The life of Napoleon

Touring the years from Napoleon's birth in 1769 to 1796, when the Directory was firmly established, Europe passed through a period of great importance.

In the East of Europe the Partitions of Poland, 1772, 1793, 1795, and the successful wars of Catherine II, against Turkey, ending in the Treaties of Kainardji, 1774, and Jassy, 1792, had marked the rise of Russia. That event tended to change entirely the views hitherto held as to what should constitute the balance of power in Europe and had led to important modifications in the foreign policy of the chief European States.

The rise of Russia to a leading place in Europe had to be recognized, while her intention to take part in Western politics was unmistakably shown in 1799, when Suvorov, at the head of a Russian army, entered Italy. While this revolution was in progress in the North of Europe, other revolutions of a different character were taking place elsewhere.

In Poland, the years 1789-93 witnessed an attempt to carry out a revolution, which, if effected, would have given Poland a hereditary monarchy and a stable Government. As Poland was a country of a similar extent to that of France, the effect of the establishment of a consolidated kingdom in the East of Europe would have been immense.

The year 1789 also witnessed revolutions in Belgium and France that in the former country being the result of Joseph II's attempts to change the character of the Government, and to introduce reforms, while that in the latter country was due to a desire not only to change the form of the Government but also to bring about drastic reforms.

While the efforts of the Polish reformers and of Joseph II ended in failure, the revolutionary party in France succeeded beyond their wildest hopes. The overthrow of the monarchy, the rise of the war party, the desire of the revolutionists to spread their doctrines all over Europe, and, during the process, to vanquish England, rendered all other revolutionary movements in Europe of little account, as compared with the French Revolution.

That Revolution passed through a series of stages. In 1791 France had received a Constitution which the majority of Frenchmen regarded as adequate. But the pre-dominance, first of the Girondist party, and then of the Jacobin party, together with the outbreak of war, resulted in a system of terror in France which did not come to an end till the safety of France from all danger of foreign invasion was secured. In 1795 the Government of the Directory which ruled France till 1 799 was established, and it was during a struggle in Paris that preceded its advent to power that Napoleon Bonaparte came prominently forward as Barras' lieutenant.

The life of Napoleon - PDF (1911) by Arthur Hassall