THEROIGNE DE MERICOURT, ANNE JOSEPHE a Frenchwoman who was a striking figure in the Revolution, was born at Marcourt (from a corruption of which name she took her usual designation), Luxembourg, on Aug. 13, 1762. She was the daughter of a farmer, Peter Theroigne. She was educated in the convent of Robermont. She was quick witted, handsome, intensely passionate in temper, and had a vigor ous eloquence, which she used with great effect upon the mobs of Paris during,the few years of her life (1789-93) which are of historical interest. She left her home on account of a quarrel with her stepmother. In her career as courtesan she visited Lon don (1782), and Genoa as a singer (1788). In Paris on the out break of the Revolution, she was surrounded by a coterie of well known men, chief of whom were Petion and Desmoulins.
She was again in Paris in Jan. 1792, where she often spoke in the clubs. Even in the National Assembly she would violently inter
rupt the expression of moderatist views. Known as "la belle Liegoise," she wore a riding habit, a plume in her hat, a pistol in her belt and a sword at her side, and excited the mob by violent harangues. Associated with the Girondists and the enemies of Robespierre, she became in fact the "Fury of the Gironde." She commanded in person the III. corps of the so-called army of the faubourgs on June 20, 1792, and shares a heavy responsibility for the riots of Aug. TO. She took no part in the September massacres, contemporain. Trois femmes de la Revolution (1900) ; Vicomte de Reiset, La Vraie Theroigne de Mericourt (1903) ; and the play Theroigne de Mericourt of M. Paul Hervieu, produced at the Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt in 19o2.