Thread on the greatest unsung hero of the Revolutionary War, a Frenchman, American Patriot, and honorary son to General George Washington, by the name of “Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette” otherwise known to the Americans as "The Marquis".

“The Marquis” was born to an aristocratic family at the Château de Chavaniac in the Auvergne province of France 1757. The castle is an 18 room fortified manor house constructed in the 14th century. The Marquis would live here at his family estate before moving to Paris at age 11.

The Marquis’ lineage was one of public notoriety. Both his paternal and Maternal heritage were filled with notable achievements. On his mother’s side was the Comte de La Rivière, commander of the “Mousquetaires du Roi” or “Black Musketeers”, King Louis XV’s personal horse guard.

The Marquis’ father claimed descent from Gilbert de Lafayette III who served Joan of Arc during the Siege of Orléans. The Marquis' Father himself served as a Colonel over the French Grenadiers during the Seven Years' War when he was killed by cannon fire in the battle of Minden.

The untimely death transferred the French title of “Marquis” to a 2 year old Lafayette. The young Marquis was then raised by his paternal grandmother at the Château de Chavaniac until joining his mother and her family in Paris at the Luxembourg Palace when he turned 11.

It was then decided that The Marquis would carry on the family tradition by pursuing a martial career. He was enrolled at the Collège du Plessis, part of the University of Paris. His grandfather ensured his enrollment in a program to train Musketeers for the King of France.

The following year, the Marquis lost his mother and Grandfather at the age of 12, leaving the Marquis an orphan with a substantial inheritance of 25,000 livres (~269 oz of gold). Later, an uncle would leave him a recurring annual income of 120,000 livres (~1290 oz of gold).

Before turning 14 he was commissioned as a junior officer over the Musketeers. The Marquis would be matched with Marie de Noailles, the daughter of a Jean de Noailles: Duke of Ayen. In 1774 near age 17 the Marquis married, and again found himself in the company of French royalty.

After signing his marriage contract, The Marquis moved into the royal residence of the Duke at Versailles. Here he continued his education at the Académie de Versailles with students such as King Charles X, before being transferred to the Dragoons of Noalles as a Lieutenant.

In 1775 The Marquis began to take an interest in the ongoing revolt against the British Empire happening in the American Colonies. His relationships to French royalty likely furnished him with accurate information regarding the conflict and it's principled ideological basis.

thread to be continued...