You're listening to an airwave media podcast.

Welcome to the Age of Napoleon.

Episode 117. Napoleon.

Episode 117, Impossible.

Thanks for joining me.

As always, I'd like to start by thanking our Patreon supporters for making all this possible.

On our most recent bonus episode, I asked the subscribers for their opinions on the future direction of the show. I have not yet made

any decisions so there's still plenty of time for you to sign up, listen, and weigh in yourself.

And of course you'll also get access to over two years worth of bonus content and add free versions of the regular episodes, all for just $2 a month. Visit pat-r-T-R-E-O-N dot com slash Age of Napoleon to sign up.

Anyway, we left off last time in late November 1808. The second French invasion of Spain had been going on for about a month.

This time led by the Emperor himself, and including many of the best veteran units of the Grand Army.

They had already achieved considerable successes.

Four Spanish field armies had been defeated in major battles.

French forces had taken the first objective of Napoleon's plan, the city of Burgos, which became

the Emperor's headquarters.

Not everything had gone according to plan.

There had been miscues and even a few setbacks.

But we've covered a lot of campaigns on this show.

How often do any of them go exactly according to plan. Still Napoleon was not

happy with his subordinates. As you might recall from last episode he had just

issued Marshall Victor an official reprimand and fired Marshall Bessieur.

He was also unhappy with the results of the Battle of Toudela, which we discussed at the end of last episode, where the two bickering Patriot Generals,

...