Danton

Georges Jacques Danton (1759-1794) was one of the leading figures of the French Revolution. During the tragic hours of the invasion in August 1792, he embodied the “Fatherland in danger” and strove to unite all the nation’s energies against the enemy. To win, he said, “we need audacity, more audacity, always audacity, and France will be saved.” But, being pragmatic, he began secret negotiations with the allied monarchs in order to negotiate a quick peace.
This controversial figure has long fueled ideological and political debate. For Robespierrean historians, Danton was an unscrupulous, venal politician capable of betraying the Revolution; for Dantonists, he was an ardent democrat, an unwavering patriot, and a generous statesman.
In the tumultuous Paris under the Reign of Terror, Robespierre prevailed over Danton, as he sent him to the guillotine… where he himself would follow a few months later.