The Reign of Terror, a brutal phase of the French Revolution, came to an abrupt end with the downfall of its masterminds, Maximilien Robespierre and Louis Antoine de Saint-Just. The once-feared leaders, who had sent thousands to their deaths, were arrested, put on trial, and guillotined in the same Place de la Révolution where they had sent so many others to their demise. The Committee of Public Safety, which they had dominated, turned against them, and their own paranoia and ruthless tactics were used against them. In a stunning reversal of fortunes, the architects of the Terror were silenced, marking a significant shift in the French Revolution and paving the way for a new era in French politics.