Maximilien Robespierre

Maximilien Robespierre was one of the most influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. He was born in Arras, a city in northern France, to a family of lawyers. He studied law at the University of Paris and became a successful advocate. He was also interested in philosophy and literature, and admired the works of Rousseau and Voltaire. Robespierre was elected as a deputy of the Third Estate to the Estates-General in 1789, where he joined the radical Jacobin Club. He advocated for universal male suffrage, the abolition of slavery and the death penalty, and the rights of the poor and oppressed. He opposed the monarchy and supported the establishment of a republic. He played a key role in the overthrow of King Louis XVI and his execution in 1793. As a member of the Committee of Public Safety, Robespierre became the de facto leader of the French Republic during the Reign of Terror, a period of extreme violence and repression against anyone suspected of being an enemy of the revolution. He oversaw thousands of executions by guillotine, including those of his former allies such as Georges Danton and Camille Desmoulins. He also promoted a new cult of the Supreme Being, a form of deism that replaced Christianity as the official religion. Robespierre's power and popularity began to decline in 1794, as he faced opposition from moderates and extremists within the Convention. He was accused of tyranny and dictatorship, and arrested by his enemies on 9 Thermidor (27 July 1794). The next day, he was executed by guillotine along with 21 of his followers, ending his reign and the Reign of Terror.