Following the execution of King Louis XVI, France had officially broken away from it's monarchy and was now left to govern itself. This led to continuous infighting among the different political factions that would lead to the Reign of Terror. It also brought an abrupt end to relations once held among monarchies. In fear that the French Revolution would spread throughout Europe, France suddenly had many enemies. Soon there was a formation of European coalitions in an open war against France. These French Revolutionary Wars would make way for the rise of a young commander named, Napoleon Bonaparte.
War of the 1st Coalition
In 1793 the Holy Roman Empire was the first to declare war on France. The emperor Francis II was especially bitter towards the maltreatment of his aunt Marie Antoniette. They were joined by the Great Britain, Prussia, the Hasburg Monarchy, and Spain to assembled a Coalition. The Austrian and Prussian armies struck first led by the Duke of Brunswick. However they were repelled by the French at the Battle of Valmy. This early victory raised the morale of the French army and it's capability to withstand a major war.
However the French suffered defeat at the Battle of Neerwinden in the Netherlands. To make matters worse there had been numerous uprisings throughout France led by insurgents aided by the British Empire. The Siege of Toloun and War in the Vendee were the most drastic of these uprisings. They consisted of royalists, Catholics, and peasants seeking to overthrow the French republic. In response to these uprisings the National Convention established a Committee of Public Safety to unify the nation at all costs.
Reign of Terror
The Committee of Public Safety was headed up by Georges Danton, Maximilian Robespierre, and his younger prodigy Saint-Just (all of which were Jacobian members). In March of 1793 the popular Jacobian journalist Jean Paul Marat was poisoned by a political opponent. This only furthered the Jacobin Committee's frustration at their political opponents. Maximilian Robespierre thus ushered in a harsh political purge against all enemies of the republic known as the Reign of Terror.
Through his revolutionary tribunals he quickly brought to trial all political opponents such as the Girondins, monarchists, clergymen, and insurgents. They were harshly sentenced to death in public squares by the guillotine, which became the symbol of the Committee's justice. During this period over 40,000 citizens were executed by the guillotine, including the former queen Marie Antoinette.
Also during this time the Committee implemented a new religion to replace Catholicism known as the Cult of Reason. The basis of this atheistic religion was influenced by the Enlightenment and a desire to seek knowledge rather than the ancient teachings of the Catholic Church. Soon Notre Dame and the Strasbourg Cathedral were replaced as temples of reason. Robespierre also introduced a different religion known as the Cult of the Supreme Being which was to rival Catholicism and the Cult of Reason. His claim was that God did exist however mankind could only govern itself through knowledge.
By the spring of 1794 the Jacobin leaders of the Committee began to grow many enemies for their radical administration. Georges Danton and Camille Desmoulins were executed by their political opponents. In response to the growing pressure, Robespierre heightened his tribunals and began mass executions of the dissidents. This period in June was known as the Great Terror, Robespierre's final purge.
Thermidorian Reaction
By July of 1794 the National Convention began to conspire against the tyrannical Robespierre. They were led by Paul Barras and stormed the Committee chambers on July 27th. During the confrontation Robespierre was shot in the face however did not die. He was later executed the following day, along with Saint-Just and the 20 other Jacobin associates.
This marked the end to the National Convention and a transition into the French Directory. Paul Barras was chosen as the leader of the directory. During this transition there still was a continued political purge of Jacobian associates known as the White Terror. By August of 1795 the new constitution of the French Directory was completed.
Rise of Napoleon
Meanwhile the war had begun to shift in France's favor as they repelled numerous attacks on the north from Austria and Britain. Once the situation in Paris had been quelled they began a series of counterattacks. Their first major offensive victory came at the Battle of Fleurus in which the French army claimed territory in the Netherlands. By this point the Prussians were forced to withdraw from the war. France continued their offensive in the Low Countries and in Janurary 1795 they established the Batavian Republic.
