epic in every video.
"Le Souper. Le vice au bras du crime." Watch the movie. "7 juillet 1815 " Je me rendis à Saint Denis .Tout à coup une porte s'ouvre, entre silencieusement le Vice appuyé sur le bras du Crime .... "
When your government based off a corrupt and ineffective government overthrown by a military strongman turns out to be corrupt, ineffective and gets overthrown by a military strongman
“Death is nothing, but to not have a video about you made by Epic History is to die daily.” - Napoleon Bonaparte. Other historians have discovered that his last words also mention the channel. His last words were: “France, Army, Epic History, Josephine.” In all seriousness, Epic History is proof that Napoleon will never die.
It takes a while for this channel to put out videos, but it's forgivable, because these are the HIGHEST quality history documentaries I have EVER seen. Especially this Napoleon one, as well as Belisarius. Thank you so much. KEEP THESE COMING!
It is a miracle that your fantastic work is available for free. You deserve more praise than could possibly be given for creating such a brilliant piece of art.
Napoleon is one of History's greatest men, Imagine a Man with such talent, such a mind that for the first time in over 1300 Years, there is a True Dreamer of a United Europe. What a Chad
This channel is absolutely amazing! Your combination of music, art and the energy brought into the storytelling is on its own level. For me one of the best historical channels especially the napoleon episodes!
The hardwork and dedication you all put into your Napoleónic videos is very appropiated! Love the details and inflrmation! Thanks For everything! You guys are the Best 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤
I cannot get enough of EHTV's Napoleon series. I love the retelling of epic battles and campaigns, yet somehow this is their best video yet! I absolutely adore this channel
It's crazy how Napoleonic era is literally my most favorite era of them all yet the only thing I knew about this ultramega important coup that put our little corsican in power was "Napoleon just barged in with Murat and bayonets ahoy and made bureaucrats scatter durr durr". Thank you Epic History)
Great video as always. I hope one day youll do a video covering him as a ruler, looking at all his administrative reforms etc, theres lots of fascinating stuff on that side of the story too.
@@walideg5304 My real glory is not the 40 battles I won, for Waterloo's defeat will destroy the memory of as many victories. What nothing will destroy, what will live forever, is my Civil Code. - Napoleon
Been watching the Napoleonic series every night before bed for almost a year! It’s made with such quality, and I only wish more Epic History documentaries would come out!
I'm subscribed to a lot of history channels on youtube but this one is the best. Great storytelling combined with fantastic visuals and backgrond music. So immersive...
I have to say, I have watched this video several times by now, just for the intro/first few minutes... I just love the music and the perfect video-edit.
When I have enough funds, I plan to support this channel financially. The level of detail, cinematography, narration and music are breathtaking. No History channel on YT comes close.
Ever since i discovered this channel i have been utterly fascinated with napolean and his legend.so much so that im considering pursuing history as a hobby. This channel is truly a gem and a crime that its not more famous. keep up the good work😊
The more you read about Napoleon, the more you realize HE IS HIM. He truly is destiny manifest. And if there was ever an example of great man history, Napoleon is one of the many.
Fantastic video, Charles Nove gives a plus, excellent pronounciation of the french words and names and a rich using of the english language (as a non fluent fluent english speaker, I appreciate this) well it's time to go to your online boutique :-)
Stunning,Flawless unwavering unfaltering beauty in all forms the soundtrack the artwork & of course Charles. Thank You!!!!!!!!! Have watched this three times so far!
I hope this episode does well! I was a tad hesitant to watch right away (very busy and figured the coup was a straightforward event) but the fool I was to even consider waiting. Honestly one of your best so far!
Lucien with the wisest set of few words to be chosen in all history, cemented the coup.. while committing the most faithful act a brother could have done. ever this is like.... my favourite story
I've got to say, seemingly so has everyone else, this Napoleanic era series you've been doing might well be one of the highest quality and most consistent video series on UA-cam. It really is a completely professional production.
This Napoleonic Series from Epic History TV is honestly the best thing in the world.
