What did Maximilien Robespierre do? Explore the life of Maximilien Robespierre and his role in the French Revolution. Learn the reason for Robespierre's death.
Updated: 08/03/2021
Maximilien Robespierre
Who Was Robespierre?
Who was Robespierre? Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre, more commonly known as Maximilien Robespierre, was a leading member of the French Revolution who is best remembered today for his role in the Reign of Terror. He was deeply invested in the creation of a country that espoused the virtues of liberty and equality for all, as well as fraternity and service to one's country. While his ideals were in many ways admirable, Robespierre's extreme actions during the Reign of Terror ultimately left him with a contentious and bloody reputation.
For a man best known for bringing about a Reign of Terror, you might think that Maximilien Robespierre was a pretty evil guy. Although he was brutal and self-righteous, he was not evil and he was no hypocrite. The Incorruptible Robespierre, as he was nicknamed, was a virtuous but bloody figure in the French Revolution.
Early Life
Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre was born in Arras, France on May 6, 1758. He was the oldest of four children. When he was a young boy, his mother died, and his father abandoned the family. He was bright, and went to the prestigious College Louis-le-Grand in Paris. While at university, he was deeply influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, and the idea of the equality of all men. He believed that virtue and service to your country should count far more than class and personal gains. He believed in creating a Republic of Virtue , which would be a France with a republican government. Equality, liberty, and service to country would be the greatest thing you could do. Robespierre graduated with his law degree in 1780, and set up a law practice back in Arras. Interestingly, he was against the death penalty at that time.
Maximilien Robespierre Biography
Maximilien Robespierre was born on May 6th, 1758. He was the oldest of four siblings and his father was a lawyer. He grew up in the city of Arras in northern France. Unfortunately, Robespierre's mother died when he was only six years old, and his father abandoned the family shortly thereafter, effectively orphaning Robespierre and his siblings. They were raised by their maternal grandparents from that point onward. Like his father, Robespierre studied law: he attended the college of Louis-le-Grand in Paris and graduated with a law degree in 1781. Although he studied in Paris, he returned to Arras to practice law.
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Early Political Career
In 1783, Robespierre's career began to shift into public service and politics. He often represented poor clients in his role as a lawyer and he supported political campaigns to reform the absolute monarchy that led France at the time. Throughout his political and legal career, Robespierre fought against slavery, worked toward universal male suffrage, and opposed the royal veto. Philosophically, he was a follower of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), particularly when it came to Rousseau's opinions about the freedom of the people and the necessity of individual virtue. At this point in his career, Robespierre was also firmly opposed to the death penalty and to the use of particularly harsh or degrading punishments on those convicted of crimes.
The Jacobin Club
In France at the time, society was split into three groups with varying levels of political power. The First Estate was the Catholic clergy, and the Second Estate was the aristocracy. The Third Estate represented the common people. In 1789, France was experiencing increasing political instability. This was due to a number of factors, including King Louis XVI's massive debts, widespread food shortages, and political unrest due to the highly repressive impact of the French governmental system on its people. In an attempt to deal with these problems, the États-Généraux, or Estates-General (parts of the French government representing the three estates), convened for the first time since 1614. This was an opportunity for members of the Third Estate to advocate for change.
There were many different political factions in the Third Estate. One of these factions was called the Jacobin Club, a left-wing group advocating for the ideals that later became part of the French Revolution, including the abolition of the monarchy. When Robespierre joined the Estates-General as a representative of Arras, he was quickly elected leader of the Jacobins.
Robespierre and the French Revolution
On July 14th, 1789, a large protest group stormed the Bastille prison in Paris, effectively beginning the French Revolution. For Maximilien Robespierre, French Revolution politics were already a large part of his political vocabulary. As the leader of the Jacobins, he was prepared for his country to make a massive shift into a new and hopefully better future. Robespierre supported and helped to write The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a human rights document that became an essential part of the French Revolutionary constitution.
The Revolution was a chaotic time of shifting alliances and competing political ideas. Not all members of the Revolution were in favor of abolishing the monarchy, for instance, although Robespierre certainly was. In fact, Robespierre was so adamant about living out his values of service that he was nicknamed The Incorruptible. He lived a modest lifestyle, refused to take carriages, and continuously fought for what he believed in. When several members of the Jacobin party defected to more moderate political groups, Robespierre's influence kept the core group alive.
