I'm not an expert, but I know a fair amount about libertarian history.

Up until the 1950s and Ayn rand, "libertarian" meant a anarchist, exclusively of the socialist kind (as anarcho capitalism did not exist yet). It was coined in the 1850s by a French anarcho communist , after the term anarchism was outlawed by Napoleon the 3rd.

Back in the 18th century, what Americans now call libertarians were called liberals.

After Robespierre(the leader of the Jacobins) was executed, the revolution was taken over by a more moderate group known as the directory.

The directory ran revolutionary France, and one of its chief members, was General Napoleon, who was winning various wars for France.

In 1799, the directory fell apart, as Napoleon became increasingly more ambitious and organised a coup, becoming consul of France.

Napoleon and his supporters organised an election for the ruler of France, which they rigged, crowning Napoleon emperor of france in 1804.

Also, the French revolution was not the birth of laissez faire economics, as the ideas of classical liberalism had been floating around in Bourgeious thought since the 1600's and John Locke. It was however, the true birth of Bourgeious freedom, liberty and fraternity over the aristocracy of anicen regime