Truly it is
Thanks history tv for making this series ❤️
I agree
Super agree, ever since PMF started working with them, the quality of these Napoleon videos has skyrocketed
@@rohanmalhotra5001 exactly
say no more
"My only regret of my life is that I haven't made enough content for Epic History TV to make new videos about me every month." - Napoleon Bonaparte, 1821
"If France were governed by Epic History TV, I would have happily remained a general."
blownaparte
Napoleon has fought 70 odd battles. Then there is politics, administration too. His personal life. There is lot of content.
@@rajathprabhu1021so true, he has been the most written character in books in the world as well
"I know I just got exiled,but I should take over France again so that Epic history tv gets a new coalition war for content"
Whenever an Epic History TV video is over: Citizens you have been dissolved!
😂😂
GET THIS RABBLE OUT OF HERE!
And thus I have jumped out the window.
We are so fortunate to be watching these for free. I honestly can't think of a higher quality UA-cam documentary channel on any topic; history, sports, geopolitics, etc.
@@matthewliu6987 Epic History TV is for the people and the Empire lol
“Nothing could be more beautiful than epic history releasing a Napoleon video”
- Albert Einstein probably -
He's giving me the inspiration to write about Napoleons new adventures, in space! Love him
Releasing*
@@derrickstorm6976
+1 to gramar nazy ! ! !
Facts 💯
@@derrickstorm6976
haha they deleted my
+1 grammarnazy
Seriously ? !
"Citizens, you are dissolved"
-General Murat before flooding the Chateâu Orangerie with Sulphuric acid.
😂😂
Citoyens, vous êtes dissous. 25:21
Deleted their twitter accounts
Murat does seem like the kind of guy that would use an acid-spitting flamethrower if he had one....
A chemistry joke for the history nerds :)
“It was worse at Arcole” what a line to tell to Deputy Augereau. Charisma!!!
😎😎😎
"Hey guys. OH MY GOSH! QUICK! There's a dangerous Jacobin plot to overthrow you which we definitely aren't just making up. Better get inside this cage so we can protect you."
"Ok."
"Gentlemen, we got 'em."
I got that reference
Nice man you managed to OVERSIMPLIFY this video... 😅
An oversimplified reference
Yep there is a tax for that
@@kyleliberty9978 😢
*tastes* Yeah, salty, there's a tax for that.
No he is nine!@@charleslarrivee2908
The details are literally something I have never seen before. This topic wasn't really explained and was left somewhat as a "footnote", you explain this way better in such a short amount of time.
I have been watching the Napoleonic Series for a while and I have to be surprised by the amount of details that are not even explained in your schools. You researched a lot.
That's probably one of the best documentary series I have followed and enjoyed so far.
yeah Epic History does a great job. Most video documentaries don't cover a lot of details. The 2-part biography, "The Rise Of Napoleon Bonaparte" and "The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte" by Robert Asprey, is amazing. Check it out if you're still interested. I've read through those books like 5 times, at least, at this point. Very well done.
What is most surprising was how widespread the coup was. It basically had nearly every single senior government figure in Paris behind it. This is a classically executed coup. The police, the military, key government figures.
Heck yeah otherwise it's just a review of stuff we know. All about the little things for the dedicated history fans. This has particular focus.
Its mind blowingly good
We don't really learn history in school, we just learn events. Because mediocre minds discuss events. Whereas, our benevolent Education Ministers, who have such great minds, discuss ideas and how to sanitize them for public consumption, in our stead.
12:41
Jean Bernadotte: _"What you suggest is treason!"_
Napoleon Bonaparte: _"Only if we lose."_
Of course Bernadotte knows many things about treason for he will turn out to be the greatest backstabber ever.
@@johnham4485 accourding to napoleon he wassent.
Napoleon: _"Nah, I'd win."_
@@johnham4485 Bernadotte never backstabbed anyone. Napoleon himself said so. I never understood why Napoleon fanboys call him a traitor when Napoleon himself didn't consider him that.
@@masterplokoon8803 he was a traitor maybe you dont like it cause you turned out to be turncoat yourself #copeharder.
Fun fact: Not too long after Napoleon took power in France, George Washington passed away and because Napoleon was such a huge supporter of the United States and the revolution of the colonies decades before, he ordered a ten day mourning period. In the whole history of France, no other figure has before or to this day, ever received such an extended hommage.
Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States for a handful of bread
12:35
Bernadotte : You'll be Guillotined !
Napoleon : We'll see.🍷🗿
Ironic that Bernadotte would later be a key element of Napoleon's downfall.
While Napoleon didn't get guillotined, he absolutely was at the mercy of his captors.
Napoleon's downfall was his invasion of Russia and Spain; other factors were relatively minor. The army of 1813 was no match for the veterans he lost in Russia and Spain.
Regarding Bernadotte, remember Eugene's words when he was asked to betray Napoleon and switch sides: "I would rather die as a plain soldier than as a traitorous prince. Honor and gratitude are not for everyone."
Quand on songe que ce sale traître a fini roi de Suède. Il paraît que dans jeunesse jacobine, il s'était fait tatouer sur le torse "mort au roi".
@@noire6422 To be entirely fair to Bernadotte, he did warn Napoleon that if it came to having to choose between Sweden's interest and France's he's pick the former.
As a French it is amazing to have your history explained in such great details and objectivity by an English speaker. I would have love to have the text of the discussions written in French as well to have the true words of the protagonists. It would have add to the realism. Overall it's a channel of great quality that I follow with passion. Keep up guys!
If only Ridley Scott had watched your Napoleonic wars series the movie would've been a hundred times better than what we've got.
Scott doesn't care, least of all about historical accuracy.
@@redsimonytNot caring. That's what happens. You got Biden.
Nice. Scott = Biden.@@smoothdan5468
@@smoothdan5468 Or even Trump
No one would have watched it in the first place. I didn’t. Should have concentrated on the peninsula war and made it entertaining…….Sharpe🙂
You know politics are worse than war when Napoleon himself is overwhelmed by them
Napoleon was a very brave man, but the thought of being lynched or executed terrified him. It was probably a rare moment when Bonaparte got scared.
@@SUYT622Not scared but wary , he was present when the Kings Swiss guard was massacred by mobs
@@ernestoA.1999 those mobs actually also had a majority of the french guards from the royal army on their side who was sympathetic to the revolution
Napoleon was just confused. He didn’t know where power lay during those crucial hours. Was it with him, the other directors or the legislature? If it was with the legislature, then surely he would be summarily arrested, tried and guillotined for treason. Yet that hadn’t happened. He left shaken but in one piece. After he emerged out of the palace and into the courtyard he suddenly realized the golden rule of power: bigger army diplomacy. He had the bigger army on the spot, so he wielded it ruthlessly. And he was able to seize power by dispersing the impotent legislature and establishing a new regime along with his co-conspirators
Talleyrand was the most sophisticated and pragmatic politician/ diplomat/ negotiatiator of the age. He always gave good advice, because he understood not only politics, but economics, finance, psychology, and public relations. Plus he had a private intelligence network almost as good as Fouché's. Had Napoleon only taken Prince de Talleyrand's advice, the Napoleonic dynasty might well be sitting on the throne of France as constitutional monarchs.
As a French, I'm happy to rediscover my own history, espacially eras like this, often hurrily covered in History books and classes
Sieyes' first choice for the coup, general Joubert, died on Napoleon's birthday. What a twist of fate, isn't it.
J'ai eu entre les mains sa biographie,, intitulée « La vie brève d'un grenadier Bressan ».
Triste fin d'un homme qui mérite d'être mis en lumière pour un épisode dédié. J'habite à proximité de sa ville natale, et il y a une statue le représentant là-bas
Funny, eh? Like how the license plate of the car Archduke Franz Ferdinand was riding in when assassinated was A 11 11 18, which later turned out to be Armistice day November 11th 1918.
@@omgpix Good lord, well, we cant really call that a coincidence, can we..
@@omgpix Good one, indeed. What about this one: Napoleon last breath was on May 5, 1821. Keep the numbers: 51821, he lived 51y 8m and 21d.
@@lvl1_feral_druid hah! the math checks out. love these coincidences.
17:40 The music, the text, and the narration craft such an incredibly strong experience.
Epic History documentaries are unrivaled.
Thank you for your support!
Putting this comment early to boost algorithm and to just absolutely shamelessly
admit time and time again what a huge fan boy at 30 years old I am of this channel.
