ROBESPIERRE, MAXIMILIEN FRANcOIS MARIE ISIDORE DE (1758-1794), French revolutionist, the son of an advocate, was born at Arras on May 6, 1758. His family, accord ing to tradition, was of Irish descent. Maximilien was one of a family of four orphan children who were left in the care of their relatives, when their father left Arras after the Reformation on account of religion; and his direct ancestors in the male line had been notaries at the little village of Carvin near Arras from the beginning of the 17th century. His grandfather, being more ambitious, established himself at Arras as an advocate; and his father followed the same profession, marrying Jacqueline Mar guerite Carraut, daughter of a brewer in the same city, in 1757. Of this marriage four children were born, two sons and two daughters, of whom Maximilien was the eldest; but in 1767 Madame Derobespierre, as the name was then spelt, died, and the disconsolate widower at once left Arras and wandered about Europe Jintil his death at Munich in 1769. Maximilien was sent to the college of Arras, and the college of Louis-le-Grand at Paris. Here he had for fellow-pupils Camille Desmoulins and Stanislas Freron.
Admitted an advocate in 1781, Robespierre returned to his native city to seek for practice. His reputation had already pre ceded him, and the bishop of Arras, M. de Conzie, appointed him criminal judge in the diocese of Arras in March 1782. This appointment, which he soon resigned, to avoid pronouncing a sentence of death, did not prevent his practising at the bar, and he speedily became a successful advocate. He now turned to literature and society, and came to be esteemed as one of the best writers and most popular dandies of Arras. He was a mem ber of an Arras literary and musical society known as the "Rosati," of which Carnot was a member. The sympathetic quality of his voice won for his verses recited before this society applause not justified by their merits. In 1788 he took part in the discussion as to the way in which the states-general should be elected, showing clearly and forcibly in his Adresse a la nation artesienne that, if the former mode of election by the members of the provincial estates were again adopted, the new states-general would not rep resent the people of France. By the Avis aux habitants de cam pagne (Arras, 1789), which is almost certainly by him, he secured the support of the country electors, and, though but thirty years of age, poor and without influence, he was elected fifth deputy of the tiers etat of Artois to the states-general. This election
opened the way to his public career.