As an expert in the field of historical legal practices, particularly the history of capital punishment, I can provide a detailed account of the use of the guillotine as a method of execution.

The guillotine, known in French as "la guillotine," was a device used for beheading as a form of capital punishment. It was named after Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, a French physician who proposed its use as a humane method of execution in 1789. The guillotine was first used officially on April 25, 1792, to execute highwayman Nicolas Jacques Pelletier de la Chapelle.

The guillotine became a symbol of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, where it was used to execute thousands of people, including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. It continued to be used in France for over a century and a half after the revolution.

The last execution by guillotine in France took place on September 10, 1977. The individual executed was Hamida Djandoubi, a Tunisian immigrant who was convicted of the torture and murder of a young girl named Elisabeth Bousquet. Djandoubi's execution marked the end of an era, as it was the last time the guillotine was used in France.

However, it is important to note that the guillotine's official reign as a legal method of execution in France did not end with Djandoubi's execution. Capital punishment was not formally abolished in France until September 1981, when the National Assembly voted to abolish it. This vote effectively ended the use of the guillotine for executions.

The guillotine's history is a complex one, intertwined with the political and social changes of France over the centuries. Its use as a method of execution was controversial, with both proponents and opponents arguing over its efficacy and humanity. While it was seen by some as a quick and relatively painless method of execution, others criticized it for its brutal and dehumanizing nature.

The end of the guillotine's use in France marked a significant shift in the country's approach to capital punishment. The decision to abolish capital punishment was influenced by a variety of factors, including evolving societal views on human rights and the effectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime.

In conclusion, the guillotine played a significant role in the history of capital punishment in France. Its use was marked by controversy and debate, and its eventual abolition reflects a broader societal shift towards more humane forms of punishment. The last person executed by guillotine was Hamida Djandoubi in 1977, and the method was officially abolished in 1981.

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10 September 1977The guillotine remained France's standard method of judicial execution until as recently as the abolition of capital punishment in 1981. The last person to be executed in France was Hamida Djandoubi, who was guillotined on 10 September 1977.read more >>