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The Rest Is HistoryOctober 27, 2025

612. Nelson: The Final Showdown (Part 5)

About This Episode
After two years at sea chasing the combined fleet of France and Spain, what was Nelson’s next step? Upon returning to his beloved Emma, how was the heroic Nelson received? What was the terrifying Napoleon Bonaparte scheming for his fleet across the seas? And, would Britain finally face an imminent French invasion, and with it apocalypse - for both Britain and Nelson himself? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss the build up to one of the most totemic naval clashes of all time - Trafalgar - and Nelson; the man behind it all. _______ Start generating your own greener electricity for less, with £500 off Solar. Visit https://www.hivehome.com/history for more information. T&Cs apply* *Output and savings varies by season, electricity usage and system size. Paid-for surplus requires an eligible SEG tariff. Offer for new customers only. Ends 17th November. This episode is sponsored by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Try Claude for free today at Claude.ai/RestIsHistory _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editor: Jack Meek Social Producer: Harry Balden Assistant Producer: Aaliyah Akude Producer: Tabby Syrett Senior Producer: Theo Young-Smith Exec Producer: Dom Johnson
Book Mentions
3 book mentions in this episode.
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Books Mentioned

Trafalgar cover
Trafalgar
Adam Nicholson

Adam Nicholson, in his brilliant book on Trafalgar, describes it as the introduction of chaos. It's a tool for battle, because the traditional naval battle is like a waltz, a minuet.

Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.
Emma cover
Emma
Jane Austen

He’s moping over Emma and writing poetry. Can I read a poem? This is his last love poem to Emma.

ASIN: 0141439580
Buy on Amazon
Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.
Adventures in Time, Nelson, a Hero of the Seas cover

The excerpt mentions that many historians have written about the moment, but only one book truly does it justice, which is 'Adventures in Time, Nelson, a Hero of the Seas' by Dominic Sandbrook.

ASIN: 0141999225
Buy on Amazon
Click the book cover image to open the affiliate link.