Reign of Terror - Origin, Causes, Timeline, Aftermath, Interesting Facts And More

The Reign of Terror was a period from 1793-94. Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre followed a strict policy of control and punishment. He was known for introducing the Reign of Terror in France. A very popular device called the guillotine was being used. All those considered enemies of the republic, members of other political parties, and even those of the same party but not agreeing with Robespierre’s method were charged. If the court found them guilty of the charge, they were Guillotined. 

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Image: Guillotine

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What was the Reign of Terror?

The Reign of Terror was a period during the French Revolution. It took place from September 1793 to July 1794. Mass executions and violence characterized it. The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, played a significant role. The Reign of Terror targeted perceived enemies of the revolution, including counter-revolutionaries and suspected traitors. Thousands of people, including aristocrats, clergy, and ordinary citizens, were executed by the guillotine. The Reign of Terror ended with the fall of Robespierre and the Thermidorian Reaction in July 1794.

Origin of Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror emerged due to the revolutionary government's fear and desire to protect itself during the French Revolution. Since the Revolution's early days, there had been a constant undercurrent of fear and paranoia. On July 22, 1789, the first act of terror occurred when a Paris mob brutally killed royal minister Joseph Foullon and his son-in-law amid fears of an aristocratic plot to starve the people. During the same period, the Great Fear spread among peasants. It led to raids on the châteaux of their seigneurial lords due to rumours of counter-revolutionary activities by the aristocracy. 

Fear and anxiety became more widespread as the French Revolution progressed and France engaged in conflicts with other countries. The depreciation of the assignat currency and the ongoing scarcity of affordable bread heightened these concerns. Despite the passage of time, the common people continued to face extreme poverty, starvation, and unemployment. Inflammatory journalists and politicians continually blamed counter-revolutionary agents or foreign conspirators for the people's hardships. Actions by the Revolution's enemies, such as the Brunswick Manifesto threatening the destruction of Paris, reinforced the notion that the people's liberty was in grave danger.

The September Massacres of 1792, where mobs killed thousands of 'counter-revolutionaries' and priests, exemplified the moments of mass hysteria during this period. By the summer of 1793, counter-revolutionary threats seemed to be everywhere, including brutal civil wars and the assassination of Marat. These events contributed to the belief that the Republic was under attack from within, with French citizens being the most dangerous enemies.

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Causes of Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror, the most violent period of the French Revolution, was influenced by various factors beyond Robespierre's policies. These factors can be examined under different categories:

• Threats of Foreign Invasion: European monarchs viewed the revolution as a threat to their power and signed the Pillnitz Declaration in August 1791, creating a fear of invasion among the French.
• Declaration of War: The Jacobins and Girondins declared war against Austria and Prussia in 1792, leading to the War of the First Coalition. The combined forces threatened retaliation if any harm came to Louis XVI, stating that "Paris would burn."
• Jacobins: Originally founded as the Club Brenton, the jacobian club was led by Maximilien Robespierre. They were Radicals and believed that aristocracy and other counter-revolutionaries would be against the momentum of the Russian Revolution.
• Girondins: These were an informal alliance of the southwestern Gironde region. They supported the revolution but opposed increasing violence and wanted a decentralised constitutional solution.
• Popular Pressure: Radical revolutionary groups, particularly the Sans-culottes, exerted pressure on the National Convention for reforms to uplift the poor. The Sans-culottes, working-class revolutionaries, demanded the expulsion of 29 Girondins whom they considered too moderate.
• Religious Conflict: Conflicts emerged between those who rejected the concept of God and those who believed in it, contributing to the use of terror to maintain control and prevent further escalation. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy in July 1790 rejected Catholicism, transforming priests into state-salaried civil servants.
• Enlightenment Influence: The rise of rational thinking and challenges to society's moral and legal foundations coincided with the revolution. Robespierre believed that achieving the government's duty towards the general public required eliminating those he deemed tyrants fighting against the virtues of the French Revolution and the government's honour.

