Reign of Terror – Origin, Causes, & Effects

The Reign of Terror was a period during the French Revolution that took place between September 1793 to July 1794. Extreme violence and mass executions were a part of Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre’s strict policy of control and punishment. The reign of terror targeted perceived enemies of the revolution which involved various counter-revolutionaries and suspected traitors. All those considered enemies of the republic, members of other political parties, and even those of the same party who did not agree with Robespierre’s methods were charged. Thousands of aristocrats, clergymen, and ordinary citizens were executed by guillotine. This period ended with the fall of Robespierre and the Thermidorian reaction in July 1794.

Furthermore, let us dive into a detailed understanding of the Reign of Terror and the relevant figures involved in it.

Origin of Reign of Terror

Since the French Revolution’s early days, there had been a constant undercurrent of fear and paranoia. This violent period seigneurial emerged primarily due to the revolutionary government’s fear and desire to protect itself during the revolution. The first act of terror occurred on 22nd July, 1789 when a Paris mob brutally killed royal minister Joseph Foullon and his son-in-law amid fears of an aristocratic plot to starve the people. The fear spread among peasants which led to raids on the châteaux of their seigneurial lords due to rumors occurred occurred of counter-revolutionary activities by the aristocracy. The following events occured due to widespread fear and anxiety:

1. Conflicts with other countries
2. Depreciation of the assignedCounter-revolutionary currency
3. Continued scarcity of affordable bread
4. Poverty, starvation, and unemployment

Counter-revolutionary agents were blamed for people’s hardships. Actions by the Revolution’s enemies, such as the Brunswick Manifesto threatening the destruction of Paris, reinforced the notion that the people’s liberty was in grave danger.

A few events led to the belief that the French citizens were the most dangerous enemies of the Republic.

1. The September Massacres of 1792: Thousands of counter-revolutionaries and priests were killed by mobs.
2. 1793: counter-revolutionary threats everywhere including brutal civil wars and the assassination of Marat.

Causes of Reign of Terror

Various factors beyond Robespierre’s policies influenced the Reign of Terror. These factors can be examined under different categories:

• Threats of Foreign Invasion: The Pillintz Declaration in August 1791 created a fear among the French.
• Declaration of War: The Jacobins and Girondins declared war against Austria and Prussia in 1792, leading to the War of the First Coalition.
• Jacobins: Radicals led by Maximilien Robespierre who believed that aristocracy and other counter-revolutionaries would be against the momentum of the revolution.
• Girondins: An informal alliance of the southwestern Gironde region that supported the revolution but opposed increasing violence and wanted a decentralized constitutional solution.
• Popular Pressure: The Sans-culottes, working-class revolutionaries, demanded the expulsion of 29 Girondins whom they considered too moderate. They exerted pressure on the National Convention for reforms to uplift the poor.
• Religious Conflict: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy in July 1790 rejected Catholicism, transforming priests into state-salaried civil servants.
• Enlightenment Influence: Robespierre believed that achieving the government’s duty towards the general public required eliminating those he deemed tyrants fighting against the virtues of the French Revolution and the government’s honor.

Major Tools of Terror

The following tools were used during the Reign of Terror:

• The Committee of Public Safety: A 12-man committee that had the power to arrest, try, and execute suspects without a trial.
• The Revolutionary Tribunal: Known for its kangaroo trials and its high conviction rate.
• The law of Suspects: A law that allowed the arrest of anyone suspected of being a counter-revolutionary. It was broadly defined and led to thousands of people.
• The Guillotine: A machine used to behead people.

Maximilien Robespierre

Maximilien Marie Isidore de Robespierre was a French lawyer and politician known primarily for the Reign of Terror. Born on 6th May 1758, he became increasingly popular for his attacks on monarchy and the democratic reforms he advocated.

Robespierre followed strict policies and harshly punished those who did not follow them. Some of his policies were:

• Laws placing ceilings on maximum wages and prices
• Rationing of Meat and Bread
• Peasants were forced to transport and sell grains at prices fixed by the government.
• Equality bread, a loaf made of whole wheat was to be used by every citizen.
• Usage of Citoyen and Citoyenne to address people.
• Churches were converted to barracks and offices.

After King Louis XI’s execution, a stiff rose for power between Jacobins and Girondins. Jacabins used power and controlled the mob along with the arrest of Girondins. As a result, control of the country was passed to the Committee of Public Safety, and Robespierre was a member of this committee.

A brief timeline of Robespierre’s work

Year	Position
May 1780	Deputy of Estate General
April 1790	President of Jacobian club
August 1792	First Deputy for Paris to the National Convention
July 1794	Execution

End of Reign of Terror

Many factors led to the end of the Reign of Terror. The major ones are:

1. The people of France were tired of violence and bloodshed. They were also concerned about the growing power of Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety.
2. There was a growing opposition within the National Convention. The members were concerned with Robespierre’s growing power and willingness to use terror to achieve his goals. They feared that he was planning to establish a dictatorship.

On July 27, 1794, a group of members of the National Convention staged a coup against Robespierre. They arrested him and his supporters, and they put them on trial. Robespierre and his supporters were found guilty and executed on the same day.

The Reign of Terror marked the end of the most radical phase of the Revolution, leading to a more moderate government.

Aftermath of the Revolution

There were various long-lasting effects of the revolution on France and Europe:

• Terror claimed the lives of important personalities.
• Massive loss of lives in France.
• Destruction of property and infrastructure in France including Bastille prison and Hotel Devellie.
• Fall of Jacobin club
• The new constitution denied voting rights to a non-propertied section.
• The elected legislative assembly came in place of the National Assembly.
• Napoleon Bonaparte’s emergence was due to political instability.
• In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself emperor of France.
• The Exile of Nobles and Clergy in fear of being guillotined to nearby countries.
• Outside France, Conservative kings became more Conservative.
• Republicism strengthened and gave rise to the republic government in France in 1872.

Present-day Context

Napoleon Bonaparte

• Rose to power in 1604.
• Introduced laws like the Protection of Private Property and a uniform system of weights and measures with a decimal system.
• People saw him as a liberator but later Napoleon’s army was identified as invaders
• Defeated at Waterloo in 1815.

Some of the most important legacies of the French Revolution and Reign of Terror are Liberty, Modern laws, and democratic rights that were taken from Napoleon to other parts of Europe. Colonies reworked the idea of Bondage to a free sovereign nation India also made changes in the works of Tipu Sultan and Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

Conclusion

The Reign of Terror can be marked as the most violent phase of the French Revolution. The streets were clogged with blood and thousands of lives were lost. Revolutionary war and foreign invasion are the most prominent factors that led to this terror. It formally started in September 1793 and ended in July 1794 with the fall of Maximilien Robespierre.

FAQs: Reign of Terror

When did the Reign of Terror happen?

The Reign of Terror started in 1793 and continued till the dawn of Robespierre in 1794.

Who were the victims of the Reign of Terror?

Some of the notable victims of the Reign of Terror period were Queen Marie Antoinette, Jacques Brissot, Antoine Barnave, Madam Roland, Olympe de Gouges, Charlotte Corday, Jacques Hébert, Philippe Égalité, and a few others.

What started the Reign of Terror?

Revolutionary War and foreign invasion are considered the most prominent factors that led to the Reign of Terror even though a lot of factors were involved.