Claire Lacombe

Claire Lacombe  was born in 1765 in the provincial town of Pamiers in southwestern France. In her life pre Revolution she was an actress who toured France including visiting castles and country houses.

She appeared during the French Revolution at the attack on the Tuileries Palace fighting with the rebels when they stormed the royal residence.  It was here that she was injured but continued to fight on and was henceforth known as the “Heroine of August Tenth.”

From this point she became more involved in Revolutionary life being a frequent attendee at the Cordeliers Club.  She was also a founded member of the Society of Revolutionary Republican Women with Pauline Léon.  It was a group which consisted mainly of sans-culottes.  They often acted as a militant force attacking anti revolutionaries.

Their tactics were not welcomed by some in the National Convention and they were banned alongside all women’s organisation in October 1793.  In April 1794  she was arrested and placed in prison until August 1795.  From here she faded into historical obscurity.