born May 6, 1758, Arras, France
died July 28, 1794, Paris
French revolutionary.
A successful lawyer in Arras (1781–89), he was elected to the National Assembly (1789), where he became notorious as an outspoken radical in favour of individual rights. He became a leading member of the Montagnard s in the National Convention . After calling for the death of Louis XVI , he led the Jacobins (see Jacobin Club ) and the Committee of Public Safety (1793) in establishing the Reign of Terror , during which, as virtual dictator of France, he had former friends such as Thermidorian Reaction . Often regarded as a bloodthirsty dictator, he was later valued for his social ideals of reducing inequality and ensuring work for all.