Robespierre Is Guillotined
"Robespierre Is Guillotined" details the life and demise of Maximilien Robespierre, a prominent figure in the French Revolution known for his role in the Reign of Terror. Born on May 6, 1758, in Arras, France, Robespierre emerged as a leading lawyer and a fervent advocate for democratic principles, influenced by the ideas of philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He played a crucial role in the revolutionary government after being elected to the Estates-General in 1789 and later to the National Convention, where he notably pushed for the execution of King Louis XVI.
As the revolution progressed, Robespierre's influence grew significantly, and he became a key member of the Committee of Public Safety, where he adopted increasingly authoritarian measures to suppress dissent and unify the nation amidst internal and external conflicts. However, the extreme tactics employed during the Reign of Terror led to widespread discontent. On July 27, 1794, he was declared an outlaw by the National Convention and was arrested. The following day, he was executed by guillotine, marking a dramatic turn in the revolution and symbolizing the very excesses he had once endorsed. His death highlighted the volatile nature of revolutionary politics and the precarious balance between liberty and control during this tumultuous period in French history.
Robespierre Is Guillotined
Robespierre Is Guillotined
Maximilien-François-Marie-Isidore de Robespierre was guillotined in Paris, France, on July 28, 1794. He was one of the major leaders of the French Revolution and played a large role in the Reign of Terror that took place during this turbulent time and ultimately led to his arrest and execution.
Robespierre was born on May 6, 1758, in Arras, France, where he was educated before earning a scholarship to the college of Louis-le-Grand in Paris. He studied the law and received his license to practice in 1781, gaining a professional reputation for virtue and the nickname the Incorruptible. The young lawyer was a great admirer of the philosopher Rousseau, who argued for a democratic form of government. This democracy would operate on majority rule, and the “general will” would supersede the interests of the monarchy, aristocracy, and clergy, then the most powerful elements of French society.
In March 1789 Robespierre was elected to represent Arras as a member of the Third Estate, or common people, at the historic meeting of the Estates-General which presaged the beginning of the revolution. That same year, Robespierre helped start a political club that would be known as the Jacobins. This group gradually became very radical and powerful, and Robespierre's influence greatly increased within the National Assembly which followed the Estates-General.
In June 1791 King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and their children were caught as they attempted to escape from revolutionary France. The king was permitted to remain on the throne when he reluctantly approved a new Constitution, which retained the monarchy but limited its power. Nobles who were alarmed at the increasing radicalism of the revolution began to emigrate, leaving France for such countries as Prussia and Austria.
Despite his influence in the French government, Robspierre's calls for a trial of King Louis XVI were ignored. On August 10, 1792, an angry mob stormed the Palace of the Tuileries where the royal family was living. Many guards and civilians were killed, and on that same day Robespierre was elected to the Commune of Paris, an insurrectionary government. Almost immediately he called for the formation of a republic and an end to the monarchy.
Robespierre was soon elected to head Paris's delegation to the National Convention, yet another legislative assembly. On September 21, 1792, this body voted to establish a republic and was given the task of deciding the king's fate. Robespierre strongly advocated the king's execution, and in a speech to the National Convention on December 3 of that year, he declared, “Louis must perish because our country must live!” By a one-vote margin, the group condemned the king to death, and he was beheaded on January 21, 1793. From that point until Robespierre's own death, the Jacobins would effectively rule France.
The young government continued to experience difficulties. For one, a new war with Austria, which supported the French monarchy, was not going well for France. The defection of one of its commanders to the Austrians did little to bolster the morale of the French people. At the same time, there was continuing conflict between the Jacobins and the more moderate Girondists. In May and June 1793, Robespierre, with the support of the Parisians, removed the Girdonists from power. On July 27, 1793, Robespierre was elected to the Committee of Public Safety, the government's chief executive body. Faced with conflicts both within and without the country, Robespierre decided that the nation needed one will in order to survive, and that he would embody that will. The man who had called for a democratic republic would take on the powers of a dictator.
Thus began the period known as the Reign of Terror. The Committee of Public Safety passed many laws for the stated purpose of strengthening the army and producing national unity. It instituted mass conscription of the citizenry for military service, and on September 17, 1793, it passed the Law of Suspects which allowed the government to charge people with “crimes against liberty.” Other laws authorized the use of violence to put down resistance to the government and forced farmers to surrender grain to its agents. These measures did result in military success for France, as the war with Austria began to turn in its favor, but many people were put to death merely for disagreeing with the Committee. Some, such as Georges Danton, a fellow founder of the Jacobins, were executed for urging moderation. While Robespierre was not solely responsible for the excesses of the Reign of Terror, he was certainly a major contributing factor.
Gradually, the people grew tired of the Terror. Victories on the battlefield were a sign to many that extreme measures were no longer necessary. On July 27, 1794, the National Convention declared Robespierre an outlaw and had him arrested. The next day, July 28, he was guillotined along with a number of his followers. Robespierre's death fulfilled a prediction made by Danton before he died: “Robespierre will follow me; I drag down Robespierre.”