1794 ⟶ Thermidorian Reaction: Arrest of Robespierre and Allies
July 27: At noon, Saint-Just began his speech in the convent...
Year
1793
1794
👮 Arrest of Philippe Égalité, Duke of Orléans
April 3: Arrest of Philippe Égalité, a deputy and head of the Orléans branch of the royal family, who had voted for the execution of Louis XVI, his cousin.⟶
French RevolutionArrestPoliticsRoyal FamilyGuillotineDeputyFactionalismRadicalizationLouis XVI
🏛️ Thermidorian Reaction: Arrest of Robespierre and Allies
July 27: At noon, Saint-Just began his speech in the convention, prepared to blame everything on Billaud, Collot d'Herbois and Carnot. After a few minutes, Tallien interrupted him and began the attack. When the accusations began to pile up the Convention voted the arrest of Robespierre, and of his younger brother Augustin Robespierre, Saint-Just, Couthon and Lebas. François Hanriot warned the sections that there would be an attempt to murder Robespierre and mobilized 2,400 National Guards in front of the town hall. In the meantime the five were taken to a prison, but refused by the jailors. An administrator of the police took Robespierre the older around 8 p.m. to the police administration on Île de la Cité; Robespierre insisted being received in a prison. He hesitated for legal reasons for possibly two hours. At around 10 p.m. the mayor appointed a delegation to go and convince Robespierre to join the Commune movement. Then the Convention declared the five deputies (plus the supporting members) to be outlaws. They expected crowds of supporters to join them during the night, but most left losing time in fruitless deliberation, without supplies or instructions.⟶
French RevolutionThermidorian ReactionRobespierreReign of TerrorConventionArrestPoliticsGuillotineCoup d'étatFactionalism
🗣️ Billaud-Varenne's Implicit Criticism of Robespierre Before the Convention
April 20: In a report to the convention, the deputy Billaud-Varenne delivers a veiled attack against Robespierre: "All people jealous of their liberty should be on guard even against the virtues of those who occupy eminent positions."⟶
French RevolutionRobespierreBillaud-VarenneConventionPolitical IntrigueFactionalismReign of TerrorPolitical CriticismPower Struggle
🔪 Robespierre Threatens Convention with Purge
June 12: Without naming names, Robespierre announces to the Convention that he will demand the heads of "intriguers" who are plotting against the convention.⟶
RobespierreReign of TerrorConventionPurgePolitical IntrigueGuillotineFactionalismRadicalismFrench Revolution
🗣️ Robespierre Denounces Conspiracy at the Jacobin Club
July 1: Robespierre speaks at the Jacobin Club, denouncing a conspiracy against him within the convention, the Committee of Public Safety, and the Committee of General Security.⟶
French RevolutionRobespierreJacobin ClubCommittee of Public SafetyCommittee of General SecurityPolitical IntrigueReign of TerrorFactionalismConvention
🔪 Execution of Robespierre and Allies
July 28: At two in the morning, soldiers loyal to the Convention take the Hôtel de Ville without a fight. Robespierre is wounded in the jaw by a gunshot, either from a gendarme or self-inflicted. His brother is badly injured jumping from the window. In the morning, Robespierre and his supporters are taken to the Revolutionary Tribunal for formal identification. Since they have been declared outside the law, no trial is considered necessary. In the evening of July 28, Robespierre and his supporters, including his brother, Saint-Just, Couthon and Hanriot, 22 in all, are guillotined.⟶
French RevolutionReign of TerrorGuillotineExecutionRobespierreSaint-JustPolitical PurgeHôtel de VilleThermidorian Reaction