Gilbert Motier de La Fayette

Who is Gilbert Motier de La Fayette?

Gilbert Motier de La Fayette, Lord of La Fayette, Pontgibaud Ayes, Nébouzac, Saint-Romain and Monteil Gelat was a Marshal of France

He was brought up at the court of Louis II, Duke of Bourbon. He served under Marshal Boucicaut in Italy and on his return to France after the evacuation of Genoa in 1409 became seneschal of the Bourbonnais.

He was the comrade of Joan of Arc. In the English wars he was with John I, Duke of Bourbon, at the capture of Soubise in 1413 and of Compiègne in 1415. The duke then made him lieutenant-general in Languedoc and Guienne. He failed to defend Caen and Falaise, for the dauphin against Henry V of England in 1417 and 1418, but in the latter years he held Lyons for some time against Jean, duke of Burgundy. A series of successes over the English and Burgundians on the Loire was rewarded in 1420 with the government of Dauphiné and the office of marshal of France.

He commanded the Franco-Scottish troops at the Battle of Baugé in 1422, though he did not, as has been sometimes stated, slay Thomas, duke of Clarence, with his own hand. In 1424, he was taken prisoner by the English at the battle of Verneuil, but was released shortly afterwards, and fought with Joan of Arc at the siege of Orléans, and the battle of Patay in 1429.