From the June of 1793 to July 1794,
Saw the Reign of Terror in France, a bloody ‘social war”.
They invented the ‘national razor’, the dreaded guillotine,
To dispose of all they hated, not least the king and queen.*
All the executions took place in what is La Place de la Concorde,
And endless mass beheadings was the greedy crowds reward.
Finally, in 1794 they killed the man who perpetrated this fear,
The “Incorruptible” Maximilien de Robespierre.
I hate to tell you but this method of decapitation,
Was used till 1981, when abolished by the French nation
*King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette
Caro Field Author 
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The French Revolution (“Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga)URL
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A very french invention, right? Guillotin put it back in fashion. It has to be said that he was mortified that the “national razor”, as you say, was given his name. And it stuck.
A very French invention and highly efficient!
So surprised by the last line. Really? REALLLY? wow.
Me too! Was surprised when I did the research!
Had no idea that was done that late!
Nor me! Was surprised when I did the research!
I forgot at first, now I know where the Aztec got the idea, or was it the other way round. Shows what I know, I thought Marie Antoinette got it in the Tower of London. When I was a wee lad there was a song, part of which was “She walks the bloody tower, at the midnight hour, with her head tucked underneath her art” I always thought that was about Maria Antoinette, but I have been to the tower, and you can’t get all that big of a crowd in there.
They topped her pretty smartish!