#maximilienrobespierre

MAXIMILIEN ROBESPIERRE

1758-1794

French Revolution

            Maximilien Robespierre was born in Arras, France and went on to study law and became a Jacobin leader, known as ‘the Incorruptible’ influenced by Jean Jacques Rousseau theories. The French Revolution started in 1789 and Robespierre argued successfully in 1792 to have King Louis XVI executed.

            In July 1793 Robespierre became the leader of the radical Jacobin party who wanted to protect France against its enemies, domestic and foreign and to oversee the government. Under threat of civil war and foreign invasion, they began the Reign of Terror in Spetember 1793. Those targeted were supporters of the royals and anybody who was perceived to have been anti-revolutionary. They arrested over 300,000 ‘enemies’, 10,000 died in prison and 17,000 were beheaded by guillotine in the Place de la Revolution. Robespierre had sent thousands of people to their death without a care. In 1794, a law was passed which prevented a suspects right to a trial and legal assistance.

            On 27 July 1794, Robespierre was accused of dictatorial behavior, his enemies knew that he would have them killed, if they didn’t get to him first. Robespierre and his allies were arrested and were taken to prison in Paris, the warden refused to imprison him and he was able to flee to the Hotel de Ville - the city hall. The National Convention declared him an outlaw, so he shot himself in the head but only wounded his jaw. Troops attacked the Hotel and seized Robespierre and his allies.

            On 28 July 1794, in the late afternoon, Robespierre, 36, and 21 of his cohorts were taken by cart to the Place de la Revolution to be guillotined without a trial in front of a large crowd at the Place de la Revolution. The mob screamed and curse at him whilst he was on the scaffold, he kept his eyes closed. The executioner removed the bandage that was holding his damaged jaw in place, which caused him to scream in agony. Someone in the crowd gave Robespierre a handkerchief to stop the bleeding from his jaw. His last words were said to the person who had given him the handerchief, “Merci, Monsier.”He continued screaming in pain until the blade cut his head off.

            After he was guillotined the crowds applauded which continued for 15 minutes after his death. They were buried in a common grave at the Errancis Cemetery (Place Propser-Goubaux).

MAXIMILIEN ROBESPIERRE

Pierre Vaneck portrayed Robespierre in the film Saint-Just ou La force des choses (1975)

Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre was a French lawyer and statesman, widely recognised as one of the most influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. Robespierre fervently campaigned for the voting rights of all men and their unimpeded admission to the National Guard. 

Born: 6 May 1758, Arras, France

Died: 28 July 1794 (age 36 years), Place de la Concorde, Paris, France

Known as “The Incorruptible” Robespierre earned this nickname for his rigid moral stance and refusal to be swayed by bribes or personal gain. He truly believed he was enacting the will of the people — and held himself to a near-puritanical standard.

Key Architect of the Reign of Terror As a leading figure in the Committee of Public Safety, he oversaw thousands of executions by guillotine, including political rivals — and even close allies. To him, terror was a tool to preserve virtue and the revolution.

Deeply Influenced by Rousseau Robespierre was a disciple of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s philosophy, especially the concept of the “general will.” He believed that personal liberty must sometimes be sacrificed for the good of the collective — a dangerous idea in practice.

Opposed the Death Penalty... Initially Before the Revolution intensified, Robespierre was against capital punishment. But once in power, he came to see it as a necessary evil — showing just how much the revolution transformed him.

MAXIMILIEN ROBESPIERRE Death Mask

He was executed by guillotine in Paris, France, on July 28, 1794, when aged 36 years. A funeral mask was moulded just after his decapitation and a copy is conserved in the Dumoutier collection (Granet Museum, Aix-en-Provence, France).

The Committee of Public Safety was a powerful political body during the French Revolution. It was established on April 6, 1793, by the National Convention, the revolutionary government of France at the time. The primary purpose of the Committee was to deal with internal and external threats to the revolution and to protect the Republic.

Initially, the Committee consisted of nine members, but later its size was expanded. The most well-known and influential figure associated with the Committee of Public Safety was Maximilien Robespierre, who became its prominent leader. Robespierre and his fellow members were often referred to as "Montagnards" or "Jacobins" because they were part of the radical political faction within the Convention.

During its tenure, the Committee wielded immense power and was granted extraordinary authority to address the many challenges facing France, including military threats, internal rebellion, food shortages, and counter-revolutionary activities. It took a proactive and often ruthless approach in suppressing opposition and implementing policies to protect the Revolution. The Committee was known for its use of revolutionary tribunals, which conducted trials and executed perceived enemies of the Republic, including those associated with the monarchy and aristocracy.

The Reign of Terror was a particularly infamous phase associated with the Committee of Public Safety, marked by widespread political persecution and mass executions of alleged counter-revolutionaries. This period lasted from late 1793 to mid-1794 and was characterized by a climate of fear and suspicion.

The Committee's power began to wane after Robespierre's fall from grace and execution on July 28, 1794. Following this event, the Committee was restructured, and its authority was diminished as the revolutionary fervor subsided. The Thermidorian Reaction, named after the month of Thermidor in the French Republican calendar, led to a more moderate government and the end of the Reign of Terror.