Francois de La Well (Franцїois de La Noue)

Those who read Dumas, Merimee, or Heinrich Mann, the name probably already familiar. Francois de La Well (Franцїois de La Noue), nicknamed the Iron Hand, the famous Protestant military leader and philosopher, born in 1531, received his military education in his youth, traveling to Italy. In 1557, he took as a religion, Protestantism (the Calvinist branch) and became one of the most active associates of Admiral Coligny - leader of the French Huguenots that time. His nickname, La Well received after the Battle of Fontenay-le-Comte, where he lost his hand, an iron replacement prosthesis (1570). He participated in the siege of La Rochelle, helping the rebels against the authority of the Spanish Netherlands, and also spent five years in the royal prison. After the French reign Henry IV, the iron hand was sent to Brittany, to pacify the rebellious Duke Merker. Won several victories, La Well was wounded in the battle at Lamballe, and a few days later, he died (1591). As an educated and thinking person, he is survived by his works on the history (of the religious wars), and philosophy.