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WHY WAS THE DIRECTORY OVERTHROWN IN NOVEMBER 1799 (The Coup of November…
WHY WAS THE DIRECTORY OVERTHROWN IN NOVEMBER 1799
The Directory Under Threat
The Coup of Floreal, 1798
With the Coup of Frucitdor, the 1798 elections saw a substantial decline in royalism, forcing the moderates to depend of the Jacobins for a majority
The Jacobins then attacked the Directory, with the reintroduction of indirect taxes and tolls, and the allowing of generals to give themselves bonuses while their men starved
The Directory responded by shutting down 11 newspapers, removing Jacobin propaganda.The elections also saw a growth in Jacobinism, with them winning 86 seats
On 22 Floreal (11th May 1798) the Directory pushed the Council of 500 to pass a bill annulling the election in 53 departments, resulting in 127 deputies losing their seats, which were then replaced by people chosen by the Directory, making it even more unconstitutional
The Coup of Brumaire
On 18 Brumaire Year VIII (9th November 1799), Sieyes and other plotters convinced the Council of Ancients of a Jacobin plot in the Council of 500, persuading them to reconvene at Saint-Cloud
Napoleon’s Troops then surrounded the Tuileries where the Council of 500 met, with another general surrounding the Directory. Sieyes and Ducos resigned, with Barras following suit, of the other two directors, one fled and the other imprisoned
When Napoleon entered the Council of 500, he was accused of being a dictator.President of the Council and Napoleon’s brother claimed that Jacobin deputies had tried to stab Napoleon, resulting in 61 deputies being expelled. Legislation was then passed, replacing the Directory with a three-man executive
The Role of Abbe Sieyes and the Return of Napoleon
Abbe Sieyes was elected to the Council of the 500 in 1798, and then became a director in the following year
Though he aimed to bring down the Directory from within, as it was failing due to the weakness of the executive. A coup would result in a restoration of Royalism, or even the Jacobins
He recognised that he needed military support and that Napoleon was perfect given his popularity following. On 16th October 1799 to Paris, greeting with applauding crowds, even despite his defeat against the Ottomans
Impact of the War of the Second Coalition
After a short period of peace, Russia declared war on France, with France declaring war on Austria
The war started off badly, with the French being forced to retreat from Italy and the Russians occupying Switzerland Jourdan’s Law was passed in June 1798, calling for another imposing forced loan on the rich
In an attempt to suppress the unrest, the law of Hostages was passed (July 1799), allowing arbitrary arrest and confiscation of property.With few willing to enforce the law, it simply just increased the people's anger with the government
The Coup of November and the Establishment of the Consulship
But on 15the November 1799, the Consulship presented a new constitution, grating the Consulate more powers than the Directory, with full control over finance and foreign affairs
Napoleon was also able to argue that being the military leader, he should have even greater power as First Consul.It also created the Tibunate and Legislature, who were the governing bodies elected by universal male suffrage, but could not initiate new bills
Lucien added legitimacy by organising a Plebiscite (A vote of approval), though he falsified the figures, claiming that 3 million had voted in favour of the new Constitution, with only 1,562 against
Even without the exaggeration, 1.5 million were estimated to have voted in favour, showing a clear desire for change