Scene of louis xvis execution french revolution posters. It was published by yale university press and has a total of 352 pages in the book. Two centuries after the french revolution, maximilien robespierre is still regarded as its towering figure. Head of state, attorney 6may1758 28jul1794 subject of books. Sep 17, 2014 to order a peoples history of the french revolution for. Rousseau, robespierre, and the french revolution james read florida atlantic university there is little doubt that the french revolution would not have and could not have taken place without the ideas expressed by the enlightenment philosophers, which, of course, influenced and motivated some of the revolutions most notable political leaders.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Robespierres defence of the french revolution remains one of the most powerful and unnerving justifications for political violence ever written. Robespierre and the french revolution collier book. Robespierre and the popular movement of 17934, past and present, no. French revolution books by david andress and ruth scurr.
Some consider robespierre the revolutions greatest dictator, the arch sanguinocrat, the driving force behind the. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. A riveting biography of the french revolution s most enigmatic figure that restores him to his pivotal historic place. The fall of robespierre unfolded quickly in junejuly 1794, following his election as the president of the national convention on june 4th 16 prairial. He won admiration for his abilities, but his austerity and dedication isolated him from easy companionship. A riveting biography of the french revolutions most enigmatic figure that restores him to his pivotal historic place since his execution by. During this period robespierre coined the motto liberte, egalite, fraternite freedom, equality, fraternity. An attorney by trade, he became physically sick when he condemned a guilty man to death.
Robespierre and the french revolution paperback or. This naturally led to ruth scurrs equally marvelous book on robespierre, fatal purity 2006. Maximilien robespierre, radical jacobin leader and one of the principal figures in the french revolution. The best books on the french revolution five books expert. French revolution books by david andress and ruth scurr the. Read the fulltext online edition of robespierre and the french revolution 1952. Maximilien robespierre is one of the bestknown and most influential figures of the french revolution. Virtue and terror by maximilien robespierre, paperback. The author pays particularly close attention to robespierres early years and seeks to place his subject in proper historical perspective in the french revolution overall and not merely as the driving force behind the reign of terror, which he wasnt. He also served as president of the national convention and on the committee of public safety.
The revolution controversy was a pamphlet war set off by the publication of a discourse on the love of our country, a speech given by richard price to the revolution society on 4 november 1789, supporting the french revolution as he had the american revolution, and saying that patriotism actually centers around loving the people and. The french revolution is one of the most important perhaps still the historical event of all time. I have recently gotten very interested in robespierre as one the main figures of the french revolution, i would like to know more about his life and his role in the french revolution. Robespierre briefly presided over the influential jacobin club, a political club based in paris. Judicious, balanced, and admirably clear at every point. Robespierre and the popular movement of 17934, past and present. The french revolution created turmoil across the whole of europe, via a series of events which continue to captivate and inspire massive debate. Kids learn about the biography of maximilien robespierre from the french revolution including his early life, entering politics, the jacobins, gaining power, the reign of terror, fall from power, execution, and facts. Maximilien robespierre, chief architect of the terror, has been venerated by generations of french. He wrote the standard biography of robespierre as well as the french revolution. As a member of the constituent assembly and the jacobin club, he campaigned for universal manhood suffrage and the. May 07, 2006 french revolution books by david andress and ruth scurr. In the latter months of 1793 he came to dominate the committee of public safety, the principal organ of the revolutionary government during the reign of terror, but in 1794 he was overthrown and executed.
May 19, 2006 robespierre is a puzzling, deeply troubling figure in the story of the french revolution, and at the outset of this marvellous biography, historian ruth scurr sets out the nature of this puzzle. But what turned a shy young lawyer into the living embodiment of. Against the dramatic backdrop of the french revolution, historian ruth scurr tracks robespierre s evolution from provincial lawyer to devastatingly efficient revolutionary leader, righteous and paranoid in equal measure. A revolutionary life addresses three topics of note. Kids learn about the biography of maximilien robespierre from the french revolution including his early life, entering politics, the jacobins, gaining power, the reign of. Yet today the french revolution is celebrated as the event which gave birth to a. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. It was the period known to history as the terror, and it gave rise to the term terrorism to describe political violence. He was a fellow of the british academy and honorary fellow of magdalen college, oxford. Robespierres appearance and selfindulgent behaviour at the head of the festival of the supreme being invited ridicule and criticism from his opponents. The following selection combines introductory and general histories with a few more specialized works.
