On November 10, 1799, France entered a new stage in its history. The Coup of 18 Brumaire, according to the calendar of the French Republic, brought an end to the four-year rule of the Directory and paved the way for General Napoleon Bonaparte to rise to power.
The Directory was established in 1795 by the Constitution of Year III. It provided for executive power to be entrusted to five directors, while legislative power was vested in two councils. The aim was to avoid both a return to one-man rule and a repetition of the radicalism of the Reign of Terror.
By 1799, the system had already been shaken by financial difficulties, military problems, political corruption and a series of interventions by the army in the government. In the final years, several coups had taken place, exposing the weakness of the republican institutions.
Two Days That Changed Power
At the center of the conspiracy was Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, a director since May 1799. He believed that the Constitution of Year III could not provide stable government and was looking for a general who could provide military backing for political change. The suitable ally turned out to be Bonaparte, who had returned from Egypt at the beginning of October.
On November 9, the Council of Elders was convened at the Tuileries Palace. Under the pretext that Paris was threatened by a conspiracy, the two legislative councils were moved to Saint-Cloud. Bonaparte was entrusted with command of the troops in the capital.
Sieyès and Roger Ducos resigned as directors. Paul Barras also left his post, while Louis-Jérôme Gohier and Jean-François Moulin resisted and were forced to step down. Thus, the executive power of the Directory was effectively decapitated.
The following day, November 10, Bonaparte appeared before the Council of Five Hundred at Saint-Cloud. The deputies greeted him with hostility and insisted that he defend the republic rather than violate the constitution. The tension was brought to an end after soldiers dispersed the session. According to historical accounts, the coup took place without extensive bloodshed, but under strong pressure from the army on the legislative power.
From the Directory to the Consulate
After the assemblies were dissolved, a provisional consulate was established, consisting of Napoleon Bonaparte, Sieyès and Roger Ducos. On December 13, 1799, the Constitution of Year VIII was proclaimed, establishing the new regime. Napoleon became First Consul, although France formally continued to be a republic.
The proclamation accompanying the new constitution declared: “Citizens, the revolution is established on the principles that began it. It is over.” The wording presented the coup as a restoration of order and stability, but in practice it concentrated power around Bonaparte.
The Coup of 18 Brumaire is generally regarded as the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of the Napoleonic era. In the following years, the First Consul would strengthen central authority, and in 1804 he would proclaim himself Emperor of the French.
Sources: history.com, worldhistory.org