On 9 Thermidor Year II (27 July 1794), Robespierre and his closest allies made themselves vulnerable to defeat when they allowed the arrest of their most prominent supporter, Georges Couthon. This move shocked and angered many members of the National Convention, who feared that they might be next.
The following day, a group of conspirators led by Jean-Lambert Tallien and Paul Barras turned the Convention against Robespierre and his allies. After a stormy debate, Robespierre and twenty-one of his supporters were voted to be arrested.
Robespierre attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the jaw, but survived; he and his companions were executed by guillotine the next day. The Thermidorian Reaction marked the turning point of the French Revolution: power eventually shifted back to more moderate elements, most notably the Thermidorians as a collective; Robespierre died, leading to an end to The period often known as 'The Terror', and eventually led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.