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Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Birth: Chateau de Chavaniac, Auvergne, France September 6th, 1757 Death: May 20, 1834 Paris, France Vocations: Soldier (General), politician Accomplishments: Battles of Brandywine and Yorktown, helping to draft the Declaration of the Rights of Men Allegiance: France, United States Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette was born in Auvergne, France in 1757 to Michel Louis Christophe Roch Gilbert Paulette du Motier, marquis de La Fayette and Marie Louise Jolie de La Rivière. His family had a long history, one ancestor served with Joan of Arc. Lafayette's father died at the Battle of Minden when Lafayette was very young. As a teenager he also lost his mother and a number of other relatives. From this point he was raised by a grandmother. He studied at the Versailles Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Lafayette became very interested in American efforts at independence and French efforts to help. He was to travel to America to help in the effort but King Louis XVI changed his mind and ordered Lafayette to stay in France. Despite the danger and possibly being punished Lafayette traveled to the American colonies.

Lafayette was commissioned as a major-general by the Continental Congress. He developed a very strong friendship with General George Washington. He was involved in many campaigns and battles in the revolution. He was also able to insure continued and increased help from France.

After the revolution, Lafayette returned to France as a hero. During the 1880s he was very active in issues relating to emancipation for slaves and working on issues important to the Americans and French. By the middle of the 1880s he began to be drawn into events that would result in another, bloodier revolution.

The countries money situation was desperate. In 1789, the Estates General met. The third estate convinced some clergy and some nobility, like Lafayette, to join them and declare themselves the National Assembly. Lafayette wrote up and introduced the first draft of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

Lafayette was put in charge of the National Guard and was on of the people trying to maintain order during and after the French royal family being taken into custody. The royal family nearly escaping and the Champ de Mars Massacre, in which men under his command shot into an unruly crowd, made him look bad and many began to distrust him. He was publicly blamed by Robespierre and Danton.

France declared war on Austria in 1792 and Lafayette was put in charge of one of the armies. Things did not go well. When he left his command for Paris to try to seek the suppression of radicals, there were fears that he planned coup d’état and he was nearly impeached. After the king was suspended, Lafayette was not supportive of the new regime. He was relieved of command and had to flee. He was captured by the Austrians and spent a number of years in prison. His family hid in different places. He was released from prison in 1797 and was able to return to France in 1799, thanks to Napoleon.

He did not serve under Napoleon but did remain active in politics and policy over the remaining years of his life.

Battles: Brandywine, Gloucester, Barren Hill, Monmouth, Rhode Island, Green Spring, Yorktown