"St Crispin's Day from Henry V" by William Shakespeare (speech)

King Henry actually did go round his men before the battle making rousing speeches. The battle of Agincourt took place on 25th October 1415, St. Crispian's Day. The French lost, with terrible casualties: eight thousand Frenchmen killed to a few hundred Englishmen.

The ground was extremely soft, the French knights couldn't stay mounted. Men on foot in armour were no match for the nimble archers who had powerful bows and armour-piercing arrows - and when they fell just cut their throats.

Most of the barons and knights on both sides were in it for themselves: the object was to take a nobleman from the other side a prisoner and charge a ransom for his return. However King Henry ordered that prisoners be put to death to prevent further attacks. It wasn't an honourable victory.

Charles, the French king went insane when he heard the terrible news of the ignominious defeat.

The French were determined to cut off the first and second fingers of the right hand of every English archer so they they could never draw a bow again. So if an Englishman raises two fingers to you, he's telling you something that isn't a compliment. Churchill knew that with his famous "victory sign".

"The Battle of Agincourt" was painted by Sir John Gilbert in 1850

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[ollintzin]

@CaptainArmageddon Not quite!

[CaptainArmageddon]

Much better than Branagh.

[MatlockJack]

Reminds me of Kenneth Branagh, from the 1989 film, very nicely read.