Constitutional Republic: The Directory, 1795-1799 Section 9.45

Thermidorian Reaction Robespierre Executed (7/28/94) -Thermidorian Reaction Begins Coup d’ etat of Brumaire (11/9/1799) -Consulate begins End of Revolution? Constitution of 1795 Rule of the Directory 1794 1795 1796 1797 1798 1799 1804 Napoleon crowned Emperor -Restoration Begins White Terror attacks Jacobins Coup d etat of Fructidor (September 4) 1797 Price Controls Abolished

The Weakness of the Directory Constitution of 1795 Supported manly by Wealthy Restricted the politically active class Universal male suffrage selected electors Electors were usually wealthy Electors chose department officials and members of the Legislative Assembly Lower Chamber= Council of the 500 Upper Chamber= Council of Ancients (250) Chose the Directory (5 executives) Council of Ancients Council of 500

Enemies of the Directory Gracchus Babeuf & Lower Class (hurt by Laissez Faire); Declaration of Verona and Conspiracy of Equals; the Count of Provence; Jacobins; Herbertists ; Royalists

Directory’s Enemies on the Right Louis XVIII Count of Provence Directed royalists against Directory from Verona, Italy not too politically bright Declaration of Verona announced his intention to restore Old Regime and punish revolutionaries since 1789 (duh) “Bourbons learned nothing and forgot nothing.” French don’t love Con of 1795 but Restoration to them means Return of privileged nobility Reimplementation of the manorial system

Directory’s Enemies on the Left Conspiracy of Equals (1796) group led by Gracchus Babeuf Wanted to overthrow the Directory with a dictatorship called it democratic Wanted to abolish private property, equality decreed a precursor to communism Babeuf is guillotined Yet Directory ignored hardships of lower classes Gracchus Babeuf

Fashion: Convention v Directory Periods Radical Period Thermidorian Period

Napoleon Educated in a French military school Barras, head of state security, selected Napoleon to defend the Convention against attacks by royalists Married Josephine de Beauharnais, a leader of society In two years he defeated the Austrians, won control of most of Italy, and made the Peace of Campo Formio

The Political Crisis of 1797: Summary French royalists won elections Republicans worked a coup d’etat, with Napoleon's help, the “Coup d’etat de Fructidor” Directory annulled the 3/1797 elections and made peace with Austria France also annexed Belgium and the west bank of the Rhine

Coup d’etat of Fructidor: Details 3/1797- first free election is held: Royalists win many seats and are gaining political control Republicans, regicides, and Napoleon can not let royalists get control (Napoleon, for one, never would have risen in “Old Regime”)

Coup d’etat of Fructidor (September 4, 1797): The Fructidorian government, or Directory, annuls the elections of the spring to keep the royalists out and Directors violate their own Constitution of the year III. Directory first purges 2 Directors: One, Lazare Carnot, driven into exile To save the republic (they said), they had to violate their own constitution…

Foreign Policy of Directory Expansion continues: 10/1797- Treaty of Campo Formio Austria recognizes French annexation of Belgium (former Austrian Netherlands) & Northern Italy Pope deposed and Roman Republic declared Only England is still at war with France Napoleon’s aggression is directed toward Egypt Young Napoleon

The Coup d’Etat of 1799 Bonaparte After Fructidor coup constitutionalism is given up Directory becomes an ineffective dictatorship They repudiate debts Guerrilla activity in Vendee flares up Religious schism becomes more acute as Directory persecutes refractory clergy Napoleon feints toward India with the invasion of Egypt (indirect strike at British) British fleet cuts off French army in Egypt Napoleon abandons his army and returns to Paris on his own.

Egypt

The Coup d’Etat of 1799: Bonaparte Directory is looking for a general to keep a lid on France Abbe Sieyes says “confidence from below, authority from above” Coup d’ etat of Brumaire (11/9/1799) Napoleon is chosen as a member of the Consulate (3) and becomes first Consul 11/1799