Generals La Bédoyère and Cambronne: Napoleon's Loyalists During the Hundred Days (with Jonathan North) | Ep 160
Generals and NapoleonShow Notes
In this episode, special guest & author Jonathan North explores the dramatic story of 2 of the most devoted French officers of the Napoleonic Wars: La Bedoyere and Cambronne
La Bédoyère - From his early service in the Grande Armée to his pivotal role in the Emperor’s return during the Hundred Days, La Bédoyère risked everything for Napoleon. When France stood divided after the fall of the Empire, he made a fateful choice that would seal his destiny. Discover how La Bédoyère rallied troops to Napoleon in 1815, helped reignite the imperial cause, and stood by the Emperor during the final campaign that culminated at the Battle of Waterloo. After defeat, La Bédoyère refused to abandon his principles — and paid the ultimate price under the restored Bourbon monarchy. Was he reckless? Romantic? Or the purest symbol of Napoleonic loyalty?
Cambronne - Did Pierre Cambronne really say, “The Guard dies but does not surrender” at the Battle of Waterloo — or was it something far more blunt? In this episode, we dive into the life and legend of one of the most famous officers of Imperial Guard. From his early service in the Revolutionary Wars to his rise within the elite Old Guard, Cambronne became forever linked to one of the most dramatic moments in military history. As the Grande Armée collapsed in 1815, Cambronne commanded a square of the Guard surrounded by Allied forces. What happened next has become myth: Did he defiantly proclaim that the Guard would die but never surrender? Or did he utter the single word — “Merde!” — that cemented his place in legend?
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