When and why was Georges Danton arrested?

Georges Danton, a prominent leader of the French Revolution, was arrested during the night of March 29–30, 1794.1

His arrest was the result of his emergence as the leader of a moderate political opposition that challenged the Reign of Terror and the policies of the Committee of Public Safety. By early 1794, Danton and his allies—including the journalist Camille Desmoulins—had become increasingly critical of the government's system of terror and its overall revolutionary direction.1

The government, led by Maximilien Robespierre, viewed this moderate faction as a threat that could not be allowed to undermine its authority. After the government successfully eliminated the ultraleft faction led by Jacques Hébert in March 1794, it turned its focus to the moderate opposition on the right. Despite warnings of the danger he faced, Danton remained defiant until he and his friends were ultimately taken into custody. Following his arrest, Danton was tried before the Revolutionary tribunal and guillotined on April 5, 1794.12