On This Day – November 9th (French Revolution)

Michael Thomas, Editor

On this day, November the 9th, in the year of 1799, the Coup of 1819 Brumaire, a coup d’état that would lead to Napoloén Bonaparte taking power over France and bring an end to the French Revolution, began.

A consequence of ten years of revolution in France was governmental turmoil and upheaval, among other things. To try to bring an end to this, a group of Frenchmen, including Bonaparte, planned a coup to do as such.

The coup unfolded when the then levels of the French legislature met in a palace away from Paris to avoid “an attack by political opponents”, though the planners of the coup planned this meeting to be out of the city so Bonaparte’s forces could make the politicians do what they want easier.

At the palace, the troops forced the upper delegation (The Council of Ancients) to dissolve themselves and the legislature as a whole, giving rise to Napoloén and his advisors in power (Fondation Napoloén) (Britannica).