Moïse-Antoine-Pierre-Jean Bayle

Originated from a Protestant family immigrated to Switzerland; moved to Marseille, where practised law; served as procureur général-syndic of the département of Bouches-du-Rhône (1791); elected to the Convention nationale (National Convention) (1792-1795) as a deputy for the département of Bouches-du-Rhône; was one of the most fanatic revolutionaries; served on the committees for commerce and legislation; voted for the death sentence in the trial of Louis XVI, demanding that the king be executed within 24 hours; as a representative of the Convention (9 Mar 1793 - 30 Apr 1793), sent to the départements Drôme and Bouches-du-Rhône to oversee the levy of 300,000 soldiers; recalled because of a conflict with the local political establishment (mostly Girondin); prolonged debate in the Convention ended with his total vindication (31 May 1793); appointed a member of the Comité de sûreté générale (Committee of General Security) (14 Sep 1793 - 1 Sep 1794), which became his center of power; served as President of the National Convention (22 Oct 1793 - 6 Nov 1793); although a zealous supporter of the Terror, he made an enemy of Maximilien Robespierriste, which shielded him during the Thermidor reaction; continued to defend the Terror; was implicated in the revolt of 1 Prairial, Year III (20 May 1795) and was indicted, but managed to elude imprisonment until amnestied (26 Oct 1795); made an enemy of Paul Barras, who apparently kept him from employment, except for a brief subordinate position in the ministry of police; proscribed after the attempt of assassination of Napoléon Bonaparte (24 Dec 1800), he went into exile in Switzerland, returning in 1803; died in obscurity. Biography source: [6][7]