Charles-Gilbert Romme

Born into an Auvergne bourgeois family; received instruction in mathematics, but with an eye on his destitute state, began to study medicine in Paris; moved to Russia, working as tutor to a young Graf Stroganov in St. Petersburg (1779-1784); traveled with Stroganov through Europe, returning in 1789 to Paris; founded the Club of the Friends of Law (Club des amis de la loi) in Paris (1790); elected (10 Sep 1791) as a representative of Puy-de-Dôme to the Assemblée nationale (National Assembly) (1791-1792); elected (6 Sep 1792) to the Convention nationale (National Convention) (1792-1795) as a deputy for Puy-de-Dôme; joined the faction of Montagnards; voted for the death sentence at the trial of King Louis XVI; sent on mission as a representative of the Convention to the Army of Cherbourg (from 30 Apr 1793); imprisoned for two months at Caen by federalist supporters of the Girondins; active member of the committee for public education, generally argued for equality of all citizens, including women; presented the project of a new republican calendar adopted by the Convention (decrees of 5 Oct 1793, 24 Oct 1793); served as President of the National Convention (21 Nov 1793 - 6 Dec 1793); charged with supervising the manufacturing of weapons in Dordogne as a representative of the Convention (from 12 Feb 1794); authority extended to the territories of Charente (23 Feb 1794) and Haute-Vienne (7 Jul 1794); did not participate in the coup of 9 Thermidor, Year II (27 Jul 1794); recalled to Paris (decree of 13 Aug 1794); abstained from openly joining the insurrection of 1 Prairial, Year III (20 May 1795); demanded liberation of the arrested Montagnards; was arrested on orders of the Convention and imprisoned at Château du Taureau; brought to Paris (10 Jun 1795) and called before the military commission; sentenced to death, but stabbed himself to death in prison before the execution took place. Biography source: [3]