Gilbert Motier de La Fayette

Gilbert Motier De La Fayette

Gilbert Motier de La Fayette, (1380 - 22 February 1464) 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 (afterwards Charles VII.) 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.

The marshal had become a member of the grand council of Charles VII, and with the exception of a short disgrace about 1430, due to the ill-will of Georges de la Trémoille, he retained the royal favour all his life. He took an active part in the army reform initiated by Charles VII, and the establishment of military posts for the suppression of brigandage. His last campaign was against the English in Normandy in 1449. He died on 23 February 1462.

He was buried in the Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu.