La Hire

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La Hire and Xaintrailles depicted in a 15th century illuminated book.

Étienne de Vignolles, called La Hire, (Born 1390 - died 11 January 1443) was a French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He fought alongside Joan of Arc in the campaigns of 1429. His most significant action was to lead the vanguard in the important victory at Patay.

La Hire joined Charles VII in 1418, when the English army invaded France. Three years later, in 1421 he fought at the Battle of Baugé.

He was a close comrade of Joan of Arc, and as the King's captain he commanded the advance guard at the Battle of Patay, a French victory. He was imprisoned in Dourdan in the spring of 1431. He won the Battle of Gerbevoy in 1435 and was made Captain General of Normandy in 1438. He died at Montauban on 11 January, 1443, of an unknown illness.

In popular culture

La Hire is commemorated as the face of the Jack of Hearts in French playing cards. His name remains a byword for a choleric disposition.

In 1999, two films concerning Joan of Arc were released. In Joan of Arc, a television mini-series, la Hire was played by Peter Strauss. La Hire also appeared in the feature film The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, portrayed by actor Richard Ridings. La Hire was also played by veteran John Ford "stock company" member Ward Bond in the classic 1948 Technicolor film "Joan of Arc", starring Ingrid Bergman and directed by Victor Fleming. In the Czech Republic musical Johanna z Arku [2003], La Hire was portrayed by Petr Kolar, and in the two part French film Jeanne la Pucelle [1994], by Stephane Boucher. In Otto Preminger's 1957 version of Saint Joan, La Hire was portrayed by Patrick Barr. Further back in time,in Cecil B. De Mille's version of the story, called Joan the Woman, La Hire was played by Hobart Bosworth. In 1929, in the French film La Merveilleuse Vie de Jeanne d'Arc, he was played by Fernand Mailly. On British television, in BBC's Play of the Month version of Saint Joan, La Hire was portrayed by Jack Watson. In the USA, Hallmark Hall of Fame did two versions of the story - The Lark in 1957, La Hire being played by Bruce Gordon, and in 1967 Saint Joan, in which the character was played by Dana Elcar. In the video game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, La Hire is, alongside Joan of Arc, a playable character in the Joan of Arc campaign. He constantly refers to the fact that he does not have enough blood on his sword, or needs to kill or break necks, and is portrayed as a barbaric giant.

More recently, La Hire is featured as a character in the tactical roleplaying video game Jeanne D'Arc. In the game, La Hire is depicted as a lion beastman warrior and mercenary, known for his overwhelming strength.

La Hire is also a character in Koei's video game Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War.

See also

• Siege of Orleans
• Battle of Jargeau
• Battle of Meung-sur-Loire
• Battle of Beaugency

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