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Marquis de Lafayette
1757-09-06 – 1834-05-20
French aristocrat who became a key American ally and hero of both the American and French Revolutions.
military leaderdiplomatfrench revolution
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, was a French nobleman who volunteered to fight for American independence at age 19. He quickly became one of George Washington's most trusted officers and was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. Lafayette used his connections to help secure crucial French military and financial support for the Revolution. He played a pivotal role at the Siege of Yorktown, helping trap the British forces that led to their surrender. He later played a key role in the early stages of the French Revolution, drafting the Declaration of the Rights of Man.