History UsefulNotes / MarquisDeLaFayette

During this time Lafayette was regrettably a slave owner owning a property in Cayenne, and at first glance it is worse as he ''bought'' the plantation. However, as biographer Creator/MikeDuncan notes, Lafayette lacked the "genius" of his friend UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson [[{{Doublethink}} to accept that belief in liberty and slavery were compatible.]] As such his Cayenne plantation was envisioned as a demonstration of implementing the Enlightenment ideals in action. Rather than buying a plantation to gain money, he hoped that his purchase and actions would demonstrate to his colleagues on how to end slavery via manumission. He outlawed the lash, permitted the slaves more time to be with families, and paid his slaves. He also would provide his slaves with an education to ensure they could be prepared to thrive in society when freed. He encouraged his revolutionary friends including Washington to follow his example, Washington declined but was supportive of his endeavors. However, [[UsefulNotes/Haiti revolution spread in St. Domingue]] amidst France's revolution and his slaves were freed without his consent, but he did not object.

During this time Lafayette was regrettably a slave owner, owning a plantation in Saint Domingue. However, as biographer Creator/MikeDuncan notes, Lafayette lacked the "genius" of his friend UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson [[{{Doublethink}} to accept that belief in liberty and slavery were compatible.]] While maintaining the plantation he inherited, Lafayette set about having his slaves be educated, feeling it would be irresponsible for his slaves to be freed without being able to read and thrive in society before eventually letting his slaves inherit his lands when he freed them within a timeframe. However, UsefulNotes/TheHaitianRevolution began amidst France's revolution and his slaves were freed without his consent, but he did not object.

During this time Lafayette was regrettably a slave owner, owning a plantation in Saint Domingue. However, as biographer Podcaster/MikeDuncan notes, Lafayette lacked the ''genius'' of his friend UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson [[Doublethink to accept that belief in liberty and slavery were compatible.]] While maintaining the plantation he inherited, Lafayette set about having his slaves be educated feeling it would be irresponsible for his slaves to be freed without being able to read and thrive in society before eventually letting his slaves inherit his lands when he freed them within a timeframe. However, UsefulNotes/TheHatianRevolution began amidst France's revolution and his slaves were freed without his consent, but he did not object.

Initially a supporter of the Revolution, he quickly found himself under suspicion after the Champ-de-Mars massacre in July 1791, where he was in command. He fought in the North in 1792, but in August, he was denounced as a "Traître à la patrie" (traitor to the homeland). He escaped from the French army, which saved him from being guillotined like fellow noble generals Custine or Beauharnais, but he was captured by the Austrians and spent the next five years in custody of the Austrians, then the Prussians, despite American protests. His release was actually one of UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte's conditions for the Treaty of Campo-Formio that ended his first Italian campaign; but Lafayette was forbidden to go back to France, and Napoleon was quite hostile to him.

In 1830, when a popular insurrection ousted Charles X, he played a major role in the transition between the Bourbon and Orleans dynasties. As one of the ''de facto'' leaders of the insurgence, he presented Louis-Philippe with their demand: "A popular throne surrounded by Republican institutions;" when Louis-Philippe assented, he gave the Orléanists his blessing, later known as the "Republican kiss" that allowed republicans to support the July Monarchy. However, Louis-Philippe's attempts to strengthen his power quickly disillusioned him, pushing him once more into opposition. In 1832 he marched in the funeral of his friend and fellow leftist general Jean Lemarque, but his urging the crowd to remain calm went unheeded, resulting in the June Rebellion depicted in ''Franchise/LesMiserables''. He remained politically active until he died on 20 May 1834 from a bladder disease. The Americans demonstrated their admiration for him once more, by giving him the same funeral honours as they had for Washington.

* Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales features a graphic novel on him, detailing his exploits in america.

* ''Film/ThePatriot'' (2000). Played by Michael Neeley.

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII''

* Series/{{Turn}}. Played by Brian Wiles.
* WesternAnimation/LibertysKids. Voiced by Ben Beck.

Initially a supporter of the Revolution, he quickly found himself under suspicion after the Champ-de-Mars massacre in July 1791, where he was in command. He fought in the North in 1792, but in August, he was denounced as a "Traître à la patrie" (traitor to the homeland). He escaped from the French army, which saved him from being guillotined like fellow noble generals Custine or Beauharnais, but he was captured by the Austrians and spent the next five years in custody of the Austrians, then the Prussians, despite American protests. His release was actually one of UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte's condition for the Treaty of Campo-Formio that ended his first Italian campaign; but Lafayette was forbidden to go back to France, and Napoleon was quite hostile to him.

