The Reign of Terror

What happened

Facing foreign invasion and revolt at home, the Convention handed near-dictatorial power to the twelve-man Committee of Public Safety, dominated by Maximilien Robespierre. Between September 1793 and July 1794, revolutionary tribunals sent thousands of 'suspects' to the guillotine; an estimated 45,000 people died in executions, in prison, or in massacres across France.

Why it matters

The Terror set out to defend the Republic through fear and mass execution, and became the enduring image of a revolution devouring its own.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Reign of Terror · Reputable source