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The Reign of Terror
What did Maximilien Robespierre do during the French Revolution that made him so famous? Unfortunately, his role in the Revolution was a violent one. In 1792, when the people of France rose up against King Louis XVI, Robespierre argued in vain to let the king have a trial. However, when the trial fell through, Robespierre did support the king's execution by guillotine. This execution, which took place on January 21st, 1793, was the first of many guillotine deaths.
By most counts, the death of King Louis XVI was not actually the start of the Reign of Terror, a period of violence and executions led by Robespierre. It was on September 5th, 1793, that the Terror actually began. By that point, Robespierre was effectively leading France. He established the Committee of Public Safety, which held near-absolute power over France. Because there were so many conflicting political groups, Robespierre determined that the only way for the Revolution to continue in its aims was if those who opposed it were put to death by the guillotine. Between September 5th, 1793, and July 27th, 1794, an estimated 16,000 people were executed by guillotine, though many others were shot or executed in other ways. Robespierre even began to execute former friends who tried to persuade him that the killings had gone too far. Ultimately, Robespierre became increasingly desperate to hold on to the ideals of the Revolution, finally causing his own downfall.
Robespierre's Death
How did Robespierre die? Essentially, the Reign of Terror was unsustainable. While its aims were based in creating a republic of virtue, the means were so violent and tyrannical that they had to result in Robespierre losing the support of the people and of his own party. On July 26th, 1794, Robespierre gave a speech before the Committee of Public Safety and the Jacobin Club in which he tried to defend himself and his choices during the Terror. During the speech, he inadvertently implied that he was planning to execute certain unnamed members of the committee. Many members, fearing that they were the ones he was talking about, banded together to organize his arrest.
On the 27th of July, Robespierre was arrested and imprisoned in Paris's City Hall. He escaped because his jailer was one of his supporters and he soon learned that his political opponents (who by that time were most of the members of the revolutionary government) wanted to have him tried and executed. He attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head, but his attempt failed, injuring his jaw but leaving him alive.
When Was Robespierre Executed?
When was Robespierre executed? Robespierre was found shortly after his suicide attempt, and he and his followers were arrested again. The next day, July 28th, 1794, he was executed by guillotine without trial. During the Revolution, the French people actually created a new calendar with different months. In that calendar, the date of Robespierre's arrest falls on 9 Thermidor, and his death falls on 10 Thermidor. Because of this, his execution and the events that followed are sometimes called the Thermidorian Reaction. After shooting himself, he was unable to speak because of his injured jaw, so he had no last words before his execution. He was 36 years old when he died.
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Why Was Robespierre Executed?
Why was Robespierre executed when he was such an important revolutionary leader? Despite his strong personal commitment to his politics and beliefs, Robespierre had become a violent tyrant. He no longer served the interests of the people because many people lived in fear of falling victim to the Terror. The fact that he turned on so many people who had once been close friends was another major reason why he was arrested and executed. People were afraid and the chaos of the Terror had gone on for too long. Many members of the Revolution wanted a return to a more moderate political environment, considering the Jacobins far too radical.
After Robespierre's Death
Robespierre's death marked a major turning point in the French Revolution. In the weeks and months following his execution, many of his remaining supporters were also executed in a period called the White Terror, which was an extension of the Thermidorian Reaction. Ironically, this period was violent in many of the same ways as the Reign of Terror, but with different political goals. The end result of this reaction to Robespierre's Terror was a French Revolution that became much more moderate. There was a renewal of the Bourgeois values that the revolutionaries had fought so hard against and in many ways the French Revolution continued in name only after that point.
Lesson Summary
Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794) was a leader of the French Revolution best known for spearheading the Reign of Terror. He was an important member of the Jacobin political party. Robespierre had noble goals for the French Revolution, including:
- Liberty for all
- Equality for all
- The establishment of a republic of virtue
Robespierre was so devoted to his personal ideals that he was nicknamed The Incorruptible. Unfortunately, the Reign of Terror was a violent affair that resulted in the deaths of at least 16,000 people by guillotine. Robespierre was eventually arrested and executed in what was called the Thermidorian Reaction.
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Early French Revolution
During this time, France was a bit of a mess with massive debt, food shortages, and high taxes on the poor. You may remember that French society had three estates: the first estate was the clergy of the Catholic church, the second estate the aristocracy, and the third estate was everybody else. There was also King Louis XVI up at the top who was an absolute monarch. The three estates came together at the Estates-General to try to figure out how to fix France's problems. In 1789, Robespierre was elected as a deputy for the third estate.
