Few in history can match the revolutionary career of the marquis de Lafayette. For over fifty incredible years at the heart of the Age of Revolution, he fought courageously on both sides of the Atlantic as a soldier, statesman, idealist, philanthropist and abolitionist. As a teenager, Lafayette ran away from France to join the American Revolution. Returning home a national hero, he helped launch the French Revolution, eventually spending five years locked in an Austrian prison. After his release, Lafayette sparred with Napoleon, joined an underground conspiracy to overthrow King Louis XVIII, and became an international symbol of liberty. Historian and best-selling author Mike Duncan discusses the remarkable life of the marquis de Lafayette and the thrilling story of his lifelong quest to defend the principles of liberty and equality. This program accompanies our current exhibition, Fete Lafayette: A French Hero’s Tour of the American Republic, on view through December 31, 2024.
About the Speaker
Mike Duncan is one of the foremost history podcasters in the world. His award-winning series The History of Rome chronologically narrated the history of the Roman Empire over 189 weekly episodes. Running from 2007-2012, The History of Rome podcast remains one of the most popular history podcasts online, earning it an iTunes Best of 2015 award. From this podcast, Duncan wrote the New York Times-bestselling book The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic (Public Affairs Press, 2017). Mr. Duncan continued his success with his ongoing series Revolutions, a podcast that has explored the English, American, French and Haitian revolutions. Owing to the worldwide popularity of his podcasts, Duncan has led listeners on popular guided tours of Italy, England and France to visit historic sites from ancient Rome to the French Revolution.