Final answer:
Robespierre was a key figure in the French Revolution, leading during the Reign of Terror where he enforced radical measures, ultimately resulting in his execution and the fall of the Jacobin government.
Step-by-step explanation:
Maximilien Robespierre played a pivotal role during the French Revolution, especially during the infamous Reign of Terror. A lawyer by profession, Robespierre led the provisional government of France through the Committee of Public Safety. He endorsed revolutionary principles such as equality and liberty but embraced radical measures to suppress opposition, leading to a dictatorship-like regime. During his leadership, thousands were executed, including notable figures like Marie Antoinette and Georges Danton. The excesses of the Reign of Terror resulted in Robespierre's eventual downfall and execution, marking the end of this bloody chapter in French history and leading to the rise of the Directory and later Napoleon Bonaparte.