Execution of Robespierre

• Maximilien Robespierre becomes a prominent leader of the French Revolution.
• Robespierre advocates for the Reign of Terror, leading to thousands of executions.
• The National Convention turns against Robespierre due to his extreme policies.
• Robespierre is arrested along with his associates by the National Convention.
• Robespierre attempts to commit suicide but fails and is captured.
• Robespierre is executed by guillotine on the same day he is arrested.

Maximilien Robespierre's execution occurred on 28 July 1794. Known as a leading figure in the French Revolution, Robespierre's downfall marked a critical turn in the revolutionary period. His influence peaked during the Reign of Terror, a period marked by extreme measures taken to suppress counter-revolutionary activities. Robespierre, along with his allies, established the Committee of Public Safety, which had broad powers to arrest and execute perceived enemies.

By mid-1794, many revolutionary leaders and citizens grew wary of Robespierre's increasing power and his association with the radical Jacobins. Accusations of tyranny and dictatorial aspirations surrounded him. The turning point came with the Thermidorian Reaction (so called because it took place in the month of Thermidor according to the French Revolutionary calendar). On 27 July 1794 (9 Thermidor), members of the National Convention arrested Robespierre and several of his closest allies.

The following day, Robespierre and 21 of his supporters were taken to the guillotine. The execution significantly weakened the power of the Committee of Public Safety and marked the end of the Reign of Terror. This phase saw the return of more moderate Girondin leaders who had survived the purges. Robespierre's fall illustrates the intense political rivalries and shifting alliances that characterized the French Revolution.

• Maximilien Robespierre was executed on 28 July 1794; this event marked the end of the Reign of Terror (a period characterized by political purges and mass executions).
• Ironically, Robespierre, who once championed the revolutionary virtue of liberty, was guillotined (the very instrument he used to eliminate his enemies).
• Before his execution, Robespierre attempted to justify his actions by delivering a speech at the National Convention; during this address, he became increasingly agitated and was finally interrupted by fears of his own arrest.
• The night before his execution, Robespierre and several of his associates were placed under guard; this marked a significant shift in revolutionary politics, revealing how quickly fortunes could change.
• Robespierre's downfall was partly the result of his infamous Law of 22 Prairial, which expedited trials; many viewed this as a violation of their rights and contributed to his alienation from former allies.