Title: Maximilien Robespierre
Headings: Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre
Background
At the Estates-General
Radical views and popularity
Disposing of the Girondons
Rapid fall

Content: But like the revolution itself, his views would change and radicalise with time. Perhaps the most famous portrait of Robespierre
Robespierre’s profile and influence increased during the autumn of 1792. His policies and speeches became popular with the sans culottes of Paris, who admired Robespierre’s democratic values and his regular assertions that the revolution belonged to the people, not the politicians. Robespierre’s opponents blamed him for igniting the September Massacres. The accusation was baseless, though he would later justify the massacres as a legitimate revolutionary action. Within the Convention, Robespierre became a prolific leader of the Montagnard faction. His speeches, like much of his political career, divided opinion. Robespierre was undoubtedly eloquent and his speeches were rigorously prepared – but they did not please everyone. “ He is too verbose and does not know when to stop”, one observer noted. Robespierre himself was cold, humourless, single-minded and difficult to like.