Election for Artois
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Artois electors sent Robespierre to the Estates General as one of their Third Estate representatives.
Maximilien Robespierre
Jacobin leader and revolutionary government. Explore the related historical entries from the same archive as the main French Revolution records.
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Gregoire joins reformist clerical representation
Henri Gregoire
Grégoire's own election reflected a strand of the clergy prepared to challenge inherited privilege. The debate over robespierre elected to estates general demonstrated why electoral rules and parliamentary procedure mattered to constitutional reform.
Robespierre becomes deputy from Artois
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre's election enabled the Arras lawyer to argue for reform within a national legislature. The robespierre elected to estates general formed part of the transition from estate-based consultation toward claims of national sovereignty.
Sieyes's reform ideas gain new parliamentary allies
Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes
The election of reformers such as Robespierre strengthened the prospects for constitutional change. The consequences of robespierre elected to estates general helped redefine the place of the three orders in French public life.
Robespierre participates in founding constitutional pledge
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre belonged to the deputies committing themselves to a permanent national assembly. The consequences of deputies swear tennis court oath helped redefine the place of the three orders in French public life.
Religious Freedom Debate
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre spoke during debates on rights and religious liberty as the Assembly shaped the Declaration of Rights.
Friends of the Constitution
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre becomes associated with the Society of the Friends of the Constitution as radical political debate grows in Paris.
Constituent Assembly
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre was appointed Member of Constituent Assembly.
Estates General
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre was appointed Member of Estates General.
Robespierre Develops Jacobin Public Profile
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre became increasingly active in the Society of the Friends of the Constitution. His speeches linked constitutional reform to a defense of political equality.
Voting Rights
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre argues against property qualifications and gains support among radical democrats in the club.
Property Based Voting Qualifications Challenged
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre attacked distinctions between active and passive citizens that restricted political participation. His arguments attracted support from members who wanted a broader democratic franchise.
Debate over electoral citizenship: Property qualifications challenged
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre criticized tying political rights to wealth and taxation. The controversy exposed the gap between general equality in the Rights Declaration and restrictive rules for choosing representatives.
Self-Denying Ordinance
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre successfully argued that members of the Constituent Assembly should not sit in the next legislature.
Le Chapelier Law enacted: Social equality remains disputed
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre belonged to a legislature whose language of individual liberty coexisted with restrictions on workers' collective activity. Such contradictions complicated the Revolution's promise of equality.
Aftermath
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre argues that the kings flight reveals a deep crisis of trust in the monarchy.
Aftermath of Varennes
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Argues that the king's flight exposes a grave crisis of trust in the monarchy.
Flight to Varennes
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
After the kings flight to Varennes Robespierre and other Jacobins question the future of constitutional monarchy.
Robespierre questions monarchy
Maximilien Robespierre
The discovery of the king's attempted escape deepened Robespierre's doubts about royal loyalty to the Revolution. The incident intensified debate over whether the constitutional monarchy could still command trust.
Robespierre questions monarchy - Constitutional consequence
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre figured in events surrounding robespierre questions monarchy at Paris. The incident intensified debate over whether the constitutional monarchy could still command trust. The episode undermined confidence in the possibility of governing France through a constitutional monarch who had tried to leave the capital.
Royal Flight Intensifies Jacobin Distrust
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The failed flight to Varennes led Jacobin members to reassess the king's reliability. Robespierre questioned whether constitutional monarchy could survive the breach of trust.
Varennes news reaches radicals: Constitutional confidence questioned
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre criticized the danger posed by a king who had attempted to leave France during the constitutional experiment. He approached the dispute as a test of popular sovereignty and the accountability of public power.
Royal flight shocks constituent body: Royal loyalty judged
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre treated the flight to Varennes as a serious warning that the executive could undermine national sovereignty. The crisis intensified criticism of royal inviolability.
Assembly restores royal inviolability: Popular sovereignty dispute
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre resisted treating the attempted escape as politically inconsequential for France's emerging constitution. The disagreement widened the gulf between revolutionary radicals and defenders of constitutional monarchy.
Jacobin split over royal question: Remaining Jacobin opposition
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre remained in the Jacobin camp while constitutional monarchists separated from its increasingly radical membership. The split made conflict over popular petitions and public order more visible.
Champ de Mars
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Champ de Mars massacre deepens the division between moderate constitutionalists and more radical Jacobins.
Champ de Mars Massacre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The massacre deepens the split between radical Jacobins and moderate constitutionalists.
Radical leaders evade crackdown: Opposition preserves political foothold
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre retained a position in radical politics despite mounting hostility between Jacobins and Feuillants. The violence had deepened rather than settled arguments about constitutional authority.
Constituent Assembly Ovation
Jerome Petion
At the Constituent Assembly's close, crowds singled out Petion and Robespierre for a public ovation.
Constituent Assembly Ovation
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Crowds acclaimed Robespierre at the close of the Constituent Assembly, reflecting his growing popular reputation.
Constitution completes amid divisions: Rights language versus repression
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre continued to emphasize the principles of liberty and accountability in a constitution born from revolutionary mobilization. The Champ de Mars became a reminder of the danger of limiting popular sovereignty by force.
Constitution promulgated and assembly ends: Deputies excluded from successor chamber
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre had argued that members of the Constituent Assembly should not enter the next legislature. This self-denying ordinance profoundly shaped the personnel of the Legislative Assembly.
