Lafayette

Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, was born to Michel Louis Christophe Roch Gilbert Paulett de La Motte and Marie Louise Jolie de La Rivière.

Lafayette's father, Michel Louis Christophe Roch Gilbert Paulett de La Motte, was killed in the Battle of Minden during the Seven Years' War.

Lafayette is introduced to the royal court at Versailles, where he begins his education and social training among the French nobility.

Lafayette marries Adrienne de Noailles, the daughter of the Duke d'Ayen, solidifying his position in the French aristocracy.

Lafayette joins the Musketeers of the Guard and begins his military career, though he is not yet involved in active combat.

Inspired by the American cause, Lafayette secretly sails to America to join the Continental Army, despite French orders forbidding his departure.

Lafayette is wounded in the leg during the Battle of Brandywine, but continues to fight, earning the respect of American soldiers.

Lafayette is promoted to Major General in the Continental Army and is given command of a division, further solidifying his role in the American Revolution.

Lafayette plays a crucial role in the Siege of Yorktown, which leads to the British surrender and a decisive victory for the American and French forces.

Lafayette returns to France as a hero of the American Revolution, where he is celebrated and continues to advocate for American interests.

Lafayette is appointed commander of the National Guard and plays a key role in the early stages of the French Revolution, including the storming of the Bastille.

Falling out of favor with radical revolutionaries, Lafayette flees to Austria, where he is captured and imprisoned for several years.

Lafayette is released from prison and returns to France, where he remains largely out of politics during the Napoleonic era.

Lafayette gradually returns to public life, becoming a vocal critic of Napoleon Bonaparte and advocating for liberal reforms.

Lafayette makes a triumphant return to the United States, touring the country and being celebrated as a hero of the American Revolution.

Lafayette dies in Paris, leaving behind a legacy as a champion of liberty and a symbol of the transatlantic struggle for freedom.