The Reign of Terror
Notes & Videos
The information on this page does not cover every single event within the Reign of Terror. Some key events, notable names, and moments that directly impact the play are featured on this page.
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However, for those that wish to know as much as humanly possible, I'd recommend starting with these videos that sum up the Reign of Terror in the most engaging way:
The Trial & Execution of Louis XVI
Shortly before the September Massacres of 1792, King Louis XVI was arrested and imprisoned at an ancient fortress in Paris for a multitude of crimes that “established his tyranny.” The September Massacres followed, and then on September 21st, 1792, the National Assembly abolished the monarchy. Louis was stripped of all titles and honors.
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His arrest and subsequent trial was controversial in some ways – the Girondin faction of the Jacobins wished to keep him imprisoned for his crimes. The Mountain demanded he pay with his life.
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Thirty-three charges were brought against Citizen Louis Capet in his December trial. The charges varied from his attempted escape to Varennes, supporting or causing several revolts, electing questionable officials, bribing, and lastly, “causing the blood of Frenchmen to flow.”
Despite decent arguments from Louis and his defense, the vote was overwhelmingly that he should face the guillotine. This charge was led by Mountain member Robespierre, who voted first and said, "The sentiment that led me to call for the abolition of the death penalty is the same that today forces me to demand that it be applied to the tyrant of my country."
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Citizen Louis Capet was guillotined on January 21st, 1793 in the Place de la Révolution.
The Committee of Public Safety
The Committee of Public Safety was created by the National Convention in April of 1793, after the abolition of the monarchy and the death of the last king, Louis XVI. The Committee’s original purpose was to protect the new republic from foreign and domestic enemies. During this time, they were given supervisory and administrative powers over the armed forces, judiciary and legislature, as well as the executive bodies and ministers of the National Convention.
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The Committee started with an abundance of power, and that power only grew over time. It shifted from a group that merely protected, to a dictatorial organization led by none other than Maximilien Robespierre. They accused many of treason, and were one of the main causes of the era known as the Reign of Terror.
Terror
Maximilien Robespierre’s words reflect on this era extraordinarily well:
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“If the basis of popular government in peacetime is virtue, the basis of popular government during a revolution is both virtue and terror; virtue, without which terror is baneful; terror, without which virtue is powerless. Terror is nothing more than speedy, severe and inflexible justice; it is thus an emanation of virtue; it is less a principle in itself, than a consequence of the general principle of democracy, applied to the most pressing needs of the [homeland].”
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This era took a lot of inspiration from the Enlightenment period. Robespierre believed that in order to have a government that supported the Enlightenment ideal of “general will” – the will of the people, not just the will of a few factions – the people who opposed this ideal would need to be expelled.
MAjor Events
On March 10th 1793, the National Convention created the Revolutionary Tribunal, also known as the Popular Tribunal. This was a court that actively supported the Reign of Terror.
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On April 6th, 1793, the National Convention established the aforementioned Committee of Public Safety.
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On April 13th, 1793, Girondins brought an accusation against Mountain member Jean-Paul Marat. The case collapsed, but set up an important precedent that members of the National Convention could be tried by the Tribunal. This led to the Girondin leaders being tried and executed in October of 1793.
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On June 2nd, 1793, Parisian sans-culottes (a lower class political organization) demand changes from the National Convention regarding bread prices, political purges, and voting limitations that would benefit the san-culottes alone. This action convinced the Convention to arrest twenty-nine Girondist leaders.
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On July 13th, 1793, Jean-Paul Marat was assassinated by Girondist Charlotte Corday. This unintentionally boosted Jacobin influence.
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On July 27th 1793, Maximilien Robespierre joined the Committee of Public Safety, spurring its rise of power. He became president of the group not long after.
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On September 5th, 1793, the National Convention declared that “terror is the order of the day.” This allowed the creation of revolutionary armies whose sole purpose was to force citizens to follow Maximilian rule.
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On October 10th, 1793, the National Convention announced that “the provisional government shall be revolutionary until peace.” This allowed the Committee for Public Safety and Robespierre to continue acting until “peace” was achieved in France.
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On October 16th, 1793, Marie Antoinette, the wife of former King Louis XVI, was executed at the guillotine.
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On October 24th, 1793, the French Republican Calendar was enacted. Those dates will be listed in parenthesis for future major events below.
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On December 4th, 1793 (14th of Frimaire), the National Convention passed the Law of Frimaire. This centralized all power to the Committee for Public Safety.
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On February 4th, 1794 (16th of Pluviôse), the National Convention decreed the abolition of slavery in France and all French colonies.
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On March 24th, 1794, the radical group known as the Hébertists saw their major leaders executed by guillotine. This group called for an intensification of the Terror and threatened insurrection.
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On April 5th, 1794, the Dantonists, led by Georges Danton of the September Massacres, saw their major leaders executed by the guillotine. This group called for moderation and clemency.
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On July 28th, 1794, Maximilien Robespierre was brought to the guillotine after a slew of actions that turned the rest of the Committee and the Convention against him. It is unclear how, but he managed to shatter his jaw the night before, and was brought to the guillotine with a bandage holding it in place. The bandage was removed as his neck was cleared for the blade. The screams he elicited continued until the blade fell.
Casualties
During the Reign of Terror, approximately 16,600 official death sentences had been followed through with in France, 2,639 of which were in Paris alone. An additional 10,000 died in prison without trial.