Jacobin more prominent in leading France, the period when war was declared on Austria and Prussia, the monarchy was overthrown and the Republic created. In May 1793, the leaders of the Mountain faction led by Maximilien Robespierre succeeded in sidelining the Girondin faction and controlled the government until July 1794. Their time in government was characterized by high levels of political violence and for this reason the period of the Jacobin/Mountain government is also commonly referred to as the Reign of Terror. In October 1793, 21 prominent Girondins were guillotined. The Mountain-dominated government executed 17,000 opponents nationwide, purportedly to suppress the
In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy the events in sparse detail. The novel focuses primarily on Harry's courage, self-determination, and pluck, and the events of the novel centre on his struggles and daring adventures. Like many of Henty's texts, "In the Reign of Terror" emphasises British nationalism and derides the French nation as weak, frivolous, and lacking in masculine strength and independence. Henty's novels often portray young protagonists who "retain their essential Britishness years after leaving Britain and their families." Harry, as a representative of British culture, is upstanding, courageous, tenacious, and determined in the face of hardship. The novel depicts the French Revolution in highly