Despite his leadership in the early days of the French Revolution and his dedicated Republicanism thereafter, Danton was branded as "indulgent" of the monarchy and sentenced to death by the fanatic Robespierre.
Brought before the Revolutionary tribunal, he was condemned to death. Nonetheless, Danton remained calm throughout: "Be sure you show my head to the mob," he instructed the executioner as he placed his head in the guillotine. "It will be a long time before they see its like."

["My address will soon be 'Annihilation,'" Danton had told the revolutionary tribunal. "As for my name, you will find it in the pantheon of history."]

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