Who knew that King Louis sent aid to the American rebels in 1777 in the form of  freedom sympathizers, engineers and other military experts.  The Marquis de Lafayette was one, although his first voyage to the colonies was not with the King’s approval. Louis Duportail, an engineer, arrived in America in 1777 to serve in the Continental Army under General Washington. Duportail’s expertise was crucial to Washington in making the decision not to attack New York, but to march to Virginia instead.

King Louis XVI

Queen Marie Antoinette

Who knew that King Louis’s generosity in sending the hard currency needed by Rochambeau’s Army while in America contributed to the downfall of the King, his wife, Marie Antoinette, and their family who, for the most part were guillotined in 1793. King Louis and his ministers approved and shipped barrel upon barrel of silver livres to aid the U.S. Continentals during their eight year struggle against the British.