Paris mayoral transition: Jacobin influence in city politics
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre's political allies gained opportunities as moderate authority weakened in Paris. The municipal change reflected a larger shift toward popular activists and their elected representatives.
Jacobin war debate divides reformers: War defended as liberation
Jacques-Pierre Brissot
Brissot presented war as a way to expose internal enemies and defend the revolutionary nation. Robespierre and other critics warned that armies might not spread liberty as easily as war advocates supposed.
War policy debated against Robespierre
Jacques-Pierre Brissot
Brissot advocated military confrontation as a means of defending and spreading revolutionary principles. Robespierre replied that war could empower generals and damage liberty at home.
War Debate
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre opposed Brissotin arguments for revolutionary war.
Declaration of War
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre opposed the War of Liberation because foreign countries are not ready for liberation.
Jacobin Club
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre became a member of the Jacobin Club.
Remaining Jacobins Reject Feuillant Withdrawal
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre remained with the Jacobin Club when leading constitutional monarchists departed. This decision strengthened his standing among activists who opposed retreat from revolutionary principles.
Robespierre Denounces Revolutionary War Enthusiasm
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre warned that foreign war could strengthen ambitious generals and undermine domestic liberty. His opposition put him at odds with Brissot and other pro war speakers.
War Debate Opposed Outside the Legislature
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre, excluded from the new Assembly by the self-denying ordinance, argued publicly against the expectation that war would rescue the Revolution.
War Debate
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre warns in the club that war may strengthen generals and endanger the Revolution.
Demand for new Convention grows
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre supported the demand for a new national convention as confidence in the constitutional monarchy disintegrated. Such proposals challenged the existing Legislative Assembly's authority to settle the crisis alone.
Demand for new Convention grows - Change of authority
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre figured in events surrounding demand for new convention grows at Paris. Such proposals challenged the existing Legislative Assembly's authority to settle the crisis alone. Its immediate significance was to transfer authority away from the crown toward revolutionary institutions.
Jacobin Republicans React to Monarchy Collapse
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The fall of Louis XVI increased the influence of radical clubs in the capital. Robespierre supported a political settlement based on the newly emerging republic.
Extraordinary tribunal established
Maximilien Robespierre
An extraordinary criminal tribunal was established to prosecute crimes connected with the events of 10 August. Revolutionary leaders argued that exceptional judicial mechanisms were required to secure the new order.
Extraordinary tribunal established - Impact in Paris
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre figured in events surrounding extraordinary tribunal established at Paris. Revolutionary leaders argued that exceptional judicial mechanisms were required to secure the new order. The incident sharpened tensions between Parisian sections, municipal authorities and defenders of Louis XVI.
Election to National Convention
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre was elected to the National Convention and took his place among the Montagnards.
Republic
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The new French Republic creates a political setting in which the Jacobin Club becomes more openly republican.
Monarchy abolished by Convention: Republican sovereignty defended
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre supported the new republic after the Convention abolished the monarchy. He argued that political authority must rest with the people and not with a deposed dynasty.
Mountain emerges in Convention: Parisian radical deputies assemble
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre joined the National Convention as a Paris deputy and became associated with the high benches occupied by the Mountain. These legislators increasingly disputed the Girondins' claims to guide the Republic.
Trial of former king debated: Political judgment urged
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre opposed viewing the former king's fate as a routine criminal trial. He regarded the Revolution's survival as the central question before the Convention.
Execution
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre supported the death sentence for Louis XVI, arguing that the former king had betrayed the nation.
Girondin attacks on Paris radicals: Factional suspicions escalate
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre was accused by political rivals of trying to dominate the Revolution. The controversy helped turn differences of policy into disputes about personal conspiracy.
Robespierre Demands Political Judgment of King
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre maintained that the Convention had already made a political judgment when it established the Republic. He opposed a conventional trial that might imply uncertainty about the former king's responsibility.
Convention
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre became a Convention deputy for Paris.
Jacobin Leaders Join Insurrectionary Commune
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre participated in Parisian municipal politics during the period following the overthrow of the monarchy. The Commune connected neighborhood radicals to national revolutionary decision making.
Party Leader
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre became a leading figure of the Mountain.
Robespierre joins insurrectionary municipal politics
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre took part in the politics of the revolutionary Commune after 10 August. His association with Paris sections helped build his influence before election to the Convention.
Rural dues resurface in revolutionary politics
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre and other radicals criticized arrangements seen as protecting former seigneurial owners at the expense of peasants. The continuing controversy helped radicalize debate about property and social equality.
Execution of Louis XVI
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The execution of Louis XVI intensifies conflict between Jacobins Girondins and foreign enemies of the Republic.
Convention sentences Louis XVI: Death sentence advocated
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre called for the former king's execution as a safeguard for the republic. The decision marked a decisive break with constitutional monarchy and increased foreign hostility.
War and food shortages test Convention: Emergency citizenship rhetoric
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre linked republican liberty with a state capable of resisting military and internal threats. Economic pressure made abstract declarations of equality inadequate for many citizens.
Revolutionary Tribunal established: Security legislation defended
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre accepted emergency measures as part of the republic's struggle against counter-revolution. Their implementation raised profound questions about legal safeguards and political dissent.
