Rabble Rouster

The squared jawed fellow above is one Georges Danton, born this day 1759 in Arcis-sur-Aube, France. He was born in to a respectable, but not well to do family, and received a good education, he moved to Paris to begin his career advocate. However, history sometimes has a way of changing one's destiny. Danton just happened to be living in Paris when the world was about to turn upside down. He managed to be involved in the storming of the Bastille, was selected as a local commander of the National Guard, and got himself elected as an administrator of Paris. The various rises and falls of revolutionary France swept Danton along as well. He voted for the death of King Louis XVI, and was quoted as saying after the execution had been carried out, "The kings of Europe would dare challenge us? We throw them the head of a king." Strong rabble rousting there, and he soon became a hero to various parts of the Paris mob. He rose to the heights of the various "governments" that rose and fall during the early years of the revolution, and became famous for his oratory. He was arrested on March 30th, 1794, given a "show" trial, and executed on April 5th. Thus, the fate of a lot of rabble rousters, swept up into a maelstrom of violence that he eventually became unable to control, and eventually became a victim of, his last words were to his executioner saying "Don't forget to show my head to the people. It's well worth seeing." At least he when to his doom with a sense of panache. So, for making some speeches that would move even the most staid of men, and to arouse the passions of the most numb members of society, Georges Danton (October 26th, 1759- April 5th, 1794, at the age of 34), you are my hero of the day.