The "Reign of Terror" began in ear nest with the appointment of the Revolu tionary Tribunal which rapidly passed on the guilt of those brought before it and executed hundreds with hardly a trial at all. In October the former queen, Marie Antoinette, fell a victim to the guillotine, while commissioners were despatched to Nantes and other centers of disaffection who brought about the death of thousands, many of them guiltless of any crime except a doubt of the justice of the more radical of the Convention's acts. The leader of the Paris Commune, Hebert, advocated even greater excesses than these, while Dan ton, already tired of so much bloodshed, advocated more moderation. By care ful intriguing, Robespierre brought about the death of both these men and for a space of a few months ruled as the dictator of France. His own turn came on July 27, 1794, when the reaction set in and the Convention, in defiance of the Commune, ordered his arrest and ex ecution. Soon afterward the Convention abolished the Committee of Public Safety and resumed its task of forming a new Constitution for France. In 1796 it completed its task by establish ing as the executive branch of the gov ernment a directory of five members and vesting the legislative power in two houses, a Council of Five Hundred, and a Council of Elders. In October of the same year the Convention ad journed, having brought France safely, although not without disorder, through unprecedented foreign and domestic dangers.
The success of the republican troops had forced Prussia and Spain to con clude peace with France, leaving in the spring of 1795 only Austria, England and Sardinia at war with the Republic. In 1796 the Directory despatched a ris ing young republican general, Napoleon Bonaparte, to Italy to force Austria to sue for peace. By a series of brilliant
marches he separated Sardinia from her allies and quickly dictated peace to that little state. Turning about, he drove the Austrians from the plains of Lom bardy and in 1797 pressed his offensive to within a hundred miles of Vienna. The Austrians were glad to sign the peace of Campo-Formio in October of 1797, by the terms of which the Aus trian Netherlands were ceded to France together with the larger share of the Austrian possessions in Italy.
The successes of Bonaparte and his haughty demeanor alarmed the Directors and in 1798 they were glad to assent to a scheme which took him away from France. This was nothing less than his plan to strike at English commerce in the Mediterranean by seizing Egypt. Napoleon and his army successfully eluded the English fleet and by the battle of the Pyramids he destroyed the Sultan's army in Egypt. His attempt to advance into Syria met with reverses and it was only after great loss that he succeeded in making good his retreat to Alex andria. In the meanwhile Nelson had destroyed the French fleet at Aboukir, leaving the French army stranded on the Egyptian shores. By clever reporting Napoleon had concealed his defeats from the French people while magnifying his victories. The Directory was proving it self an inefficient and corrupt govern ment, and was unable in the new Euro pean war to defend its recently gained possessions. Leaving his army in Egypt Napoleon with a few officers escaped the British patrols and landed in France. Proceeding immediately to Paris by a coup d'etat he overthrew the Directory on November 9, 1799, and established himself in power as First Consul. With this event the French Revolution may be said to close.