707. The Terror: An Assassination in Paris (Part 1)
Summary
This episode explores the origins of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, focusing on Jean-Paul Marat, a radical journalist whose populist rhetoric fueled a climate of paranoia. The discussion covers Marat's controversial life, his assassination by Charlotte Corday, and how his murder triggered the rise of the Committee of Public Safety. Hosts also examine the political fractures between the Girondins and Montagnards, exacerbated by economic collapse, the Vendée uprising, and military defeats, which collectively pushed France toward extreme state violence.
Topics discussed
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The assassination of Marat and the guillotine
Marat's background and influence from John Wilkes
Marat's pseudoscience and rejection by academia
Marat's violent rhetoric and 'waking' the public
Marat's personal life and marriage to Simone Evrard
The September Massacres and the National Convention
Factions: Girondins vs. Montagnards
Vergniaud's prophecy and the toxic political climate
War with Britain and the Dutch Republic
The War in the Vendee: landscape and uprising
Dumouriez's defection and the military crisis
Danton's call for extreme measures and the Committee of Public Safety
Revolutionary tribunals and surveillance committees
Marat's trial and acquittal
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The June 2nd coup and the fall of the Girondins
Marat's health and the Lyon rebellion
Charlotte Corday's motivations and journey to Paris
Corday's preparation and arrival in Paris
The assassination of Marat in his bath
Corday's arrest, trial, and execution
David's painting and the cult of Marat's relics
The conspiracy mindset and Danton's removal
Outro and subscription call to action
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