Committee of Public Safety formed: First emergency leadership
Georges Jacques Danton
Danton became an influential member of the Committee of Public Safety created to supervise the war and executive action. Its initial membership differed from the later Robespierrist leadership.
Committee of Public Safety formed: Mountain debates central control
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre was a powerful Convention voice but did not join the Committee when it was first established. His later inclusion transformed the balance within the emergency government.
Marat acquitted by Tribunal: Trial exposes factional weakness
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre's allies interpreted Marat's acquittal as a defeat for politicians seeking to curb the Parisian left. The episode weakened prospects for reconciliation inside the Convention.
Coup
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Jacobins assumed more and more power during the spring of 1793, with the support of the Parisian mob, which overawed the Convention, culminating in a coup at the end of May.
Coup
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Jacobins will hold power until the summer of 1794, and they repeatedly purged the Convention of those they held disloyal to the Republic.
Coup
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
ending with a widespread program of execution, the Reign of Terror in their last months.
Execution
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Jacobins will hold power until the summer of 1794, and they repeatedly purged the Convention of those they held disloyal to the Republic, ending with a widespread program of execution, the Reign of Terror in their last months.
Insurrection against Girondins begins: Popular rising endorsed
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre supported popular mobilization against deputies accused of obstructing the Revolution. The Paris sections and Commune placed unprecedented pressure on the Convention.
Reign of Terror
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre promoted a Republic of Virtue while Jacobin rule intensified repression before his overthrow on 9 Thermidor.
Girondin leaders placed under arrest: Mountain gains ascendancy
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre's faction benefited when the Convention arrested prominent Girondin politicians under popular pressure. The Mountain now possessed a much stronger base for revolutionary government.
Republican constitution proclaims equality
Maximilien Robespierre
The Constitution of 1793 proclaimed broad civic equality while revolutionary deputies debated the ownership and distribution of property. Its principles added ideological force to demands for complete abolition of feudal vestiges.
Montagnard constitution prepared: New rights framework advanced
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre endorsed a constitution that recognized broad political rights while defending republican unity. Its promises stood in tension with the suspension of normal constitutional rule.
Redemption principle finally abandoned
Maximilien Robespierre
Republican lawmakers eliminated the redemption of surviving feudal charges, which had frustrated many farmers since 1789. The reform constituted a major shift from compensated abolition to outright termination.
Committee of General Security
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Committee is already entering a more powerful and active phase, which would see it become a de facto dictatorship alongside its similarly powerful partner, the Committee of General Security.
Committee of Public Safety
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre joined the Committee of Public Safety as it expanded control over wartime policy, the Terror and the levee en masse.
Committee of Public Safety
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre joins the Committee of Public Safety while Jacobin influence over revolutionary government increases.
National Convention
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Committee is responsible for interpreting and applying the decrees of the National Convention, and thus for implementing some of the most stringent policies of the Terror and the levee en masse.
Robespierre Enters Public Safety Committee
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre joined the Committee of Public Safety as wartime government became increasingly centralized. His association with the Jacobins gave the club a prominent connection to executive authority.
Robespierre joins emergency committee: Alliance with Robespierre strengthens
Louis-Antoine de Saint-Just
Saint-Just worked closely with Robespierre as their political influence expanded in the summer of 1793. Their partnership later shaped military missions and high-profile prosecutions.
Robespierre joins emergency committee: Committee leadership rebalanced
Bertrand Barere
Barère continued to deliver major reports amid changes in committee membership. The evolving executive concentrated wartime supervision in a small body answerable to the Convention.
Robespierre joins emergency committee: Committee membership reshapes government
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre joined the Committee of Public Safety after Danton's departure from its leadership. He became central to a government increasingly identified with political vigilance and revolutionary virtue.
Marat assassinated: Martyrdom shapes revolutionary symbolism
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre's political allies commemorated Marat as a patriot murdered amid factional struggle. The public cult around the journalist strengthened radical identification with the threatened Republic.
Mass levy supports national defence: Republican survival takes priority
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre backed extraordinary means of defending the Republic from foreign coalitions. The mobilization strengthened centralized wartime government while imposing heavy demands on citizens.
Reform of Armed Forces
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Decree for the Levee en Masse is made.
Reign of Terror
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Popular pressure places terror on the order of the day as Jacobin dominated government confronts war and revolt.
Terror becomes political watchword: Virtue linked with emergency rule
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre defended revolutionary government as a temporary response to dangers threatening the Republic. Opponents later challenged the breadth of powers exercised in its name.
Revolutionary government until peace: Wartime political discipline consolidated
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre defended emergency government as necessary to preserve the Republic during simultaneous crises. Citizens consequently faced a widening gap between formal constitutional rights and actual political practice.
Robespierre criticizes coercive atheistic excess
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre opposed the most conspicuous anti-religious campaigners, contributing to the estrangement of Hébertist militants. The controversy surrounding dechristianization divides revolutionaries influenced the changing balance among revolutionary factions.
Bailly prosecuted under the Terror: Political reversals of the Revolution
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre was by 1793 an influential revolutionary leader as the former Paris mayor faced execution. Bailly's fate demonstrated how the balance of power had shifted since the repression of radical petitioners.
Committee of Public Safety
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The broad and centralized powers of the Committee are codified by the Law of 14 Frimaire (also known as the Law of Revolutionary Government).
Revolutionary Government
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Law of 14 Frimaire centralises revolutionary government under the Convention and its committees.
