Louis Michel Rieul Billon was born on September 7, 1750, in Senlis, in the Oise region of France. A skilled craftsman by trade, he became known locally as “the watchmaker Billon.” Billon also served as a member of the company of the Knights of the Arquebus, an armed civilian militia that existed prior to the formal creation of the National Guard during the French Revolution. Historical accounts suggest he was later excluded from that company, reportedly due to “wear and tear,” though the precise reasons remain unclear.

By 1789, France was in the early stages of revolutionary upheaval. Old social orders were being challenged, and new military and civic formations were emerging. Billon’s personal frustrations whether social, political, or related to his exclusion from the militia appear to have contributed to his violent actions later that year.

No detailed records exist about Billon’s family life, education, or political affiliations prior to the attack. What is known is rooted in the dramatic events he set in motion during the tumultuous final months of 1789.

In 1789, during the early phases of the French Revolution, Louis Michel Rieul Billon carried out what would later be called the Senlis massacre, a violent attack against members of the newly‑forming military forces in his hometown of Senlis.

The incident occurred during a flag blessing parade attended by members of the National Guard and local citizens. As Billon opened fire on the assembled Guard members, he shot and killed the commanding officer along with other targets. This assault resulted in the deaths of 26 people, most of whom were military personnel unaffiliated with any direct cause against Billon.

Following the shooting, the situation escalated further when authorities attempted to arrest him. During the confrontation, Billon’s house was deliberately detonated reportedly by explosion as part of the arrest effort. The blast caused numerous additional casualties and contributed to Billon’s own death. Local reactions to the explosion and subsequent lynching of Billon were described as chaotic, with survivors recalling “confused screams” and widespread terror among witnesses.

Contemporary commentary by scholars such as Marc Sageman later described the Senlis explosion as a significant early example of extreme political violence. Its characteristics a sudden ambush, the use of explosives, indiscriminate killing of military personnel, terror among bystanders, and shock among authorities have been compared with later political attacks in subsequent centuries.

Billon’s death on December 13, 1789, brought an end to the immediate threat but left a legacy of brutality at a time when France was already engulfed in deep social and political upheaval.