What was the cause behind the rise of Nepolean to power and How it also come to an end ?
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Answer:
the eruption of the french revolution in 1789 created a ton of opportunities for regular soldiersThe eruption of the French Revolution in 1789 created a ton of opportunities for regular soldiers to become great generals and marshals. In 1789, Napoleon had graduated the Ecole Militaire of Paris and was stationed in southern France at Valence. He was in an artillery regiment.
After playing and failing in Corsican politics, Napoleon and his exiled family fled to France. In 1793, Napoleon gained great recognition at the Siege of Toulon. He would go on to save the Republic in 1795, and then in 1796–7 fought his famous Italian Campaign against the Austrians.
Apparently, when he left for his Egyptian Campaign of 1798, Napoleon already had ideas for overthrowing the five-man Directory leading France. He said, “However, the fruit is not yet ripe”.
Napoleon left Egypt in 1799, and was greeted as a hero in France. He ridiculously overplayed his military victories there and made himself out to be a hero. A few influential French politicians approached him, such as Sieyes, a political writer and activist, and Talleyrand, a diplomat.
Napoleon, Sieyes, Talleyrand, and a few others, had several secret meetings regarding their coup d’etat. It was a very secretive affair, and it is hard to find many sources and letters regarding their plan.
It was decided that the coup would occur in the 18–19 Brumaire (the Revolutionary Calendar), which is 9 November. Napoleon reportedly said, before the coup, that he and Josephine would either sleep in the Saint-Cloud Palace, or face the guillotine.
Napoleon tried to bribe as many Directors as he could, including Barras (he took the money). Napoleon’s advantage was that his brother, Lucien Bonaparte, was president of the legislation, known as the council of 500. Lucien tried to tell the council that a insurrection was occurring and that Napoleon was to be placed in power. Basically, his coup was a military overthrow. He walked into the room of the councils with a bunch of tall grenadiers, telling them to write a new constitution, dissolving the Directory and establishing a Consulate. It backfired for Napoleon; the council was enraged and began calling him a tyrant and were going to declare him an outlaw. Lucien immediately jumped down and pointed a dagger at Napoleon’s heart, exclaiming that if he even suspected his brother of being a tyrant, he would strike him. Napoleon’s friend Murat walked in and dispersed the Council.
Napoleon narrowly won his coup.
Basically, he walked into the room with a bunch of soldiers, and through the military dissolved the Directory and created himself the Consul of France.