Robespierre is a puzzling, deeply troubling figure in the story of the french revolution, and at the outset of this marvellous biography, historian ruth scurr sets out the nature of this puzzle. Only in this way, by understanding the desires and demands of the lower classes, can the revolutionary bloodshed and the implacable will of a man such as robespierre be truly understood. Written with epic sweep, full of nuance and insight, fatal purity is a fascinating portrait of a man who identified with the revolution to the point of. Reviewed by david lay williams, depaul university jeanjacques rousseau is perhaps most famous or even infamous for two features associated with his work and its influence. After the outbreak of war with austria and the socalled second revolution in 1792, robespierre successfully argued for the kings. Thompson was a leading authority on the history of the french revolution. Since his execution by guillotine in july 1794, maximilien robespierre has been contested terrain for historians, at once the most notorious leader of the french revolution and the least comprehensible. Apr 20, 2006 two centuries after the french revolution, maximilien robespierre is still regarded as its towering figure. Early in the french revolution, he criticized the individuals whom promoted violent means. The monstrous puzzle of the revolution books the guardian. Maximilien robespierre 1758 1794 arrest of maximilien robespierre. He has divided historians and modern thinkers, just as he divided opinion in his own time. Reign of terror, period of the french revolution from september 5, 1793, to july 27, 1794, during which the revolutionary government decided to take harsh measures against those suspected of being enemies of the revolution nobles, priests, and hoarders. On january 21, 1793 king louis xvi of france was guillotined.
List of books and articles about maximilien robespierre. Maximilien robespierre was a radical democrat and key figure in the french revolution of 1789. Role of maximilien robespierre during the french revolution. Apr 17, 2007 judicious, balanced, and admirably clear at every point. Jan 06, 2019 as the french revolution gripped the nation, robespierre frequently spoke in the constituent assembly in favor of the lower classes of france voicing ideas supporting equal rights for all. Perceived by some as the champion, indeed the incarnation, of the revolution s purest and noblest ideals, among others he will always be remembered as the reasoned advocate of the terror, the defender of mass killing during the revolution s darkest and most tragic phase. In 1791 king louis and his family tried to flee the country and then was proven to be plotting with the foreign enemies of france. Since his execution by guillotine in july 1794, maximilien robespierre. After the execution a huge old man with a long beard who had been prominent in the murdering of priests during the september riots mounted the scaffold, plunged both hands into the kings blood and sprinkled. Early in his life, robespierre greatly struggled with harming anyone.
As a member of the estatesgeneral, the constituent assembly and the jacobin club, he advocated against the death penalty and for the abolition of slavery, while supporting equality. He was instrumental in the period of the revolution commonly known as the reign of terror, which ended with his arrest and execution in 1794. Home browse books book details, robespierre and the french revolution. The title of this book is robespierre and it was written by peter mcphee. Early life a poor youth, he was enabled to study law in paris through a scholarship. As such, there is a vast range of literature on the topic, much of it involving specific methodologies and approaches. Many books have been written about it, but i loved your comment, in your presidential address to the american historical association that every great interpreter of the french revolution and there have been many such has found the event ultimately mystifying. The french revolution was a watershed event in modern european history that began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of napoleon bonaparte.
Danton, hideously ugly, had the animal needs of what americans might call a redblooded fullback. Danton is a central character in romanian playwright camil petrescu s play of the same name. Robespierre and the french revolution in world history. M aximilien robespierre 17581794 became the leader of the committee of public safety, which governed france for about a year during the most radical phase of the french revolution. Thompson 1969 paperback 2 robespierre and the french revolution by j. This is quite the calmest and least abusive history of the revolution you will ever read. The dominant figure of the french revolution, maximilien robespierre, was a fanatical republican who thought the end justified the means. It has an extraordinary resonance in a world obsessed with terrorism and appalled by the language of its proponents. Against the dramatic backdrop of the french revolution, historian ruth scurr tracks robespierres evolution from provincial lawyer to devastatingly efficient. Ruth scurrs robespierre reminds us that, scale apart, our modern crises are replays of a golden oldie. This book takes a look at how an awkward, very self conscious, and moralistic individual was transformed by and also greatly changed the french revolution. The peoples history of the french revolution is a vivid retelling of events, bringing them to life with a multitude of voices. Slavoj zizek is a slovenian philosopher and cultural critic. Soon robespierre and his allies came to be called montagnards or the mountain.
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