Republic of Virtue
Georges Couthon
Couthon supports Robespierre and Saint-Just in promoting virtue discipline and revolutionary government.
Committee of Public Safety Debate on Revolutionary Authority
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre argued that republican institutions must resist enemies within France while maintaining a moral justification for emergency political power.
Cult of Reason Creates Jacobin Divisions
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre rejected militant attacks on religious belief that he thought damaged the revolutionary cause. Disagreement over dechristianization sharpened the conflict with radical activists.
Jacobin Left Demands Stricter Economic Controls
Jacques Rene Hebert
Hebert and militant allies pressed the government to act against food hoarding and profiteering. Their pressure came from a political current distinct from Robespierre's inner circle.
Jacobins Support Emergency Republican Mobilization
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre defended extraordinary measures as France faced external war and internal rebellion. The club became a crucial forum for advocating revolutionary government.
Relationship with Robespierre
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just became one of Robespierre's most reliable associates on the Committee of Public Safety and in the Convention.
Robespierre denounces indiscriminate atheism
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre publicly criticized aggressive atheistic campaigning that he considered politically divisive. His position created a major ideological divide with advocates of dechristianization.
Robespierre initially welcomes anti-Hébertist attacks
Camille Desmoulins
Desmoulins's early criticism of the Hébertist circle overlapped with concerns among government leaders about extremist agitation. Their brief convergence ended when his paper challenged wider practices of Terror.
Robespierre's temporary defense
Georges Jacques Danton
Robespierre defended Danton against some denunciations, although cooperation between the leading Jacobins subsequently deteriorated.
Political Morality Report
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre linked republican government with civic virtue in a major report on political morality.
Ventose property proposals: Virtue and social welfare connected
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre's circle promoted a republic that would protect the poor while suppressing political enemies. The Ventôse proposals illustrated the ambition and practical difficulties of such a policy.
Reform of Paris Commune
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Paris commune is reorganized, Hebertists are replaced by supporters of Robespierre.
Hebertist leaders suppressed: Extremist challenge eliminated
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre regarded some ultra-revolutionary activists as threats to republican unity. Their arrest and execution removed vocal critics of the Committee's authority.
Execution of Dantonists
Georges Jacques Danton
Danton and several allies are executed leaving Robespierre and the committees more isolated.
Dantonists executed: Former ally destroyed
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre accepted the elimination of Danton's faction as divisions within the revolutionary leadership sharpened. The executions left the governing coalition politically more isolated.
Supreme Being Decree
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre presented the report that led the Convention to recognize the Supreme Being and the immortality of the soul.
Assassination
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre survived an assassination attempt.
Assassination
Cecile Renault
Cecile Renault failed in an attempt to assassinate Robespierre.
Assassination
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre survived an assassination attempt by Cecile Renault.
President of National Convention
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre became president of the National Convention shortly before the Festival of the Supreme Being.
Festival of Supreme Being
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre was appointed High Priest for a festival of the supreme being.
Festival of Supreme Being
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre promotes the Festival of the Supreme Being as part of his vision of civic virtue.
Festival of Supreme Being
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Presides over the deistic worship of the supreme being held on the Champ de Mars.
Supreme Being Festival Expresses Jacobin Civic Religion
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre presided over the Festival of the Supreme Being as part of a program of civic morality. Critics viewed the ceremony with suspicion amid factional rivalries.
Committee of General Security
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Law of 22 Prairial, proposed by the Committee of Public Safety and enacted on June 10, 1794, went further in establishing the iron control of the Revolutionary Tribunal and, above it, the Committee's of Public Safety and General Security.
Reform of Legal System
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
In revolutionary tribunals juries have to decide between acquital or death. In revolutionary tribunals Defence lawyers are banned. Allows juries to convict without hearing evidence. A law is passed establishing the Great Terror.
Revolutionary Tribunal
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
In revolutionary tribunals juries have to decide between acquital or death. In revolutionary tribunals Defence lawyers are banned.
Final Jacobin Address Warns of Conspiracy
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre addressed the Jacobin Club after a bitter Convention debate and denounced unnamed enemies. The confrontation preceded his arrest the following day.
Final Jacobin appeal
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre addressed the Jacobin Club after a contentious speech in the Convention, challenging opponents he regarded as conspirators. The hostile atmosphere made a direct struggle for control of the revolutionary government increasingly likely.
Final Jacobin appeal - Institutional consequence
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre figured in events surrounding final jacobin appeal at Paris. The hostile atmosphere made a direct struggle for control of the revolutionary government increasingly likely. This episode contributed to the replacement of centralized Jacobin emergency rule with a less unified, more conservative Convention.
Opposition gathers in the Convention
Jean-Lambert Tallien
Tallien was among deputies who feared that Robespierre's accusations would lead to further purges. His contacts with other threatened representatives helped prepare parliamentary resistance.
Thermidor Crisis
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just prepares to defend the Committee of Public Safety as opposition to Robespierre grows.
Thermidor Crisis
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just prepares to defend Robespierre and the authority of the Committee of Public Safety.
Thermidor Crisis
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre addresses the National Convention and warns of unnamed conspirators within the government.
Thermidor Crisis
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre refuses to name the deputies he accuses and increases fear among members of the Convention.
Arrest of Georges Auguste Couthon
Georges Auguste Couthon
Couthon is taken into custody as one of the central Robespierrist leaders.
