Agincourt
In pursuit of his claim to the French throne, Henry V of England, along with an army of about 11,000 men, invaded Normandy in August 1415. After capturing Harfleur in September, his forces were significantly diminished due to disease and battle casualties. Facing such losses, Henry decided to move northeast to Calais for a return to England. However, his route was blocked by large French forces under Charles I d'Albret, the French constable.
The French army, numbering between 20,000 and 30,000 men—including many heavily armored mounted knights—cornered the exhausted English army at Agincourt (modern-day Azincourt in Pas-de-Calais département). Despite their numerical advantage, the French chose a battlefield with only about 1,000 yards of open ground between two woods, severely restricting their ability to maneuver.
Battlefield Setup
At dawn on October 25, 1415, both armies prepared for battle:
- The French forces were organized into three divisions, the first two dismounted, arrayed one behind the other.
- The English, with only about 5,000 archers and 900 men-at-arms, formed a defensive line. The dismounted men-at-arms were positioned in three central blocks, linked by wedges of archers. Additional groups of archers created forward wings at both ends of the English line.
The Battle
Henry moved his troops into bowshot range, provoking the French into action. Initial cavalry charges from the French were repelled by pointed stakes set up in front of the English archers. The main French assault—composed of heavily armored, dismounted knights—advanced over muddy terrain, their progress hindered by the sodden ground.
When the French knights clashed with the English line, the initial shock caused the English to falter briefly, but they quickly recovered. As the battle intensified, the French knights became so tightly packed that many could barely raise their weapons. At this critical moment, Henry ordered his lightly armored English archers to join the melee using swords and axes. These more mobile forces overwhelmed the encumbered French knights, killing thousands and taking many more prisoners.
When another French attack appeared imminent, Henry ordered the execution of a significant number of prisoners to prevent them from rejoining the fight.
Aftermath
The Battle of Agincourt was a catastrophic defeat for the French:
- French losses included the constable, 12 nobles of the highest rank, about 1,500 knights, and approximately 4,500 men-at-arms.
- English losses were comparatively light, with fewer than 450 men killed.
Henry’s leadership and the superior strategy of the English forces were key to their victory. Conversely, the French suffered from poor tactics and their inability to effectively utilize their numerical advantage, sealing their defeat.