Most importantly it actually made me deep dive into this era and the French Revolution in general whether by book or even more additional YT conent. That's what everyone interested in history *should* aspire to be.
You and me both. Greetings from another 30 years old epic history fan boy ;)
Men of culture, we are gathered here once again
I think you got WRONG VIDEO
@@xys7536 no i dont
@AndreaTuti10 have you not heard his pronunciations? Also they collaborate with the French military historians and official publishers
@AndreaTuti10 I know Ridley Scott might have scared you, but these guys actually care about the history.
@@xys7536 This is what men of culture do not drool over pictures of half-naked women
Epic History TV is a national treasure 💎
International*
The Directory styles themselves on the Roman Republic, only to be overthrown by a popular general returning from a successful campaign who reforms the nation into an Empire.
It’s like poetry, it rhymes.
France, the closest nation on earth in attempting to replicate the history of Ancient Rome.
We hope you enjoy this episode delving into the Coup of 18 Brumaire - a momentous day in French history! Don’t forget, if you want to watch all our videos first, and ad-free, come and join us at Nebula, with 40% off an annual subscription using our link: go.nebula.tv/EpicHistoryTV.
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You guys are the Best 😊😊😊❤❤❤
Another amazing video!
At many points if events had played out slightly differently, Bonaparte and the conspirators could have been executed or forced to flee for their lives. There was no guarantee of success.
It is ironic for Bonaparte to accuse the legislative council of tarnishing the constitution considering his role as a conspirator and that he played a small role in a previous coup of The Directory (coup of Fructidor).
Of course at what point is a government so corrupt and dysfunctional that the only reasonabe option is to overthrow it? The inherent problem with using military force, coercion or alternatively mob violence is, laws and due process are thrown out the window. Might makes right. And if the new leadership is weak and unstable another populist or strong man might be tempted to think they can and should orchestrate a coup.
How do you legitimize a regime birthed by violence whether it is led by the military, citizens or a coalition of interest groups? How do you end the cyclical cycle of political unrest, violence and maintain the peace? Bread and circuses? Acts of goodwill? Correcting the mistakes of the prior regime? Getting input from various interest groups to refom the laws and structure of government? Which people do you re-integrate into society, which one's do you exile, which one's do you put on trial, imprison and execute?
The political unrest that we call the French Revolution went on for more than a decade. Other coutries have been less fortunate, if you can believe it and have suffered and stagnated in a state of civil unrest for decades. When China unified under Mao in 1950 the coutry had been at war with itself on and off for 50 years! Japan for a long time had an Emperor with very little political power and the day to day affairs were governed by feudal warlords. Caution needs to be taken so we don't romanticize this type of thing.
If Bonaparte objected on moral and ethical principles to partake in the coup, there isn't a shortage of other people willing to step into the power vacuum. And I do believe that it was never intended for Bonaparte to be First Consul, to effectively be a dictator with few checks and balances to his political power. The Consulate may have maintained a facade of republicanism but in practice this was far from being true.
I do believe that Sieyes wanted to lead the new government, but Bonaparte had more allies and support. I haven't been able to find a written source that substantiates this, but allegedly Sieyes had plans to enact more purges of political and ideological enemies.
If Epic History does a direct follow-up on this latest entry... It will be revealed that Napoleon's political problems didn't end with the coup or needing to decisively defeat France's enemies on the battlefield. During the early days of the Consulate there was scheming and plotting in the background to potentially replace Bonaparte. And in December 1800 Napoleon would survive an assassination attempt that was backed by Royalists and certain parts of the British government.
I do wonder if Lucien would be heckled in public later in life and asked when he intended to kill his brother for the crime of tyranny...
The accusation that a knife or knives were drawn to kill Bonaparte during the coup are generally regarded as propoganda and not credible.
Not just ANY assaination plot, one with one of the first roadside IEDs, aptly named the Machine Infernal!
How do you legitimize a regime birthed by violence is a very good question. One can look at modern nations for examples such as the USA.
@@kevinxu3892
Yes, you are correct.
Supposedly, over the course of his life there were 32 assassination attempts. I am guessing that most of these were close calls on and around the battlefield.
When I have tried to get more details there are usually only 3-4 attempts that are discussed in any depth.
