Terror! Robespierre and the French Revolution

The watchwords of the French Revolution were liberty, equality and fraternity. Maximilien Robespierre believed in them passionately. He was an idealist and a lover of humanity. But during the 365 days that Robespierre sat on the Committee of Public Safety, the French Republic descended into a bloodbath.

‘The Terror’ only came to end when Robespierre himself was devoured by the repressive machinery he’d created. This drama-documentary tells the story of the Terror and looks at how Robespierre’s revolutionary idealism so quickly became an excuse for tyranny, and why a lover of liberty was so keen to use the guillotine.

Simon Schama and Slavoj Zizek are among the contributors.

If you are in the UK, this programme can be viewed until next Saturday here.

Here’s the version that aired on U.S. History Channel:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9