In 1794 in Paris, on the 9th day of Thermidor, Maximilien Robespierre was executed under the blade of the guillotine which was aid to end the Terror plaguing France, as it was widely publicized. The people were hoping for the Terror to cease once it’s “known” grand architect was dead. But it did not cease like they planned after Robespierre was ended. How was this triumph shown to the people by those who wished Robespierre gone what drove the people so far for this one man? Robespierre’s death was depicted as a triumphant moment for the French people to symbolize the end of terror and Tyranny. As we see in Fig 1 Robespierre was depicted as having chopped off the heads of all who opposed the Committee of Public Safety, even the common people, and thus with nothing else would chop off his own head after everyone against the Committee was dealt with. Many myths and lies have been said with the members of the national assembly’s retelling of the arrest and death of Robespierre.
For example, witnesses after Robespierre had been arrested claimed that Robespierre didn’t attempt to commit suicide when the coup was staged, Those same witnesses said that a member of the National Guard named Merda shot Robespierre and incapacitated him “and his memoirs recounted his role to today”. (Jones, Colin, The Fall of Robespierre (cover story), pg. 1). Though the account was plater proven fake it showed that people reacted to Robespierre’s arrest positively and Merda was considered the hero of the day. Later the myth of Robespierre was the only one responsible for the terror and it was easy for people to see him that way for his strength, rhetoric, he had been a critical part of imposing it and had executed Rivals during it, like Danton and Hébert. However, this is not accurate, as there were “twelve people on the Committee of Public Safety and all committee decisions were collective” (Jones, Colin, The Fall of Robespierre (cover story), pg. 1). The showed that while people were hailed as heroes if the participated in the death or Robespierre positively, He was not the only one at blame as well see in the artwork Act of Justice. Here we see Robespierre branded a tyrant as his head bears the tyrant crown of Dangers as his head as well as other heads presumed to be the other members of the Committee of Public Safety are being carried past the city of Paris refuse can which has been filled with the heads of the people. Robespierre and the Committee’s heads are being carried into the Gates of Hell.
Robespierre, for being the speaker of the Committee of Public safety was given the Responsibility of the react of the committee even though it was documented that “executions increased in June-July 1794, when Robespierre was absent”. (Jones, Colin, The Fall of Robespierre (cover story), pg. 1). This further solidifies the fact that he was just an expendable member of the Assembly and to an extent the Committee if he was just the man, they chose to put all the blame of the terror onto. Also depicted by those against Robespierre was the artwork Le Gouvernment de Robespierre, Depicting Robespierre as the sole executioner of the terror, and after beheading the clergy, the nobility, parliament, the convention and the people he would try to lop of his own head, showing he did not discriminate and in a sense saying, we must kill him before he kills all of us and then himself, showing how heroic they were for stopping Robespierre from killing everyone, showing his death as saving all the heads before him in this artwork. Never the less the Death of Robespierre and in conjunction " The Thermidorian Reaction was greeted at the beginning of a new era, led by a government that wished to distance itself from the Jacobin republic and it's use of political violence" (Harder, Mette, A Second Terror: The Purges of French Revolutionary Legislatures after Thermidor, pg.33).
The death of Robespierre was a memorable one for French history at the time for sure! You make a great exhibit on Robespierre’s death and his days leading up to his death. I find it interesting how there were many conspiracies and rumours surrounding his death.
The death of Robespierre was A memorable one for French history at the time for sure! You make a great exhibit on Robespierre’s death and his days leading up to his death. I find it interesting how there were many conspiracies and rumours surrounding his death.
The death of Robespierre was A memorable one for French history at the time for sure! You make a great exhibit on Robespierre’s death and his days leading up to his death. I find it interesting how there were many conspiracies and rumours surrounding his death.
The death of Robespierre was A memorable one for French history at the time for sure! You make a great exhibit on Robespierre’s death and his days leading up to his death. I find it interesting how there were many conspiracies and rumours surrounding his death.
The death of Robespierre was A memorable one for French history at the time for sure! You make a great exhibit on Robespierre’s death and his days leading up to his death. I find it interesting how there were many conspiracies and rumours surrounding his death.