The Reign of Terror was a period during the French Revolution that took place between September 1793 to July 1794. Extreme violence and mass executions were a part of Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre’s strict policy of control and punishment. The reign of terror targeted perceived enemies of the revolution which involved various counter-revolutionaries and suspected traitors. All those considered enemies of the republic, members of other political parties, and even those of the same party who did not agree with Robespierre’s methods were charged. Thousands of aristocrats, clergymen, and ordinary citizens were executed by guillotine. This period ended with the fall of Robespierre and the Thermidorian reaction in July 1794.

Furthermore, let us dive into a detailed understanding of the Reign of Terror and the relevant figures involved in it.

Origin of Reign of Terror

Since the French Revolution’s early days, there had been a constant undercurrent of fear and paranoia. This violent period seigneurial emerged primarily due to the revolutionary government’s fear and desire to protect itself during the revolution. The first act of terror occurred on 22nd July, 1789 when a Paris mob brutally killed royal minister Joseph Foullon and his son-in-law amid fears of an aristocratic plot to starve the people. The fear spread among peasants which led to raids on the châteaux of their seigneurial lords due to rumors occurred occurred of counter-revolutionary activities by the aristocracy. The following events occured due to widespread fear and anxiety:

1. Conflicts with other countries
2. Depreciation of the assignedCounter-revolutionary currency
3. Continued scarcity of affordable bread
4. Poverty, starvation, and unemployment

Counter-revolutionary agents were blamed for people’s hardships. Actions by the Revolution’s enemies, such as the Brunswick Manifesto threatening the destruction of Paris, reinforced the notion that the people’s liberty was in grave danger.

A few events led to the belief that the French citizens were the most dangerous enemies of the Republic.

1. The September Massacres of 1792: Thousands of counter-revolutionaries and priests were killed by mobs.
2. 1793: counter-revolutionary threats everywhere including brutal civil wars and the assassination of Marat.

Causes of Reign of Terror

Various factors beyond Robespierre’s policies influenced the Reign of Terror. These factors can be examined under different categories:

• Threats of Foreign Invasion: The Pillintz Declaration in August 1791 created a fear among the French.
• Declaration of War: The Jacobins and Girondins declared war against Austria and Prussia in 1792, leading to the War of the First Coalition.
• Jacobins: Radicals led by Maximilien Robespierre who believed that aristocracy and other counter-revolutionaries would be against the momentum of the revolution.
• Girondins: An informal alliance of the southwestern Gironde region that supported the revolution but opposed increasing violence and wanted a decentralized constitutional solution.
• Popular Pressure: The Sans-culottes, working-class revolutionaries, demanded the expulsion of 29 Girondins whom they considered too moderate. They exerted pressure on the National Convention for reforms to uplift the poor.
• Religious Conflict: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy in July 1790 rejected Catholicism, transforming priests into state-salaried civil servants.
• Enlightenment Influence: Robespierre believed that achieving the government’s duty towards the general public required eliminating those he deemed tyrants fighting against the virtues of the French Revolution and the government’s honor.

Major Tools of Terror

The following tools were used during the Reign of Terror:

• The Committee of Public Safety: A 12-man committee that had the power to arrest, try, and execute suspects without a trial.
• The Revolutionary Tribunal: Known for its kangaroo trials and its high conviction rate.
• The law of Suspects: A law that allowed the arrest of anyone suspected of being a counter-revolutionary. It was broadly defined and led to thousands of people.
• The Guillotine: A machine used to behead people.

Maximilien Robespierre

Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre was a French lawyer and politician known primarily for the Reign of Terror. Born on 6th May 1758, he became increasingly popular for his attacks on monarchy and the democratic reforms he advocated.

Robespierre followed strict policies and harshly punished those who did not follow them. Some of his policies were:

• Laws placing ceilings on maximum wages and prices
• Rationing of Meat and Bread
• Peasants were forced to transport and sell grains at prices fixed by the government.
• Equality bread, a loaf made of whole wheat was to be used by every citizen.
• Usage of Citoyen and Citoyenne to address people.
• Churches were converted to barracks and offices.

After King Louis XI’s execution, a stiff rose for power between Jacobins and Girondins. Jacabins used power and controlled the mob along with the arrest of Girondins. As a result, control of the country was passed to the Committee of Public Safety, and Robespierre was a member of this committee.

A brief timeline of Robespierre’s work