PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS

Abstract

Some of the following classifications are somewhat schematic. There were overlaps: for instance, Marie-Antoinette's social group, the Polignacs, were also the king's political supporters often in opposition to the queen. I have placed Robespierre among the republicans but as late as 1791 he thought the declaration of republic would be aristocratic. Lafayette and the Girondins were doctrinaire republicans but when it came to the crunch tried to save the monarchy -ineffectively, because their heart wasn't in it.