I suppose an assassination attempt doesn't have to consist of a carefully choreographed game of chess to corner and kill the King with as little collateral damage as possible.
1) The "infernal machine" December 1800.
2) There was some sort of alledged plot that is believed to have been orchestrated by the French state. In our modern language we would call this entrapment, providing the means, the strategy and going so far as to target vulnerable people and encourage them to act and then dashing in to arrest them just before or immediately after carrying out their plan.
3) A young man, age 17 somewhere in the French controlled Germanic territory (for want of a better term I don't remember exactly when and where this happened) approached Napoleon with a petition and a knife or dagger concealed in his coat. He was going to walk up to him, hand him the petition and stab Napoleon, the officer with Napoleon sensed something was off and intercepted him before reaching his target.
4) 1804 there was an alledged plot by Royalist to assassinate Bonaparte and then lay seige to France and re-install the Bourbon dynasty. I am really bad with my French names... There was some blood relative of the last Bourbon King living in Switzerland who was alledged to be involved and he was apprehended in Switerland, brought across the boarder into France and eventually executed. I have been wanting to read more about this particular episode and how it fits into the greater narrative of the Napoleonic era, but in order to do that I would probably need to learn to read French. His arrest, being moved to France and then killed legally constitutes a grey area at the very least or was outright illegal. I believe the Swiss authorities consented and allowed the French to arrest and move him to France, however IF this permission was given under duress... That could arguably undermine the consent of the Swiss authorities.
5) During the Russia campaign there was one close call where he was at risk of being killed or captured. I believe it was after this episode that Napoleon started to wear a sachel that contained poison.
6) In Egypt he got his hat shot off his head at one point.
7) Before he was a general, at Toulon he was stabbed by a bayonet, left leg, inner thigh, above the knee. Initially the doctor recommended amputation, but upon getting a second opinion or re-evaluating the patient they decided again it. I don't believe this wound ever fully healed.
I don't recall how many times this happened, but on a number of occasions the horse he was riding was wounded or fatally shot. There was one particular battle that Napoleon retreated to get checked out by a doctor for a minor injury. I think a bullet shaved off a tiny layer of skin from the back of his foot near his achilles tendon.
Toward the end of his military and political career there was a soldier who got within range to swing a sword at him and another time someone got within range to shoot him dead, but someone beside Bonaparte took him out.
Alledged during Napoleon's Mediterranean journey from Elba to the shores of France. Alledged, he was knocked off the boat at one point. Could you imagine if you landed on the shores of France and somehow nobody noticed that Napoleon was no longer with them... I guess this wouldn't count as assassination unless the seas were conspiring with the British. lol
And during Napoleon's meddling in Corsican politics, when he still entertained ideas of Corsican independence. Alledged, both he and his brother Joseph escaped nearly being hanged by the neck. A bandit intervened on their behalf. As First Consul, Napoleon would give him a reward for saving his life and Joseph's life. Yeah...not all Corsicans agreed with the ideals of the French Revolution or what it represented in their minds. Overall, Corsicans were still catholic and didn't think church property should be appropriated by the state.
There's a few others I can vaguely remember...
Napoleon Bonaparte ranks pretty high on the list of political figures with the most assassination attempts, but I believe the number one spot goes to Fidel Castro.
It seems that you have time, money, and knowledge. Make something good out of it.
To the question about overthrowing government: the point when it's so bad that it has to be overthrown has to be decided by how much the people bear. If it's too much, then there will be revolt. Laws can be changed. They are not objective truths. Why can't government be so? It's the coice of the people. Sometimes the group that throws them other over is no better than the predecessor, and sometimes they don't represent the majority. But this time I believe it did. Who was and is more valued? Bonaparte or the directory? And also there comes the dilemma of the leader-genius. Do you make your hands dirty in order to take the steering wheel, or you throw out your potential in favour of a bunch of misfits? With the proven abilities of Napoleon, I think this would be rightful. Of course it was also about glory.
Napoleon's pragmatism made him able, able to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances. Once you decide between lives of many and lives of few, there's no turning back. It's like the Jaffa massacre. Leave the liars alive and let your own soldiers be backstabbed again and be without food and water, or take Jaffa. But you must let your soldiers loose or otherwise they will turn upon you. There will be blood on your hands either way.
