Adrienne de La Fayette - Early Life

Early Life

Adrienne was born, and grew up in the Hôtel de Noailles, the family residence in Paris, where was also celebrated, on 11 April 1774, her arranged marriage with Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette. The orphan Lafayette had inherited large estates that yielded an annual income of 150,000 livres ($1.5 million). Her mother, concerned with their youth, kept them apart for a year while she managed their courtship. In 1776, the young couple had a daughter, Henriette.

Lafayette went to visit his uncle, Emmanuel Marie Louis de Noailles, Ambassador to England. During a ball at Lord George Germain's, he met Lord Rawdon, met Sir Henry Clinton at the Opera, and met Lord Shelburne at breakfast. He left to return to France, and then America.

Adrienne was pregnant with Anastasie. The duc de Noailles got Lafayette orders to report to Italy. But, Lafayette left for Spain and America on 26 April 1777. In a letter to Adrienne, Lafayette wrote:

7 June You will admit, dear heart, that the occupation and the life I am to have are very different from those which were in store for me in the futile journey to Italy. Defender of that liberty that I idolize, coming myself freer than anyone else to offer the services of a friend to that interesting republic, I bear with me only my sincerity and my good will; no ambition, no personal interest. In laboring for my own glory, I labor for the prosperous issue of their efforts. I hope on my account you will become a good American. It is a sentiment suited to virtuous hearts. The welfare of America is bound closely to the welfare of all humanity. She is to become the honored and safe asylum of liberty! Adieu! Darkness does not suffer me to continue longer. But if my fingers were to follow my heart, I should need no daylight to tell you how I suffer far away from you, and how I love you.

Daughter Henriette died aged 22 months.

In 1778, Adrienne is reported to have met Voltaire at the home of the duc de Choiseul:

I wish, to make my obeisance to the wife of the hero of the New World. May I live long enough to salute in him the liberator of the Old.

From July 1779 to March 1780, Lafayette returned to France to present a plan for French support of the Americans. An army was dispatched under the comte de Rochambeau. Lafayette drew 120,000 livres, and gave Adrienne power of attorney. On 6 March 1780, Lafayette left for America.

After the victory at the Siege of Yorktown, Lafayette returned to France. On 22 January 1782, he was received at Versailles.