The French Revolution began when the third estate broke off and created the National Assembly. But even within the National Assembly, there was no agreement on how to move forward to make France a more equal, free and prosperous place. Some on the right wanted the king to hang around, while the far left wanted the monarchy gone. Unsurprisingly, Robespierre found himself at home with the far left party, the Jacobins. He rose to prominence speaking passionately about how the goal of the revolution should be to make France a republic of virtue with equality and liberty for all men. He was especially convincing because he really lived out his values. He was nicknamed the Incorruptible because he was not interested in personal wealth or acclaim. He lived in a modest apartment; he walked everywhere, and refused to take carriages.
Meanwhile, things got messy. In 1792, the King was arrested (and later guillotined in 1793), and France declared war on Austria and Prussia. After a power struggle in the revolutionary government, the Jacobins came out on top. They got to put their own members on the Committee of Public Safety , which was tasked with keeping order and helping the revolution progress. Robespierre was chosen to sit on this committee and became its most famous member.
The Reign of Terror
With the war against Austria and Prussia going badly, violent mobs in the countryside, and political disunion in Paris, the Committee of Public Safety used terror to try and control and stabilize France. Robespierre became convinced that in order to save the revolution, blood would need to be shed, and he pushed the Committee of Public Safety to act. Anyone found hindering the progress of the revolution could be executed. Under Robespierre's eye, thousands were sent to the guillotine in what is called the Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror lasted from approximately September 5, 1793 until July 27, 1794.
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For Robespierre, the terror had an important, moral basis. He was determined to bring about a republic of virtue. In Robespierre's view, people standing in the way of the creation of this republic of virtue had to be eliminated. He famously said, 'If the basis of popular government in peacetime is virtue, the basis of popular government during a revolution is both virtue and terror.' Robespierre was absolutely convinced that this was best for France, and that the bloody ends justified the means. He even had former friends and colleagues sent to the guillotine if he felt they were hampering the revolution. Remember that for Robespierre, service to the state was the highest virtue, so he would rather kill his friends than see the revolution fail.
Downfall and Death
By now, the terror had become so bloody that the common people began to turn against it. Plus, Robespierre's began executing both friends and political opponents who tried persuading him to relax with the executions. He became so self-righteous that he truly believed that his plan for France was the only right one, and anyone who questioned his plan was harming France and the revolution.
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In July 1794, he got word that some political opponents were coming to town to try and get rid of him. In response, he made a speech suggesting that some committee members might end up on his list, but he wouldn't name names. Without specific names, everyone feared that they might be the ones on Robespierre's list, so they all turned against him and ordered his arrest. When he heard this, he tried to shoot himself in the head, but only managed to break his jaw. He was arrested, and executed, fittingly, by guillotine the next day July 28, 1794. The French revolutionaries had tried to create a new calendar with new names for the months, so the date of Robespierre's overthrow was actually recorded as 9 Thermidor. His arrest and execution is sometimes called the Thermidorian Reaction as Robespierre was brought down by people reacting against his terror.
Lesson Summary
Maximilien Robespierre was born in Arras, France on May 6, 1758. He attended university at the prestigious College Louis-le-Grand in Paris where he studied law. At university he was influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, and the idea of a republic of virtue. He was elected a deputy to the Estates-General. As the French Revolution progressed, he established himself as a radical leftist Jacobin who wanted to establish a republic of virtue. He earned the nickname 'The Incorruptible' for his devotion to his convictions, and his modest lifestyle. In order to keep control over the revolution, the Committee of Public Safety was founded, and Robespierre became a prominent member. He advocated the death penalty for enemies of the revolution, and supported the Reign of Terror. Eventually, the people turned against him, and he was executed by guillotine in the Thermidorian Reaction.
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Additional Info
For a man best known for bringing about a Reign of Terror, you might think that Maximilien Robespierre was a pretty evil guy. Although he was brutal and self-righteous, he was not evil and he was no hypocrite. The Incorruptible Robespierre, as he was nicknamed, was a virtuous but bloody figure in the French Revolution.
Early Life
Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre was born in Arras, France on May 6, 1758. He was the oldest of four children. When he was a young boy, his mother died, and his father abandoned the family. He was bright, and went to the prestigious College Louis-le-Grand in Paris. While at university, he was deeply influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, and the idea of the equality of all men. He believed that virtue and service to your country should count far more than class and personal gains. He believed in creating a Republic of Virtue , which would be a France with a republican government. Equality, liberty, and service to country would be the greatest thing you could do. Robespierre graduated with his law degree in 1780, and set up a law practice back in Arras. Interestingly, he was against the death penalty at that time.
