The Reign of Terror in the French Revolution was a period from 1793 to 1794 that saw acts of extreme political violence and mass executions. Led by the radical JacobinsA radical political group during the French Revolution that pushed for extreme measures to protect the revolution. and the Committee of Public Safety under Maximilien Robespierre, it aimed to purge enemies of the revolution and protect the newly established republic. Thousands of people, including nobles, clergy, and even revolutionaries, were executed by guillotineA device with a heavy blade used to behead people, the primary method of execution during the Terror. during the events of the Reign of Terror. Fear and suspicion dominated French society, since anyone accused of opposing the revolution could be arrested and executed. The Reign of Terror ended with the fall from power and execution of Robespierre.
FactsthatCrunchFrom April 1793 to July 1794, the Committee of Public Safety used legal terror as its main tool to protect the French Republic from invasion and rebellion.
Reign of Terror – Fear and Paranoia
The Reign of Terror occurred from September of 1793 until July of 1794, and was a time period of extreme violence and paranoiaAn extreme, irrational fear that others are plotting against you, causing distrust of nearly everyone. during the French Revolution. Following the execution of Louis XVI, the more radical revolutionaries, the Jacobins, were concerned that foreign and domestic groups would threaten the continuing of the revolution. As such, the Jacobins worked to remove the more moderate GirondinsA more moderate revolutionary faction that the Jacobins removed from power before the Terror began. from positions of power within the revolution. Next, the Jacobins began carrying out the Reign of Terror against anyone who they thought would threaten the revolution. The paranoia of the Reign of Terror would cause the deaths of tens of thousands with most being beheaded by guillotine. It was at the beginning of the Reign of Terror that the queen, Marie Antoinette, was executed.
FactsthatCrunchThe Jacobins and the Girondins were the two main rival groups in the National Convention during the French Revolution, and their conflict shaped the direction of the republic.
Reign of Terror – Execution of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette was originally from Austria and married to Louis XVI at a young age. During her time as the queen of France, the people would often blame her specifically for France’s financial woes. This reputation earned her the name “Madame Deficit”. By the time her execution approached in October of 1793, she was imprisoned by the revolutionaries and without her husband, as he had been executed earlier that year in January. She was officially tried for treasonThe crime of betraying one’s country or government, the charge used against Marie Antoinette at her trial. on October 14th of 1793 and beheaded by guillotine on October 16th.
FactsthatCrunchTreason is the act of betraying one's country or ruler, especially by helping enemies or working to destroy the government. During the French Revolution, the definition of treason grew very wide, and authorities accused people of treason for actions as small as speaking against the government or failing to report a suspected enemy. The Law of Suspects, passed on September 17th, 1793, allowed officials to arrest almost anyone they decided was disloyal, making treason a charge that thousands of ordinary people faced.
"King Louis XVI was put on trial for treason in December 1792 because the new republic accused him of plotting with foreign enemies against France, and he was executed on January 21st, 1793."
Reign of Terror – Maximilien Robespierre
After the execution of Marie Antoinette, the French Revolution continued down a violent path as the Reign of Terror grew and became even more extreme. This is when Maximilien Robespierre began his own rise to power within the revolution. He was the head of the Committee of Public Safety, which was the executive committee of the National Convention, and would become well known for its role in carrying out the Reign of Terror. For many months throughout 1794, Robespierre battled against other revolutionaries in the National Convention by questioning each of their loyalties towards the revolution. For example, he accused many people of being domestic threatsEnemies seen as coming from inside the country rather than from foreign nations. to the continuation of the revolution. It is during this time that many prominent revolutionaries within the National Convention were guillotined for their perceived betrayal to the revolution and Robespierre maneuvered his way to the head of the convention. For example, when Georges Danton, a leading revolutionary, called for an end to the Reign of Terror he was the next to face the guillotine. Finally, on June 4th, 1794, Robespierre was elected the president of the National Convention.
