Maximilien Robespierre - The Reign of Terror

Maximilien Robespierre led the French Revolution from September 1793 to July 1794, during the time period known as The Reign of Terror. Although he had a short reign, he influenced the French Revolution by turning it into one of the bloodiest and violent revolutions of all times.

After political conflict, the Jacobsins came to power and eliminated all their competition. However, they then began to fight among themselves, killing each other until only one small portion of the Jacobins in the National Convention were left. This group was led by Maximilien Robespierre. He was against a monarchy and had his own ideas about a national religion. His method of ruling was to execute anyone who was even a slight possible threat, and over the course of his rule, tens of thousands of people were brought to the guillotine.

Maximilien Robespierre was important because of his strategy of frightening people into believing what he believed. However, the strategy did not end up being successful because Robespierre was overthrown after a short time in power, as he himself was taken to the guillotine that everyone in France had come to fear in his reign.