The rise of Napoleon

The plate reproduced here depicts the 13 Vendémiaire, which was a battle between French Revolutionary troops and Royalist Parisian civilians on 5 October 1795. The insurrection was suppressed by the revolutionary troops, who were led by Brigadier General Napoleon Bonaparte.

Bonaparte’s actions proved his loyalty to the Directory, resulting in the rapid advancement of his military career and at the age of just 26 he was promoted to the command of the Army of the Interior and then to the command of the Army of Italy. 

Plate showing a reproduction of a watercolour painting: The thirteenth Vendemiaire, October 5, 1795 by the Austrian artist Felician MyrbachNapoleon’s loyalty to the regime did not last. In November 1799, he was part of a group which successfully overthrew the Directory, in an event known as the coup of 18 Brumaire. A three-member Consulate replaced the Directory, with Napoleon as First Consul, making him France’s leading political figure. In 1804 Napoleon established the First French Empire, crowning himself Emperor of the French.

The plate on display is a reproduction of the watercolour painting The thirteenth Vendemiaire, October 5, 1795 by the Austrian artist Felician Myrbach.

This is from the first volume of the four volume series Life of Napoleon Bonaparte by William Milligan Sloane (1850-1928), professor of history at Princeton University.

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