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Why did Maximilien Robespierre lose support within the Committee of Public Safety?

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Eighteenth-century painted portrait of Maximilien de Robespierre wearing a brown striped coat, high collar, and white cravat, set against a plain background. — Maximilien Robespierre One of the leading figures of the French Revolution, Maximilien Robespierre.

Maximilien Robespierre’s loss of support within the Committee of Public Safety and the broader revolutionary government stemmed from a combination of political friction, personal exhaustion, and the escalating intensity of the Reign of Terror.

Key factors contributing to his isolation included:

Institutional Conflict: Robespierre’s influence was challenged by the Committee of General Security, which resented the authority of the General Police Bureau he directed alongside Georges Couthon and Louis de Saint-Just. Additionally, he faced opposition from représentants en mission whom he had threatened and from finance minister Joseph Cambon.
Political Alienation: Following the passage of the law of 22 Prairial, which reorganized the Revolutionary Tribunal, opposition grew. Robespierre became increasingly irritable and distant due to overwork and slanders accusing him of dictatorship. He eventually withdrew from the Committee of Public Safety, confining his activities to the Jacobin Club.
Public and Political Weariness: By the summer of 1794, France was exhausted by the mounting executions. Robespierre’s attempt to reassert control through a final speech to the National Convention failed, leading to his indictment and the Thermidorian Reaction.12