The Incorruptible Leader
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Click www.ondix.com to visit our student-to-student file sharing network. Maximilien Robespierre: "The Incorruptible Leader" Throughout history, many people are remembered for the acts they committed. Maximilien Francois Marie Isadore de Robespierre, had many qualities in his life that made him an important historic figure of France. In general, Robespierre had vital role in the French Revolution and French history in general though the cleverness in his early years, his profession in the government, and his reign of terror. He was born in Arras, France, of Irish origin, on May 6, 1758. His father, lawyer Francois Robespierre, had seduced Jacqueline-Marguerite Carraut, who was the daughter of a brewer. The outcome of the seduction was the famous Maximilien Robespierre. His family life was not extremely cheerful, and the family, in addition was underprivileged. Therefore, when his mother died giving birth when Robespierre was ten, his father left Maximilien and his brother and two sisters, with their maternal grandparents who raised them. As a youth, people began to notice his abilities in speech, although he was a nervous and hesitant speaker. Little did the people know that he would become the greatest speaker of his time. This talent of his was first seen when he was chosen to address King Louis XVI when he returned from his coronation. When Robespierre had finished his Latin Oration, Louis was said to have smiled at him. This was a major accomplishment of his. In 1765, Robespierre was given the opportunity to go to the local college in Arras, because he did not have enough money to go elsewhere. When people saw how intelligent he was, they selected him to go to the famous college of Louis-le Grand in Paris, where he distinguished himself in philosophy and law. While in college he became under the influence of Jean Jaques Rousseau's theories of democracy and deism. It also encouraged his emphasis on virtue, or civic morality in his mind, which then earned him the nickname "the Incorruptible." On July 31, 1780 Robespierre became a Bachelor of Law. He did not receive his license until 1781, and he was admitted to practice in Paris. Instead though, he started a practice in his hometown of Arras for poor people who could not afford services. His practice was in his sister, Charlotte's house. He made a name for himself because of his ability and honesty. He was later appointed judge at Salle Episcopale, a court with jurisdiction over diocese. (Later on he resigned as judge, rather than pronouncing the death sentence, because he wanted to abolish it. In 1783, he continued his education by going to the Arras Academy, for advances in the arts and sciences. He soon became its chancellor, and later its president. He also would visit with the local notables and chatted with the young people of the district, contrary to the belief that he was antisocial. He also entered academic competitions and one of his reports won first at the Academy of Metz. He also belonged in a literary society in Arras and wrote elegies in the fashion of the time. He was also rumored to be engaged to his cousin, Antoinette Deshorties, although he never married. Throughout his career as a lawyer for the poor people began to see his point of view in the government. They learned that Rousseau was his inspiration, and that Robespierre saw an opportunity for an ideal society. His clients feared him sometimes, and carefully scrutinized him as he protested against royal absolutism and arbitrary justice. In 1789, Robespierre began his political career at the age of thirty. He was first chosen by the people of Arras to be one of their representatives. Also, he was chosen to represent in the Third Estate (the Commons) of the bailiwick, which had not met for one hundred and seventy five years. He was elected fifth of eight deputies from Artois, which started his political career. Robespierre was an important man of the time, and very extreme. This led to his influence on the people. Apparently his command for attention gained him many followers that admired his earnest tries to reform the government. Later he became leader of the Jacobin Club, which was a political patriot party that was extremely radical. He was also a leader in the Paris Commune, the Convention and the Committee of Public safety. (The Committee of Public Safety was the group that put nobles to trial and executed them like Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.) He believed dictatorship was a necessity because of wars. Since Robespierre strongly believed in dictatorship and opposed monarchy, he claimed that the King and Queen (Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette) "must die that the country may live." He also fought for universal suffrage, unrestricted entry into the National Guard and public offices, as well as opposed the royal veto. After the monarchy had been destroyed by being killed, the Jacobins had the power to rule France, and they took over. They controlled law courts and initiated food and price controls. This was important because food and money were scarce at the time. Thus the Reign of Terror began, and it was a fearful time period for many. During this time Robespierre became well known for many reasons. First, he was noticed by his simple way of life and manners. Also, he was neatly groomed which gave him a good reputation as well. Another attractive feature of Robespierre was his speaking capabilities. His maiden speech for the Convention and Committee of Public Safety was said around the time of May 18, 1789. After this speech he made over 500 more throughout his time. This led to his success in being heard, and usually the crowd applauded. Throughout the Reign of Terror, anyone accused of being against the revolution, was considered an enemy of France, and was executed. In five months alone between September of 1793, and February 5, 1794, the Convention and Committee had executed 238 men, 31 women, and acquitted 190 persons. Also, on February 5, 1794, there were 5,434 individuals in prison awaiting trials in Paris. Although Robespierre is very important during this time, he was not a man of action. He rarely attended meetings, and had no part of routine work, but people were terrified of him anyways. He also ended up reigning France for three months and during that time placed his men in places of importance in the Commune of Paris. As Robespierre's power increased, many things happened to France. One major change was that his popularity with the people decreased immensely. They changed their attitudes from one of love to one of fear. He also executed more people, so the guillotine was used more. Public finance and government drifted to ruin and Saint-Just demanded a dictatorship with Robespierre in charge. On July 26,1794, Robespierre's comfortable world crumbled around him in two short days. On that fateful day he delivered a speech to the Convention, complaining about being accused of crimes unjustly, but for once no one really listened, but rather they turned against him so he fled. Robespierre was then accused of being an outlaw. On the twenty seventh of July, he tried to shoot himself and missed. This resulted in him breaking his lower jaw completely. Then a few hours later on July 28th, 1794, he was beheaded in the exact