JACOBINS, jaleo-binz, the most famous of the clubs of the first French Revolution. When the States-General assembled at Versailles in 1789 it was formed and called the Club Briton. On the removal of the court and national assem bly to Paris it acquired importance and rapidly increased. It adopted the name of Societe des Amis de la Constitution, but as it met in a hall of the former Jacobin (Dominican) convent in Paris it was called the Jacobin Club. After the fall of the monarchy, in September 1792, it called itself Societe des Jacobins, Amis de la liberte et de l'egalite. It gradually became the controlling power of the Revolution (see FRENCH REVOLUTION) and spread its influence over France, 1,200 branch societies being established before 1791, and obeying orders from the headquarters in Paris. Originally it was not particularly radical, either in its mem bership or in its political views. The former consisted chiefly of professional men of liberal ideas, some few liberal aristocrats like Louis Philippe, duc de Chartres, the duc d'Aiguillon, the prince de Broglie, the vicomte de Noailles, etc. Its large mass was made up of the bour geois. Amongst its best known members were Mirabeau, Robespierre, David, Barnave, Pere Gerard, Abbe Gregoire, the two Lamells, etc. In the provinces the membership was much more democratic. Gradually its political tendencies became more and more radical and its more moderate members either resigned or were expelled, in many instances to form new political clubs, such as the Club of 1789, the Feuillants, etc. In the beginning the sessions of the Ja cobins were secret, but in October 1791 they were thrown open to the public. For a while the Jacobins ruled supreme, and the Convention itself was but their tool. Robespierre (q.v.) was their most influential member ; they ruled through him during the Reign of Terror, and were overthrown after his downfall in 1794. In that year the Convention forbade the affilia, tion of societies; the Jacobin Club was sus pended and its hall was closed. Two or three
attempts were made later, especially in the prov inces, to revive the dub, but they had only passing success. The term Jacobi* is now often used to designate anyone holding extreme revo lutionary views in politics. Numberless pam phlets were then published inreg.ard to the Jacobins, the most noted being 'La jacobinade,' 'Le secret des Jacobins' and 'Les crimes des Jacobins.' There is a very extensive literature on the Jacobins. Its proceedings were published as 'Journal des Amis de la Constitution' (4 vols., Paris 1793-95). The most authoritative work on the Jacobins is Aulard, F. A., 'La Societe des Jacobins' (6 vols., Paris 1889-97), containing a very full bibliography. Consult Barrnel, A. de, 'Memoirs, Illustrating the His tory of Jacobinism> (4 vols., Hartford 1799); Dufay, P., 'Les Societe Populaires et l'Artnee, 1791-94' (Paris 1913) ; Farmer, J. E., (Essays on French History' (New York 1897) • Fri bourg, A., 'Le Club des Jacobins en 1790' (in 'Revolution Francaise,) Vol. LVIII, p. 507 Paris 1910) ; Gros, J., Comite de Salut Pub.: lie' (Paris 1893) ; Kuhhnann, C., 'On the Con.. flict of Parties in the Jacobin Club' (in Uni versity of Nebraska Studies, Vol. V, No. 3, p. 229, Lincoln 1905) ; id., 'The Relation of the Jacobines to the Army, the National Guard, and Lafayette' (ib. Vol. VI, No. 2, p. 153, Lincoln 1906) ; Mallet, G., 'La Politique Financiere des Jacobins )(Paris 1913) ; Mortimer-Ternaux, M., de la Terreur d'apres des Documents Authentiques et Inedits> (8 vols., Paris 1862 81) • Playfair, W., History of Jacobinism, (2 vols., Philadelphia 1796) ; Schmidt, A., 'Tableaux de la Revolution Francaise, etc.' (3 vols., Leipzig 1867-69); Taine, H. A., Jacobin Conquest> .(in French Revolu tion,' translated by J. Durand, New York 1881); Wallon, H., 'Histoire du Tribunal Revolts tionair de Paris' (5 vols., Paris 1880) ; Zink eisen, J. W., 'Der Jakobinerklub) (2 vols., Ber lin 1852-53).