Emotionally, Lafayette was also the closest thing the childless George Washington ever had to a son.[[note]]UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton being the next-closest, but only distantly. However, the two were good enough friends that Hamilton never begrudged Lafayette his place in Washington's paternal affections.[[/note]] Washington the closest thing Lafayette had to a father, his biological father having been felled by a cannonball in the War of the Polish Succession less than a month before he turned two. Lafayette also had that rarest of 18th-century-noble blessings--a wife (Adrienne de Noailles) who well and truly loved him and whom he loved completely.

* La Fayette is something of a recurring character in Creator/MikeDuncan's ''Podcast/{{Revolutions}}'', first appearing in Season 2 (the American Revolution), playing major roles in Seasons 3 and 6 (the French Revolution and July Revolution, respectively), and having occasional appearances in Seasons 4 (the Haitian Revolution) and 5 (the South American Wars of Independence--he and UsefulNotes/SimonBolivar had an ongoing correspondence, and Bolívar took Lafayette's advice seriously). He's also mentioned in Season 7 (the Revolutions of 1848) as part of the setup, and even gets posthumous references as late as Season 10 (the Russian Revolution, when Duncan is reviewing the intellectual backdrop for Creator/KarlMarx's theory of scientific socialism). (Perhaps it's no surprise that one of Duncan's other projects is a biography of Lafayette.)

A French nobleman born to rank and privilege in the decadent era before the UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution, he heard the political theories in France that would later form the basis for that revolution and adopted them. He traveled against orders to the Americas, obtained a commission as a Major General from the Continental Congress, and was UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington's chief aide for most of the UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution. (Emotionally, Lafayette was also the closest thing the childless George Washington ever had to a son[[note]]UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton being the next-closest, but only distantly[[/note]]--and Washington the closest thing Lafayette had to a father, his biological father having been felled by a cannonball in the War of the Polish Succession less than a month before he turned two.)

A French nobleman born to rank and privilege in the decadent era before the UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution, he heard the political theories in France that would later form the basis for that revolution and adopted them. He traveled against orders to the Americas, obtained a commission as a Major General from the Continental Congress, and was UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington's chief aide for most of the UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution. (Emotionally, Lafayette was also the closest thing the childless George Washington ever had to a son--and Washington the closest thing Lafayette had to a father, his biological father having been felled by a cannonball in the War of the Polish Succession less than a month before he turned two.)

Got a BigDamnHeroes when he disappeared for a bit to only show up again with the French Fleet, blockading the British Fleet and their troops causing them to surrender and win the American War for Independence. Very well liked, he helped in the Treaty of Paris that ended the war and proceeded to find two new causes, Abolitionism and reform in France. He led parts of the early French Revolution to try and reform the system, but lost when the Jacobians became too powerful to ignore. Spent parts of the period imprisoned, then in political exile. He refused offers to govern Louisiana in order to attempt to reform France.

* ''WebVideo/TastingHistoryWithMaxMiller'': One episode features a recipe for roast duck ''en papillote'' (wrapped in paper) with an orange sauce that appears to have been served at La Fayette's wedding. Max used the recipe as a segue to discuss the [[UsefulNotes/SnailsAndSoOn dining habits]] of the 18th-century French aristocracy. (He also loved the duck and sauce, which he noted was very different from modern duck à l'orange.)

* ''WebVideo/TastingHistoryWithMaxMiller'': One episode features a recipe for roast duck ''en papillote'' (wrapped in paper) with an orange sauce that appears to have been served at La Fayette's wedding. Max loved it.

In 1800, though, Lafayette decided that he had had enough of exile and came back to Paris. His friendship with Joseph Bonaparte and his decision to settle some distance away from Paris somewhat eased the tension between him and Napoleon, though Lafayette refused many of the prestigious positions Napoleon offered him, including the French embassy in America because, as he said, "I feel too much like an American to go to the United States as a foreigner". A partisan of democratic institutions, he voted against the Consulate for Life and the Empire. He remained mostly idle during the Empire, but Napoleon kept an eye on him; this was one of the reasons why he did not go back to the United States during that period, fearing that he would not be allowed to return to France.

* ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}''. Played by Daveed Diggs in the original Broadway cast.

A French nobleman born to rank and privilege in the decadent era before the UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution, he heard the political theories in France that would later form the basis for that revolution and adopted them. He traveled against orders to the Americas, obtained a commission as a Major General from the Continental Congress, and was UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington's chief aide for most of the UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution. (Emotionally, Lafayette was also the closest thing the childless George Washington ever had to a son--and Washington the closest thing Lafayette had to a father, his biological father having been felled by a cannonball in the War of the Polish Succession[[note]]Yes, there was [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Polish_Succession War of the Polish Succession]][[/note]] less than a month before he turned two.)[[note]]UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton, another young talent who lost his father at a young age, had a similar relationship with Washington.[[/note]]