Lafayette Biography

Lafayette was elected as a noble deputy for Riom and entered the Estates General as a supporter of reform.

Lafayette draws on American declarations of rights while refining his proposed French declaration before presenting it to the Assembly.

Lafayette's draft reflects principles associated with the Virginia Declaration of Rights and his experience of the American Revolution.

Lafayette supported Mirabeau's demand that troops concentrated around Paris and Versailles be withdrawn.

Lafayette argues that a concise declaration should guide constitutional institutions by stating enduring principles of natural and social rights.

Lafayette presents his draft Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen to the National Assembly.

The Army dissolves itself

The Army dissolves itself.

The National Guard, a citizens militia, is formed which wears the tricolour cockade

The National Guard, a citizens militia, is formed which wears the tricolour cockade.

The Parisians storm the Bastille

As commander of the Paris National Guard, Lafayette ordered the demolition of the captured Bastille.

Appointed Commander of the National Guard by Louis XVI

Lafayette was appointed Commander of the National Guard by Louis XVI.

Appointed Commander of the National Guard by Louis XVI

Article 1 establishes that men are born and remain free and equal in rights, while allowing distinctions based on common utility.

Article 12 states that public force exists for the benefit of all rather than the private advantage of those controlling it.

Article 15 gives society the right to demand an account of administration from every public official.

Article 2 identifies liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression as natural and imprescriptible rights.

Article 4 defines liberty through freedom of action bounded by the equal rights of others and limits established by law.

Lafayette led National Guard units to Versailles during the October Days and worked to protect the royal family.

Lafayette administered the National Guard oath during the Festival of the Federation at the Champ de Mars.

Lafayette commanded National Guard forces during the violent suppression of the republican petitioners at the Champ de Mars.

Lafayette resigned command of the Paris National Guard after completion of the Constitution and withdrew from Paris politics.

The French are forced to retreat after the Battle of Mons

The French are forced to retreat

Appointed Comander of the Northern Army

Lafayette was appointed commander of the Army of the North.

Appointed Comander of the Northern Army

Fighting begins along the Flanders frontier, Lafayette commands the French forces

Fighting begins along the Flanders frontier, Lafayette commands the French forces.

Lafayette secretly sought an armistice with Austria.

Secretly seeks an armistice with Austria

Announces to the Assembly that the Jacobins are a state within a state

Announces to the Assembly that the Jacobins are a state within a state.

Appears at the bar of the Assembly & demands the dissolution of the Jacobins

Appears at the bar of the Assembly and demands the dissolution of the Jacobins.

Raises a force from the National Guard to march on the Jacobins but fails

Raises a force from the National Guard to march on the Jacobins but fails.

The Tuileries is stormed by the Paris mob, Lafayette surrenders to Austria

The Tuileries is stormed by the Paris mob, Lafayette surrenders to Austria.

Lafayette enters Austrian custody after crossing the frontier.

Lafayette is detained by Austria after leaving revolutionary France.

The Tuileries is stormed by the Paris mob

Lafayette crosses the border & surrenders to Austria

Lafayette crosses the border and surrenders to Austria.