Catherine Théot
Catherine Théot (born at Barenton (Normandy), France in 1716; died 1 September 1794) was a French visionary. Catherine believed she was destined to work for God.[1] She gained notoriety when she was accused of being involved in a plot to overthrow the Republic, and the downfall of Maximilien Robespierre was attributed in part to her prophecies.[1]
Life
Théot was born into a peasant family and from a young age suffered from
Theotist sect
Theot taught her followers that "God had permitted 1789" and that revolutionary laws had been made through God's inspiration. Disobedience to the convention, she taught, was disobedience to God. These and similar beliefs were expounded in small gatherings of around fifteen women followers, in a room in a friend's house.[4] Most of the women who followed her were of humble condition, but among them were also associates of the former Duchess of Bourbon, who consulted Catherine Theot for her prophecies and had sponsored the publication of a "Journal prophetique".[2][5]
The
On 9 Thermidor Vadier claimed that a letter was found under Théot's mattress that proclaimed Robespierre to be John the Baptist of the new cult.[1] Although the letter was likely fabricated, it was a way to condemn Robespierre for his connection with Théot and his Cult of the Supreme Being. The accusations lead to the arrest of Théot and some of her disciples.[1]
The case was tried in the Revolutionary Tribunal, and figured in the proceedings of 9th of Thermidor. The accused were ultimately acquitted and set free.[3] Catherine died in prison one month after Robespierre's execution.[1]
References
- ^ JSTOR 25019540.
- ^ ]
- ^ a b c Chisholm 1911.
- ISBN 978-0-520-06719-6.
- ISBN 978-0-674-03019-0.
Attribution:
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Théot, Catherine". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 791. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
Further reading
- G. Lenotre. Robespierre's rise and fall. Translated by Rodolph Stawell. London, Hutchinson. p. 66. Archivedfrom the original on September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2019 – via Internet Archive.
- Catherine Théot (1981). Omphal (in French). OCLC 461640098 – via archive.is.)
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