Thermidorian Reaction
- When
- 1794–1795
- Where
- National Convention, Paris; National Convention; Paris and France; France (decided in Paris); Paris
- Episodes
- 5
The Thermidorian Reaction began with the ousting of Maximilien Robespierre and his allies in the National Convention on 9 Thermidor Year II (27 July 1794), followed by their execution the next day with 21 associates. It ended the Reign of Terror, decentralized executive power, and ultimately gave way to the Directory in November 1795.
Episodes
- Ousting of Robespierre on 9 Thermidor
Conspirators attacked Robespierre and allied deputies in the National Convention on 27 July 1794, leading to their arrest.
- End of the Reign of Terror and Policy Reversal
The Thermidorian Reaction ended the Terror, decentralized executive power, and abandoned radical Jacobin policies for moderation.
- Abolition of the Maximum
On 24 December 1794 the Thermidorian regime abolished the Maximum, the controls on prices and wages.
- White Terror and Reprisals Against the Left
In 1795 the White Terror brought imprisonments and several hundred executions, targeting the political left and former Jacobins.
- Constitution of Year III and the Directory
The Constitution of the Year III was adopted on 22 August 1795, and the Convention dissolved itself, replaced by the Directory on 2 November 1795.
Background and detail
Background. By mid-1794 Robespierre had dominated the Committee of Public Safety, and conspiracies against him converged in the National Convention. On 9 Thermidor Year II (27 July 1794), according to the French Republican calendar, Robespierre and other radical revolutionaries came under concerted attack by fellow deputies.
Aftermath and Consequences. The reaction ended the Reign of Terror and shifted policy away from radical Jacobinism toward moderation. The Thermidorian regime proved unpopular, facing rebellions, prison massacres, and the White Terror of 1795, before the Constitution of the Year III and the Directory's inauguration on 2 November 1795.
People involved
- Maximilien Robespierre · Ousted revolutionary leader, dominant figure on the Committee of Public Safety
- Georges Couthon · Associate of Robespierre, executed alongside him
- François Hanriot · Ex-commander of the Parisian National Guard, executed with Robespierre
- Jean-Baptiste Fleuriot-Lescot · Mayor of Paris, executed with Robespierre
- René-François Dumas · Ex-president of the Revolutionary Tribunal, executed with Robespierre
Sources
- Thermidorian Reaction Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-11
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.