- "We declared the Rights of Man - but what of women!"
- ―Théroigne de Mericourt, 1793.[src]
Anne-Josèphe Théroigne de Méricourt (13 August 1762 – 9 June 1817), born Anne-Josèphe Terwagne, was a Belgian singer, orator and organizer during the French Revolution.
Biography
Revolutionary beginnings
- "We rally to be heard by the King! We do not want violence, we want the King to see how his citizens live!"
- ―Théroigne at the Women's March on Versailles, 1789.[src]
Born in Marcourt in Luxembourg Province, Théroigne initially pursued a career as an opera singer. Following the storming of the Bastille, she became involved in the revolutionary movement, regularly attending the National Assembly and following it when it moved from Versailles to Paris. As well as champion of women's rights, Théroigne fought to keep Paris' underprivileged fed by stealing food from the wealthy.
When hunger and despair pushed market women to march on Versailles on 5 October 1789, Théroigne and one of her allies joined them in their protest. As Théroigne's reputation preceded her, several royalists would attempt to deter her on her way to the Paris City Hall, though the Assassins ensured she could proceed. Cheering on the crowds, she would lead the march all the way to Versailles.
Théroigne left France in 1790, but she ended up arrested by Austrians back home. Following her release, she returned to Paris in 1792 and eagerly re-joined the revolutionary cause, with her imprisonment having only added to her notoriety. As a result, Théroigne was invited to speak at the Jacobin Club.
Disappearing food supplies
- "People are saying the farmers are hoarding food and fixing prices, but it's not them."
- ―Théroigne expressing her suspicions, 1792.[src]
In the summer of 1792, Théroigne uncovered a conspiracy orchestrated by people that intended to sow chaos by starving the Paris' citizens, turning them against each other. Tracing the group's activities for over a month, she was led to Flavigny, a woman that had assumed the guise of a couturiere to carry out her operations. Théroigne presented her findings to the National Assembly, but they did not believe her, forcing the revolutionary to take action herself.
Set on eliminating Flavigny's agents, Théroigne traveled to an address she had determined, but not before leaving a message for the Assassins, of whose presence she was also aware. Entering the building, she ended up being outnumbered, though the Assassin Arno Dorian came to her rescue. Together, they eliminated Flavigny's men and secured the stolen food, following which Théroigne told Arno of Flavigny's location, trusting him to assassinate her.
Jacobin raid
In July 1794, after the death of Maximilien de Robespierre in the Thermidorian Reaction, Theroigne de Mericourt led a rally outside of the Jacobin hideout against the last of the Jacobins. Assisted by Arno Dorian and some other Assassins, she prevented the Jacobins from escaping into the catacombs of Paris, and the last of the Jacobins were killed.
Gallery
Reference