Arrest of Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just is arrested with Robespierre and Couthon after the Convention turns against them.
Arrest of Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Convention orders Robespierre arrested after deputies shout down his attempts to speak.
Arrest of Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The convention orders the arrest of Robespirre.
Augustin shares his brother's fate
Augustin Bon Joseph Robespierre
Augustin Robespierre asked to be arrested alongside his elder brother Maximilien. His request publicly identified him with the faction against which the Convention had turned.
Augustin shares his brother's fate - Public response
Augustin Bon Joseph Robespierre
Augustin Bon Joseph Robespierre figured in events surrounding augustin shares his brother's fate at Paris. His request publicly identified him with the faction against which the Convention had turned. The episode altered the political climate in Paris as former supporters of the Terror confronted a hostile new majority.
Committee rivalry reaches open conflict
Jacques Nicolas Billaud-Varenne
Billaud-Varenne joined the attacks on Robespierre as divisions within the committees erupted publicly. The quarrel showed that the emergency government no longer operated as a united leadership.
Commune Revolt
Francois Hanriot
Hanriot fails to hold together the armed force needed to rescue the Robespierrists.
Commune Revolt
Jean Baptiste Edmond Fleuriot-Lescot
Fleuriot-Lescot shelters the Robespierrists at the Hotel de Ville.
Commune Revolt
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre is brought to the Hotel de Ville as the Commune tries to create an armed uprising.
Commune Summons Sections to Resist Convention
Claude Francois Payan
Payan called on Parisian sections to defend the Commune against the Convention after the arrest of Robespierre. Many sections hesitated to mobilize effectively.
Coup
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre was overthrown during the revolution of 9 Thermidor.
Coup
Paul Francois Barras
Paul Francois Barras was prominent in the overthrow of Robespierre.
Couthon Brought into Municipal Resistance
Georges Auguste Couthon
Couthon joined the Robespierrist circle at the Hotel de Ville as the Commune tried to defy the Convention. The gathering failed to secure sufficient armed support.
Couthon seized in Thermidor
Georges Auguste Couthon
Couthon was named among Robespierre's associates to be arrested by the Convention. The decree struck at several central figures in the Terror simultaneously.
Execution
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Jacobin Club is closed after the execution of Robespierre and other members on 9 Thermidor of the year II (27 July 1794).
Guard command drawn into Thermidor crisis
Francois Hanriot
Hanriot attempted to rally armed support for Robespierre when the Convention turned against him. The response of National Guard units was divided and insufficient to reverse the deputies' action.
Hanriot rallies the Commune
Francois Hanriot
Hanriot attempted to mobilize the Paris National Guard in support of Robespierre after the arrest decrees. The effort could not secure a decisive armed majority against the Convention.
Hanriot Receives Orders during Thermidor Crisis
François Hanriot
When the Convention moved against Robespierre, Hanriot attempted to mobilize his guards in opposition. His order faced uncertain obedience from units with divided political loyalties.
Interrupted Convention report
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just tried to deliver a report during the sitting of 9 Thermidor but opponents interrupted him. His inability to complete the address deprived Robespierre's allies of a planned defense.
Interrupted Convention report - Public response
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Louis Antoine Saint-Just figured in events surrounding interrupted convention report at Paris. His inability to complete the address deprived Robespierre's allies of a planned defense. The episode altered the political climate in Paris as former supporters of the Terror confronted a hostile new majority.
Mayor Defends Arrested Robespierrist Leaders
Jean Baptiste Edmond Fleuriot Lescot
Fleuriot Lescot used his authority as mayor to encourage resistance to the Convention's arrest decrees. City hall became a rallying point for supporters of Robespierre.
National Guard Commander Attempts Emergency Rescue
Francois Hanriot
Hanriot attempted to assemble armed supporters for the detained Robespierrist leaders. Conflicting orders and weak attendance prevented an effective defense of the municipal center.
Robespierre ordered arrested
Maximilien Robespierre
The Convention decreed Robespierre's arrest together with key political allies. The decision transformed a struggle of speeches into a contest between the legislature and municipal militants.
Robespierre ordered arrested - Political consequence
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre figured in events surrounding robespierre ordered arrested at Paris. The decision transformed a struggle of speeches into a contest between the legislature and municipal militants. It exposed divisions among revolutionary deputies over who should control punishment, representation and public order.
Tallien challenges Robespierre
Jean-Lambert Tallien
Tallien helped lead the confrontation in the National Convention against Robespierre on 9 Thermidor. His intervention emboldened members who wanted to arrest the leading Robespierrists.
Tallien challenges Robespierre - Balance of power
Jean-Lambert Tallien
Jean-Lambert Tallien figured in events surrounding tallien challenges robespierre at Paris. His intervention emboldened members who wanted to arrest the leading Robespierrists. Its importance lay in the transfer of effective authority away from the political networks that had dominated during the Terror.
Thermidor
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre is denounced in the Convention on 9 Thermidor and the Jacobin political system begins to collapse.
Thermidor Crisis
Augustin Bon Joseph Robespierre
Augustin Robespierre demands to share the fate of his brother and is arrested.
Thermidor Crisis
Bertrand Barere
Barere accepts the turn against Robespierre and supports emergency measures by the Convention.
