Napoleon seized power in 1799 by overthrowing the Directory in a coup. Which body did he overthrow?

• A. Directory
• B. National Assembly
• C. Council of Ancients
• D. National Convention

Answer: (A)

Napoleon’s move to power came by toppling the Directory—the five-member executive that governed France from 1795 to 1799. The Directory had become weak and unpopular, mired in corruption and military setbacks, which opened the door for a decisive grab at power. In the coup of 18 Brumaire, Napoleon and his allies dissolved this failing leadership and established the Consulate, with Napoleon as First Consul. The National Assembly and the National Convention were earlier revolutionary bodies that had already transformed France in previous years, while the Council of Ancients was part of the Directory-era legislature rather than the target of the coup. So the body that Napoleon overthrew was the Directory.