Jean-Baptiste Drouet (revolutionary)
Jean-Baptiste Drouet (1763-1824) was a French politician and revolutionary best known for his role in the arrest of King Louis XVI and his family during their flight to Varennes in June 1791.
Born in Sainte-Menehould, a town in the Champagne region of France, Drouet was the son of the local postmaster. He succeeded his father in this role, a position that would prove pivotal during the Revolution.
As postmaster of Sainte-Menehould, Drouet recognized Louis XVI, disguised as a valet, and his family as they passed through the town en route to Montmédy, a royalist stronghold. Drouet, suspicious of the unusually large and conspicuous entourage, compared the King's face to the image on an assignat (revolutionary paper currency). Convinced of their identity, he immediately rode ahead to Varennes, alerting the local authorities and the National Guard.
Upon arriving in Varennes before the royal party, Drouet helped to barricade the bridge and forced the King's carriage to stop. His actions effectively thwarted the royal family's escape and brought them back to Paris, solidifying the King's position as a virtual prisoner and accelerating the trajectory toward the monarchy's abolition.
Following the arrest of the King, Drouet became a national hero. He was elected as a deputy to the National Convention in 1792, where he became a staunch supporter of the radical Jacobin faction. He voted for the execution of Louis XVI in 1793.
During the Reign of Terror, Drouet served on the Committee of Public Safety and participated in various missions for the revolutionary government. He was later captured by Austrian forces while on a mission in Belgium in 1795 and imprisoned.
Drouet was eventually exchanged for Madame Royale, Louis XVI's daughter, in 1795. Upon his release, he rejoined the political scene but played a less prominent role. He served as a member of the Council of Five Hundred under the Directory.
Under Napoleon Bonaparte, Drouet's revolutionary past was somewhat downplayed. He was appointed sub-prefect of Sainte-Menehould. Drouet participated in Babeuf's Conspiracy of the Equals, a radical socialist plot, and was imprisoned again. He later escaped to the Canary Islands, where he remained until his death in 1824.
Jean-Baptiste Drouet remains a controversial figure in French history. Viewed by some as a patriotic hero who saved the Revolution, he is seen by others as a traitor who contributed to the King's downfall and the subsequent violence of the Terror. His pivotal role in the arrest at Varennes cemented his place as a key player in the French Revolution.