The Age of Madness

Youngest Person Condemned to Death in the French Revolution

So far, according to this source, René Bertraud was. The index of the ‘Tribunal of Nantes’ found in Louis M. Prudhomme’s dictionary Volume ll. René was recorded as 14 years old. The index also states he was from Chapelle-Bassemer (Loire-Inférieure, now Loire-Atlantique),

But Is that really true? How can we find out if this index information is accurate?

In order to confirm René’s age at time of death, we must have official church records to prove his birth date, and a burial record to confirm his date of death. With the information gleaned from the index, we can find his baptismal record (if he was truly from there) and compare it with the date on the burial record to confirm.

René-Pierre Bertaud

Baptized: 30 Mars 1780

Father’s Name: René Bertaud

Profession: marchand tonnellier

Mother’s Name: Renée Pauline Boutems

Godparents: Pierre Goguet and Perrine Bertaud

René Bertaud was shot to death on the orders of that despicable Jean-Baptiste Carrier who committed atrocities against those he deemed enemies. (Carrier was eventually executed for those hideous crimes).

Catholic World provides a brief commentary on the book “Correspondence of Jean-Baptiste Carrier during his mission in Brittany (a region in France) 1793-1794″ collected, translated and annotated by E.H. Carrier. Could those 4 children executed be the teens I’ve listed below

René Bertaud’s, burial record can be found in the parish of Notre-Dame in Chapelle-Bassemer. It documents his burial date on 19 Dec 1793, two days after his execution on 17 Dec 1793. . The burial record also gives us additional information as his parent’s names René Bertaud and Appoline Boutems, and of his occupation as soldat de l’armée Catholique.

So, at this time, with the date of birth in his baptism record, and the date of death on his burial record. , I think we can confidently say René Bertraud was the youngest recorded person executed in the French Revolution at the age of 13 ans

Look at the other young teenagers executed in Nantes. They were all executed on the same day. Look for their baptism and death/burial records to confirm the age and all other vital information.

René BertaudTribunal of Nantes Index:
René Bertaud, age 14
lives in Chapelle-Bassemer,
executed 27 frimaire an 2 (17 Dec 1793)		Baptismal Record:
René-Pierre Bertaud
baptized: 30 Mars 1780,
born in Chapelle-Bassemer		Real Age at death:
13 years old
Julien PeignéTribunal of Nantes index:
Julien Peigné, age 14
lives in Chapelle-Bassemer,
executed: 27 frimaire an 2 (17 Dec 1793)		Baptismal Record:
Julien Peigné
baptized: 10 Jul 1779,
born in Chapelle-Bassemer		Real Age at Death:
14 years old
Louis Jacques GuillocheauTribunal of Nantes index:
Louis Guillocheau, age 13,
lives in Chapelle-Bassemer
executed 27 frimaire an 2 (17 Dec 1793)		Baptismal Record:
Louis Jacques Guillocheau,
baptized: 21 Feb 1778,
born in Chapelle-Bassemer		Real Age at death:
15 years old
René CharonTribunal of Nantes Index:
René Charou age 13 (or 15),
lives in Chapelle-Bassemer,
executed 27 frimaire an 2 (17 Dec 1793)		Baptismal Record:
René Charon
baptized: 16 May 1778,
born in Chapelle-Bassemer		Real Age at death:
15 years old

Youngest person arrested and condemned recorded in Louis M. Prud’homme’s ‘dictionary’ volume 2, page #376. This youth was condemned but not to death. His age cannot be confirmed because early vital documents of Paris were destroyed in a fire.

  • Name: A. F. Saint-Marie
  • Age: 14 years old
  • Born in: Paris
  • Condemned to: Twenty years in prison plus 6 hours of ‘public display’

Lesson here? Always use multiple sources to confirm information if all possible

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