In the fall of 1795 the British once again supported a royalist uprising in Vendee which was squashed by a young commander named Napoleon. This victory brought him rapid ascension thru the military ranks. In 1796 Napoleon was assigned his first campaign in Italy while General Jean Moreau invaded the Rhineland. Napoleon was able to quickly dominate the Italian Kingdom of Sardinia thru brilliant tactical maneuvers. Following the Peace treaty of Sardinia he was able to focus on the Austrian armies.
During this time the Spanish Empire abandoned the coalition and waged war on it's former enemy of England, in hopes to share the spoils with France. This lead to the Anglo-Spanish War which was mostly a battle at sea. However the war served a greater purpose for France as it distracted the British Empire. The war was a disaster for Spain and ultimately ended in a stalemate.
By July of 1796 Naopleon laid siege to the Austrian Provence of Mantuna. Meanwhile he was reinforced in the Rhineland by General Moreau's army. By this point the archduke of Austria knew he had been defeated and was forced to sign the Treaty of Campo Formino in October 1797. This ultimately ended the 1st coalition, while Britain still remained at large. Also during this time Napoleon conquered Switzerland and established a Roman Republic while deposing of Pope Pius VI. This only lasted for a year however until the papacy was restored.
Invasion of Egypt
After his victories in Italy and Austria, Napoleon was not ready to go home. Instead he decided upon a glorious campaign into Egypt. Knowing the Ottoman Empire did not pose a threat this was merely for territorial and economic gains. It was also an effort to weaken the British control of India. He won an early victory outside of Cairo at the Battle of the Pyramids. However his fleet was destroyed by Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile. This marked the first major defeat for Napoleon.
He regathered his army in Egypt and then mounted an invasion of Syria. He was once again however defeated by the British and Ottoman Empire at the Siege of Acre and forced to further retreat. By July of 1799 he once again achieved victory in Egypt at the Battle of Abukir. At this point he decided to abandon his campaign and return to France. While he was able to secure some land the campaign was ultimately a failure. He returned to Paris in October of 1799 at the midst of another political coup within the Directory.
French Consulate
By early 1799 while Napoleon had his army in Egypt the French Directory was once again caught in political turmoil. The committee was divided by fears of royalist uprisings, poor economy, corruption, and the many ongoing wars. At this time the Hasburg Monarchy of Austria once again declared war on France with a 2nd coalition. The Jacobin members of the council once again intended to radicalize their government. At the request of a prominent French clergyman, Abbe Sieyes, Napoleon returned to Paris to plot a takeover.
On November 9th of 1799 Napoleon marched into the chambers of the Directory with the support of his brother Lucian and a small force of soldiers to proclaim a new constitution. He was confronted only by a few Jacobin deputies who were quickly escorted out of the chamber by Napoleon's soldiers. After this minor skirmish of which no lives were loss, Napoleon had authority within the chamber and the coup was complete. This marked the swift end to the Directory and the beginning of the French Consulate. Napoleon became the 1st Counsel of the government with a consolidated power over the other legislative branches. This ultimately marked the end of the French Revolution and would pave the way to a French Empire.
War of the 2nd Coalition
By 1799 Britain and Austria had enlisted the Russian Empire to join their cause against France, marking the start of the 2nd coalition. The Russian armies led by General Alexander Suvorov led successful campaigns in Switzerland and Italy to recapture territory that was possessed by the French. Meanwhile the British and Russians waged a campaign in the Netherlands however were defeated at the Battle of Castricum. The Russians were further defeated in Switzerland at the 2nd Battle of Zurich. This proved to be a decisive French victory in recapturing Switzerland and causing Russia to withdraw from the war.
Having secured his new government, Napoleon left Paris to rejoin his armies in Italy and drive the Austrians back. At the Battle of Marengo he achieved victory over the Austrians and used it as propaganda to declare his rightful claim as leader of France. Meanwhile his general in the Rhineland, Jean Moreau also achieved numerous victories such most notably at the Battle of Hohenlinden, which crushed the Austrian forces. By 1801 Great Britain was once again on it's own against France and decided to withdraw their campaign. The British Empire thus temporarily recognized the French Consulate at the Treaty of Amiens. Napoleon was able to return to France as it's official victorious leader.