Moral backing... If there is God, then there is Truth. And that's the objective morality. If there's no God, then morality is judged by the people. And I think Napoleon acted like as if the second was the case. If that's the case, then after all, might makes right.
Well, the problem here is that democratic institutions in France are inherently built upon violence, and so are most democratic institutions of Europe. If you say that violence does not make right in any case, you would have to condemn the whole European democratic heritage, such as the French revolution, the 1848 revolutions, the 1830 revolutions, etc. You would also have to condemn the unification of Germany and Italy, as these two nations were unified based on wars. At that point, you would have more in common with monarchists who were in support of the old order. Do you f.ex condemn the Jacobin terror?
I glorify Napoleons coup, because it was a moment where corrupt and ineffective government was removed more or less non-violently and replaced with an actual competent dictator who made significant improvements in French law and politics, in addition to resisting the military pressure from monarchies in Europe eager to crush the French republic. I am not against the use of force on principle, as most things in this world are achieved this way whether we like it or not. As Carl Schmitt argues in his criticism of Liberalism, that politics is inherently violent. Wherever there is conflict there is the potential for violence. The most important thing is who ends up on-top in these battles.
this is definitely the best history documentary channel on this platform, hands down, the writing is just top tier, It gets you so involved into it
Spot on. Also want to call out art direction, narration and an unusual one, the music which could be entirely cliched is pretty good too. Much prefer this to Hollywood overall!
@@MrCinemuso yessss, the narration omg charles nove is the real deal, its a shame is no longer in the channel
Napoleon's life story, is by far better than many epic fantasy movies and novels...
How a man could have a life this much epic?
Truly a man no one today or ever could reach his excellency. He was one of his kind.
If he were a fictional character, he would be widely derided as an unrealistic protagonist!
@zupalan2265 It was epic, but not exactly unique. Basically most founders of a great nation/empire share similar life story to Napoleon Bonaparte.
1. Figures from ancient time:
Cyrus the Great (founder of Achaemenid Empire), Julius Caesar, Octavian (Emperor Augustus), Arminius, Eumenes (Alexander the Great's page/secretary who became general and then ruler), Chandragupta Maurya (founder of Mauryan Empire), Liu Bang (founder of Han Dynasty), Ardashir (founder of Sasanian Empire), Trajan, Aurelian, etc.
2. Medieval/Renaissance:
Muhammad (prophet of Islam), Charlemagne, Temujin (Genghis Khan), Vijaya (founder of Majapahit), Timur, Zhu Yuanzhang (founder of Ming Dynasty), Hernan Cortez, Francisco Pizarro, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, etc.
3. Modern figures:
George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte himself, Simon Bolivar, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, Abdulaziz Al-Saud, etc.
if Napoleon really is fictional one, he would be criticized for having too many plot armor
Have you never wondered where they got their inspiration from? Fantasy are based on reality, thats why they will never be as epic.
Thank you for delving into the politics of Napoleon’s coup! You absolutely killed it. Brilliantly narrated and edited as usual.
Thank you John!
@@EpichistoryTv What is the soundtrack at 0:00
Your work on videos about Napoleon is very much appreciated, and I love your details and information you put out in your videos, thank you for your hard work ❤️
Music dude should have a raise. Love his work.
What is the name of the music
tbh its been the same music for years now. Still good tho!
Yeah , i liked it all the years , just wanted to thank the dude for his work
A lot of the music is made by Ben Hayden and others from Filmstro
I too often leave or turn off the sound on videos because the music is intrusive and distracting. But this music really enhances the narrative. Bravo to the "music dude."
When Napoleon said, "It was worse at Arcole" I literally smiled. I can only imagine how Augereau reacted to that, because I was won over. Say what you want about the man but he had charisma for days. 🙌💯
The best history channel on UA-cam with the best series on napoleon I’ve ever seen.
“Citizens you are dissolved”. And a new dictatorship thus began
Rather have a dictator like Napoleon than those pesky citizens.
His dictatorship didn't began inmediately after that. He had to contend for a time with the other consuls and the legislative but he was too popular.
@@keto0303agreed
I mean, the Napoleon dictatorsip was way better than the one during the reign of terror.
