The National Convention met on September 21, 1792, and
    promptly declared France a republic. The trial of the king
    before the Convention soon followed, on charges of treason to
    the nation. Louis was convicted, by a very narrow majority, and
    condemned to death. On January 21, 1793 Louis XVI met his
    death courageously by the new humane method of execution -
    the guillotine.

    The Committee of Public Safety

    The execution of the king outraged the royalty of most of Europe. War broke out between France and Britain in February. The British began organizing those countries that were already enemies of France - Austria, Prussia, the Dutch Republic, Spain, Portugal, and Sardinia - who with Britain comprised the "First Coalition." To meet this crisis, the National Convention gave broad powers to a committee of twelve known as the Committee of Public Safety. It's leading members included Georges Danton, Jean Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre. They were
determined to protect the Revolution against its enemies.

    Citizen-Soldiers Repel Foreign Invaders

    To protect the Republic from its foreign enemies, the Committee of Public Safety subjected all Frenchmen to compulsory military service, called the draft, or conscription. In less than a year, the nation raised the largest army
ever seen in Europe. Inspired by French revolutionary ideas, the citizen-soldiers of France pushed the invading
forces back across the Rhine.
 

     The Reign of Terror

To protect the Republic from domestic enemies, the Committee of Public Safety set in motion the "Reign of Terror." The Committee arrested all
persons suspected of treason and sentenced between 20,000 and 40,000 to death by guillotine. The former queen, Marie Antoinette, was one victim. Many nobles and clergy also went to the guillotine. However, many victims
were commoners, including peasants, laborers, shopkeepers, and merchants. This Reign of Terror brutally crushed all domestic opposition.

Marie Antoinette, Queen of France. A good souce of information on the famous wife of Louis XVI who was executed during the Terror.