War of the 1st Coalition
In 1793 the Holy Roman Empire was the first to declare war on France. The emperor Francis II was especially bitter towards the maltreatment of his aunt Marie Antoniette. They were joined by the Great Britain, Prussia, the Hasburg Monarchy, and Spain to assembled a Coalition. The Austrian and Prussian armies struck first led by the Duke of Brunswick. However they were repelled by the French at the Battle of Valmy. This early victory raised the morale of the French army and it's capability to withstand a major war.However the French suffered defeat at the Battle of Neerwinden in the Netherlands. To make matters worse there had been numerous uprisings throughout France led by insurgents aided by the British Empire. The Siege of Toloun and War in the Vendee were the most drastic of these uprisings. They consisted of royalists, Catholics, and peasants seeking to overthrow the French republic. In response to these uprisings the National Convention established a Committee of Public Safety to unify the nation at all costs.
Reign of Terror
The Committee of Public Safety was headed up by Georges Danton, Maximilian Robespierre, and his younger prodigy Saint-Just (all of which were Jacobian members). In March of 1793 the popular Jacobian journalist Jean Paul Marat was poisoned by a political opponent. This only furthered the Jacobin Committee's frustration at their political opponents. Maximilian Robespierre thus ushered in a harsh political purge against all enemies of the republic known as the Reign of Terror.
Through his revolutionary tribunals he quickly brought to trial all political opponents such as the Girondins, monarchists, clergymen, and insurgents. They were harshly sentenced to death in public squares by the guillotine, which became the symbol of the Committee's justice. During this period over 40,000 citizens were executed by the guillotine, including the former queen Marie Antoinette.Also during this time the Committee implemented a new religion to replace Catholicism known as the Cult of Reason. The basis of this atheistic religion was influenced by the Enlightenment and a desire to seek knowledge rather than the ancient teachings of the Catholic Church. Soon Notre Dame and the Strasbourg Cathedral were replaced as temples of reason. Robespierre also introduced a different religion known as the Cult of the Supreme Being which was to rival Catholicism and the Cult of Reason. His claim was that God did exist however mankind could only govern itself through knowledge.
By the spring of 1794 the Jacobin leaders of the Committee began to grow many enemies for their radical administration. Georges Danton and Camille Desmoulins were executed by their political opponents. In response to the growing pressure, Robespierre heightened his tribunals and began mass executions of the dissidents. This period in June was known as the Great Terror, Robespierre's final purge.
Thermidorian Reaction
By July of 1794 the National Convention began to conspire against the tyrannical Robespierre. They were led by Paul Barras and stormed the Committee chambers on July 27th. During the confrontation Robespierre was shot in the face however did not die. He was later executed the following day, along with Saint-Just and the 20 other Jacobin associates.This marked the end to the National Convention and a transition into the French Directory. Paul Barras was chosen as the leader of the directory. During this transition there still was a continued political purge of Jacobian associates known as the White Terror. By August of 1795 the new constitution of the French Directory was completed.
Rise of Napoleon
Meanwhile the war had begun to shift in France's favor as they repelled numerous attacks on the north from Austria and Britain. Once the situation in Paris had been quelled they began a series of counterattacks. Their first major offensive victory came at the Battle of Fleurus in which the French army claimed territory in the Netherlands. By this point the Prussians were forced to withdraw from the war. France continued their offensive in the Low Countries and in Janurary 1795 they established the Batavian Republic.
