Maximilien Robespierre

Maximilien Robespierre was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the most influential figures during the French Revolution. He was born on 6 May 1758 in Arras and became a member of the Estates-General (which later transformed into the National Assembly) in 1789. Known for his advocacy for democratic reforms, he was a leading member of the Jacobin Club, an influential political group during the Revolution.

Robespierre was a vocal proponent of the rights of man and citizen, aligning himself with the sans-culottes (the working-class revolutionaries). His political ideology was heavily influenced by the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, particularly the concept of the "general will" (a collective desire for the common good). Consequently, he became an ardent supporter of the Republic and the abolition of the monarchy, viewing the king's authority as tyrannical.

In 1793, Robespierre was elected to the Committee of Public Safety, the executive government during the Reign of Terror. This period was marked by heightened paranoia and the widespread execution of perceived enemies of the revolution. Robespierre believed that terror was a necessary measure to save the Republic. Therefore, he endorsed the use of the guillotine (a device for execution by beheading) to eliminate counter-revolutionaries, including King Louis XVI (executed on 21 January 1793) and Queen Marie Antoinette (executed on 16 October 1793). 

Despite his initial popularity, Robespierre's strict policies and unyielding nature eventually engendered opposition. On 27 July 1794 (9 Thermidor Year II in the French Revolutionary Calendar), he was arrested and subsequently executed by guillotine the following day. His fall from power marked the end of the Reign of Terror and led to a more moderate phase of the Revolution known as the Thermidorian Reaction.

• Maximilien Robespierre was initially a lawyer and a strong advocate for human rights before rising to prominence during the French Revolution; he was an ardent supporter of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
• Robespierre earned the nickname 'the Incorruptible' due to his stern moral stance and relentless dedication to his revolutionary ideals, which he believed justified extreme measures against enemies of the state.
• He was a key figure in the Committee of Public Safety, which became synonymous with the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), overseeing the execution of around 16,000 people via guillotine in Paris alone.
• Despite his fervent beliefs in virtue and democracy, Robespierre's methods led to widespread paranoia and distrust; even his closest allies were eventually turned against him, culminating in his own execution on 28 July 1794.
• Robespierre's fascination with Rousseau's ideas of the 'General Will' shaped his policies, advocating for a 'Republic of Virtue' where the society would be aligned with moral purity and civic virtue.
• He famously declared during a speech, 'Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible,' emphasizing his belief that terror was a necessary tool for achieving revolutionary goals.