Description
By John S. C. Abbott. Enter the turbulent world of revolution, political idealism, and personal courage in this compelling biography of one of the most remarkable women of the French Revolution.
In History of Madame Roland, historian John S. C. Abbott recounts the dramatic life of Madame Roland, one of the leading intellectual and political personalities of Revolutionary France. Celebrated for her intelligence, eloquence, and influence within the Girondin movement, Madame Roland became both a symbol of republican idealism and one of the Revolution’s most tragic victims.
Abbott vividly recreates the political chaos and social upheaval of late eighteenth-century France, tracing Madame Roland’s rise from educated young woman to influential political thinker and hostess whose salon became a gathering place for revolutionary leaders. Readers are drawn into the fierce struggles between rival factions, the collapse of the monarchy, the growing violence of the Revolution, and the deadly atmosphere of suspicion and terror that eventually consumed many of its own supporters.
Written in Abbott’s engaging and accessible narrative style, the book combines biography, political history, and personal drama to bring one of the defining eras of modern history vividly to life. Madame Roland emerges not merely as a historical figure, but as a courageous and principled woman caught in the immense forces of revolution, ambition, and ideological conflict.
More than a biography, History of Madame Roland is a vivid portrait of Revolutionary France itself—a world of soaring hopes, political passion, and tragic consequences.
In November 1793, Madame Roland suffered the fate of so many other innocent people of the time, and was beheaded in public on the Place de la Révolution, uttering the famous remark for which she is remembered: O Liberté, que de crimes on commet en ton nom! (Oh Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name!)
This carefully restored reprint revives a classic work of historical literature for modern readers. Ideal for students, lovers of French history, and readers fascinated by revolutionary politics and remarkable historical women, it remains a captivating account of one of the French Revolution’s most memorable figures.
About the author: John S. C. Abbott (1805–1877) was an American historian, pastor, and prolific writer best known for his popular biographies and historical works written for general audiences and younger readers. He authored numerous widely read studies of famous historical figures and events, combining accessible storytelling with vivid historical narrative that introduced generations of readers to world history.
Contents
Chapter I: Childhood
Chapter II: Youth
Chapter III: Maidenhood
Chapter IV: Marriage
Chapter V: The National Assembly
Chapter VI: The Ministry of M. Roland
Chapter VII: Madame Roland and the Jacobins
Chapter VIII: Last Struggles of the Girondists
Chapter IX: Arrest of Madame Roland
Chapter X: Fate of the Girondists
Chapter XI: Prison Life
Chapter XII: Trial and Execution of Madame Roland
