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Also known as the French Revolution, the Radical revolution was a bloody, chaotic time between the years of 1789-1799, that marked the end of the medieval age, as well as an end to absolute monarchy in France.

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From the time that he became king in 1774, Louis The 16th was an unfit king, and the people quickly realized that as well. He was very uneducated in politics and was incredibly vulnerable to influence from others. After losing their long 7 year battle with Great Britain, then proceeding to fight the British again in the American Revolution, the country of France was in a massive amount of debt. Because they had already taxed the peasants and people of lower classes to the point of poverty, the only option left was to tax the clergy and nobility. However, they rejected this offer.

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Inspired by the enlightenment and spread of new ideas, the lower class who had put their whole lives into the hands of the church and upper classes were coming to the realization that the Catholic church may not have all the answers. They were poor, starving, and living in absolute poverty. In addition to the economic status of France, two decades of poor harvest, drought, plague, and increasing bread prices created much unrest. These lower class people began to riot, raid, and protest.

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The September massacres happened in 1792 when there was growing tension in Paris. Prussian troops were advancing further and the revolutionary war was doing poorly. Then on September 2nd, gangs went into the prisons and killed 1,100-1,400 people. The did this because they believed the prisoners were feeding the enemy inside information. The attacks were brutal, prisoners were taken from their cells and killed.  They were sometimes given a mock trial and interrogated. They were then killed and some were dismembered and paraded around the streets. Only a third of the people killed were counter-revolutionary suspects. These attacks proved to those against the revolution that these people were bloodthirsty and violent.

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Despite what the name may allude to, the "French Plague" was not a bacterial disease that was easily contracted. In fact, it was the nickname rulers of other European countries called the French Revolution. The French Revolution was a danger to absolute monarchy. Foreign leaders feared it might cause a rebellion in their own countries. They used the word "Plague" to describe the revolution because they thought if they did not take action, the radical take on enlightenment would spread. Leaders, monarchs, and the church all tried to prevent the French rebels to win and to make sure their own followers did not hear about the revolution. Even leaders with what was considered modern day thinking tried to stop the revolt. War with Austria, Prussia, Britain, and others broke out in an attempt to stop the French Revolution. The French people prevailed in the end, but their financial situation was very bad, and the division amongst the people was worse than ever.

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The reign of terror was the time between September 1793-July 1774 during the french revolution where many people who were "enemies of the revolution" were executed. The purpose of it was to rid France of anyone who may oppose the revolution through killing them or making them flee in fear of being killed. During the Reign of Terror, 16,000 people were guillotined and many others executed throughout France in others ways during this time in 9 months. Even when the killing may have not been necessary Robespierre continued the terror.

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The Committee of public safety was an organization set up in 1793, dedicated to protecting the people against its enemies, both foreign and domestic. It was a way to oversee the government as well. Being the radicals, members believed in the government being in the hands of the people and intended to function as a war council. Created by the National Convention, members could be reelected. This organization was mainly dominated by Georges Danton, who pursued a policy of moderation and reconciliation. However, after the death of Robespierre, the Committee began to slowly become insignificant.

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The reign of terror was the period between 1793-179 when Maximilien Robespierre controlled France as a dictator and thousands were executed by guillotine under his rule. In July of 1794, many people were horrified by the continuous deaths, and turned on Robespierre, demanding his arrest and execution. The Reign of Terror, or the radical phase of the revolution was ended when Robespierre was sentenced to death by guillotine.

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After the Reign of Terror, in 1795, an elected committee of five men was set up. It was called the Directory. The Directory was corrupt, weak, and the people were still poor and hungry. During this time, many of those who had fled France returned and wanted power. The people of France wanted a more moderate leadership because the Reign of Terror was so intense that they needed something more stable. Napoleon Bonaparte was a war leader the Directory turned to, who later took their power and ruled France. This period of time was unhelpful in terms of abolishing a monarch, but simply just the result of a chaotic time period.

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Free Image on Pixabay - Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor

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Download this free picture about Napoleon Bonaparte Emperor from Pixabay's vast library of public domain images and videos.

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Influential people of the French Revolution:                       Maximilien Robespierre 

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Influential people of the French Revolution:                       Maximilien Robespierre 

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In 1789, Maximilien, a lawyer and a politician, was elected to be the estates general. Believing in democratic reforms, and opposed to monarchy, he became popular among the people, and by April 6th, 1793, he was President of the Jacobin Club, first deputy to the national convention, and the dominant force on the committee of public safety. Later, he would demand the King's execution, and the new ideas and values of equality, liberty, and fraternity. When the reign of terror took hold, he became dictator of France  and was a prominent figure, expressing enthusiasm towards execution. In July of 1794, as the reign of terror was coming to an end, him and his followers were placed under arrest by the National Assembly. After being imprisoned, troops of the national convention attacked the Hotel de Ville where he was hiding. The next evening him and his allies were guillotined. This was one of the ending events of the reign of terror.

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Often credited with the overthrow of the monarchy, Georges-Jacques Danton was a man who took action as soon as the revolution began. In 1789, he enrolled in the civic guard, an affiliation made to protect the city from attacks or revolt. He soon founded the association that would become the Cordeliers Club, and frequently gave speeches throughout 1791 to both the Cordeliers and the Jacobin Club. His famous signature on the document to demand the abdication of King Louis appeared in July of 1791, and was elected second assistant to the public prosecutor that December. Through his speeches and popularity, he encouraged people to "be bolder" and to "charge the enemies of our country". Many believe that this speech was responsible for the September Massacres. His powerful speech writing made him a dominant figure in the National Convention as well as the revolution itself. During his time in legislature, he voted for the execution of King Louis the 16th. In 1793, Danton took a dramatic turn and initiated the reign of terror, declaring that he was "sick of men, and that we must abolish all traitors". He later retracted his beliefs and helped established the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. However, conspiracies soon surrounded him, and he was arrested and charged with corruption. He was later sentenced to guillotine.