With nicknames like The Soldiers Friend and Hero of Two Worlds, Marquis de Lafayette went down in history as a man of means who used his resources for good. Involved in causes such as the American Revolution, French Revolution, and human rights for all, he was a soldier, statesman, and writer who is remembered with respect on both sides of the Atlantic. Though it may seem that he had everything handed to him on a silver platter, the Marquis proved that wealth and effective action can go hand in hand.1. He Had an Impressively Lengthy NameMarquis de Lafayette statue by Raul Josset, located at the William Reilly Memorial for Revolutionary War heroes. Source: Association for Public ArtKnown commonly as Gilbert du Motier, the man who later became addressed as Marquis de Lafayette was born with a rather impressive name. He was dubbed Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du Motier, and shared a first name with his wife, Marie Adrienne Francoise de Noailles, a member of one of the wealthiest families in France.2. Lafayette Was OrphanedLafayettes birthplace, Chteau de Chavaniac, in 2016. Source: Clement Bardot / Wikimedia CommonsLafayette was born into a family with a lengthy historylongtime members of the French nobility. The men in his family made up a line of military men, serving France as far back as the Crusades. His mother traced her genealogy back to King Louis IX. Despite his familys status, prestige, and wealth, Lafayette was left an orphan (albeit a rich one) at the age of twelve.His father, Michel, was killed at the Battle of Minden, part of the Seven Years War, right before Lafayettes second birthday. The young Lafayette was educated by a local priest, then received a classical education in Paris, guided by his mother and paternal grandfather. Unfortunately, in 1770, when he was only twelve years old, his mother died suddenly from an unrecorded cause. Tragically, his grandfather perished just weeks later, leaving the young man heir to fortunes from both sides of his family, along with the title of Marquis.3. His Motto Illustrated His Free-SpiritednessA portrait of Lafayette by Jean-Baptiste Weyler, date unknown. Source: Wikimedia CommonsIn 1775, Lafayette adopted a motto to place on his coat of arms. Cur non was his chosen saying, a Latin phrase meaning why not? It was added to his familys historical coat of arms after Lafayette went against the French kings wishes and sailed across the Atlantic to join the Revolutionary War. The phrase is still used today at Lafayette College as a maxim to encourage students to think outside the box and follow their dreams.4. He Joined a War in Which He Had No Stake, Then Helped Start Another in His Home CountryLafayette in his continental army uniform by Charles Willson Peale. Source: Independence National Historical Park / Wikimedia CommonsLafayette earned his nickname The Hero of Two Worlds due to his involvement in both the American Revolution and the French Revolution. After learning about the American cause, Lafayette was inspired. The revolutionary ideas of young America captured his heart and led him to enlist in the Continental Army. At age nineteen, the Marquis was given a commission, and he offered to serve without pay. He arrived in America in 1777 and was appointed a Major General. He first saw action at the Battle of Brandywine, where he was shot in the leg but recovered.At the conclusion of the Revolution, he returned to France with a reputation as a national hero. In 1789, he served in Frances National Assembly and wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Man, playing a key role in launching the French Revolution. Despite his status as a wealthy military man, Lafayette was firmly on the side of the revolutionaries, looking to bring the freedom hed helped the United States gain to France. Nevertheless, he fled France as the revolution became violent and was briefly imprisoned. His fortune was confiscated, and many family members and compatriots were killed. However, at the end of the revolution, he returned to his estate near Paris and regained his status as a French hero.5. George Washington Was a Father FigureA depiction of Lafayette and Washington at Mount Vernon, 1784, by Louis Remy Mignot and Thomas Prichard Rossiter. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Wikimedia CommonsThe commander of the Continental Army, General George Washington, took an instant liking to Lafayette. The two shared many of the same ideals, such as a belief in a strong central government. The young general assured his superior that I am here to learn, not to teach and saw the older man as a mentor. When Lafayette was shot at Brandywine, Washington entreated the doctors to treat him as if he were my son. Lafayette became an important part of Washingtons core advisory team, which included men like Alexander Hamilton. After the war concluded, the Marquis would return to visit his friend at Mount Vernon.6. He Spent His Own Money to Keep His Soldiers ComfortableWashington & Lafayette at Valley Forge by John Ward Dunsmore, 1907. Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia CommonsLafayette earned the moniker The Soldiers Friend during the terrible winter that the Continental Army spent at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in 1777. The winter brought snow and cold temperatures to an encamped army that was desperately short on supplies. Men were barefoot, and disease was rampant. Desertions were common, and the leadership of the army was eager to turn the tide and bolster the mens spirits. Lafayette took it upon himself to experience these hardships with his men rather than sequester himself in the comfort that his rank permitted. He purchased muskets and clothing for his men and was popular with the troops as a result of his generosity.7. Lafayette Was an Anti-Slavery HeroPortrait of Lafayette in his military days by Joseph Boze. Source: Massachusetts Historical SocietyLafayette and Washington did disagree on one topic. Lafayette believed that a goal of the new United States should be the immediate end to slavery. The Marquis was an anti-slavery advocate until his death, believing the practice should be outlawed on an international level. His Declaration of the Rights of Man, published in 1789, begins with men are born and remain free and equal in rights. To this, he also believed there should be no racial separation. This document would lead to the eventual development of a French Constitution. He was a supporter of women and their rights and spoke out against solitary confinement in prisons. He was against capital punishment and supported religious freedom.8. Napoleon Bonaparte Freed Him From Political ImprisonmentLafayette by Joseph-Desire Court, painted in 1834. Source: Palace of Versailles Collection Wikimedia CommonsAfter fleeing the violence in his home country during the French Revolution, Lafayette was imprisoned in Austria and Prussia for a five-year period. Foreign governments were concerned about his radical ideas and the potential threats they could pose to the status quo. Napoleon Bonaparte allegedly arranged for his release, and he was able to return to France. Despite Bonapartes support, Lafayette recommended that the emperor abdicate after his loss at Waterloo in 1815.9. His American Farewell Tour Was a HitA Currier & Ives image of Lafayette and Washington. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Wikimedia CommonsLafayette made a Farewell Tour of America in 1824 as the nation prepared to celebrate its 50th anniversary. He was invited by President James Monroe and was welcomed warmly by Americans in 24 states. He was the last of the significant generals of the American Revolution to survive at this time and met with many past and future presidents, including Thomas Jefferson.Parades, dances, and lavish dinners were held in the Marquis honor over the next year before he returned to France in September of 1825. The boat that transported him home was named the USS Brandywine in honor of his first battle.10. He Could Have Been a DictatorA Lafayette Statue in Washington, DC. Source: APK / Wikimedia CommonsDuring the July Revolution in France in 1830, King Charles X was overthrown. During this time, Lafayette was given the opportunity to take the role of dictator and rule the country. However, this would have gone against the beliefs he had fought for his entire life, and he refused the position. Louis-Philippe became dictator instead, and Lafayette took command of the National Guard. He died only four years later after suffering from pneumonia.11. He Was Made an Honorary US CitizenAn older Lafayette, painted by Rembrandt Peale in 1825. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Wikimedia CommonsOn August 7, 2002, the US Congress made Marquis de Lafayette an honorary citizen of the United States. He currently shares this distinction with only eight other individuals and is one of only two who earned the designation via a direct act of Congress. He became the sixth honorary citizen 39 years after the first, Winston Churchill, was announced in 1963. An American flag has flown over his grave in France ever since his death.12. A College Was Named After HimThe Williams Visual Arts Building at Lafayette College in 2023. Source: Dutch Treat / Wikimedia CommonsJames Madison Porter proposed naming a new college in Easton, New York, after Lafayette, after meeting him in 1824 on his Farewell Tour. Lafayette College matriculated its first graduating class of five in 1832. In 2010, the college awarded the Marquis the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service at its 175th commencement ceremony.The college maintains a collection of Lafayette artifacts, including his sword, which was confiscated upon his imprisonment in Austria. The sword is brought out annually for graduation ceremonies. The college earns top rankings from a number of media outlets, including Forbes and the Wall Street Journal. It offers degrees from an interdisciplinary program that combines the unusual bedfellows of liberal arts and engineering. Currently, 51 majors and 41 minors are offered to students.Almost 3,000 students from 44 states and 60 countries around the world attend the college.