Iris XVI
Iris XVI
Iris XVI was a chestnut (or roan) racehorse in the French army. He trained at Saint-Cyr starting in 1936, with Captain Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (the future Marshal Leclerc) helping in his training. Iris XVI was lively and had a difficult temperament; at one point Leclerc fell from his back and injured his tibia.
He became an excellent steeplechase horse at Maisons-Laffitte. Leclerc did not ride him because Iris XVI was too tall and heavy. When Leclerc was deployed to Africa, the horse continued racing with Captain Jean Fanneau de La Horie and gained notoriety in Nazi Germany. Iris XVI was not mobilized during World War II.
Act of resistance: On June 14, 1940, Saint-Cyr was captured by the Germans. A German commander asked to see the horse that had beaten him in a race. Iris XVI allegedly struck a German soldier with his hoof, killing him. Iris XVI was executed a few moments later for resisting. Marshal Leclerc is said to have commented, “He was as patriotic as his master.”
Description: Iris XVI was described as a lively chestnut or roan with a strong, tough character. There is a single portrait by André Marchand kept by Marshal Leclerc’s family. The horse carried three stockings and a long stripe on his face.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 21:10 (CET).