Image Credits: Shannyn Bald, Blog Writer
The Battle of Agincourt took place in 1415 between the historic rivals of France and England in the monumental 100 Years’ War (1337-1453). The Hundred Years’ War was comprised of a number of battles instigated by the French in order to expel the English from disputed territory that was under English control, those territories included Normandy, Brittany and Aquitaine among others.
In 1413, Henry V became King of England, and he continued the ongoing conflict after failed negotiations with the French. Henry’s tactic was interesting, to say the least. Instead of marching onto French land and starting a war that way, he used a number of diplomatic maneuvers to make Charles VI of France seem like he scorned the English.
In 1415, the English troops landed in the town of Harfluer first, which quickly surrendered to Henry’s canon fueled assault. From Harfluer, the English moved towards Calais. However, between advancing French Troops and bad weather, the English ended up in the Hamlet of Agincourt on the 24 October 1415. This is where the feuding enemies clashed. The rain delayed rhe bloodshed, but Henry V, being impatient, ordered the advance of his armies regardless. The English were outnumbered two-to-one by the French army, but the surrounding wood was full of English and Welsh archers who fired upon the French Cavalry in a brutal surprise attack. This caused a panic amongst the French which led to a packed melee fight which was being cascaded upon by English and Welsh archers.
The French were slaughtered within three hours, even the prisoners that the English took were executed rather than ransomed, in order to stay the French from thinking about attacking again.
This was Henry V of England’s great victory over the French; it was one of the three greatest victories in The Hundred Years’ War. It led to many songs and poems. But was also the topic of Shakespeare’s Henry V.