Which French military commander was known by the nickname La Hire during Joan of Arc’s campaigns?
Answer
Étienne de Vignolles
The French military commander known as La Hire during Joan of Arc’s campaigns was Étienne de Vignolles.
Étienne de Vignolles was a Gascon soldier who became one of the most active French commanders of the later Hundred Years’ War. His nickname, La Hire, appears in historical sources and became more familiar than his formal name.
La Hire fought in the Loire campaign alongside Joan and other French leaders in 1429. He was recognized for aggressive battlefield tactics and remained an important supporter of Charles VII after Joan’s capture.
La Hire is sometimes confused with Jean de Dunois, the Bastard of Orléans, or Jean Poton de Xaintrailles. All three were prominent French commanders, but La Hire specifically refers to Étienne de Vignolles. He continued fighting in campaigns that gradually pushed English forces out of much of France.