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Who is Maximilien Robespierre?

One of the most powerful and influential persons of the French Revolution, Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre, was a French lawyer and Politician known primarily for Reign of Terror. Born on 6th May 1758, Robespierre became increasingly popular for his attacks on monarchy and the democratic reforms he advocated.

Robespierre followed stern policies, and those who did not follow them faced harsh punishments. Some of his policies were :

• Laws placing ceilings on maximum wages and prices
• Rationing of Meat and Bread
• The government fixed prices of grains, and peasants were forced to transport and sell them at those prices.
• He forbade expensive white bread, and each citizen had to use equality bread, a loaf made of whole wheat.
• Equality can also be seen in forms of speech and address as using Citoyen and Citoyenne (Citizen) instead of traditional Monsieur (Sir) and Madame (Madam )
• Churches were converted to barracks and offices.

After King Louis XI’s execution, a stiff rose for power between Jacobins and Girondins. Jacobians used power and controlled the mob along with the arrest of Girondins. As a result, control of the country passed to the Committee of Public Safety, and Robespierre was a member of this committee. Gradually, he became the dominant force of this committee.

Robespierre was a passionate advocate of philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and in May 1974, he insisted on the National Convention to proclaim a new official religion for France based on the teachings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

The Policies were so stern that even his supporters demanded moderation, which made him highly unpopular. Finally, he was convicted by a court and guillotined in July 1974.

A brief timeline of his work

Year	Position
May 1780	Deputy of Estate General
Apr 1790	President of Jacobian club
Aug 1792	First deputy for Paris to the National Convention
July 1794	Execution

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Major Tools of Terror

The major tools of terror used during the Reign of Terror were:

• The Committee of Public Safety: The Committee of Public Safety was a twelve-man committee. It was given extraordinary powers to suppress counterrevolutionaries. The Committee had the power to arrest, try, and execute suspects without a trial.
• The Revolutionary Tribunal: The Revolutionary Tribunal was a special court. It was set up to try counter-revolutionaries. The Tribunal was known for its kangaroo trials and its high conviction rate.
• The Law of Suspects: The Law of Suspects was a law. It allowed the authorities to arrest anyone who was suspected of being a counter-revolutionary. The law was very broadly defined, and it led to the arrest of thousands of people.
• The guillotine: The guillotine was a machine that was used to behead people. It was used to execute thousands of people during the Reign of Terror.

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Victims of the Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror was a period of great violence and bloodshed. It is estimated that between 15,000 and 40,000 people were executed during this time. The victims of the Reign of Terror came from all walks of life. They included nobles, clergy, peasants, and workers.

Some of the most famous victims of the Reign of Terror include:

• King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette
• Maximilien Robespierre
• Georges Jacques Danton
• Camille Desmoulins
• Charlotte Corday
• Olympe de Gouges
• Madame du Barry
• Antoine Lavoisier
• André Chénier
• Jacques Hébert
• Georges Couthon
• Saint-Just

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End of Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror ended on July 27, 1794 (9 Thermidor, Year II in the French Republican Calendar). It ended with the overthrow and execution of Maximilien Robespierre, the leader of the Committee of Public Safety.

There are many factors that contributed to the end of the Reign of Terror. One factor was the growing public opposition to the terror. The people of France were tired of the violence and bloodshed. They were also concerned about the growing power of Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety.

Another factor was the growing opposition within the National Convention. Many members of the Convention were concerned about Robespierre's growing power and his willingness to use terror to achieve his goals. They also feared that Robespierre was planning to establish a dictatorship.

On July 27, 1794, a group of members of the National Convention staged a coup against Robespierre. They arrested Robespierre and his supporters, and they put them on trial. Robespierre and his supporters were found guilty and executed on the same day.

The end of the Reign of Terror was a major turning point in the French Revolution. It marked the end of the most radical phase of the Revolution, and it led to a more moderate government.

