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Patronage Defined Napoleon's Early Rise
- Napoleon's rapid promotion tied him to political patrons, and Thermidor stripped him of that protection.
- That loss turned his career upside down and made him appear as a political schemer to other officers.
Napoleon Sidesteps An Unwanted Posting
- Napoleon refused a Vendee infantry post and instead went to Paris to try to avoid the assignment.
- He feigned illness and accepted half pay rather than serve under General Hoche.
Paris Pendulum: From Austerity To Decadence
- Paris swung from revolutionary austerity to Thermidorian indulgence, reviving luxury and social frivolity.
- This cultural pendulum left Napoleon uncomfortable and out of place among the new elite.