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At Agincourt
""At Agincourt"" is a historical novel written by G. A. Henty, first published in 1896. The story takes place during the Hundred Years' War and follows the journey of a young English archer named Ned who joins King Henry V's army in their campaign to claim the French throne. As Ned rises through the ranks and becomes a trusted member of the army, he witnesses the brutal realities of war, including the famous battle of Agincourt. Along the way, he forms friendships with fellow soldiers and navigates the complex political landscape of medieval Europe. The novel is packed with action, adventure, and historical detail, making it an engaging read for both young and old. Through Ned's eyes, readers gain a deeper understanding of the events leading up to the Battle of Agincourt and the impact it had on both England and France. Overall, ""At Agincourt"" is a thrilling tale of courage, loyalty, and the bonds of brotherhood forged in the heat of battle.""Perhaps it would be best, Master Guy. I fear not three men if they stand up face to face with me, but to be stabbed in the back is a thing that neither strength nor skill can save one from. But as I care not to be always going about in armour I will expend some of my crowns in buying a shirt of mail also. 'Tis better by far than armour, for a man coming up behind could stab one over the line of the back-piece or under the arm, while if you have mail under your coat they will strike at you fair between the shoulders, and it is only by striking high up on the neck that they have any chance with you. A good coat of mail is money well laid out, and will last a lifetime; and even if it cost me all the silversmith's crowns I will have a right good one.""This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1896
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221 people want to read
About the author
G.A. Henty
1,462 books369 followersGeorge Alfred Henty, better known as G.A. Henty, began his storytelling career with his own children. After dinner, he would spend and hour or two in telling them a story that would continue the next day. Some stories took weeks! A friend was present one day and watched the spell-bound reaction of his children suggesting Henty write down his stories so others could enjoy them. He did. Henty wrote approximately 144 books in addition to stories for magazines and was known as "The Prince of Story-Tellers" and "The Boy's Own Historian." One of Mr. Henty's secretaries reported that he would quickly pace back and forth in his study dictating stories as fast as the secretary could record them.
Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.
Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 23, 2022
3 stars because the main plot of the story includes a sort of magician who tells fortunes, whose deeds are promoted by Henty. Otherwise good story.
May 12, 2008
The story of Guy Aylmer, a young 17 year old esquire and man-at-arms, whose leige lord, Sir Eustace, is a knight with castles and allegiances in both England and France during the Hundred Years' War. Guy's father is castelain over Sir Eustace's lands in England when Sir Eustace is away in France. Guy is second-in-command over a contingent of 30 men-at-arms and 25 English longbowmen serving in defense of Sir Eustace's castle in France during the disturbances following the Duke of Burguny's murder of the Duke of Orleans, the brother of the sometimes-mad King Charles II of France.
Some of the Orleanists take advantage of Henry IV of England's prolonged inactivity, by attempting to storm Sir Eustace's castle in the absence of an English field army. Thanks to the English archers and men-at-arms, Sir Eustace repels the attack, infflicting heavy losses on the Orleanist raiders.
Despite this evidence of his determination to hold his castle in Villeroy for King Charles, Sir Eustace worries that the Duke of Burgundy will now become a threat, and so it turns out when he receives a command in the King's name (clearly under Burgundy's influence) to either admit a French garrison or send his wife and children to Paris as hostage for his fealty to King Charles II. Sir Eustace's wife, Dame Margaret, decides to accede to the "King's demand" and rides to Paris with her 14 year old daughter Agnes, her nine year old son Charles, and young esquire Guy in command of her escort consisting of Long Tom the archer, and three of Sir Eustace's French men-at-arms.
In Paris they find that their lives are threatened by the market guilds headed by the Butchers' Guild, who are virtually a law unto themselves. In fact, within days of their arrival, their residence is attacked by hundreds of armed Butchers chanting, "Death to the English Spies!" despite Dame Margaret's status as a hostage under the King's nominal protection. The Butchers are really out to murder their host, the head of the Silversmith's Guild, and then lay their hands on his store of silver treasure.
Thanks to a timely warning from a dispossessed Italian Count with a taste for intrigue (and using astrology to foretell the future), Guy and Tom and the three men-at-arms barricade the doors and the staircase and hold out until some Burgundian knights, one of whom Guy and Tom had rescued from a mob, arrive to disperse the Butchers, in response to a message carried by the Count's daughter, Katarina, who was accustomed to carry messages for her father while being disguised as a boy. The knights find dozens of bodies littering the doorway and stairs, most killed by Long Tom's arrows, and express their approval of Guy's clearheadedness and bravery, and of Tom's skill as an archer.
Later Guy recieves word that the market guilds intend to demand that Dame Margaret and her party, as well as the French knights who came to their aid, be handed over to face trail by a guild tribunal for the deaths they caused. Guy sends a warning to the French knights, telling them to flee the city, while Dame Margaret and her children hide with the Italian Count, who is accustomed to concealing many aspects of his vocation and daily life, and hopes to send his daughter Katarina to England to reside with Dame Margaret when the danger in France becomes too great for her to remain.
