The Great Terror and the fall of Robespierre

THE GREAT TERROR AND THE FALL OF ROBESPIERRE

THE GREAT TERROR

10th June - 26th July 1794. The period from the passing of the Law of 22 Prairial to the Coup of Thermidor. The Revolutionary Tribunal passed 1284 death sentances in this period. Only 278 people were acquitted. The majority of the victims were bourgeois. Despite the Law of Maximum the price of bread rose to ensure farmers continued to plant enough wheat. A maximum wage was also set on 25th July 1794. Both of these angered the sans culottes.

THE FALL OF ROBESPIERRE (THE COUP OF THERMIDOR)

The CGS had become increasingly hostile to the CPS (who they were subordinate to). The many anti-clericals and atheists in the CGS were dismayed by the promotion of the Cult of the Supreme Being and they were infuriated not to have been consulted on the Law of 22 Prairial. Robespierre and Saint Just had also set up a seperate surveillance and police network to hunt for counter-revolutionaries, infringing upon CGS powers.

Saint Just argued with Carnot over military tactics after the Battle of Fleurus while Billaud Varenne was angered as he had not been involved in the drafting of the 22 Prairial Law but the aspirations of the two men had grown apart. Local government was breaking down because of…