Paul François Jean Nicolas, vicomte de Barras

Paul François Jean Nicolas, vicomte de Barras was born in 1755.  He was descended from a noble family.  He joined the army and spent some time in India fighting the British.

In 1792 he became commissioner to the French army and was elected to the National Convention.  He alongside many others voted for the execution of Louis XVI.  He spent a great deal of time away from Paris on missions and it was on one of these that he first made the acquaintance of a young Napoleon Bonaparte.  Sensing the changing nature of the Revolution he was more than happy to see the overthrow of Robespierre.

After the Thermidorian Reaction he saw his power in the ascendancy as he was placed in charge of soldiers guarding the Convention against hostile elements within the city.  He would turn to the young Bonaparte who used a “whiff of grapeshot” on the crowds assembling to storm the Convention on the 13 Vendémiaire.  After this Barras became appointed one of five Directors to govern France.  Barras was able to introduce Bonaparte to Joséphine de Beauharnais due to his very close relationship with her.  When Barras saw to Bonaparte being given command of army of Italy France saw a major improvement in their fortunes.  Bonaparte would face less success in Egypt though France would largely be unaware of these.  Napoleon would return and would institute a coup on the 18 Brumaire 1799.  He would survive Napoleon’s, Louis XVIII’s and Charles X’s reign but was not trusted by any to help in any form of government and he would die in 1829.