Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Marie Robespierre, also known as the Tyrant of France, was First Deputy of the Convention during the Reign of Terror.
Biography
Early life
Maximilien Marie Robespierre was born in 1761 or 1762 (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) and was a citizen of France. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"]) He believed that the monarchy, the Church (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) and the nobility had too much power over the people and was a key figure in the French Revolution, becoming First Deputy of the Convention (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"]) following the execution of Louis XVI (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) in 1793. (PROSE: A History of Humankind [+]Loading...["A History of Humankind (novel)"])
The Terror
Robespierre was responsible for the Reign of Terror, (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"]) during which thousands of alleged traitors to the state were executed by guillotine, (PROSE: A History of Humankind [+]Loading...["A History of Humankind (novel)"]) and became known as the Tyrant of France. (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) He had Danton and the Girondins executed because he believed them to be planning a restoration of the monarchy and survived at least one attempt to have him deposed and arrested. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"])
In July 1794, Robespierre delivered a two-hour speech before the Convention demanding that the Committee of Public Safety be purged. The following day, he delivered the same speech to the Jacobin Club. (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) By this point, he had become convinced that he had enemies in the Convention and the Committee of Public Safety who were plotting against him to achieve power for themselves.
When the First Doctor claimed to be a regional officer, Lemaitre, whom Robespierre was unaware was actually English spy James Stirling, took him to Robespierre with the execution lists to answer any questions the First Deputy might have about his supposed province, (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"]) Pontoise. (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) They instead spoke about Paris, however, and Robespierre told Lemaitre to bring the Doctor back the following day to discuss his province and the slow progress of the purge of enemies of the state. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"])
Downfall
Alerted to the fact that several influential members of the Convention, including an increasing number of the Paris Commune, intended to keep him from speaking at a Convention meeting and to bring an indictment against him, Robespierre summoned Lemaitre and sent him to spy on Paul Barras, whom he suspected was responsible. He also had several other men followed as he worried that Barras's departure from Paris might be a deliberate distraction. Although word never reached Robespierre, Barras's meeting was with Napoléon Bonaparte to discuss the leadership of France following Robespierre's arrest.
Robespierre was smuggled away by his friends after the Convention, but soldiers caught up to him with an arrest warrant signed by the governing committee. He fruitlessly demanded their allegiance so that he could save France and was shot in the mouth, after which he was taken to the Conciergerie, passing Ian Chesterton and Lemaitre in the hallway. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"]) This marked the end of the Terror. (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"])
Death
Robespierre was unable to talk during the journey to the Conciergerie because of the damage to his mouth and wrote a letter to try to communicate with the militia, but they claimed that they were unable to read. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"]) His associates were rounded up (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) and Robespierre was executed soon after (PROSE: A History of Humankind [+]Loading...["A History of Humankind (novel)"]) by guillotine. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"])
Legacy
By one account, Robespierre, Niccolo Machiavelli and Cardinal Richelieu were all pseudonyms used by Hades whilst living amongst humanity. (PROSE: Deadly Reunion [+]Loading...["Deadly Reunion (novel)"])
Barbara Wright believed that the French Revolution changed things for the better, but she considered Robespierre an extremist. Despite this, she did not necessarily agree that he deserved to be executed. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"])
According to an account in which she was tutored by Barbara, Susan English wrote a thirty-page essay on Robespierre. (PROSE: Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks [+]Loading...["Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks (novelisation)"])
Appearance
Robespierre was a small and thin man who kept his hair carefully pushed back and powdered and dressed immaculately, wearing high-heeled shoes in attempt to make himself look taller. His skin was pock-marked and had a green tinge. (PROSE: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (novelisation)"]) He was shot in the jaw prior to his imprisonment. (TV: The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"])
Behind the scenes
- Although the novelisation of The Reign of Terror [+]Loading...["The Reign of Terror (TV story)"] states that Robespierre was thirty-two years old in July 1794, placing his Doctor Who universe date of birth in 1761 or 1762, the historical Robespierre was born in 1758.