Napoleon's dictatorship is way better than any modern goverment.
From Argentina 🇦🇷I love the series of Napoleon. This channel is awesome. I prefer the original version in English, the voice in English gave a sense of epic in every video.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart.❤
1:20 idk if it's intentional, but the beats fit perfectly with the standards rising.
It was very intentional!
Epic History never ceases to amaze me with their beautifully produced videos. What an absolute pleasure! Thank you!
¡Gracias!
Fouche casually drafting orders for Napoleon's arrest as a backup plan even though he agreed to remain neutral is a pro gamer move😂😂
Typical of him. He was a fascinating character. From the jacobin terrorist of Lyon, to the minister collaborator of the King Louis XVIII.
"Le Souper. Le vice au bras du crime." Watch the movie.
"7 juillet 1815 " Je me rendis à Saint Denis .Tout à coup une porte s'ouvre, entre silencieusement le Vice appuyé sur le bras du Crime .... "
When your government based off a corrupt and ineffective government overthrown by a military strongman turns out to be corrupt, ineffective and gets overthrown by a military strongman
whaaat?
Tbh that’s Latin America in the 20th century.
Africa post ww2
Danke!
Thank you for supporting the channel!
I feel the Marengo 1800 campaign coming soon......
Marengo is next Ig
Marshal Murat had the most EPIC hairstyle of the Napoleonic Era!
He's the Elton John of warfare
@@michaeladie10 And also the Jim Morrison of the Grande-Armée.
@@michaeladie10 Has so many mistress lol no wonder with dapper like that
@@michaeladie10except he is not gay 😅
@@michaeladie10that’s the best analogy I’ve ever heard
Genuinely, this is your best video to date. The epicness, attention to detail, and grandeur of the whole thing left me exhilarated. Thank you, truly.
“Death is nothing, but to not have a video about you made by Epic History is to die daily.”
- Napoleon Bonaparte.
Other historians have discovered that his last words also mention the channel.
His last words were: “France, Army, Epic History, Josephine.”
In all seriousness, Epic History is proof that Napoleon will never die.
Yep.
You folks now see what a real "coup" looks like. Brought to you by the King of UA-cam history videos. Well done, vive l'emporor.
the story of napoleon is always fascinating espicially in this channel with that deep moving voice.
It takes a while for this channel to put out videos, but it's forgivable, because these are the HIGHEST quality history documentaries I have EVER seen. Especially this Napoleon one, as well as Belisarius. Thank you so much. KEEP THESE COMING!
The technical audio quality of this video is second to none. The mix and balance between clarity and power is astounding.
I agree. If not for the constant interruption of its flow by jarring advertisements, it is almost flawless.
It is a miracle that your fantastic work is available for free. You deserve more praise than could possibly be given for creating such a brilliant piece of art.
Not only the best video, but the best content on that. Never seen such detailed step-by-step of the coup. Impressive
Napoleon is one of History's greatest men, Imagine a Man with such talent, such a mind that for the first time in over 1300 Years, there is a True Dreamer of a United Europe.
What a Chad
Chadpoleon Gigaparte.🗿
He was the emperor we needed, instead we got two world wars and a stagnating Europe, rotting apart from the inside.
Dare I say as a history buff it warms my heart to see new content that people acclaim for but rarely get, this truly is the Iron Channel
This channel is absolutely amazing! Your combination of music, art and the energy brought into the storytelling is on its own level. For me one of the best historical channels especially the napoleon episodes!
The hardwork and dedication you all put into your Napoleónic videos is very appropiated! Love the details and inflrmation! Thanks For everything! You guys are the Best 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤
I cannot get enough of EHTV's Napoleon series. I love the retelling of epic battles and campaigns, yet somehow this is their best video yet! I absolutely adore this channel
Your video's just keep getting better! The images, the sound, the narration all of it!! Loving the Napoleonic series (:
This is one of the best documentaries on ancient history I've seen. The use of primary sources and expert interviews adds so much credibility.
It's crazy how Napoleonic era is literally my most favorite era of them all yet the only thing I knew about this ultramega important coup that put our little corsican in power was "Napoleon just barged in with Murat and bayonets ahoy and made bureaucrats scatter durr durr". Thank you Epic History)
The editing style here is impeccable.
