The murder of Jean-Paul Marat on 13 July 1793 remains one of the most dramatic and symbolic events of the French Revolution. A radical journalist and politician, Marat was a fierce advocate for the rights of the lower classes and a fervent supporter of the Reign of Terror, a period of intense political repression during the Revolution. His assassination by Charlotte Corday, a young woman from the provinces, not only shocked revolutionary France but also highlighted the deep divisions that were tearing the country apart. Marat’s death turned him into a martyr for the revolutionary cause, further polarising an already fractured society.
Jean-Paul Marat was born in 1743 in Switzerland but moved to France in the 1770s, where he trained as a doctor and became involved in the intellectual life of Paris. By the time the French Revolution broke out in 1789, Marat had already developed a reputation as a radical thinker and agitator. His work as a journalist, particularly his role as editor of the newspaper L’Ami du Peuple (The Friend of the People), made him one of the most influential voices in the revolutionary movement. Through his writings, Marat called for the overthrow of the monarchy, the execution of aristocrats, and the establishment of a more egalitarian society.
Marat’s uncompromising rhetoric earned him both passionate followers and fierce enemies. His inflammatory language often encouraged violence, and he was a strong proponent of using terror to achieve revolutionary aims. In his newspaper, he frequently named individuals he believed to be counter-revolutionaries, effectively signing their death warrants by inciting the masses to take action against them. His most controversial stance came during the September Massacres of 1792 when revolutionary mobs killed thousands of suspected royalists and prisoners. Marat not only defended these atrocities but also called for more bloodshed, arguing that the revolution could only be secured through the elimination of its enemies.
While Marat became a hero to many in the radical Jacobin faction of the Revolution, others saw him as a dangerous and bloodthirsty figure. His opponents viewed him as responsible for encouraging the excesses of the Reign of Terror and fuelling the violence that had engulfed Paris. Among those who despised Marat was Charlotte Corday, a young woman from Normandy who supported the more moderate Girondin faction of the Revolution. In contrast to the radical Jacobins, the Girondins advocated a more measured reform approach. They sought to limit the power of the mobs that had taken control of the Revolution. As tensions between the Girondins and the Jacobins escalated, many Girondins were arrested and executed under the influence of Marat’s fiery rhetoric.
Corday, deeply affected by the plight of the Girondins and appalled by the violence of the Reign of Terror, became convinced that Marat was responsible for much of the bloodshed. She saw him as a tyrant whose radicalism drove the Revolution towards chaos and feared France would descend into anarchy if he continued to exert his influence. Determined to stop him, Corday resolved to assassinate Marat, believing that his death would restore order to the Revolution and save France from further violence.
On 13 July 1793, Corday travelled to Paris intending to kill Marat. She knew that Marat suffered from a debilitating skin condition that confined him to his home, where he often soaked in a medicinal bath to alleviate his symptoms. Using the pretext that she had information about a Girondin plot, Corday gained entry to Marat’s residence. Marat, always eager for new intelligence, allowed her into his bathroom, where he was sitting in his bath, writing letters.
Once inside, Corday approached Marat and handed him a list of supposed conspirators. As he glanced over the list, Corday pulled a knife from her clothing and plunged it into his chest. The wound was fatal, and Marat died almost instantly, slumping in the tub as blood poured from his body. Corday did not attempt to flee and was immediately arrested.
Marat’s murder sent shockwaves through revolutionary France. To his supporters, he was a martyr who had been killed for his dedication to the people and the revolution. His death was quickly politicised by the Jacobins, who used it to rally support for their cause and justify the continuation of the Reign of Terror. Marat’s image was immortalised in Jacques-Louis David’s famous painting The Death of Marat, which depicted him as a Christ-like figure, dying in service to the revolution. The painting, with its stark portrayal of Marat’s murder, became an iconic image of revolutionary martyrdom and helped solidify Marat’s status as a hero.
In the days following the assassination, Charlotte Corday was brought to trial. During her interrogation and trial, she remained defiant, showing no remorse. She argued that by killing Marat, she had saved France from further bloodshed and tyranny. Despite her claims, she was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by guillotine. On 17 July 1793, Corday was executed, becoming a symbol of resistance to the extremism of the Revolution.
Marat’s death did not have the effect Corday had hoped for. Rather than weakening the Jacobins, it only strengthened their resolve and intensified the Reign of Terror. In the months following his murder, the radical faction consolidated its power, leading to the execution of many Girondin leaders and other perceived enemies of the Revolution. The violence that Corday had hoped to stop only escalated as France descended into political turmoil.
The murder of Jean-Paul Marat remains a powerful symbol of the deep divisions and violent excesses of the French Revolution. His assassination highlighted the extreme ideological conflict that was tearing the country apart, with moderates like Corday seeking to rein in the radicalism of figures like Marat. Yet Marat’s death also showed how powerful the cult of personality had become in revolutionary France, with individuals like Marat being elevated to almost saintly status by their followers. Marat’s legacy is one of both heroism and infamy. To some, he was a champion of the people, unafraid to take extreme measures to secure the Revolution’s goals. To others, he was a dangerous fanatic whose calls for violence contributed to the descent into chaos and terror. His death, like his life, remains a subject of intense debate and reflection on the dangers of political extremism and the fragile line between revolution and anarchy.
