How did Napoleon Bonapart come to power?

Answer 1

When the Reign of Terror came to a cease at the end of the French Revolution, the National Convention came together and agreed upon a new and more conservative constitution in 1795. It granted suffrage to all adult male citizens who could read and write. However, it also set up indirect elections: citizens voted for electors who then chose the legislative body. Wealthy citizens thus had more power. The Convention really wanted to avoid a personal Dictatorship, so it put executive authority in the hands of a board of five men known as the Directory, chosen by the legislative body.

Although the Directory lasted longer than its revolutionary predecessors, it still faced a lot of discontent. The radical left was angered by the Directory's repression of radical movements. The first free elections were held in France in 1797, and a lot of monarchists were returned to the councils of government. This alarmed many people so, backed by the army, the Directory annulled most of the election results. After two years of more uprisings and purges, the Directors grew desperate and called on the young general Napoleon Bonaparte. This was where Bonaparte first emerged on the scene.

Bonaparte's first military victory came in 1793 when he recaptured Toulon from royalist and British forces. He was promoted from captain to brigadier general at the mere age of 24. In October 1795, he saved the convention from attack by opponents of the new constitution. He won multiple victories in Italy and attempted to attack British forces in Egypt and the Near East. The land part went alright, but the French Fleet was defeated by Admiral Horatio Nelson. At this point, the Directory called Bonaparte back. Bonaparte participated in a coup d'etat with the leading Director (the Abbe Sieyes) and was declared "temporary consul" on November 9, 1799.

This was how Napoleon first came to power. From a chain of military victories and an alliance with the French Directory, Napoleon came to rule.

Answer 2

He was part of the 1799 coup against the lawful French Directory.