La Hire

Idealized portrait of La Hire as imagined by Louis-Félix Amiel, 1835.

Étienne de Vignolles, Sieur de Montmorillon, Chatelain de Longueville , also known as La Hire (; 1390 – 11 January 1443), was a French military commander during the Hundred Years' War.

Nickname One explanation for his nickname of La Hire would be that the English had nicknamed him "the Hire-God," from the Latin Ira Dei, meaning "the wrath of God." Alternatively, his name may simply come from the French "hedgehog" ("hérisson") because he had a prickly disposition. Three years later, in 1421 he fought at the Battle of Baugé. Along with Jean de Dunois, La Hire was involved in scouting and skirmishing in the countryside as far north as Paris. In 1427, both La Hire and Dunois relieved the siege of Montargis. He was a close comrade of Joan of Arc. He was one of the few military leaders who believed in her and the inspiration she brought, and he fought alongside her at Orleans. At the Battle of Patay, La Hire commanded the vanguard and won a great victory for France. La Hire was also known for praying before going into battle, something that could be attributed to Joan's influence. In 1430, La Hire captured the English held fortification of Château Gaillard. He was imprisoned in Dourdan in the spring of 1431. He won the Battle of Gerberoy in 1435 and was made Captain General of Normandy in 1438. His last two major military engagements occurred in 1440 at Pontoise where he assisted Dunois to capture it from the English; and in 1442 he assisted Charles of Orléans in capturing La Réole. His name remains a byword for a choleric disposition.