Marquis de Lafayette

Marquis de Lafayette enters the account at a decisive turning point in the French Revolution: after the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, he was put in charge of the National Guard of Paris. His appointment connected revolutionary change in the streets with the creation of a force intended to defend the new political order.

Appointment After the Bastille

Paris had become increasingly radical as the political crisis deepened. Conservative circles around Louis XVI persuaded him to dismiss the reformist finance minister Necker, and the dismissal further inflamed the streets. The resulting upheaval culminated in the storming of the Bastille. Necker was reinstated, and Lafayette was appointed to command the National Guard of Paris, placing him in a position of authority in the aftermath of the insurrection.

A Revolutionary Force in a Changing Order

The appointment came as the revolution was gaining momentum beyond the capital. The National Constituent Assembly had abolished feudalism and the special privileges of the First and Second Estates, while conflict over the shape of the new society produced factions and radical clubs, including the Jacobin Club. In this unsettled setting, Lafayette’s command represented a link between popular action in the streets and the institutions emerging from the revolution. The evidence establishes his appointment and role, but does not describe his subsequent actions or the later course of his command.