He was chosen as a representative of the Third Estate for the Estates General until he left in 1793. He was chosen to be leader of a political group called the Committee of Public Safety. He, among 12 other leaders, pushed the initial ideas of revolution. He was popular with the people, and spoke often at the National Assembly.
He lead the Jacobins, a group who promoted ideas of revolution. He was a fighter for liberty, causing him to be disliked by many of higher class. He predicted the war between Austria and Prussia, so when it broke out, people looked to him, and elected him head of the National Convention. He was a montagnard, the political group of the extreme right. The Girondins, a political group to the extreme left, accused him of dictatorship. Robespierre ordered King Louis XVI to be executed. The poor condition of the people set them in a revolutionary mood. He tried and killed many of the Girondins.
After a rebellious group called the enragés attempted to rise up the people to revolt again, he intensified the reign of terror. He executed many innocent people, including people who had opposed the death of the Girondins, and the king's sister. He proceeded to guillotine anybody else who tried to oppose the government.
More and more rumors were spreading around the nobles and his colleagues accusing him of dictatorship. The Great Terror of the summer of 1794, caused many people to begin to change their positive view on him. After his last speech, the people turned against him, and he was arrested. He was then guillotined along with 108 people who helped him, in front of a cheering crowd.
Robespierre was a prominent figure in the French Revolution. Originally, he helped spread ideas of revolution. After the revolution, he practically became a dictator himself, which is quite ironic. He guillotined many innocent people during the reign of terror. Later, the people turned on him, and he was guillotined himself, which is also ironic.
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