The Battle of Agincourt Essay

Wars were also part of the crisis, notably the Hundred Years War between England and France. In 1328 the French Capetian line ended. England’s Edward III (d.1377) claimed the French throne, but a cousin to the Capets, Philip of Valois, became king (d.1350). War soon began. Armored knights on horseback were the backbone of medieval armies, but English peasants using the longbow had begun to change the face of war. When the French king was captured, a treaty was signed in 1360: France agreed to pay ransom, the English received land in France, and Edward renounced his claim to the throne. Using guerilla tactics, the French regained their lands, but in 1415 England’s Henry V (d.1422)

The first underlying and precipitating cause of the Hundred Years’ War was that England and France were too closely proximate emergent territorial powers. Another cause of the Hundred Years’ War was that Edward III of England was a vassal of Philip the Fair of France, and therefore held several sizeable French territories as fiefs. Also one of the underlying and precipitating causes of the Hundred Years’ was the quarrel between

Henry VII took the throne after a battle against the former king Richard III whose forces outnumbered Henrys by two to one. Henry VII had a couple of big problems, one of them was that there were people that had a stronger claim to the throne than he did, his only claim was that god let him win the battle, therefore the nobility didn’t respect him at the beginning of his reign. Another of the problems he faced was the fact that he feared a lot

As Henry continues his tirade, he downplays his role as king by asserting that “God runs before our business “(1.2.303); indicating that God’s role in changing the future outweighs his role .King Henry, unlike many other kings during his era, generously shares his victories with God, instead of claiming his feats are the byproduct of profound battle tactics, and still manages to receive his people’s respect. King Henry finally shows his allegiance and reverence for God after he receives notice that England defeated France in battle and declares that, “God fought for us”(4.8.115) proving that he genuinely believes that the outcome of battle lies upon God .While the King of England impetuously expels his generosity for God’s grace , he also makes just battle decisions while on the offensive . After the French town of Harfleur surrenders to England, Henry stresses that “nothing will be compelled from the villages, /nothing taken but paid for, none of the French upbraided or /abused in disdainful language” (3.7.102-104). This act of conservation does not correspond to the rules of engagements during this era .Kings often encouraged their soldiers to loot and pillage as a method of payment for their service in the military .This act truly marks the King as a generous warrior because he prevents his soldiers from plundering defenseless towns, sparing

Indeed, the outcome of the discussion between Henry and the Archbishop had already been decided before the meeting took place. Based on earlier speeches in the play, it is known that the Archbishop will grant Henry the right to attack France because Henry had earlier agreed to stop a bill in Parliament that would have taxed the church and taken away half its land. We also know that Henry entered the discussion with the full support of the English nobles who had visions of plundering the land and riches of a defeated France. As for the king himself, he favored war in order to gain the respect of the English people and the nobles of the English court. But none of this is mentioned during the talk between Henry and the Archbishop, nor is there discussion of substantive questions, such as: Could England actually win? How many troops would be needed to secure that victory?

     For the first few years of the war there wasn't much happening except English raids into France and Flanders. Then, in the 1340s, England and France took opposite sides in the long-running civil war over who should be the duke of Britanny. In 1346 this resulted in a French invasion of Gascony and the shattering French defeat at Crecy. The English then rampaged through western France, until a truce was signed in 1354, brought on by the devastation of the Plague, which hit France heavily in 1347 to 1348.

Henry VIII realized that he needed to expand his territory in France, so in 1513 Henry VIII and his troops invaded France. They defeated France, and this battle came to be known as the Battle of the Spurs. At the time of this battle the Scottish invaded England as an attempt to distract Henry VIII from invading France. The Scottish’s attempt failed to get Henry VIII’s attention. Not long after this event, the Scottish were defeated at the Battle of Flodden Field. The battle between England and Scotland went from 1513-1517.

King Henry had threatened France because he believed he was the rightful king to all of England and France. The king of France did not want to give up the crown and mocked Henry’s childhood. A very Christian belief it that thou shall not kill. King Henry did just that, he went to war with France and invaded Harfleur and Agincourt

He fought and won many military battles, and he gained the French throne for his son’s inheritance. An important point is made by Richardson that had the Treaty of Troyes worked, “the United Kingdom would have been England and France, rather than England and Scotland”. Henry was a great ruler, but he left behind the government in a great debt, most likely due to the expenses of war. It is notable that not even the revenue from the conquered territories could pay off this debt, because of the constancy of battle, raids and such. The Treaty of Troyes was one of France’s biggest mistakes. In “War, government and power in late Medieval France” it is mentioned that, “the notion of state is dependant on binary opposition” Binary opposition is related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning . Furthermore, Binary opposition is the system in which languages and thoughts as opposite are set against one another . This could easily be said of English and French. The two countries were complete opposites in most aspects of life (culture, language, law, etc.), but put them together and they form a state. Specifically, a state that had it’s ups and down, but was revolutionary . The treaty of Troyes was never formally revoked . The English Remained Kings of France until the Treaty of Amiens with Napoleon when it was finally abandoned. It certainly left a mark on

Between 1428 and 1429 during the Hundred Years’ War between France and England, the city of Orleans was besieged by English forces. The 5000 English soldiers lead by Thomas de Montecute, attacked for months. Around this time, Joan of Arc Appeared in at the court of Charles, and lifted the siege in 1429. This was the major turning point for the French in the war.

Charles appointed Jean Bureau as Bordeaux’s mayor for life. The Hundred Years’ War, once and for all, was over. In 1360, the Treaty of Brétigny between England and France ended the first phase of the 100 Years War. The treaty was signed after Edward the Black

Henry I (c. 1068 – 1135) was King of England from 1100 to 1135. After his father, William the Conqueror, died in 1087, Henry's older brothers, Robert and William, inherited Normandy and England respectively, while Henry was landless. He seized the English throne after William's death in 1100, and Robert invaded England to claim it. A settlement was made that confirmed Henry as king, but the peace was short-lived; Henry invaded Normandy and defeated Robert. Henry's control of Normandy was challenged by William Clito, Robert's son, and a rebellion resulted. Peace was concluded following Henry's victory at the Battle of Bremule. Considered by contemporaries to be a harsh but effective ruler, Henry drew on the existing Anglo-Saxon system of justice

In the retrospective perspective this was unnecessary war because it was avoidable. Henry V was able defuse this war by not declaring war with the France. If I were in Henry V position I would try to negotiate a peace settlement with the France to reduce the chance that the two nations would go to war. The most important was not take make the people suffer from the damage of war. Henry V was seen as a war criminal because his act of war and because of his purpose of going to war. Though, I think when two nation are at war the leader has to show that he care about his people and put his people protection as the top priority. In the Agincourt battle both side failed to negotiate for a peace settlement, therefore; the war was almost unavoidable

Contrary to the Dauphin’s belief, Henry does in fact understand the price Britain must pay if they start a war with France. When a plot against England is discovered and the traitor’s are brought to sentencing, Henry admonishes them, listing all of the aftereffects their deed would have had on his kingdom. He knows that had the traitors not been caught, they would have “sold [their] king to slaughter, his princes and his peers to servitude, his subjects to oppression and contempt, and his whole kingdom into desolation” (2.2.178-82). However, it is important to note that this outcome is not solely tied to traitors’ actions had they been successful.

In William Shakespeare's Henry V, King Henry V of England sets out to retake his “rightful”position of king of France. Everyone agrees that Henry has a claim to the French throne, some say he should have invaded France and others say he should not. Henry should not have invaded France for three reasons: He does not have a legitimate claim, it could endanger Britain, and its selfish.