On This Day in Napoleonic History – 9 July 1789

9National Assembly reconstitutes itself as National Constituent Assembly

The Revolution was underway in Paris. For someone who later displayed great political genius, Napoleon completely misjudged the opening stages of the Revolution. ‘I repeat what I said to you. Calm will return. In a month there will no longer be a question of anything,’ he wrote to Joseph.

The early principles of the Revolution resonated with Napoleon, who read Jean-Jacques Rousseau and other philosophes religiously. The ideals of liberty, fraternity and equality were close to his heart. As an atheist and a realist, he supported the anti-clerical nature of the Revolution. As someone who felt no sympathy for the king, he didn’t mind the weakening of monarchy.

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