What was the Directory in France?

The French Directory was the government of France from 2 November 1795 until 9 November 1799, during the last four years of the French Revolution. It had two legislative chambers, the Council of Ancients and Council of 500, and executive power was held by five Directors.

What was the significance of the French Directory?

The French Directory oversaw France's victories in the French Revolutionary Wars, establishing multiple sister republics. It guided France through the last four years of the French Revolution until it was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte on 9 November 1799 during the Coup of 18 Brumaire.

Why was the French Directory abolished?

The French Directory was seen as weak and corrupt, and competing factions in the legislature led to political instability. A group of conspirators saw a chance to overthrow it in 1799, leading to the successful Coup of 18 Brumaire, which brought Napoleon Bonaparte to power.

What were the two legislative chambers in the French Directory?

The legislature of the French Directory, called the Corps Législatif, was divided into an upper house called the Council of Ancients, and a lower house, called the Council of 500.

French Directory Timeline

Definition

The French Directory, or Directorate (French: le Directoire), was the government of France from 2 November 1795 until 9 November 1799, a period that spanned the last four years of the French Revolution (1789-1799). The Directory was unpopular, despite military successes, and faced economic crises and social unrest. It was ultimately toppled in the Coup of 18 Brumaire.

More about: French Directory

Timeline

Aug 1795
The French Constitution of Year III is adopted, laying the groundwork for the French Directory.
2 Nov 1795
The French Directory is inaugurated.
19 Feb 1796
The assignat currency is discontinued in Revolutionary France; replaced with the mandat.
27 Feb 1796
General Bonaparte closes the Pantheon Club.
10 May 1796
The Conspiracy of Equals is uncovered; Gracchus Babeuf and his compatriots are arrested.
Mar 1797 - Apr 1797
Royalists gain a foothold in the French Directory during its first elections.
27 May 1797
Gracchus Babeuf and Augustin-Alexandre Darthé are guillotined.
4 Sep 1797
The bloodless Coup of 18 Fructidor Year V purges royalists from the Directory and paves the way for a Jacobin resurgence.
17 Oct 1797
Austria and France sign the Treaty of Campo Formio, ending the War of the First Coalition.
9 Nov 1799
Napoleon Bonaparte takes control of the government in the Coup of 18 Brumaire; both the Directory and the French Revolution are ended.

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