When did the Jacobin Club form and what was its original name?
The group formed in May 1789 as the Club Breton within the Palace of Versailles. It changed its name to Société des amis de la Constitution in late January 1790.
Questions about Jacobins
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many members did the Jacobins have at their peak and when did they close permanently?
Membership reached half a million people at its peak before declining to six hundred after the fall of Robespierre. The National Convention passed a decree on the 12th of November 1794 that permanently closed the Jacobin Club.
Who were the main leaders of the Montagnards during the Reign of Terror?
Maximilien Robespierre led the faction known as The Mountain or Montagne alongside allies like Saint-Just and Couthon. These figures gained power by June 1793 and controlled the Committee of Public Safety.
What happened to Girondin deputies who opposed the Jacobins in October 1793?
Twenty-one former Girondin Convention deputies received death sentences for supporting an insurrection in Caen. They were executed following the establishment of the Committee of Public Safety on the 6th of April 1793.
Why was the Jacobin Club dissolved and what followed immediately after?
The club closed because Louis Legendre led troops to arrest leading members on the 28th of July 1794, triggering the Thermidorian Reaction. Organized gangs called jeunesse doree harassed members while the government padlocked the hall at four o'clock in the morning.