Final answer:
Napoleon's rise to power was enabled by the power vacuum and destabilization following the French Revolution, allowing him to capitalize on his military successes and the government's inability to manage the crisis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chaotic situation in France following the French Revolution created a power vacuum and conditions ripe for a military and political leader like Napoleon to rise. During the revolution, the traditional nobility was weakened, and many officers of noble birth fled the country. This enabled individuals from more humble backgrounds to advance through military ranks due to merit rather than birthright, which benefitted Napoleon greatly. In 1793, he demonstrated his military prowess by leading the recapture of Toulon from royalist forces and continued to rise through the ranks. His strategic use of artillery during the counter-revolutionary uprising in Paris in 1795, where he employed a 'whiff of grapeshot,' further cemented his reputation as a defender of the revolution.
Napoleon capitalized on the instability of the revolutionary government, the Directory, which was unable to cope effectively with ongoing wars and economic difficulties. When the opportunity arose, he executed a coup d’état in 1799, becoming First Consul, and subsequently declared himself Emperor in 1804. His rise was facilitated by his tactical genius, the collapse of the revolutionary government, and his ability to appeal to former revolutionaries and disenfranchised elements of the old regime alike. Napoleon's eventual rule also signalled a shift from the radical democratic wave of the revolution to a more authoritarian regime, indicating the complexities and transitions of post-revolution French politics.