Final answer:
Maximilien de Robespierre, a leading figure in the French Revolution and leader of the radical Jacobin faction, the Mountain, ordered the execution of Louis XVI in 1793 during the Reign of Terror. Robespierre was overthrown by 1794, bringing an end to the Reign of Terror and leading to the rise of the Directory, and eventually, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Step-by-step explanation:
The execution of Louis XVI, the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution, was ordered by Maximilien de Robespierre. Robespierre was a leading figure in the French Revolution and a key player in the Reign of Terror where he chaired the Committee of Public Safety. He held radical, democratic beliefs and saw the execution of the king as a necessity to further the principles of the revolution.
Dissension and disagreements existed among revolutionaries, particularly between the radical Jacobin faction, the Mountain, and their more moderate counterparts, the Girondins. The Mountain, under Robespierre's leadership, subsequently held sway in the political landscape. Consequently, Louis XVI was tried for treason by the National Convention, found guilty, and executed in January 1793.
However, Robespierre's reign was not to last. His repressive measures and widespread executions led to his eventual downfall. Opposition members overthrew Robespierre by 1794, effectively ending the Reign of Terror and leading to the establishment of the Directory. Yet, despite its attempts to restore stability, the Directory faced numerous challenges, which eventually paved the way for the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.
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