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Early French Revolution
During this time, France was a bit of a mess with massive debt, food shortages, and high taxes on the poor. You may remember that French society had three estates: the first estate was the clergy of the Catholic church, the second estate the aristocracy, and the third estate was everybody else. There was also King Louis XVI up at the top who was an absolute monarch. The three estates came together at the Estates-General to try to figure out how to fix France's problems. In 1789, Robespierre was elected as a deputy for the third estate.
The French Revolution began when the third estate broke off and created the National Assembly. But even within the National Assembly, there was no agreement on how to move forward to make France a more equal, free and prosperous place. Some on the right wanted the king to hang around, while the far left wanted the monarchy gone. Unsurprisingly, Robespierre found himself at home with the far left party, the Jacobins. He rose to prominence speaking passionately about how the goal of the revolution should be to make France a republic of virtue with equality and liberty for all men. He was especially convincing because he really lived out his values. He was nicknamed the Incorruptible because he was not interested in personal wealth or acclaim. He lived in a modest apartment; he walked everywhere, and refused to take carriages.
Meanwhile, things got messy. In 1792, the King was arrested (and later guillotined in 1793), and France declared war on Austria and Prussia. After a power struggle in the revolutionary government, the Jacobins came out on top. They got to put their own members on the Committee of Public Safety , which was tasked with keeping order and helping the revolution progress. Robespierre was chosen to sit on this committee and became its most famous member.
The Reign of Terror
With the war against Austria and Prussia going badly, violent mobs in the countryside, and political disunion in Paris, the Committee of Public Safety used terror to try and control and stabilize France. Robespierre became convinced that in order to save the revolution, blood would need to be shed, and he pushed the Committee of Public Safety to act. Anyone found hindering the progress of the revolution could be executed. Under Robespierre's eye, thousands were sent to the guillotine in what is called the Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror lasted from approximately September 5, 1793 until July 27, 1794.
|
For Robespierre, the terror had an important, moral basis. He was determined to bring about a republic of virtue. In Robespierre's view, people standing in the way of the creation of this republic of virtue had to be eliminated. He famously said, 'If the basis of popular government in peacetime is virtue, the basis of popular government during a revolution is both virtue and terror.' Robespierre was absolutely convinced that this was best for France, and that the bloody ends justified the means. He even had former friends and colleagues sent to the guillotine if he felt they were hampering the revolution. Remember that for Robespierre, service to the state was the highest virtue, so he would rather kill his friends than see the revolution fail.
Downfall and Death
By now, the terror had become so bloody that the common people began to turn against it. Plus, Robespierre's began executing both friends and political opponents who tried persuading him to relax with the executions. He became so self-righteous that he truly believed that his plan for France was the only right one, and anyone who questioned his plan was harming France and the revolution.
|
In July 1794, he got word that some political opponents were coming to town to try and get rid of him. In response, he made a speech suggesting that some committee members might end up on his list, but he wouldn't name names. Without specific names, everyone feared that they might be the ones on Robespierre's list, so they all turned against him and ordered his arrest. When he heard this, he tried to shoot himself in the head, but only managed to break his jaw. He was arrested, and executed, fittingly, by guillotine the next day July 28, 1794. The French revolutionaries had tried to create a new calendar with new names for the months, so the date of Robespierre's overthrow was actually recorded as 9 Thermidor. His arrest and execution is sometimes called the Thermidorian Reaction as Robespierre was brought down by people reacting against his terror.
Lesson Summary
Maximilien Robespierre was born in Arras, France on May 6, 1758. He attended university at the prestigious College Louis-le-Grand in Paris where he studied law. At university he was influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, and the idea of a republic of virtue. He was elected a deputy to the Estates-General. As the French Revolution progressed, he established himself as a radical leftist Jacobin who wanted to establish a republic of virtue. He earned the nickname 'The Incorruptible' for his devotion to his convictions, and his modest lifestyle. In order to keep control over the revolution, the Committee of Public Safety was founded, and Robespierre became a prominent member. He advocated the death penalty for enemies of the revolution, and supported the Reign of Terror. Eventually, the people turned against him, and he was executed by guillotine in the Thermidorian Reaction.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Robespierre and why is he important?
Maximilien Robespierre was a leader of the French Revolution. He is important for his political idealism and more notably for his heavy involvement in the Reign of Terror.
What were Robespierre's beliefs?
Robespierre was highly idealistic. He believed in equality and virtue, and he lived those beliefs in his personal life. However, he also became the leader of the violent Reign of Terror.
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Maximilien Robespierre | Biography, Death & Facts
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