Thermidor Crisis
Claude Francois Payan
Payan encourages the Commune to rally the sections in defence of Robespierre.
Thermidor Crisis
Francois Hanriot
Hanriot attempts to mobilise armed support for Robespierre in Paris.
Thermidor Crisis
Georges Auguste Couthon
Couthon is arrested with Robespierre and other leading Robespierrists.
Thermidor Crisis
Jacques Nicolas Billaud-Varenne
Billaud-Varenne denounces Robespierre and joins the deputies demanding his arrest.
Thermidor Crisis
Jean Baptiste Edmond Fleuriot-Lescot
Fleuriot-Lescot uses the Paris Commune to support Robespierre after the arrest order.
Thermidor Crisis
Jean Lambert Tallien
Tallien attacks Robespierre before the National Convention and helps start the revolt of 9 Thermidor.
Thermidor Crisis
Jean Marie Collot dHerbois
Collot dHerbois presides during the stormy Convention session against Robespierre.
Thermidor Crisis
Jean Pierre Andre Amar
Amar aligns with opponents of Robespierre as the Convention turns against the Jacobin leadership.
Thermidor Crisis
Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot
Carnot stands with members of the government who reject Robespierres domination.
Thermidor Crisis
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just is interrupted before he can deliver his defence of Robespierre.
Thermidor Crisis
Louis Legendre
Legendre helps prevent Robespierre from rallying support in the Convention.
Thermidor Crisis
Louis Marie Stanislas Freron
Freron supports the Convention attack on the Robespierrists.
Thermidor Crisis
Marc Guillaume Alexis Vadier
Vadier supports the attack on the Robespierrist faction during the Convention crisis.
Thermidor Crisis
Philippe Francois Joseph Le Bas
Le Bas remains loyal to Robespierre during the crisis and is arrested with the faction.
Thermidor Crisis
Rene Francois Dumas
Dumas supports the Commune resistance and is later seized with the Robespierrists.
Thermidor Ends Leading Jacobin Control of Court
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The arrest of Robespierre undermined the political network directing emergency judicial policy. Tribunal officials closely associated with his faction quickly became vulnerable.
Thermidorian Deputies Overthrow Jacobin Leadership
Jean Lambert Tallien
Tallien helped unite Convention opponents against Robespierre on 9 Thermidor. The arrests destroyed the political leadership most closely associated with the Jacobins.
Younger Robespierre Seeks Refuge at City Hall
Augustin Bon Joseph Robespierre
Augustin Robespierre joined supporters gathered at city hall during the Thermidorian confrontation. His fate became linked to the collapse of the Commune's attempted resistance.
Capture
Augustin Bon Joseph Robespierre
Augustin Robespierre is injured after trying to escape from the Hotel de Ville.
Capture
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Convention troops capture Robespierre after the Commune defence collapses.
Commune defense collapses at Hotel de Ville
Francois Hanriot
Troops loyal to the Convention overcame the last municipal resistance associated with Hanriot. The collapse deprived the Robespierrists of an armed refuge in Paris.
Convention Forces Approach Municipal Stronghold
Paul Francois Jean Nicolas Barras
Barras commanded troops acting for the Convention during the night after Robespierre's arrest. Their advance toward city hall forced the Commune's defenders to scatter.
Death of Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Taken from the hotel de ville and guillotined with 21 of his supporters.
Death of Philippe Francois Joseph Le Bas
Philippe Francois Joseph Le Bas
Le Bas kills himself as Convention troops close in on the Robespierrists.
Dismissal
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre was removed from the Revolutionary Tribunal.
Execution
Georges Auguste Couthon
Couthon is executed as one of the principal Robespierrist leaders.
Execution
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just is executed with Robespierre and other allies after the Thermidorian revolt.
Execution
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just is executed with Robespierre and other leading supporters.
Execution
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre is executed and the Jacobin Club loses its dominant position in revolutionary politics.
Execution
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre is executed by guillotine on 10 Thermidor after being declared an outlaw.
Execution
Rene Francois Dumas
Dumas is executed after the fall of the Robespierrists.
Execution of Paris Guard commander
Francois Hanriot
Hanriot was executed following the defeat of the Thermidorian insurgency. His death ended the period when one radical commander closely linked the Paris Guard to Robespierre's supporters.
Municipal insurrection suppressed
Paul Francois Jean Nicolas Barras
Forces acting for the Convention retook control from the Robespierrist Commune during the night of 9 to 10 Thermidor. Barras's command helped ensure that the rebels could not hold the Hôtel de Ville.
Robespierre executed
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre was guillotined on 10 Thermidor after the collapse of the municipal rising. His execution marked the decisive defeat of the political circle most identified with the Terror.
Robespierre executed - Public response
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre figured in events surrounding robespierre executed at Paris. His execution marked the decisive defeat of the political circle most identified with the Terror. The episode altered the political climate in Paris as former supporters of the Terror confronted a hostile new majority.
Saint-Just executed
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just was executed in Paris with Robespierre and other associates following their outlawry. The young revolutionary's death removed a prominent advocate of centralized emergency government.
Communal officials executed
Jean-Baptiste Fleuriot-Lescot
Executions of surviving leaders of the Paris Commune continued after the fall of Robespierre. These punishments dismantled the municipal command structure that had attempted to defy the Convention.
