Continuing our analysis of Louis XIV's Arms & Armies in the month of August, we've got some absolutely brilliant content on the way for all $5 patrons of this podcast! Remember to check us out at www.patreon.com/WhenDiplomacyFails if you want to join the party, but what's in the box here? Well in our four episodes for August we have the following tasters:
Episode 6: the importance of quartering is further examined, as is the massive emphasis in the French command on siege warfare, as Vauban developed new ways to make the French attack unbeatable to the defender.
Episode 7: we begin an enlightening look at the French navy with some incredible facts and figures - yes, the French navy really was the largest in Western Europe - the problem was, it was split between two seas.
Episode 8: our coverage of the French naval arm continues, as we examine how naval officers, rare as they were during the period, honed their craft and sought advancement in a state still very dominated by the idea of military service on land.
Episode 9: we conclude our analysis of the navy by examining how things became more familiar to those that know their history. The French decline in naval power came in the 1690s, when they began to spend more on the land armies and less on seapower, with the result that the French state navy resorted to some very effective and lucrative piratical policies. It wasn't what Colbert would have wanted, but it still stands out as an incredible period of history, when Louis XIV was able to hold his enemies at bay on sea and on land simultaneously.

If any of these episodes sound interesting to you, my dear history friends, then be sure to have a look at the patreon page www.patreon.com/WhenDiplomacyFails once there you'll find a whole load of additional Xtra content, not to mention that there's a whole load of content to come, with a Jan Sobieski biography and of course a Bismarck biography exclusively for Patrons at the $5 level still to come. It's all very exciting indeed, so I hope you'll take a look! I hope also that you're looking forward to our normal episodic coverage resuming from Monday 4th September 2017 when we begin our examination of the Long War - this is going to be epic, and I'm so excited to begin!
Remember you can follow us on Twitter @wdfpodcast and find us on Facebook to keep up to date with the latest in our schedule and news. You should also visit the website www.wdfpodcast.com
Other than that, thanksssss for listening history friends, you're the best! :D For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy