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TO WHAT EXTENT WAS ROBESPIERRE THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE GREAT TERROR?…
TO WHAT EXTENT WAS ROBESPIERRE THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE GREAT TERROR?
Terror in the Vendee
On 12th December 1793, the Vendean rebels suffered a major defeat at Le Mans, with 15,000 Vendeans killed in the battle.On the 22nd, the last Vendean army had been defeated
Turreau created ‘hell columns’ that were sent out to burn villages, destroy crops, and kill anyone who tried to stop them
Meanwhile, Carrier organized the mass drowning of ‘suspects’ in the Loire river outside the city of Nantes, just under 200 were killed this way.quarter of a million people died in the suppression of the Vendee.But this was not supported by the CPS, with Robespierre ordering Carrier to return
Religious Radicalism
On 10th November 1793, Hebert Organised the festival of reason, where the people were encouraged to turn their local churches into temples of reason by removing Christian symbols
The Paris Commune also ordered the closure of all churches in Pariso Jacobins were divided on the issue, but Robespierre deeply opposed their actions.
In late 1793 and early 1794, de-Christianisation swept throughout France with the encouragement of the atheist Hebertists
The Purge of the Hebertists and the Indulgents
The Hebertists
With the economic condition not improving, even with the general maxim, in Feburary 1794, the Convention feared an uprising of the sans-cullotes
Insurrection was encouraged by Hebert in the NC and in his paper.Robespierre and Saint-Just then denounced the Hebertists.The Hebertists were then tried, found guilty and executed on 24th March
The CPS then disbanded the Parisian revolutionary army and purged the Paris Commune (as allowed under the law of Frimare)
The Indulgents
With the CPs growing its power, a group of Jacobins led by Danton and Desmoulins criticised the CPS in early 1794, accusing the CPS of dictatorship and calling for an end of the Terror
Desmoulins’ newspaper called for the release of 200,000 prisoners7th January 1794, Robespierre calls for the expulsion of Desmoulins from the Jacobins
5th February, Robespierre gives his speech defending the Terror at the NC30th March, Danton Desmoulins and other indulgents arrested.5th April 1794, Danton Desmoulins and 13 others sent to the guillotine
Robespierre and Saint-Just Defend the Terror
Robespierre believed greatly in Rousseau’s ‘general will’ arguing that the long term benefits justified the Terror
Therefore, anyone opposing him, was opposing the revolution and ‘virtue’.This made up the majority of his speech given to the NC on 5th February 1794
The Great Terror
Increasing Centralisation
With the Hebertists and the indulgents removed from the NC, Robespierre was free to expand his dictatorship
March 1794, the General Police Bureau is set up, tasked with gathering information, while they are supposed to report to the CPS, most reported directly to Robespierre
Cordeliers club shut down
Paris Commune now under Jacobin Control
Parisian armee revolutionnaire disbanded
Legislation of the Great Terror
The Law of 22 Prairial removed any defence in the Revolutionary Tribunal, it also removed the ability of the defence to cross-examine any witnesses
During the period of ‘The Great Terror, June-July 1794, the Revolutionary Tribunal executed 1594 people, 50% more than the entire 14 months before
Following assassination attempts on the 23rd and 24th May 1794, Robespierre began drafting the Law of Prairial