Committee of Public Safety
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The ultimate political vehicle for the Jacobin movement was the Reign of Terror overseen by the Committee of Public Safety, who were given executive powers to purify and unify the Republic.
Execution
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre tries to found the Republic of Virtue, until the Jacobins last purge, 9 Thermidor, in July 1794, executed Robespierre himself.
Jacobin Club
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Jacobin rule increasingly depended on the Committee of Public Safety until Robespierre’s overthrow weakened the movement.
Reign of Terror
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The Reign of Terror reached its political peak under the emergency committees before Robespierre’s fall on 9 Thermidor.
Robespierre Fall Reopens Debate on Tribunal
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre's overthrow exposed the political dangers of a court associated with emergency government. Deputies began disputing whether its procedures could be reconciled with republican legality.
Arrest of Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon I was arrested on suspicion of being a Robespierrist.
Radical Guard Command Dismantled after Thermidor
François Hanriot
The defeat and execution of Hanriot eliminated a leading link between the Paris National Guard and Robespierre's supporters. New authorities sought to limit the force's ability to challenge national representatives.
Action against Hotel de Ville resistance
Paul Francois Jean Nicolas Barras
Convention forces moved against the Hôtel de Ville, where Robespierre's supporters sought refuge. Barras's military command helped end the Commune's attempted rescue of the arrested leaders.
Anti Jacobin Reaction
Jean Lambert Tallien
Tallien supports the campaign against surviving Robespierrists and radical Jacobins.
Break with Robespierrist dominance
Paul Francois Jean Nicolas Barras
Barras joined the group of deputies that opposed Robespierre and his close supporters. Fear of purges helped unite otherwise divided Convention members during the Thermidor crisis.
Capital Sentences Become More Common
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The simplified trial process contributed to an increased pace of death sentences during the last weeks of the Terror.
Challenge to Robespierre on Nine Thermidor
Jean Lambert Tallien
Tallien attacked Robespierre in the Convention as deputies joined to overthrow the political leadership associated with the Terror.
Committee service after Thermidor
Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot
Carnot continued military work as revolutionary government changed personnel and procedures after the fall of Robespierre.
Conflict within Public Safety Committee
Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot
Carnot disagreed with Robespierre and Saint-Just over questions of governance while they shared responsibility for the wartime state.
Convention Forces Suppress Commune Resistance
Paul Francois Jean Nicolas Barras
Barras commanded troops supporting the Convention against forces attempting to rescue arrested Robespierrists from the Paris municipal insurrection.
Convention orders arrest
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
The Convention ordered Saint-Just arrested alongside Robespierre and leading allies during the crisis of 9 Thermidor.
Convention Restricts Independent Commune Power
Jean Lambert Tallien
After the defeat of the Robespierrists the Convention reduced the Paris Commune's capacity to challenge national government. Municipal autonomy was curtailed under the Thermidorian settlement.
Convention troops occupy Hôtel de Ville
Jean Baptiste Edmond Fleuriot-Lescot
The collapse of municipal resistance allowed troops loyal to the Convention to seize the Hôtel de Ville. Fleuriot-Lescot was arrested with other officials who had sheltered Robespierre.
Court President Aligns with Robespierrist Authorities
Rene Francois Dumas
Dumas oversaw the tribunal during the final weeks of Robespierre's dominance. The court's political dependence became especially clear during the accelerated Terror.
Defeat of Commune resistance
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
The collapse of the Paris Commune's attempt to protect the Robespierrists left Saint-Just and his companions in the Convention's power.
Downfall of Robespierrist circle
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
The fall of Saint-Just and Robespierre removed figures who had defended emergency rule as essential to republican virtue.
Execution ends Payan's municipal leadership
Claude Francois Payan
Payan was executed following the defeat of the Thermidorian uprising. His death removed one of the officials most closely identified with the Commune's last defense of Robespierre.
Execution of Saint-Just
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just was guillotined on 28 July with Robespierre and other members of the defeated faction.
Festival of Supreme Being
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just was in the capital during the Festival of the Supreme Being, a major civic celebration associated with Robespierre's political program.
Fleuriot-Lescot installed as new mayor
Jean Baptiste Edmond Fleuriot-Lescot
Fleuriot-Lescot replaced Pache amid the reorganization of Paris municipal leadership. The new administration depended increasingly on support from Robespierre's allies.
Fleurus Outcome Precedes Thermidorian Crisis
Louis Antoine Saint Just
The French victory at Fleurus preceded the overthrow of Robespierre by about one month. The reduced threat of invasion became part of the changing context of revolutionary politics.
Fouquier Tinville Removed After Thermidor
Antoine Quentin Fouquier Tinville
The downfall of Robespierre prompted scrutiny of the public prosecutor's role in the Terror. Fouquier Tinville was subsequently arrested and faced prosecution for judicial abuses.
Interrupted Convention address
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
On 27 July Saint-Just was interrupted at the opening of his planned speech as deputies turned against Robespierre's faction.
Jacobin Club
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre tries to found the Republic of Virtue, until the Jacobins last purge, 9 Thermidor, in July 1794, executed Robespierre himself.
Jacobin Club
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The ultimate political vehicle for the Jacobin movement was the Reign of Terror overseen by the Committee of Public Safety, who were given executive powers to purify and unify the Republic.
Jacobin Club
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Thermidor is an alliance between those who felt Robespierre had gone too far and those who felt he had not gone far enough they were unable to maintain their control of the Convention.
