Title: What was the significance of Maximilien Robespierre in the French Revolution? - eNotes.com
Headings: What was the significance of Maximilien Robespierre in the French Revolution?
European History
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What was the significance of Maximilien Robespierre in the French Revolution?
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Content: His philosophy and actions during the time known as "The Reign of Terror" represented how far awry a revolution could go, replacing the tyranny of the King with the tyranny of the Committee of Public Safety. It was Robespierre who argued that King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, among others, should be executed for crimes against France and her people. He came to dominate the committee and set about purging all rival elements of the revolutionary factions as enemies of the new France. Tens of thousands of people perished in The Terror, and Robespierre was particularly brutal and merciless in his sentencing. It was inevitable that he would eventually be arrested himself and executed by his rivals, and that his name would come to be synonymous with the French Revolution. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team
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