In the fall of 1795 the British once again supported a royalist uprising in Vendee which was squashed by a young commander named Napoleon. This victory brought him rapid ascension thru the military ranks. In 1796 Napoleon was assigned his first campaign in Italy while General Jean Moreau invaded the Rhineland. Napoleon was able to quickly dominate the Italian Kingdom of Sardinia thru brilliant tactical maneuvers. Following the Peace treaty of Sardinia he was able to focus on the Austrian armies.During this time the Spanish Empire abandoned the coalition and waged war on it's former enemy of England, in hopes to share the spoils with France. This lead to the Anglo-Spanish War which was mostly a battle at sea. However the war served a greater purpose for France as it distracted the British Empire. The war was a disaster for Spain and ultimately ended in a stalemate.
By July of 1796 Naopleon laid siege to the Austrian Provence of Mantuna. Meanwhile he was reinforced in the Rhineland by General Moreau's army. By this point the archduke of Austria knew he had been defeated and was forced to sign the Treaty of Campo Formino in October 1797. This ultimately ended the 1st coalition, while Britain still remained at large. Also during this time Napoleon conquered Switzerland and established a Roman Republic while deposing of Pope Pius VI. This only lasted for a year however until the papacy was restored.
Invasion of Egypt
After his victories in Italy and Austria, Napoleon was not ready to go home. Instead he decided upon a glorious campaign into Egypt. Knowing the Ottoman Empire did not pose a threat this was merely for territorial and economic gains. It was also an effort to weaken the British control of India. He won an early victory outside of Cairo at the Battle of the Pyramids. However his fleet was destroyed by Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile. This marked the first major defeat for Napoleon.He regathered his army in Egypt and then mounted an invasion of Syria. He was once again however defeated by the British and Ottoman Empire at the Siege of Acre and forced to further retreat. By July of 1799 he once again achieved victory in Egypt at the Battle of Abukir. At this point he decided to abandon his campaign and return to France. While he was able to secure some land the campaign was ultimately a failure. He returned to Paris in October of 1799 at the midst of another political coup within the Directory.
French Consulate
By early 1799 while Napoleon had his army in Egypt the French Directory was once again caught in political turmoil. The committee was divided by fears of royalist uprisings, poor economy, corruption, and the many ongoing wars. At this time the Hasburg Monarchy of Austria once again declared war on France with a 2nd coalition. The Jacobin members of the council once again intended to radicalize their government. At the request of a prominent French clergyman, Abbe Sieyes, Napoleon returned to Paris to plot a takeover.On November 9th of 1799 Napoleon marched into the chambers of the Directory with the support of his brother Lucian and a small force of soldiers to proclaim a new constitution. He was confronted only by a few Jacobin deputies who were quickly escorted out of the chamber by Napoleon's soldiers. After this minor skirmish of which no lives were loss, Napoleon had authority within the chamber and the coup was complete. This marked the swift end to the Directory and the beginning of the French Consulate. Napoleon became the 1st Counsel of the government with a consolidated power over the other legislative branches. This ultimately marked the end of the French Revolution and would pave the way to a French Empire.
War of the 2nd Coalition
By 1799 Britain and Austria had enlisted the Russian Empire to join their cause against France, marking the start of the 2nd coalition. The Russian armies led by General Alexander Suvorov led successful campaigns in Switzerland and Italy to recapture territory that was possessed by the French. Meanwhile the British and Russians waged a campaign in the Netherlands however were defeated at the Battle of Castricum. The Russians were further defeated in Switzerland at the 2nd Battle of Zurich. This proved to be a decisive French victory in recapturing Switzerland and causing Russia to withdraw from the war.Having secured his new government, Napoleon left Paris to rejoin his armies in Italy and drive the Austrians back. At the Battle of Marengo he achieved victory over the Austrians and used it as propaganda to declare his rightful claim as leader of France. Meanwhile his general in the Rhineland, Jean Moreau also achieved numerous victories such most notably at the Battle of Hohenlinden, which crushed the Austrian forces. By 1801 Great Britain was once again on it's own against France and decided to withdraw their campaign. The British Empire thus temporarily recognized the French Consulate at the Treaty of Amiens. Napoleon was able to return to France as it's official victorious leader.
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