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Reign of Terror: Aftermath of the Revolution

The various long-lasting effects of the revolution on France and Europe are :

• The terror claimed the lives of Important personalities such as George Danton and Marie Antoinette.
• This led to massive loss of lives in France as an estimated 17 people were guillotined.
• Besides, there was Destruction of property and infrastructure in France, including Hotel Devellie and Bastille Prison. Several castles and masons were attacked and destroyed by the mob.
• Fall of the Jacobin club – wealthier middle class acquired power
• The new constitution denied voting rights to a non-propertied section.
• The elected legislative assembly came in place of the National Assembly. It elected a directory, which was a group of executives of 5 members.
• There was political instability between directors and the legislative council, which paved the way for Napoleon Bonaparte's emergence.
• In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself emperor of France.
• The Exile of Nobles and Clergy in fear of being Guillotine to nearby countries such as Austria and Prussia
• Outside France, Conservative kings became more Conservative. One such instance is the Prime Minister of Britain Expelling all suspicious characters on the charge of treason.
• It further strengthened Republicism and gave rise to the Republican Government in France in 1872.

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Reign of Terror: Present-day Context

Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in 1604 and set out to conquer neighbouring countries. He saw himself as the mordeniser of Europo as many laws were introduced, such as:

• Protection of Private Property
• Uniform system of weights and measures with a decimal system

Initially, People saw him as a liberator who would work to uplift people, but gradually, the Napoleon army was identified as invaders. He was defeated in 1815 at Waterloo.

Some of the most important legacies of the French Revolution and Reign of Terror are Liberty, Modern laws and democratic rights that were taken from Napoleon to other parts of Europe. Colonies reworked the idea of Bondage to a free sovereign nation. India also made such changes in the works of Tipu Sultan and Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

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Facts about the Reign Of Terror French Revolution for UPSC

The violent period of terror, which started in 1793 and continued till the dawn of Robespierre in 1794, is termed the Reign of Terror in France. When Looking deeply into the causes, a single person can not be considered the sole reason for the Reign of Terror. Still, several combined factors led to this brutal massacre called the Reign of Terror.

It was one of the most violent periods of the French Revolution, which took place between 5th May 1789 to 9th Nov 1899. This can be backed by the figures which state that, as per an estimate, around 50000 people were killed during the summer of 1793-94 just for being suspects involved in counter-revolutionary activities.

Accordion to various triggers of terror, some of the most prominent are:

• Execution of Louis XVI- Jan 1973
• Formation of Revolutionary Tribunal – Mar 1973
• Expulsion of Girondist deputies from the National Convention Centre- Jun 1973
• The murder of Jean-Paul Marat – July 1973

Some of the notable victims of this period were

• Queen Marie Antoinette – Former Queen
• Jacques Brissot- Girondon Orator
• Antoine Barnave – Former Jacobian Leader
• Jean-Sylvain Bailly – Paris’s First Mayor
• Madame Roland – Prominent Female Revolutionary
• Olympe de Gouges – Prominent Female Revolutionary
• Charlotte Corday – assassin of Jean-Paul Marat
• Philippe Égalité– the former Duke of Orleans
• Guillaume Malesherbes– the dead king’s defence lawyer
• Antoine Lavoisier- one of France’s most famous scientists
• Jacques Hébert– the radical sans culotte leader
• Camille Desmoulins – the prominent journalist
• Georges Danton- populist political leader

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Concluding Remarks

The Reign of Terror can be remembered as the most violent phase of the French Revolution when the streets were clogged with blood and thousands of lives were lost. There is still a debate on what led to this terror and the massacre it followed, but revolutionary war and foreign invasion are still some of the most prominent factors. It formally started in Sept 1793. During this time, Montagnards rose and asserted that a period of terror was needed to protect the revolution. It ended in July 1794 with the fall of Robespierre.

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