Robespierre then declared a new religion called the Supreme Being and carried out a series of celebrations based around the new faith. On June 8th, 1794, Robespierre oversaw the Supreme Being Festival in Paris that would be celebrated based on a new calendar. Some members of the National Convention and Committee of Public SafetyThe executive committee of the National Convention that directed the Reign of Terror under Robespierre. were visibly upset with the celebration and the actions of Maximilien Robespierre. In fact, Robespierre had begun to make many enemies within the revolution after he claimed to have a list of people that were enemies of the revolution. By threatening to release the names, Robespierre angered others who began to work against him and accuse him of acting like a dictator.
Based on his actions and threats the National Convention voted to arrest Robespierre. On July 28th, 1794, soldiers stormed into where Robespierre was staying. As the soldiers arrived, he attempted to commit suicide by gunshot to the head, but was instead only injured in the jaw, shattering it. For the rest of the day, Robespierre was held captive until he was guillotined without a trial that same afternoon. With his death, the fear and paranoia of the revolutionaries ended and the Reign of Terror was over. After the execution of Robespierre and the excess of the Reign of Terror, the National Convention was replaced by the Directory in 1795.
Can you put these events leading to Robespierre's fall in the correct order?
Reign of Terror – Significance
The Reign of Terror was one of the most significant events of the French Revolution. It was originally carried out to stop supposed threats to revolution, but ended up displaying the excesses of the revolution and the heights of violence. In total, over 40,000 citizens of France were executed during the Reign of Terror with many beheaded by the guillotine.
During the final 47 days of the Reign of Terror, from June 10th to July 27th, 1794, how many people were guillotined in Paris after the government centralized all legal executions in the city?
French Revolution timeline · 1789 – 1799
Key Vocabulary
Paranoia
Jacobins
Girondins
Committee of Public Safety
Guillotine
Treason
Domestic threats
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Reign of Terror?
The Reign of Terror was a period of extreme violence and mass executions during the French Revolution. It lasted from September of 1793 until July of 1794. The radical Jacobins used it to remove people they believed threatened the new republic. Tens of thousands of people died, most of them beheaded by guillotine.
Who led the Reign of Terror?
Maximilien Robespierre led the Reign of Terror as head of the Committee of Public Safety. This committee acted as the executive arm of the National Convention. Robespierre accused many people of betraying the revolution and had them executed. He even turned against fellow revolutionaries who questioned his methods.
Why was Marie Antoinette executed?
Marie Antoinette was tried for treason and beheaded by guillotine on October 16th, 1793. Born in Austria, she was often blamed for France’s money problems, which earned her the nickname “Madame Deficit”. Her husband, Louis XVI, had already been executed earlier that year in January. Her death came near the start of the Reign of Terror.
How did the Reign of Terror end?
The Reign of Terror ended with the fall and execution of Robespierre in July of 1794. He had made many enemies by threatening to name people as enemies of the revolution. The National Convention voted to arrest him, and soldiers stormed his location on July 28th, 1794. He was guillotined without a trial that same afternoon.
How many people died during the Reign of Terror?
Over 40,000 citizens of France were executed during the Reign of Terror. Many were beheaded by the guillotine, which became the symbol of the period. Victims included nobles, clergy, and even revolutionaries accused of disloyalty. Fear ruled France, since anyone suspected of opposing the revolution could be arrested and killed.
Cite This Article
To cite this article as a source, use one of the formats below.
MLA: Beck, Elias. “Reign of Terror in the French Revolution: A Detailed Summary.” HistoryCrunch, 21 September 2026, https://historycrunch.com/reign-of-terror-in-the-french-revolution/.
APA: Beck, E. (2026). Reign of Terror in the French Revolution: A Detailed Summary. HistoryCrunch. https://historycrunch.com/reign-of-terror-in-the-french-revolution/
Chicago: Beck, Elias. “Reign of Terror in the French Revolution: A Detailed Summary.” HistoryCrunch. September 21, 2026. https://historycrunch.com/reign-of-terror-in-the-french-revolution/
Sources
- William Doyle, The Oxford History of the French Revolution.
- Fordham Modern History Sourcebook
