What Happened During the Reign of Terror?

What happened during the reign of terror? This month-long period of violence was during the French Revolution in which individuals opposed to the shift in government were executed, deemed “enemies of the revolution.” At the time, the new order that was still being established faced dissent, invasion, the disapproval of the clergy and famine. This was directed by Maximilien Robespierre (“the Incorruptable”),  who was ultimately all-powerful at the height of this era.

Considering this a state of emergency, the French assembly met and granted dictatorial powers to a newly created Committee of Public Safety. It was controlled by a more radical political party, the Jacobins, who had arrested their rivals in government, the Girondins upon forming the committee.

The Jacobins claimed themselves to be a “…despotism of liberty in order to crush the despotism of kings,” as told by an anonymous member. Members of the committee had the power to put others to death—one needed only to accuse a civilian or political figure of being a “suspect” and with no trial, the accused would often face the guillotine.

Executions

The guillotine was the preffered manner of execution by the revolutionaries. Also dubbed the “national razor,” the device was a wooden frame with a pulley system connected to a very sharp razor blade at the top of the frame.

The person being killed would expose their neck to the blade by kneeling or laying across the device, and the blade would be released and separate head from body. The name comes from Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, a professor of anatomy who created it as a more “humane” option to other forms of execution.

What Happened During the Reign of Terror?

So, what happened during the reign of terror exactly? It is estimated that 14,000 to 16,000 people were killed, mostly by guillotine. Notable executions include Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Philippe Egalite and Antoine Lavoisier.

It lasted from June 27 to July 27 in 1794 and the majority of people condemned were workers and peasants who had been accused of minor crimes. Much violence was also directed toward members of the Catholic church, as atheist revolutionaries were attempting to “de-christianize” society by purging religious ties. Cults were established by the revolutionaries and celebrated a goddess they labeled “Reason.”

The Revolutionary Tribunal

The Revolutionary Tribunal was a document that condemned thousands to death by guillotine. Most individuals in this document were of political consequence. Mobs would ride around France and beat others to death. Many died because they opposed Robespierre and the new order, but many died because they were “suspicious” or because the people who had the power to kill had personal stake in their death.

Results of the Reign of Terror?

What happened during the reign of terror ultimately? Orchestrated by Robespierre, it was enough to vanquish enemies of him and the Jacobins but was also enough to make enemies out of his supporters. There were rumors that he’d been deluded into thinking he was a god.

In the end, the reign actually accomplished what it set out to do—the advancing armies on the French border retreated, the dissent within France was quieted and the economy was made stable. However, the bloodshed from the reign of terror was undoubtedly viewed negatively by the French and other prominent figures sensed the ability they would have to gain power from this. 

Robespierre was condemned to death by guillotine, the device he popularized. Apparently he doubted the “humaneness” of this device, as he attempted to shoot himself prior to his execution. His attempt at suicide failed, however, and he was beheaded as scheduled. This execution also effectively executed the reign of terror.The government was left ambiguous, however.

Surviving leaders quickly attempted to create a new government, and established many checks and balances so power was dispersed throughout several bodies. They tried to convey that a new age loyal to the ideas that prompted the revolution would be established, rather than the previous reign of terror. However, few were pleased with the new government and the French revolution continued.