General Claude François de Malet was a French army officer who became infamous for his audacious attempt to overthrow Napoleon Bonaparte in the wake of the latter's catastrophic campaign in Russia. As news of France's deteriorating military position spread, discontent with Napoleon's regime grew. Malet seized on this climate of unrest, fabricating a story claiming that Napoleon had died in Russia, a falsehood designed to exploit unhappiness with the Emperor's rule and rally support for a new government led by Malet himself.

On the fateful day in Paris, Malet gathered a group of like-minded conspirators, presenting them with his fabricated claim of Napoleon's death. He was able to temporarily gain control of a portion of the city and made attempts to arrest key officials loyal to Napoleon. The conspirators' ambitions clashed with the existing loyalty to Napoleon among his military and political circle. Though initially gaining some traction, the conspiracy rapidly unraveled as loyalists, including the police, mobilized to counter Malet's actions.

Ultimately, Malet was captured, and the ramifications of his conspiracy highlighted the growing divisions in France regarding Napoleon's leadership. While his coup was unsuccessful, it clearly indicated the undercurrents of discontent in France, laying groundwork for future attempts against Napoleon's rule and reflecting the broader struggles within Europe during this tumultuous period of the Napoleonic Wars.