To what extent was Napoleon’s military ability the main reason for his rise to power by

1799? [20]

Napoleon’s military abilities are key to understanding his raise to power. He quickly earned
the reputation as a successful general and a hero of the Revolution. In the early days of the
Directory, Napoleon protected the government from a monarchist uprising. In the battle
referred to as 13 Vendémiaire (October 1795), Napoleon successfully led the Revolutionary
troops against a Royalist uprising. Although outnumbered, Napoleon used cannons filled
with grapeshot to defeat the counter-revolutionaries. His role in this battle was a
cornerstone in Napoleon’s career as he became a household name and a hero of the
Revolution.

Furthermore, as a reward for his success in Paris, he was put in charge of the troops fighting
Austria and Piedmont in Italy. The Italian campaign meant that his became synonym with
prestige and glory. He took control of a demotivated army and led them to a victory against
one of France’s strongest enemies achieving, leading to a peace treaty to be imposed on
Austria in 1798. This meant that France was able to take control of –and loot- the wealthiest
regions of Italy and (what is nowadays) Belgium. Napoleon’s success was attributed to his
excellent leadership and this, of course, only increased his image as a hero.

Napoleon successfully cultivated his image as a hero through his use of propaganda. He was
an ambitious general and used the means available at the time, newspapers, bulletins and
dispatches, to emphasize this image to readers in France and to his troops. He ran two
newspapers for this purpose and was very aware of how he should be portrayed: a leader
who wasn’t afraid to take action to protect the Revolution; a general who would fight
alongside his men and who would visit the sick and wounded. Hence whilst we can see that
whilst Napoleon’s military successes were essential to build his reputation, his propaganda
effort emphasized his qualities as a strong leader. However, his abilities as a military leader
are not sufficient to understand how Napoleon was able to seize power in the Coup of 1799.

Napoleon benefitted from a political context that ultimately enabled him to seize power.
Whilst Napoleon’s reputation was soaring, the Directory was increasingly seen as yet
another instable government. Despite its aim to provide a moderate (and stable)
government for the revolution, the Directory failed to solve the economic issues and was
also unable to retain the support of the aristocracy and the Church. The unpopularity of the
Directory meant that it was viciously criticized and pamphlets were produced showing the
Directory as corrupt and incapable.

Furthermore, the reputation of the Directory and the lack of a strong leadership meant that
there was an increase of support for the royalists and the neo-Jacobins. Both factions
achieved majorities in the legislative elections of 1797 and 1798 and the Directory
responded by using military force to annul the elections results creating a fear for the return
of the Terror. The French people placed the blame on the Directory and sought an individual
who could lead them towards a brighter (more stable future). Although Napoleon was
careful to not over-emphasize is political ambitions, he was able to capitalize on this thanks
to the support of his troops and other vital supporters.
The support of key aristocrats (Sieyès, Fouché and Talleyrand) and his brother, Lucien, are
key in understanding how Napoleon went from being seen as a strong leader to being the
leader. The support from the aristocrats can only be seen in the context of the discredited
Directory and the yearning for the return to normalcy after a decade for chaos. Lucien, in
particular, who was the president of the Assembly prevented the failure of the Coup d’Etat
of the 18th Brumaire which led to Napoleon seizing power. Furthermore, it is essential to
also consider the role of Napoleon’s troops whose loyalty supported Napoleon throughout
the coup and also prevented that the sans-culottes could decide the political future of
France.

Napoleon’s military ability is essential to understand how Napoleon was able to rise to
power. His successes in Paris and in Italy led him to be regarded as a great leader and
national hero. His achievements were emphasized by his clever use of propaganda, so his
communications skills also need to be taken into account. Furthermore, the context is
essential, Napoleon was seen as a great leader at a time when many people in France
believed that this was exactly what France needed to end a decade a chaos. The failure of
the Directory and the support of his loyal troops and key aristocrats meant that Napoleon
was successful in seizing power in 1799.