who was the leader of the reign of terror and what was its goals?

Answer 1

For all the answers to your multitude of French Revolution questions, see:

http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/History/DF_revolution.shtml

OR

http://www.britannia.com/history/euro/1/2_2.html

Bonne chance, mon ami. That's French too!

Answer 2

Although there were several leaders and factions, Robespierre was the most influential & the one who "designed" the reign of terror. He instigated the systematic & lethal repression of perceived enemies within France, claiming it was to preserve the Republic.

Their goals were to"fight the enemies of the revolution & to prevent counter revolution & deny France's people their civil liberties." La Terreur lasted about 10 months & due to the mass executions, around 40,000 people (not just aristocrats) were guillotined.

Robespierre was also the last "victim" of the reign of terror, when the revolutionaries of France had had enough.

Answer 3

Robespierre. This is when the French basically went nuts and started really chopping heads. It was not safe for any aristocrat in France. It was caused by various competing factions and proves that the assertion of democracy sometimes requires a little force, or as Thomas Jefferson put it, "a little grease on the wheels of democracy."