Reign of Terror

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The Reign of Terror was a particularly violent and radical phase of the French Revolution marked by mass executions, political purges, and authoritarian rule under the Committee of Public Safety.

Aliases (1)

Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf historical period
phase of the French Revolution
aimedAt defense of the Revolution
elimination of internal enemies
suppression of counter-revolution
alsoKnownAs La Terreur
The Terror
characterizedBy centralized authoritarian rule
mass executions
political purges
revolutionary tribunals
suspension of civil liberties
context War of the First Coalition
civil war in the Vendée
country France
endedBy Coup of 9 Thermidor
endTime 1794-07-28
estimatedNumberOfDeathsWithoutTrial 10000
estimatedNumberOfExecutions 17000
followedBy Thermidorian Reaction
historicalAssessment example of revolutionary violence
symbol of state terror
ideology radical Jacobinism
revolutionary republicanism
keyInstitution Committee of General Security
Committee of Public Safety
Revolutionary Tribunal
ledBy Committee of Public Safety
legalBasis Law of 22 Prairial
Law of Suspects
location French First Republic
Paris
mainLeader Georges Couthon
Louis Antoine de Saint-Just
Maximilien Robespierre
methodOfExecution guillotine
notableEvent Festival of the Supreme Being
execution of Georges Danton
execution of Marie Antoinette
execution of the Hébertists
opposedFaction Girondins
partOf French Revolution
politicalFaction Montagnards
precededBy Insurrection of 31 May – 2 June 1793
result fall and execution of Robespierre
rise of Thermidorian moderates
weakening of Jacobin Club
startTime 1793-09-05


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