"Pity is treason."



MAXIMILIEN Robespierre was born in 1758 in Arras to an old noble family. At the age of 11 he obtained a scholarship to the prestigious Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris where he befriended the young Camille Desmoulins. After graduating he practiced as a lawyer and in 1788 stood as a deputy for the Third Estate at the meeting of the Estates General. Later he was also elected to the new National Assembly as a member of the radical Jacobin Club.



Robespierre's legend really takes off in August 1792 after the king's dethronement. Unlike Danton, Robespierre saw no room for mercy in the Terror and in 1793 replaced him as leader of the Committee of Public Safety. The reign of Terror under Robespierre is regarded as perhaps the bloodiest and most violent period of French history.



As the Terror wore on, Robespierre steadily became more ruthless against any opposition. After Danton and Camille spoke against him, criticising the tyranny and humanity of the government's actions, he had them both sentenced to the guillotine. While it caused him great pain to send his once closest friend to death he defended his actions by claiming the two posed a threat to the Republic. While this might have been true, the impassioned statement might have disguised his real intentions. The truth was that Robespierre was becoming increasingly obsessed with the idea of a "virtuous Republic", one where only good citizens were fit to live, and one in which the morally ambiguous Danton and Camille did not belong.



Contemporaries described Robespierre as quiet, shy, anti-social and studious. He was incredibly hard-working and suffered regular bouts of illness and fatigue as a result of his tireless efforts to make a better world. He was scrupulously honest, earning him the nickname the "Incorruptible". As a lawyer he campaigned against slavery and the death penalty, however as the Revolution took a darker tone so did his principles. Blinded by idealism, he became increasingly fanatic and convinced that the Republic was his destiny. His descent into dictatorship and tyranny resulted in his own inevitable execution.



Like Robespierre, you might be a little introverted. But woe upon those who think that means they can walk all over you! You're a living example of the expression "be careful of the quiet ones." Now prove them all wrong and go change the world!