Guy, Long Tom, and the French men-at-arms assume disguises to remain close by. Numerous other arrests and executions are made by the guilds, most of their victims being of the Orleans faction, and Guy has to rescue Katarina from a group of Butchers.
Then when the Orleanist forces seem about to assert control in Paris, Dame Margaret makes plans to escape and return to the castle at Villeroy under the protection and escort of their friends, the Burgundian knights. Eventually the Count brings Katarina to join them and they leave for England where the new king, Henry V is preparing to invade France in response to broken French agreements, and to retake lands which had been lost during King Henry IV's reign.
The king has heard the story of Guy's adventures in Paris and asks Sir Eustace to assign Guy to be near him if they are forced to fight, so that he can witness Guy in action, and reward him properly. So it happens that Guy is on hand on October 15th, 1415,at the Battle of Agincourt and is able to rescue the king himself when Henry is temporarily stunned by a blow from a French battleaxe.
This is the occassion for one of the Count's astrological predictions to come true, namely that Guy would eventually become a knight "at the hands of a king," which entitles Guy to wear a suit of armor that had been given to him by the grateful silversmith. Later Guy wins promotion following a sea battle to knight coronette with a castle of his own , together with two adjacent manors. Guy and Katarina are betrothed, and King Henry V attends their wedding, and takes the first dance with the bride himself.
And thus the Count's other prediction was fullfilled, that Guy would win not only his kinght's spurs, but an estate of his own,... and that he would marry an heiress.
Some of the Orleanists take advantage of Henry IV of England's prolonged inactivity, by attempting to storm Sir Eustace's castle in the absence of an English field army. Thanks to the English archers and men-at-arms, Sir Eustace repels the attack, infflicting heavy losses on the Orleanist raiders.
Despite this evidence of his determination to hold his castle in Villeroy for King Charles, Sir Eustace worries that the Duke of Burgundy will now become a threat, and so it turns out when he receives a command in the King's name (clearly under Burgundy's influence) to either admit a French garrison or send his wife and children to Paris as hostage for his fealty to King Charles II. Sir Eustace's wife, Dame Margaret, decides to accede to the "King's demand" and rides to Paris with her 14 year old daughter Agnes, her nine year old son Charles, and young esquire Guy in command of her escort consisting of Long Tom the archer, and three of Sir Eustace's French men-at-arms.
In Paris they find that their lives are threatened by the market guilds headed by the Butchers' Guild, who are virtually a law unto themselves. In fact, within days of their arrival, their residence is attacked by hundreds of armed Butchers chanting, "Death to the English Spies!" despite Dame Margaret's status as a hostage under the King's nominal protection. The Butchers are really out to murder their host, the head of the Silversmith's Guild, and then lay their hands on his store of silver treasure.
Thanks to a timely warning from a dispossessed Italian Count with a taste for intrigue (and using astrology to foretell the future), Guy and Tom and the three men-at-arms barricade the doors and the staircase and hold out until some Burgundian knights, one of whom Guy and Tom had rescued from a mob, arrive to disperse the Butchers, in response to a message carried by the Count's daughter, Katarina, who was accustomed to carry messages for her father while being disguised as a boy. The knights find dozens of bodies littering the doorway and stairs, most killed by Long Tom's arrows, and express their approval of Guy's clearheadedness and bravery, and of Tom's skill as an archer.
Later Guy recieves word that the market guilds intend to demand that Dame Margaret and her party, as well as the French knights who came to their aid, be handed over to face trail by a guild tribunal for the deaths they caused. Guy sends a warning to the French knights, telling them to flee the city, while Dame Margaret and her children hide with the Italian Count, who is accustomed to concealing many aspects of his vocation and daily life, and hopes to send his daughter Katarina to England to reside with Dame Margaret when the danger in France becomes too great for her to remain.
Guy, Long Tom, and the French men-at-arms assume disguises to remain close by. Numerous other arrests and executions are made by the guilds, most of their victims being of the Orleans faction, and Guy has to rescue Katarina from a group of Butchers.
Then when the Orleanist forces seem about to assert control in Paris, Dame Margaret makes plans to escape and return to the castle at Villeroy under the protection and escort of their friends, the Burgundian knights. Eventually the Count brings Katarina to join them and they leave for England where the new king, Henry V is preparing to invade France in response to broken French agreements, and to retake lands which had been lost during King Henry IV's reign.
The king has heard the story of Guy's adventures in Paris and asks Sir Eustace to assign Guy to be near him if they are forced to fight, so that he can witness Guy in action, and reward him properly. So it happens that Guy is on hand on October 15th, 1415,at the Battle of Agincourt and is able to rescue the king himself when Henry is temporarily stunned by a blow from a French battleaxe.
