The Siècle history podcast
@thesiecle.com
A history podcast by @dhmontgomery.com covering France's overlooked century between Napoleon and World War I. Annotated transcripts at thesiecle.com!
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/
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/
January 26, 2026 at 9:39 PM
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/
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/
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/
thesiecle.com/episode49/
January 26, 2026 at 3:16 PM
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/
thesiecle.com/episode49/
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.
But the ~weirdest~ spam is this Italian pergola manufacturer, whose mailing list I have been unable to get off of for YEARS.
January 23, 2026 at 3:36 PM
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.
But the ~weirdest~ spam is this Italian pergola manufacturer, whose mailing list I have been unable to get off of for YEARS.
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/
January 20, 2026 at 2:19 AM
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/
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.
January 17, 2026 at 5:42 AM
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.
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.
January 17, 2026 at 5:35 AM
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.
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.
January 17, 2026 at 2:28 AM
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.
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.
January 17, 2026 at 2:18 AM
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.
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.
January 17, 2026 at 2:15 AM
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.
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.
January 17, 2026 at 2:00 AM
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.
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."
January 17, 2026 at 1:51 AM
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."
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.
January 17, 2026 at 1:36 AM
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.
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).
January 7, 2026 at 5:01 AM
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).
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):
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):
December 20, 2025 at 3:51 AM
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):
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):
A teaser trailer for the next episode of The Siècle (featuring guest narration from @lafayettepodcast.com!):
December 17, 2025 at 10:24 PM
A teaser trailer for the next episode of The Siècle (featuring guest narration from @lafayettepodcast.com!):
Very grateful, when browsing the French history section at my local bookstore, to find a book that doesn’t make me read the back cover or inside flap to decide if I should buy it.
December 14, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Very grateful, when browsing the French history section at my local bookstore, to find a book that doesn’t make me read the back cover or inside flap to decide if I should buy it.
It's remarkable how many amazing resources there are for 19th Century French history, freely available online. (And one day, perhaps, a vintage copy on my shelves...)
December 13, 2025 at 4:29 AM
It's remarkable how many amazing resources there are for 19th Century French history, freely available online. (And one day, perhaps, a vintage copy on my shelves...)
Philipon got convicted anyway. Other cartoonists and journalists rallied behind him and sold prints of the pear caricature to pay his 6,000-franc fine. France's preeminent cartoonist of the time, Horace Daumier, made his own version to that end:
November 13, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Philipon got convicted anyway. Other cartoonists and journalists rallied behind him and sold prints of the pear caricature to pay his 6,000-franc fine. France's preeminent cartoonist of the time, Horace Daumier, made his own version to that end:
The original pear caricature was published in 1831 by Charles Philipon. It got him put on trial for insulting the king, where his defense was that Louis-Philippe so resembled a pear that an “artist could quite easily have drawn the parallel unintentionally." Then he drew it to demonstrate.
November 13, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The original pear caricature was published in 1831 by Charles Philipon. It got him put on trial for insulting the king, where his defense was that Louis-Philippe so resembled a pear that an “artist could quite easily have drawn the parallel unintentionally." Then he drew it to demonstrate.
King Louis-Philippe I was conscientious and hard-working. So it's a little unfortunate — but extremely funny — that the defining image of him became a caricature drawing his jowly face as a pear.
Find out more in my latest episode!
thesiecle.com/episode48/
Find out more in my latest episode!
thesiecle.com/episode48/
November 13, 2025 at 5:01 PM
King Louis-Philippe I was conscientious and hard-working. So it's a little unfortunate — but extremely funny — that the defining image of him became a caricature drawing his jowly face as a pear.
Find out more in my latest episode!
thesiecle.com/episode48/
Find out more in my latest episode!
thesiecle.com/episode48/
NEW EPISODE: After the July Revolution of 1830, France has a new king. And Louis-Philippe wants everyone to know he's not like a regular king, he's a cool king.
thesiecle.com/episode48/
thesiecle.com/episode48/
November 13, 2025 at 4:14 PM
NEW EPISODE: After the July Revolution of 1830, France has a new king. And Louis-Philippe wants everyone to know he's not like a regular king, he's a cool king.
thesiecle.com/episode48/
thesiecle.com/episode48/
Pretty good haul for a neighborhood used bookstore!
November 7, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Pretty good haul for a neighborhood used bookstore!
I was sure at least one of these would be able to help me out here but they all seem to take for granted a baseline understanding of 19th Century British constitutional monarchy. Great, I have that too, but I’d like to *cite* something.
October 31, 2025 at 3:43 AM
I was sure at least one of these would be able to help me out here but they all seem to take for granted a baseline understanding of 19th Century British constitutional monarchy. Great, I have that too, but I’d like to *cite* something.
The Doctrinaire leader Pierre Paul Royer-Collard was once asked whether he had called his erstwhile disciple François Guizot an "austere intriguer."
"I did not say austere," Royer-Collard replied.
"I did not say austere," Royer-Collard replied.
October 13, 2025 at 8:39 PM
The Doctrinaire leader Pierre Paul Royer-Collard was once asked whether he had called his erstwhile disciple François Guizot an "austere intriguer."
"I did not say austere," Royer-Collard replied.
"I did not say austere," Royer-Collard replied.