One of your best videos on Napoleon by far! Such an important moment that is so necessary to put the rest of the series in context
Better than million-dollar productions. It’s a delight to come back to this series and rewatch every single episode. Much appreciated!
Great video as always. I hope one day youll do a video covering him as a ruler, looking at all his administrative reforms etc, theres lots of fascinating stuff on that side of the story too.
Next: battle of Marengo, civil code and his coronation
The civil code is truly his legacy.
@@walideg5304 My real glory is not the 40 battles I won, for Waterloo's defeat will destroy the memory of as many victories. What nothing will destroy, what will live forever, is my Civil Code. - Napoleon
@@cuongpham-ru5qb he was true. It’s still used in many many countries
Been watching the Napoleonic series every night before bed for almost a year! It’s made with such quality, and I only wish more Epic History documentaries would come out!
This is a masterpiece of a video, the visuals, the music, the pacing and of course the narrator
hell yeah, i hope you're not leaving the channel voice actor, you're a god at your job.
I'm subscribed to a lot of history channels on youtube but this one is the best. Great storytelling combined with fantastic visuals and backgrond music. So immersive...
This guys should win all possible historical awards for thier work
Oh now this is a welcome surprise in the morning. I haven't seen you upload anything about our favorite Frenchman in a while
I have to say, I have watched this video several times by now, just for the intro/first few minutes... I just love the music and the perfect video-edit.
This napoleonic series are the best visual content on the topic ever made. By far.
I have been waiting for this video for far too long, and I am glad that, as always, it didn't disappoint ❤
This is the only History Channel I like
your videos are the BEST history videos ive seen online. Thank you for all that you do!
This episode more intense than military campaigns
When I have enough funds, I plan to support this channel financially. The level of detail, cinematography, narration and music are breathtaking. No History channel on YT comes close.
The Brumaire Coup is like Napoleon's Revenge of the Sith moment.
WOW I just got chills. Awesome.
26:37 - 27:55 pure goosebumps ⚜️🇫🇷🦅
A documentary this good and free to watch is amazingly fantastic. God bless you.
The BEST channel and series on You Tube strikes again
Ever since i discovered this channel i have been utterly fascinated with napolean and his legend.so much so that im considering pursuing history as a hobby. This channel is truly a gem and a crime that its not more famous. keep up the good work😊
After two months of waiting, it arrived ! Thanks you EH tv
Great content, Great animations, Great voice acting, and THE GREATEST CHANNEL! Thank you for your Napoleonic Series.
THE Napoleon channel 🙌
Appreciate your efforts on giving a new light to History. 🤝🏼
This channel just keeps getting better, greatest video yet!!
Thanks!
Dang, you guys really outdid yourselves with this one, absolutely loved it, great job!
The music the visuals and the excellent narration. This is a true gem.
The more you read about Napoleon, the more you realize HE IS HIM. He truly is destiny manifest. And if there was ever an example of great man history, Napoleon is one of the many.
22:49
Augereau: "You're in deep water now."
Napoleon: "It was worse at Arcole."
indeed!
Fantastic video, Charles Nove gives a plus, excellent pronounciation of the french words and names and a rich using of the english language (as a non fluent fluent english speaker, I appreciate this) well it's time to go to your online boutique :-)
These documentaries are in the level of art !!
Stunning,Flawless unwavering unfaltering beauty in all forms the soundtrack the artwork & of course Charles. Thank You!!!!!!!!! Have watched this three times so far!
Another outstanding video.
Bravo.
The research, the presentation. Everything is top notch.
I hope this episode does well! I was a tad hesitant to watch right away (very busy and figured the coup was a straightforward event) but the fool I was to even consider waiting. Honestly one of your best so far!
Lucien with the wisest set of few words to be chosen in all history, cemented the coup.. while committing the most faithful act a brother could have done. ever
this is like.... my favourite story
These videos are just incredible. Thanks and greetings from Spain.
Some of the best content available on youtube by far. Please continue the fantastic work!
I've got to say, seemingly so has everyone else, this Napoleanic era series you've been doing might well be one of the highest quality and most consistent video series on UA-cam. It really is a completely professional production.