Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a period during the French Revolution from 1793 to 1794. It was marked by mass executions of suspected political opponents and enemies of the revolutionary government. The terror began in earnest after Maximilien Robespierre took control as head of the Committee for Public Safety, which became increasingly powerful throughout this time. Under Robespierre's leadership, thousands were guillotined or otherwise executed without trial on charges such as counter-revolutionary activities and religious dissent.
This period saw some of France's most violent events, including mob violence against royalists and other perceived enemies; widespread use of torture; arbitrary arrests; harsh punishments for minor offenses; destruction and confiscation of property belonging to those who opposed the revolution or had been accused thereof; forced conscription into military service that often ended with soldiers being sent directly into battle without training or proper equipment; and economic hardship due to inflation caused by printing more money. then could be supported by existing wealth. All these factors led to an atmosphere where people lived in fear, knowing they could be arrested at any moment without cause or explanation.
The Reign of Terror came to an end when it lost public support after failing its objectives: creating social stability and ending popular uprisings against Jacobin rule while also preserving revolutionary ideals such as liberty, equality, fraternity, etc., all of which remained unfulfilled under their rule. In July 1794, Robespierre himself was overthrown in what is now known as the Thermidor Reaction, another event within the French Revolution marking a shift towards moderation in politics once again, although not completely restoring the previous order before the revolution itself started several years earlier.