DBWI: A Coup of Year V?

I was doing some personal reading on the French Revolutionary Wars lately, and found the most peculiar chapter in a particular book covering the era of the Directiore-Councilate. While I think we all know about the controversies surrounding President Pichegru and his Chichy Clique prior to the events of 1800 (Though I think we can all agree he more than proved his loyalty at that point; please don't bring up any of the "double agent" revisionism please), I was surprised to learn there was a point right after his election that his rivals actually considered acting on them. Apparently, Napoleon Bonaparte/Bey (prior to he and his army being declared persons non grata after Pichegru's diplomatic about face, of course) had come into possession of letters of dubious reliability documenting a conspiracy by the Council of 500 and Ancients to, once they gained a majority in a future election and secured the executive off, vote to reinstate the monarchy and Constiution of 91'. IOTL, apparently he conspired with Forgein Minister Talleyrand to use them as blackmail to get the Council to authorize his Mediterranian Expedition pet project despite the fact it took away forces from the fronts closer to home. I understand it was his rivalry on that question over forgein adventures vs. close campaigns with General Jourdan: the distinguished commander of France's largest army at the time (The Army of the Rhine) who would no doubt gain influence in any Thermadorian power grab, that lead to him not turning over this evidence over to the directors. But let's say that he either falls in love with another campaign in Italy instead or thought he could leverage his new influence with a Directoire dictatorship to get support for his grand Oriental ambitions. Would a coup attempt by the Thermadorians be able to take control of France successfully?

If so, how would such a government manage France both domestically and in the war effort? What would be the rate of the other Clubs? The Emiges? Would Napoleon still end up in Egypt (presumably staying in French service) or perhaps he'd be obliged to pursue a career closer to home?

If not, what's the most likely reason why? I think it's simply be a matter of the Guard refusing to betray a hero of the nation and legitimently elected legislature on unproven alligations, but even if the Directors can get control of Paris it might not be enough. Could we see a resurgence of the Catholic-Royalists in the West, an army mutiny by Pichegru/Council loyalist generals, or perhaps some kind of rallying of the Jacobins for one last hurrah? Would the Cohalition be able to exploit the chaos, or would they dither too long like last time? And what of Napoleon and Talleyrand? Their political defeat would certainly send shockwaves through the Eastern and Centeral Med. to say the least! Imagine how much worse off the Ottoman military would be without the Post-Napoleon reforms.
 
Tsargrad returning to Orthodox Christian hands down the road?

I'm not sure Tsargrad (Though it was still -syn, not -grad, when the Kyzbech-Cossak Union seized the place and made it their capital) would have been lost in the first place if the Russians hadent received such a beating in the War of Crimean Liberation and War of the Talysh Succession. The various Polish wars with Austria and Prussia helped alot too of course... but those are likely going to happen in any event)

Or are you refering to the radical revachist name for Islambol/Konstantinyye? In that case, I'd say that's near ASB without a Russia wank of Ottoman screw.
 
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Do we have any idea who'd lead the government in Pichegru's place? Bonaparte? Now there's a laugh. Look at his time serving as bey. Militarily he was a good leader, not so sure about politically. Talleyrand? The man's only loyalty was to keeping his head on his shoulders - and Bonaparte would be a fool to trust him.
 
Do we have any idea who'd lead the government in Pichegru's place? Bonaparte? Now there's a laugh. Look at his time serving as bey. Militarily he was a good leader, not so sure about politically. Talleyrand? The man's only loyalty was to keeping his head on his shoulders - and Bonaparte would be a fool to trust him.


I suppose that depends on the power sharing deal the Directors (Still Thermidoroans) managed to negotiate with the military, which of course is going to be based on just what general they lean on most and his political leanings. Domestic power likely starts concentrating in either Treilhard or La Révellière, or at least what remains of the Directors' areas of purview, depending on if a more moderate or Republican general is called in to protect the effort. Carnot is also an option if you're willing to combine the supreme civilian and warmaking resonsabiliry: indeed, the the Coup wants to move the government to a one man executive rather than rule by council Carnot is arguably your only choice.

As for military leadership, like you said Napoleon was no staff officer: a great tactician and strategic theorist, but he'd be indifferent at best managing state recruitment, appointments, logistics, ect. and hate every second of it. Moreau is an option, as is Cancluax
 
@Filly just what form would the government take? Obviously NOT a monarchy since this was what they would be fighting against. A dictatorship? Something along the lines of a Cromwellian strong man? Or would the krep the Directoire in place?
 
@Kellan Sullivan

Any coup would have to be signed onto by the Directors, if its a "Thermadorian Reaction pt. 2" to purge the Councils and their president, so I imagine the Directory would at least try to keep itself in power, if maybe throwing the elected legislature under the bus to create an emergency national dictatorship. Do you think that's fly with the population though?
 
@Kellan Sullivan

Any coup would have to be signed onto by the Directors, if its a "Thermadorian Reaction pt. 2" to purge the Councils and their president, so I imagine the Directory would at least try to keep itself in power, if maybe throwing the elected legislature under the bus to create an emergency national dictatorship. Do you think that's fly with the population though?

Can't see why it wouldn't. Depends what sort of dictatorship though? Temporary, Á la Coriolanus? Or more along the lines of a lifetime dictatorship?
 
Can't see why it wouldn't. Depends what sort of dictatorship though? Temporary, Á la Coriolanus? Or more along the lines of a lifetime dictatorship?

Given I personally think the coup would at least trigger unrest from the Catholic-Royalists and Jacobin regions, it's like as not going to be effectively permanent until the internal situation has stabilized and new elections with "responsible" candidates only can be held (So, effectively long enough to be perceived as permanent)
 
Given I personally think the coup would at least trigger unrest from the Catholic-Royalists and Jacobin regions, it's like as not going to be effectively permanent until the internal situation has stabilized and new elections with "responsible" candidates only can be held (So, effectively long enough to be perceived as permanent)

Could be interesting to see a stratocracy emerge that early in modern Europe...
 
Could be interesting to see a stratocracy emerge that early in modern Europe...

Ah... a full implementation of the Dubois Crance ideal of "Every soldier a citizen, every citizen a soldier?" I could see that easily emerging under a Carnot regeime, given he wrote the original levee en mass order in 93' that technically put every Frenchmen up for military service. If he invoked it upon taking power, he could put the whole nation into a system of unit organizations, rations/camp labor, full political offices by comission rather than election, ect.
 
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