Vive la révolution — Where is our Camille Desmoulins?

Born in 02 March 1760 and destined to be the spark that would set Imperial France and Europe ablaze. Coming from a fairly unexceptional background Desmoulins nevertheless obtained a scholarship at fourteen to enter the Collège Louis-le-Grand in Paris where he proved to be an exceptional student. His contemporaries Maximilien Robespierre and Louis-Marie Stanislas Fréron, both of course played their significant parts in the coming revolution but it was to be the former with whom Desmoulins formed a lifelong friendship. A friendship that, in the end would always be subordinate to Robespierre’s ideals and zealotry. While here he studied the Classics and Politics, showing a particular affinity with Cicero, Livy and Tacitus, (whose writings on Tiberius’ reign of terror would be the inspiration for his own famous account of his friend Robespierre’s 'reign of terror' and be responsible for his own eventual downfall.)

On leaving full time education he pursued a career in the law which was hampered somewhat by his stammer and uncontrollable temper. Thus finding no outlet in law for his considerable talents he turned his skills to writing and became a successful political journalist. It was around this time that he became acquainted with the famous Comte de Mirabeau, a powerful political figure who hired Desmoulins to write for his popular newspaper, thus enhancing his reputation as a political journalist greatly.

Life for Desmoulins continued in this uneventful way (in comparison to what was to come)…