Oct 4, 2026 · 1 hr 18 min · 21 segments
Why did Robespierre hold a vast, eccentric festival in 1794 when The Reign of Terror was at its most frenzied? What does it reveal about his psychology and belief in the divine? And, did he really…
Tom HollandHost
Dominic SandbrookHost
So Robespierre had announced this deeply eccentric public spectacle, um, a month earlier on the seventh of May, and it was a great festival to which literally everyone was invited.
Um, Robespierre wanted it to be an occasion so civic that basically every citizen could turn up and enjoy the fun, enjoy the stirring oratory.
Um, he had gone to inordinate efforts to make it a success, and he had invested a lot of his political capital in putting it on because, um, there was a fair degree of skepticism around it, it has to be said.
Um, so not only had he had himself elected president of the National Convention, so basically the official government of France, four days before this festival is staged, so that he can play the kind of the constitutionally appointed central role in the whole proceedings.
But he has also very thoughtfully had the guillotine moved from the Place de la Révolution, which is kind of just across the road, so that the, [chuckles] the sound of the blade slicing and the spurting of blood and the cheers of the crowd won't detract from the solemnity of this, um, great event that he's planned.
And Robespierre has, um, one of the great impresarios in all history at his side, and this is the painter Jacques-Louis David, who, uh, we did a bonus about with, um, Laura Cumming.
So he has, um, a massive choir, and when they're all put together, all these various choirs constitute two thousand four hundred voices.
Incredible stage sets, uh, brilliant special effects, um, and some dazzling pyrotechnics.
He's learnt his lesson from, uh, Marat's funeral, which was the last great spectacle that he staged.
So he doesn't have any rotting bodies or severed arms falling off or anything like that.
Uh, but, but even so, even though he doesn't have any, um, pustule-ridden bodies kind of threatening foul smells, he is nervous when the great day dawned, much like a Rest Is History host who is staging a festival at Hampton Court Palace.
So Robespierre had announced this deeply eccentric public spectacle, um, a month earlier on the seventh of May, and it was a great festival to which literally everyone was invited.
Um, Robespierre wanted it to be an occasion so civic that basically every citizen could turn up and enjoy the fun, enjoy the stirring oratory.
Um, he had gone to inordinate efforts to make it a success, and he had invested a lot of his political capital in putting it on because, um, there was a fair degree of skepticism around it, it has to be said.
Um, so not only had he had himself elected president of the National Convention, so basically the official government of France, four days before this festival is staged, so that he can play the kind of the constitutionally appointed central role in the whole proceedings.
But he has also very thoughtfully had the guillotine moved from the Place de la Révolution, which is kind of just across the road, so that the, [chuckles] the sound of the blade slicing and the spurting of blood and the cheers of the crowd won't detract from the solemnity of this, um, great event that he's planned.
And Robespierre has, um, one of the great impresarios in all history at his side, and this is the painter Jacques-Louis David, who, uh, we did a bonus about with, um, Laura Cumming.
So he has, um, a massive choir, and when they're all put together, all these various choirs constitute two thousand four hundred voices.
Incredible stage sets, uh, brilliant special effects, um, and some dazzling pyrotechnics.
He's learnt his lesson from, uh, Marat's funeral, which was the last great spectacle that he staged.
So he doesn't have any rotting bodies or severed arms falling off or anything like that.
Uh, but, but even so, even though he doesn't have any, um, pustule-ridden bodies kind of threatening foul smells, he is nervous when the great day dawned, much like a Rest Is History host who is staging a festival at Hampton Court Palace.
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