By October of 1799, Napoleon had returned from Egypt. Despite his humiliating defeat at the siege of Acre, his popularity could not be higher, thanks to his self published propaganda. However, France was still in crisis. With prices soaring, taxes on the rise and banditry rife, people called for Napoleon to save the country.
However, not everyone was happy with this. The French Directory, a group of 5 individuals who had executive power in France, believed that Napoleon should be court-martialled for abandoning his men in Egypt under the command of Jean-Baptiste Kléber. However, moving against such a hugely popular general would cause mass upheaval, and make the Directory’s position weaker than it already was. Napoleon was a notable critic of the Directory, stating to General Paul Thiélbault that:
These men are bringing France down to the level of their own blundering. They are degrading her. Well, what can generals expect from this government of lawyers.
Napoleon speaking to Thiélbault, October 26th, 1799
The members of the Directory consisted of Paul Barras, permanent member of the Directory since its formation in 1795 and a close ally of Napoleon but was seen as corrupt, Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès, one of the leading political thinkers in France and author of “What is the Third Estate?” which was a widely influential political pamphlet in the Revolution, Louis-Jérôme Gohier, a staunch Jacobin and former Minister of Justice, Jean-François Moulin, another staunch Jacobin and General, and Roger Ducos, a more moderate ally of Sieyès. This executive branch was not without a legislative one, that being the Council of 500, who proposed laws, and the Council of Elders, who passed them. The two councils all dressed in clothes reminiscent of robes worn in the Roman Republic. However, all three of these institutions were seen as corrupt and unfit to govern France. And one of the people who say it was Sieyès himself.
Sieyès, who believed that the current system was corrupt and in need of desperate change with a constitution that he would pen, began webbing a mass conspiracy to overthrow the French Government as it stood. It began with Maurice de Talleyrand, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and an influential political figure. He also recruited a fellow Director, the ever loyal Roger Ducos, as well as roping in the Presidents of both the Council of 500 and the Council of Elders. Joseph Fouché, Minister of Police, became aware of the conspiracy. Whilst he did not join, he stated that he would not intervene. However, there was one man that Sieyès needed in order to secure the army. He called this man “The Sword”, a populary military figurehead to be used at the decisive moment before being “sheathed” afterwards. After considering multiple options, Sieyès eventually approached General Jean Victor Marie Moreau, who declined, but personally recommended a different man.
There’s your man. [Napoleon Bonaparte] will make a better job of your coup d’état than I could.
Moreau on Napoleon Bonaparte
Despite the President of the Council of 500 being Napoleon’s own brother, Lucien Bonaparte, Sieyès disliked Napoleon’s clear ambition. However, Talleyrand managed to convince Sieyès to let Napoleon into the plot. Eventually, a conspiracy came together within a week of Napoleon and Sieyès’ first encounter. The date was set for November 7th, or the 16th of Brumaire on the Revolutionary Calendar (RC), and would take two days. In case anything went awry, the conspirators had safety measures. Sieyès had a briefcase full of money and good to go. Fouché had an arrest warrant drafted for Napoleon in case he needed to switch sides. Napoleon himself slept with a pair of loaded pistols at his bedside.
However, the plot had to be delayed by 48 hours, during which time, Napoleon visited the house of General Jean Bernadotte, where he had dinner with Bernadotte, Moreau and General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, in order to get more allies in the army for the coup. Whilst Moreau agreed to assist and Jourdan agreed to stay neutral, Bernadotte was outraged, crying that Napoleon would be guillotined. Napoleon responded with two simple words.
We’ll see.
Napoleon to Bernadotte
November 9th (17 Brumaire RC) finally rolled around. Having rallied 60 officers to his house, Napoleon initiated the call to arms. Meanwhile, an unscheduled meeting of the Council of Elders was held in the Tuileries Palace, the seat of the French Government. Here, the Moderates quickly passed two measures, that Napoleon would take charge of the Paris Military District and that the next days Council Meetings shall take place at the Château de Saint-Cloud, a palace approximately 5 miles outside the city, both of which were under the pretence that a Jacobin Revolution was underway in Paris. Across town at Luxembourg Palace, Ducos and Sieyès both resigned their positions as Directors and attempted to convince Barras, Gohier and Moulin to do the same. Whilst Barras complied with the help of a hefty bribe, Gohier and Moulin refused. As a result they were placed under house arrest under the observation of General Moreau. With the executive branch now gone, the conspirators could make their move.
On November 10th (18 Brumaire RC), Napoleon woke up early to travel to the Château de Saint-Cloud. Joachim Murat, a newly promoted General of Division, had rallied 6,000 troops at the Château. As deputies of the Councils arrived, the vast military presence could not go unnoticed. At this meeting, the Jacobin deputies were permitted, who were furious at not having been included in the meeting of the previous day. When the sessions began at 1pm, chaos quickly descends upon the two chambers. Napoleon, having lost patience, barged into the meeting of the Council of Elders. Whilst he was trying to speak, he was heckled. When one deputy asked him “What about the constitution?” Napoleon responded by saying:
The Constitution! You yourselves have destroyed it. You violated it on 18 Fructidor [September 14th]; you violated it on 22 Floreal [May 11th]; you violated it on 30 Prairial [June 18th]. It no longer has the respect of anyone.
Napoleon to the Council of Elders
At this remark, there was an uproar in the council. Napoleon went on, demanding action and implying that the Elders were paid off with British money. Eventually, he was dragged out of the room by 4 soldiers. It did not take him long before he walked into the Council of 500. It was even more raucous in there. Napoleon could hardly get a word in, as he was shoved, grabbed and even punched, amid cries comparing him to Julius Caesar and Oliver Cromwell.
Eventually, a group of grenadiers retrieved Napoleon an took him out to the courtyard. Despite it not being a desirable option, military action had to be taken. A bruised and bloody Napoleon ordered grenadiers to go inside and dispel the chaos, but were stopped by the Council Guard at the doorstep. However, Lucien finally took initiative on the matter. On horseback, Lucien cried:
Citizen soldiers! The great majority of the Council is at this moment being terrorised by a handful of deputies armed with daggers. These brigands are doubt in English pay… I declare to you that these madmen have made themselves outlaws by their assaults on the liberty of this Council!
Lucien speaking to the crowd of soldiers in the courtyard
He then drew a sword and pointed it directly at Napoleon’s chest.
I swear that I will stab my own brother to the heart if he ever makes an assault on the liberty of Frenchmen.
Lucien speaking to the crowd of soldiers in the courtyard
Eventually, the grenadiers were let inside and the Councils were dispersed quickly. Some accounts suggest that robes and hats were left behind as deputies leapt out of windows. Soon, a new measure was passed by the remaining moderate deputies. It detailed that the Councils shall not meet for 4 months, that the Directory be abolished and replaced with a consulate. The third consul would be Ducos, the second would be Sieyès and the first consul would be Napoleon Bonaparte.
Just six years earlier, Napoleon was a young Corsican leading his first major victory at 24 at Toulon. Now, he was 30 and leading one of the most powerful nations in the world. And yet, somehow, his ambitions still lead higher and higher. An ambition that would conquer Europe in years to come.