Jacobin Club
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
eased out of power and the Jacobins dissolve.
Judicial Acceleration Deepens Public Anxiety
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The rapid prosecution of alleged enemies after Prairial increased fear among deputies and citizens that accusations could lead quickly to execution.
Last Weeks of Terror See Increased Executions
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
The period after the Prairial law saw a substantial escalation of Revolutionary Tribunal executions, ending only after the Thermidorian crisis.
Mayor rejects the Convention's Thermidor order
Jean Baptiste Edmond Fleuriot-Lescot
On 9 Thermidor, Fleuriot-Lescot backed municipal resistance to the arrest of Robespierre and his allies. The Hôtel de Ville became a gathering place for the embattled group.
Municipal Leadership Changes After Hebertist Purge
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
After the execution of Hebert and his allies municipal offices were reorganized under figures closer to Robespierre. The change weakened a formerly powerful radical faction.
National Agent Directs Commune Communications
Claude Francois Payan
Payan served as national agent of the Paris Commune and supervised political messages sent to the sections. His position was important during the final Robespierrist crisis.
Paris Commune leadership passes to Robespierrists
Jean Baptiste Edmond Fleuriot-Lescot
Fleuriot-Lescot's accession as mayor marked a shift away from the Hébertist municipal current. The city administration became more tightly identified with Robespierre's supporters.
Payan becomes leading agent of revised Commune
Claude Francois Payan
Claude François Payan emerged as an influential official after the purge of Hébertist sympathizers. He used the Commune's machinery to defend the government associated with Robespierre.
Payan summons sections during Thermidor
Claude Francois Payan
Payan sought to rally section activists in support of the threatened Robespierrists. Responses were uneven, leaving the Commune without a reliable mass force.
Political influence after Thermidor
Paul Francois Jean Nicolas Barras
Barras benefited from his role in the overthrow of Robespierre. The victory strengthened his claim to leadership as the Convention reduced the concentration of emergency power.
Prairial Justice Contributes to Thermidor Tension
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
The wider atmosphere of suspicion created by accelerated trials helped strain relations among revolutionary leaders before Robespierres fall.
Preparation of Thermidor speech
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just prepared a defense of the revolutionary leadership as opposition to Robespierre gained strength within the Convention.
Presiding During the Thermidorian Confrontation
Jean Marie Collot d Herbois
Collot d Herbois chaired a turbulent session as the Convention ordered the arrest of Robespierre and close political associates.
Realignment After the Fall of Robespierre
Joseph Fouche
Fouche survived the Thermidorian reversal and maneuvered among deputies who sought to curtail the authority of surviving Jacobin networks.
Renewed committee tensions
Louis Antoine Saint-Just
Saint-Just returned to a government divided by conflicts between Robespierre and other members of the revolutionary committees.
Revolutionary Political Morality Defended
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre linked civic virtue to republican security before the Convention, offering a disputed justification for coercive emergency government.
Revolutionary Tribunal Defense Rights Reduced
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Under the Prairial law defendants faced major limits on witnesses and legal advocacy, undermining procedural protections in political trials.
Robespierre criticizes Desmoulins's later issues
Camille Desmoulins
Robespierre became alarmed by the clemency arguments of Le Vieux Cordelier. Their disagreement strained a longstanding personal connection between the two revolutionaries.
Robespierre isolates Hébertist political challenge
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre and allied committee members came to regard the ultra-radical Cordeliers circle as a threat to revolutionary unity. Their response formed part of a wider campaign against independent factions.
Robespierre Supports Emergency Justice Changes
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre stood among the leading supporters of stronger revolutionary justice during a period in which suspected political enemies faced accelerated prosecution.
Robespierrist officials try to rebuild municipal base
Maximilien Robespierre
The municipal council was reshaped as more independent radical politicians were removed. Robespierre's allies hoped that a loyal Commune could preserve their influence among the sections.
Suspicion following Thermidor
Napoleon Bonaparte
The fall of Robespierre placed officers associated with his political circle under suspicion. Bonaparte was briefly detained but emerged without a lasting conviction and resumed seeking a useful command.
Thermidor
Maximilien Francois Marie Robespierre
Robespierre’s overthrow on 9 Thermidor united opponents of different factions and began a rapid decline in Jacobin power.
Thermidor command over loyal troops
Paul Francois Jean Nicolas Barras
On 9 Thermidor the Convention entrusted Barras with command of armed forces defending it against the insurgent Commune. His position gave the anti-Robespierrist deputies a military organizer.
Thermidor ends government that executed Desmoulins
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre fell in July, months after the death of his former friend Desmoulins. The reversal intensified retrospective debate about factional prosecutions under the Terror.
Thermidor Makes Political Return Possible
Louis Marie La Revelliere-Lepeaux
Robespierres fall changed the balance inside the Convention and reduced the danger faced by politicians previously associated with the moderate opposition.
Thermidor Opens Parliamentary Reassessment
Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes
The fall of Robespierre reopened debates over legal safeguards and institutional restraint that were central to Sieyes constitutional concerns.
Thermidorian overthrow
Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot
Carnot remained in government after the overthrow of Robespierre, although accounts differ about the extent of his direct involvement in the coup.
Thermidorian Reaction
Joseph Fouche
Fouche survives the fall of Robespierre and aligns with the Thermidorian order.