The Girondins were a loose group of Republican politicians, who played a major role in the Legislative Assembly from October 1791 to September 1792 during the French Revolution. They included lawyers, intellectuals and journalists. Later, the Girondins attracted businessmen, merchants, industrialists and even financiers.
The group was formed by Jacques-Pierre Brissot. He was a Republican lawyer and an influential speaker. The Girondins reached the height of their power and popularity in 1792. They first showed a powerful presence in the court, supporting an aggressive foreign policy. They also supported the war against Austria, arguing that it would rally patriots around the Revolution.
The Girondins did not participate in the storming of the Tuileries Palace, the French royal residence. This in a way marked the beginning of their decline. More radical groups like the Paris Commune, the Parisian working class, and the Jacobins came into being and the Girondins slowly faded away.
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