The Reign of Terror
Who was Targeted?
Who was Targeted?
The Terror was designed to fight the enemies of the revolution, to prevent the success of counter-revolutions within France, especially in the city of Lyon and in the West of France, in a region called the Vendée. In certain regions, men and women armed themselves to overthrow the republic and restore the monarchy. Some counter-revolutionaries were peasants, others sharecroppers, still others, textile workers. Counter-revolutionaries in the Vendée seemed particularly upset that Robespierre had launched a movement of dechristianization and had seemingly gone on a witch hunt against priests.
The Terror was designed to fight the enemies of the revolution, to prevent the success of counter-revolutions within France, especially in the city of Lyon and in the West of France, in a region called the Vendée. In certain regions, men and women armed themselves to overthrow the republic and restore the monarchy. Some counter-revolutionaries were peasants, others sharecroppers, still others, textile workers. Counter-revolutionaries in the Vendée seemed particularly upset that Robespierre had launched a movement of dechristianization and had seemingly gone on a witch hunt against priests.
Most of the people rounded up were not aristocrats, but ordinary people. A man (and possibly his family) might go to the guillotine for criticizing the revolutionary government. If an informer happened to overhear, that was all the tribunal needed. Watch Committees around the nation were encouraged to arrest "suspected persons,...those who, either by their conduct or their relationships, by their remarks or by their writing, are shown to be partisans of tyranny and federalism and enemies of liberty" (Law of Suspects, 1793). Civil liberties were suspended. The Convention ordered that "if material or moral proof exists, independently of the evidence of witnesses, the latter will not be heard, unless this formality should appear necessary, either to discover accomplices or for other important reasons concerning the public interest." The promises of the Declaration of the Rights of Man were forgotten. Terror was the order of the day. In the words of Maximilian Robespierre, "Softness to traitors will destroy us all."
Most of the people rounded up were not aristocrats, but ordinary people. A man (and possibly his family) might go to the guillotine for criticizing the revolutionary government. If an informer happened to overhear, that was all the tribunal needed. Watch Committees around the nation were encouraged to arrest "suspected persons,...those who, either by their conduct or their relationships, by their remarks or by their writing, are shown to be partisans of tyranny and federalism and enemies of liberty" (Law of Suspects, 1793). Civil liberties were suspended. The Convention ordered that "if material or moral proof exists, independently of the evidence of witnesses, the latter will not be heard, unless this formality should appear necessary, either to discover accomplices or for other important reasons concerning the public interest." The promises of the Declaration of the Rights of Man were forgotten. Terror was the order of the day. In the words of Maximilian Robespierre, "Softness to traitors will destroy us all."
Executions During the Reign of Terror
Executions During the Reign of Terror
(By Social Class)
(By Social Class)
Clergy - 7%
Clergy - 7%
Nobility - 8%
Nobility - 8%
Upper Middle Class - 14%
Upper Middle Class - 14%
Lower Middle Class - 11%
Lower Middle Class - 11%
Working Class - 31%
Working Class - 31%
Peasants - 28%
Peasants - 28%
A description of The Terror at Bordeaux.
A description of The Terror at Bordeaux.
“A Woman was charged with the crime of having wept at her husband’s execution…she was condemned to sit for hours under the blade which shed upon her, drop by drop the blood of her dead husband…before she was released by death…”
“A Woman was charged with the crime of having wept at her husband’s execution…she was condemned to sit for hours under the blade which shed upon her, drop by drop the blood of her dead husband…before she was released by death…”
Jean-Baptiste Henry
Jean-Baptiste Henry
A journeyman tailor, aged 18, was convicted of sawing down a tree of liberty.
A journeyman tailor, aged 18, was convicted of sawing down a tree of liberty.
*Executed September 6, 1793.
*Executed September 6, 1793.
Francis Bertrand
Francis Bertrand
Aged thirty-seven, convicted of producing “sour wine injurious to the health of citizens,” guillotined.
Aged thirty-seven, convicted of producing “sour wine injurious to the health of citizens,” guillotined.
1819 - Caricature by Englishman George Cruikshank.
Titled: "The Radical's Arms”. "No God! No Religion! No King! No Constitution!" is written in the republican banner.
Robespierre’s words…
Robespierre’s words…
“If the spring of popular government in time of peace is virtue, the springs of popular government in revolution are at once virtue and terror: virtue, without which terror is fatal; terror, without which virtue is powerless. Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible...It has been said that terror is the principle of despotic government. Does your government therefore resemble despotism? Yes, as the sword that gleams in the hands of the heroes of liberty resembles that with which the henchmen of tyranny are armed.”
“If the spring of popular government in time of peace is virtue, the springs of popular government in revolution are at once virtue and terror: virtue, without which terror is fatal; terror, without which virtue is powerless. Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible...It has been said that terror is the principle of despotic government. Does your government therefore resemble despotism? Yes, as the sword that gleams in the hands of the heroes of liberty resembles that with which the henchmen of tyranny are armed.”
-Speech on the Justification of the Use of Terror
-Speech on the Justification of the Use of Terror