Chronology This date list is confined to major events and is intended to help readers establish the basic chronology of the terror. It does not include every inci- dent mentioned in the text. 1789 5 May 17 June 14July 4-11 August 26 August 10 September 11 September 5-6 October 1790 19 February May-June 12 July 27 November 1791 January-March 20 June 17 July 13 September 1 October 9 November 29 November Opening of the Estates-General in Versailles Third Estate adopts the title of ‘National Assembly’ Fall of the Bastille National Assembly decrees the ‘abolition’ of feudalism Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Assembly decides on’a bicameral legislature for the new constitution King is given suspensive veto March from Paris to Versailles forces the royal family to move to Paris Execution of the Marquis de Favras for counterrevolu- tionary conspiracy Counter-revolutionary riots in Montauban and Nimes: Civil constitution of the clergy passed Catholic priests ordered to take an oath to the civil constitution Oath to the civil constitution splits priests into jurors and nonjurors Flight to Varennes ‘Massacre’ of the Champ de Mars Louis XVI accepts the constitution Legislative Assembly meets q Law ordering return of émigrés within ovo months = vetoed by King Assembly orders electors of Trier and Mainz i» expel émigrés 1131792 10-23 March 20 April 13 June 20 June 10 August 27 September 20 September 21-22 September 19 November 10 December 15 December 1793 21 January 1 February 24 February 10 March 10 March 19 March 21 March 6 April 15 April 4 May 29 May 2 June 24 June 10 July 13 July 26 July 27 July 1 August 9 August 23 August 29 August 5 September Chronology King appoints a Girondin ministry under Dumouriez France declares war on Austria Girondin ministers dismissed Sans-culottes invade the Tuileries Palace Insurrection forces removal of king: Legislative Assembly orders elections for a National Convention ‘September massacres’ in Paris Battle of Valmy National Convention meets and declares France a republic First propaganda decree promises help and fraternity to oppressed peoples King’s trial begins Second propaganda decree: French armies to dis- mantle ancien régime in conquered areas Louis XVI executed France declares war on Britain and Holland Levy of 800,000 recruits ordered for the army Representatives on mission sent to the provinces. Revolutionary tribunal in Paris Beginnings of revolt in the Vendée Convention decrees armed rebels to be executed within 24 hours of capture Surveillance committees (comités de surveillance) established Convention votes to establish Committee of Public Safety Paris sections ask Convention to expel Girondins Price controls imposed on grain Moderates oust the Jacobin municipality in Lyon Girondins purged from the Convention Convention passes the 1793 constitution Danton and moderates removed from the Committee of Public Safety Charlotte Corday assassinates Marat Convention votes death penalty for hoarders Robespierre enters Committee of Public Safety Convention orders scorched earth policy in the Vendée Public granaries to be established in every district Mass levy decree Toulon surrenders to British fleet Sans-culottes invade the Convention: terror is ‘order of the day’ 114 6 September 6-8 September 9 September 17 September 29 September 5 October 10 October 12 October 16 October 16 October 24 October Chronology Collot d’Herbois and Billaud-Varenne added to Committee of Public Safety British and Dutch defeated at Hondschoote Convention decrees the setting up of the Paris ‘revolu- tionary army’ Law of suspects Convention passes general maximum Convention adopts revolutionary calendar Convention declares government of France ‘revolution- ary until the peace’ Fabre d’Eglantine denounces a ‘foreign plot’ to the Committee of General Security Austrian army defeated at Wattignies Execution of Marie-Antoinette Report on the Introduction of the Revolutionary Calendar Year II (21 September 1793-20 September 1794) 30 October 31 October 7 November 10 November 14 November 4 December 5 December 6 December 17 December 25 December 13 January 2 February 26 February 13-14 March 24 March 27 March 30-31 March 5 April 16 April 7 May 8 May 11 May 22 May 23 May Closure of the Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women Execution of leading Girondins Gobel resigns as archbishop of Paris ‘Festival of Liberty’ in Paris Chabot denounces ‘foreign plot’ Law 14 frimaire strengthens Committee of Public Safety Camille Desmoulins launches Vieux Cordelier Convention asserts principle of freedom of religious worship Vincent and Ronsin arrested Robespierre’s Report on the Principles of Revolutionary Government Arrest of Fabre d’Eglantine on corruption charge Release of Vincent and Ronsin SaintJust introduces ‘Ventése decrees’ Arrest of Hébert, Vincent, Ronsin, and Cordeliers club leaders Execution of Hébertistes Abolition of Paris revolutionary army Arrest of Danton, Desmoulins, and leading Indulgents Execution of Dantonists Committce of Public Safety sets up its own police bureau Convention decrees the Cult of the Supreme Being Revolutionary tribunals and military commissions out- side Paris closed down Convention approves Great Book of National Charity Assassination attempt on Robespierre and Collot d’Herbois Arrest of Cécile Renault 1158 June 10 June 15 June 26 June 22-23 July 23 July 26 July 27 uly 29 July 1 August 10 August 24 August Chronology Festival of the Supreme Being Law of 22 Prairial reinforces revolutionary tribunal Vadier reports on the Catherine Théot affair Battle of Fleurus Attempted reconciliation between committees and Robespierre Paris Commune publishes new maximum for Paris Robespierre attacks critics in the Convention Arrest of Maximilien and Augustin Robespierre, Saint- Just, Couthon & Lebas Convention decides to renew a quarter of the personnel of its committees monthly Law of 22 Prairial repealed Reorganisation of the revolutionary tribunal Powers of the Committee of Public Safety reduced Year III (21 September 1794-20 September 1795) 12 November 16 December 24 December 1 April 20-21 May 31 May 22 August 26 October 2 November 1797 4 September 1799 9-10 November Paris Jacobin club closed down Execution of Carrier for noyades in Nantes Abolition of the maximum Parisian rising of 12 germinal Parisian rising of 1-2 prairial Abolition of revolutionary tribunal Constitution of Year II adopted Last session of the Convention Directory takes office Coup d’état of 18 fructidor Coup d’état of 18 brumaire brings Napoleon to power 116