Here are the key events that led to the end of the Reign of Terror:
1. Growing Discontent: As the Reign of Terror intensified, public opinion began to turn against Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety. The excessive use of violence, arbitrary arrests, and mass executions led to widespread fear and resentment among the French population.
2. Internal Struggles: Within the National Convention, there was growing dissatisfaction with Robespierre's dominance and his increasingly dictatorial tendencies. Many moderate members of the Convention, known as the Thermidorians, felt threatened by Robespierre's power and saw him as a danger to the Revolution.
3. Formation of the Thermidorian Coalition: A coalition of political groups, including the Thermidorians, the Plain (the center group in the Convention), and some former Jacobins, came together to oppose Robespierre. They realized that the only way to end the Reign of Terror and restore stability to France was to remove Robespierre from power.
4. Robespierre's Speech: On 8 Thermidor (26 July 1794), Robespierre delivered a passionate speech in the National Convention, denouncing his critics and calling for continued vigilance against enemies of the Revolution. However, his speech was met with hostility from many members of the Convention, who saw it as a sign of his arrogance and desire for personal power.
5. The Coup: On 9 Thermidor (27 July 1794), the Thermidorians launched a coup d'état against Robespierre. They succeeded in arresting Robespierre and his closest supporters and brought them before the Convention. Robespierre and his associates were declared outlaws and sent to the guillotine without trial.
The execution of Robespierre and the end of the Reign of Terror marked a turning point in the French Revolution. It ushered in a period known as the Thermidorian Reaction, during which the radical policies and excesses of the previous years were moderated, and a more stable government was established.