ExclusiveElizabeth Monroe_ Saving Madame Lafayette During French Revolution

James Monroe was the ambassador to France during the Reign of Terror, after the French Revolution. While they were there in France, Elizabeth Monroe played a very important role. You see, they were good friends with the Marquis de Lafayette. He was an important French general who had helped the United States greatly during the Revolutionary War. But he needed some help after the French Revolution. Many of his relatives had been guillotined, and his wife, Madame Lafayette, was imprisoned and was soon to face the same fate. Now, hearing about this, Elizabeth Monroe took it upon herself to go in her carriage with only a few servants and visit Madame Lafayette. Not only did she cheer her, but by doing this, this bold move, which could have been viewed as dangerous and controversial, she showed that the United States was supporting the Lafayettes. Because of this, Madame Lafayette's life was spared. While they were in France, Monroe's oldest daughter, Eliza, became good friends with the stepdaughter of none other than Napoleon Bonaparte. As a result, the Monroes were invited to Bonaparte's coronation a few years later.