Camille Desmoulins vs Zhang Xianzhong

Desmoulins published 'La France Libre', a radical pamphlet calling for a republic and the overthrow of the monarchy. The pamphlet was widely circulated and established him as a revolutionary journalist.

On July 12, 1789, Desmoulins jumped onto a table at the Palais-Royal and urged the crowd to take up arms against the king's troops. This speech helped spark the storming of the Bastille two days later.

Desmoulins launched 'Le Vieux Cordelier', a newspaper that initially supported the Jacobins but later criticized the excesses of the Reign of Terror. The paper called for clemency and an end to the executions.

Desmoulins was arrested alongside Georges Danton on charges of conspiracy and leniency. He was tried and guillotined on April 5, 1794, becoming a victim of the Terror he had criticized.

Zhang Xianzhong joined a peasant rebellion in Shaanxi province during the late Ming dynasty. He quickly rose to become a major rebel leader, gathering a large army and establishing a base of operations in the region.

Zhang Xianzhong captured the city of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. He then proclaimed the Daxi dynasty and made Chengdu his capital. The capture was accompanied by widespread destruction and massacres of the local population.

Zhang Xianzhong proclaimed the Daxi (Great Western) dynasty in Sichuan. He established a government and minted his own coinage. His rule was characterized by extreme violence, including the systematic killing of scholars, officials, and civilians.

Zhang Xianzhong was killed in battle against Qing forces in Xichong, Sichuan. His death led to the collapse of the Daxi dynasty. The Qing conquest of Sichuan was completed shortly after, but the province had been devastated by years of warfare.