About
Camille Desmoulins (1760-1794) was a French lawyer, journalist and politician, a major figure of the French Revolution. Born in Guise, he came to prominence on 12 July 1789 by calling the people of Paris to arms, an event that preceded the storming of the Bastille. A prolific pamphleteer, he published 'La France libre' and founded the journal 'Les Révolutions de France et de Brabant'. As a deputy for Paris in the National Convention, he voted for the death of Louis XVI. A close ally of Danton, he criticized the Terror in 'Le Vieux Cordelier', which led to his arrest and execution in April 1794.
* 1760-03-02 — † 1794-04-05
Major works
- La France libre (1789)pamphlet
- Discours de la lanterne aux Parisiens (1789)pamphlet
- Les Révolutions de France et de Brabant (1789-1791)journal
- Le Vieux Cordelier (1793-1794)journal
Key milestones
- 1789On 12 July, he called to arms at the Palais-Royal, contributing to the storming of the Bastille.
- 1792Elected deputy for Paris to the National Convention.
- 1794Arrested with Danton, he was guillotined on 5 April.
Themes
Press freedomRepublicRevolutionTerrorClemency
Sources: britannica.com · id.loc.gov · oxfordreference.com