The Battle of Agincourt

The battle of agincourt, like crecy was a battle thought to be easily won by the french. The french had had far more troops (the ratio was over 1:4!), at 6am both armies had been in position all night. The french however, had chosen the worst place to put a battle, the french had a clear disadvantage. 

The land they had chosen was good because it blocked the english route to calais, but it was on recently ploughed field, and it had rained all night… not good, also, the field at the french end was 1200 metres wide, but at the english end it was just 750 metres wide,  so if the french charged they would become increasingly close to each other, until they simply could not go any further. The boundaries at the sides, were the two towns – and dense forests of Agincourt to the west, and Tramecourt to the east.

Many french knights had had spent the night, either standing, or sitting on saddleback, to protect their armour, and saddles (leather coated!). Whereas all the english had been up all night, being individually praised and incouraged by the king himself! This gave a huge advantage to the english, as their morale was way up!

The english however, were not doing well anyway, they were very very tired, after travelling 270 miles, over 17 days, they were exhasted! All they had to eat was general tree nuts, like acorns, and semi-cooked meat, many had illnesses such as bronchitis, and dysentery.

The french (with 25000 troops, of which 15000 were mounted, and there were a few archers.) was huge compared to a puny 6000 from the english. There was a lot of argueing between french knights, aome wanted to charge, but all wanted to be rank one (row one). They thought this was going to be an easy win. At 11am, the english archers prepared  to fire 300 metres from the front rank of french knights. The french did not budge! Henry V ordered his archers to fire.

Then without any main order, the front rank of french knights charged, the french therefore, could not use their cannons, and archers to use, in fear of hitting their own men!

Henrys archers, now fired at the horses, spooking them and the mud as the french fell down caused them to drown in just 3 cm of water, on the top of the mud, just as the second row charge, and pile onto to the top, unable to move in their heavy armour! English arhcers, then got out their daggers, and kept any prisoners they wanted, and killed all overs, they took 1700 prisoners in the battle of Agincourt.

The third rank, feeling left out, went off into the countryside, disgusted.

Here, 500 englishmen died, 10000 french died. The longbow had again been decisive.