2023 · Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette ( / ˌlɑːfiːˈɛt, ˌlæf -/, French: [lafajɛt] ), was a French aristocrat, freemason and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War, commanding American troops in several battles, including. Marquis de Lafayette - French Revolution, US Ally, Hero: During the next five years, Lafayette became a leader of the liberal aristocrats (dubbed the Fayettistes) and an outspoken advocate of religious toleration and the abolition of the slave trade. A republican at heart, Lafayette nonetheless remained an aristocrat with strong ties to many.