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Primary sourceDocumentMarch 1794

Arrest Warrant Against Danton and His Friends

Committee of Public Safety · March 1794

The handwritten warrant issued by the Committee of Public Safety in March 1794 ordering the arrest of Danton and his associates.

This warrant ordered Danton's arrest, leading directly to his trial and execution.

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Black and white scan of a handwritten French document with a block of cursive text at the top and many signatures below, including Billaud-Varenne, Carnot, Collot d'Herbois, Robespierre and others. An oval stamp reads Archives nationales. Some signatures are large and looping.
Arrest warrant against Danton and his friends, issued by the Committee of Public Safety, March 1794. Archives nationales, Paris.

About this source

What it is

This is the arrest warrant issued by the Committee of Public Safety in March 1794 against Danton and his friends. It is a handwritten document bearing the signatures of committee members including Billaud-Varenne, Carnot, Collot d'Herbois, and Robespierre. It is held today at the Archives nationales in Paris.

Why it matters

This document marks the turning point that sent Danton to the guillotine. It shows how the same revolutionary government Danton had helped build turned against him, with former allies like Robespierre signing the order. It reveals how quickly power could shift during the Terror, even against its own founders.

Look closer

  • Why might several people need to sign an arrest warrant rather than just one?
  • What does it suggest that Robespierre, once Danton's ally, signed this document?
  • What questions does this document leave unanswered about why Danton was arrested?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Georges Danton on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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