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François Hanriot

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François Hanriot was a famous leader during the French Revolution.

François Hanriot
François Hanriot

He was born in Nanterre, which is now a suburb of Paris. His parents worked as gardeners for a former official in France. Hanriot did not have just one job in his life. He worked as a secretary and also as a tax clerk. He lost his job at the Paris octroi in 1789. This happened after angry people tried to burn a building. He was even sent to prison for a short time. Later, he held many different jobs like a shopkeeper or a peddler.

In 1792, Hanriot became a well-known speaker for the sans-culottes. These were people living in the poorest parts of Paris. He was very against the wealthy aristocracy. On September 2, 1792, he became a captain in the National Guard.

La chute des Girondins
La chute des Girondins

He was a man who believed in taking strong action. He often spoke with a very bold attitude. This helped him gain many loyal followers in his district. He eventually rose to become a very important commander.

In the spring of 1793, there was much tension in Paris. The radical groups were angry with a group called the Girondins. Hanriot played a huge part in changing who was in power.

The elimination of Girondins
The elimination of Girondins

On May 30, he was named the leader of the Parisian National Guard. He ordered his troops to march toward the Palais National. He even ordered a cannon to fire on the Pont-Neuf. This was done to signal an alarm to the city. His goal was to force the government to make arrests.

On June 2, 1793, a massive group of men surrounded the Convention. Some say there were 30,000 men, while others say 80,000.

La chute des Girondins
La chute des Girondins

Hanriot used 63 pieces of artillery to surround the building. His troops carried pikes and many other weapons. The armed citizens entered the building and disrupted the meeting. Because of this pressure, 22 Girondist deputies were arrested. Some people even called Hanriot the "Savior of the Fatherland" for this event. By September, he was the General of 130,000 National Guard members.

Later, the political situation in France changed again. Hanriot stayed loyal to the leader Maximilien Robespierre. In July 1794, a group organized a plan to overthrow Robespierre.

La nuit du 9 au 10 thermidor an II
La nuit du 9 au 10 thermidor an II

Hanriot tried to help release Robespierre from being arrested. He did not succeed in his attempt. He was arrested and executed the very next day. He died alongside Robespierre and other leaders like Saint-Just. This event helped end a very intense period in French history.

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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:François Hanriot.jpeg
François Hanriot.jpeg
File:La chute des Girondins.jpg
La chute des Girondins.jpg
File:The elimination of Girondins.jpg
The elimination of Girondins.jpg
File:La nuit du 9 au 10 thermidor an II.jpg
La nuit du 9 au 10 thermidor an II.jpg
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