same spot in which he had beheaded Louis XVI in Paris. That day nineteen others were beheaded as well, and over the next year over one hundred and eight people were executed for being associated with him. All in all, Robespierre was an essential part of the French Revolution and French history in general by his intelligence in his early years, his career in politics, and his reign of terror. He tried to reform and bring new ideas to his country and succeeded in it slightly. He was a man of his time, of the Age of Enlightenment, a patriot, and a man with a sense of duty and of sacrifice whose influence remains considerable even today. "There are days in the course of a revolution when it is a crime to live, and when you must know how to give your head when it is asked of you." - Maximilien de Robespierre Works Cited Farah, Mounir World History: The Human Experience. Glencoe/McGraw-Hill :New York: 1994. Kreis, Steven. "Maximilien Robespierre, 1758-1794." http://www.gistoryguide.org/intellect/robespierre.html. February 10, 2002. "Maximilien Marie Isidor de Robespierre (1758-94)." http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Arc/8639/rob.html. April 2002. "Maximilien Robespierre Page." http://www.swil.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/FreRev/robesp.html. April 2002. "Modern History Sourcebook: Maximilien Robespierre: Justification of the Use of Terror." http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/robespierre-terror.html. April 2002. "Robespierre, Maximilien." Compton's Encyclopedia. Ed 1987. Vol.20. Compton's Learning Company Division of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.: 1987. "Robespierre, Maximilien-Francois-Marie-Isadore-de." The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. Ed 1987. Vol 10. Enclyclopaedia Britannica, Inc:1987. "Robespierre, Maximilien Marie Isidore." http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0842097.html. April 2002. Keywords: maximilien robespierre incorruptible leader throughout history many people remembered acts they committed maximilien francois marie isadore robespierre many qualities life that made important historic figure france general robespierre vital role french revolution french history general though cleverness early years profession government reign terror born arras france irish origin father lawyer francois seduced jacqueline marguerite carraut daughter brewer outcome seduction famous maximilien family life extremely cheerful family addition underprivileged therefore when mother died giving birth when father left brother sisters with their maternal grandparents raised them youth people began notice abilities speech although nervous hesitant speaker little people know that would become greatest speaker time this talent first seen when chosen address king louis returned from coronation finished latin oration louis said have smiled this major accomplishment given opportunity local college arras because have enough money elsewhere intelligent they selected famous college louis grand paris where distinguished himself philosophy while college became under influence jean jaques rousseau theories democracy deism also encouraged emphasis virtue civic morality mind which then earned nickname incorruptible july became bachelor receive license until admitted practice paris instead though started practice hometown arras poor could afford services practice sister charlotte house made name himself because ability honesty later appointed judge salle episcopale court with jurisdiction over diocese later resigned judge rather than pronouncing death sentence because wanted abolish continued education going academy advances arts sciences soon became chancellor later president also would visit with local notables chatted young district contrary belief that antisocial also entered academic competitions reports first academy metz belonged literary society wrote elegies fashion time rumored engaged cousin antoinette deshorties although never married throughout career lawyer poor began point view government they learned rousseau inspiration opportunity ideal society clients feared sometimes carefully scrutinized protested against royal absolutism arbitrary justice began political career thirty first chosen their representatives chosen represent third estate commons bailiwick which hundred seventy five years elected fifth eight deputies from artois which started political career important time very extreme this influence apparently command attention gained many followers admired earnest tries reform government leader jacobin club political patriot party extremely radical leader paris commune convention committee public safety committee public safety group nobles trial executed them like marie antoinette believed dictatorship necessity wars since strongly believed dictatorship opposed monarchy claimed king queen marie antoinette must country live fought universal suffrage unrestricted entry into national guard public offices well opposed royal veto after monarchy been destroyed being killed jacobins power rule france took over controlled courts initiated food price controls important food money were scarce thus reign terror fearful period during well known reasons noticed simple life manners neatly groomed gave good reputation well another attractive feature speaking capabilities maiden speech convention committee safety said around after speech made over more throughout success being heard usually crowd applauded reign terror anyone accused being against revolution considered enemy executed five months alone between september february convention executed women acquitted persons february there were individuals prison awaiting trials although very during action rarely attended meetings part routine work were terrified anyways ended reigning three months during placed places importance commune power increased things happened major change popularity decreased immensely changed their attitudes from love fear more guillotine used more finance drifted ruin saint just demanded dictatorship charge july comfortable world crumbled around short days fateful delivered complaining about accused crimes unjustly once really listened rather turned against fled then accused outlaw twenty seventh july tried shoot himself missed resulted breaking lower completely then hours beheaded exact same spot beheaded nineteen others beheaded next year hundred eight associated essential part french revolution history general intelligence early years politics tried reform bring ideas country succeeded slightly enlightenment patriot sense duty sacrifice whose influence remains considerable even today there days course crime live must know give your head asked works cited farah mounir world human experience glencoe mcgraw hill york kreis steven http gistoryguide intellect html february isidor http geocities html april page http swil ocdsb frerev robesp html april modern sourcebook justification fordham halsall april compton encyclopedia compton learning company division encyclopaedia britannica francois isadore encyclopaedia britannica enclyclopaedia britannica isidore infoplease Keywords General: Essay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, term papers, book reports, study, college, thesis, dessertation, test answers, free research, book research, study help, download essay, download term papers |