This is the occassion for one of the Count's astrological predictions to come true, namely that Guy would eventually become a knight "at the hands of a king," which entitles Guy to wear a suit of armor that had been given to him by the grateful silversmith. Later Guy wins promotion following a sea battle to knight coronette with a castle of his own , together with two adjacent manors. Guy and Katarina are betrothed, and King Henry V attends their wedding, and takes the first dance with the bride himself.
And thus the Count's other prediction was fullfilled, that Guy would win not only his kinght's spurs, but an estate of his own,... and that he would marry an heiress.
June 19, 2014
I don't frequently pick up books from Project Gutenberg and when I do, I rarely stray from the commonly read ones (Gulliver's Travels, Treasure Island, etc.). I'm glad I went beyond my comfort zone and picked up this one.
It's a great classic story of medieval swordplay and chivalry. Young squire finds adventure, glory, and of course, a fair maiden's love.
And, hey, it's free. (As in gratis)
It's a great classic story of medieval swordplay and chivalry. Young squire finds adventure, glory, and of course, a fair maiden's love.
And, hey, it's free. (As in gratis)
December 3, 2024
Oh, this could've been such a good book.
It starts off kind of slow, but once the action picks up it doesn't slow down. Henty was so imaginative in thinking up different situations and how our hero, Guy, would get out of them. I'm especially impressed by all the thought he put into the silversmith's defenses.
And I loved the King Henry lines taken almost verbatim from Shakespeare 😆
BUT.
But . . . the astrology. Fortune telling and astrology is from the devil and not something that should be presented in a positive light, as Henty does here. (He even implies that it's true, which is not the case.) It's too bad the Count had to be an astrologer, because otherwise I really liked him. But I had to take a star off for all the horoscope content.
And Henty can't get away with infodumping like Tolkien can 🫠
It starts off kind of slow, but once the action picks up it doesn't slow down. Henty was so imaginative in thinking up different situations and how our hero, Guy, would get out of them. I'm especially impressed by all the thought he put into the silversmith's defenses.
And I loved the King Henry lines taken almost verbatim from Shakespeare 😆
BUT.
But . . . the astrology. Fortune telling and astrology is from the devil and not something that should be presented in a positive light, as Henty does here. (He even implies that it's true, which is not the case.) It's too bad the Count had to be an astrologer, because otherwise I really liked him. But I had to take a star off for all the horoscope content.
And Henty can't get away with infodumping like Tolkien can 🫠
October 17, 2017
This novel really reads like it is two novels in one. The story is good but I kind of wish the English vs the French was more of the book.
I listened and read it.
I listened and read it.
February 18, 2018
I listened to an audiobook. I enjoyed the story but not the reader.
July 13, 2019
Really enjoy learning this bit of history with the historical fiction of GA Henty. Great book to read and inspired me to read Henry V.
July 3, 2022
Very good book. May take the first chapter or two to fully grasp your interest but it is still a fun historical fiction
March 15, 2024
Boring! Not a Henty fan philosophically. He was an ok writer, but this one - boring.
July 5, 2009
Someone mentioned this in passing
and it was an unexpected pleasure
after I had tried the sample
Call it a coming of age
or an historical romance
but maybe just a wonderful
good guys vs. bad guys tale
with France vs. France
and France vs. England
in the 15th Century thrown in
Superheroes back then
used swords and cudgels!
and it was an unexpected pleasure
after I had tried the sample
Call it a coming of age
or an historical romance
but maybe just a wonderful
good guys vs. bad guys tale
with France vs. France
and France vs. England
in the 15th Century thrown in
Superheroes back then
used swords and cudgels!
August 29, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel
This was a very chivalrous, well written story set in the middle ages. It kept a reader immersed in the period by consistently using language and culture of that era. There were no lapses into modern ideals, so a reader didn't have to struggle against anachronisms. Well researched!
This was a very chivalrous, well written story set in the middle ages. It kept a reader immersed in the period by consistently using language and culture of that era. There were no lapses into modern ideals, so a reader didn't have to struggle against anachronisms. Well researched!
October 16, 2013
A tale of the White hoods of Paris. Love the history, fictional characters are a little cheesy but it doesn't matter if you love the history. I read these quite a while ago. I am planning to read them all. I have about 36 of his books so far.
August 3, 2015
Really enjoyed this story. One of those nice ones where everything goes perfectly, tying up into a wonderfully happy ending... ;) Excellently portrays the nobility, courage and respect for authority fitting in a young man - taught me more than a discourse on the subject could have!
September 14, 2015
A jolly Victorian romp through France and Paris during the French civil war of the 1400s, with, despite the title, only a passing reference to Agincourt. An easy read that just about transfers to the modern audience.
November 19, 2011
Not the best Henty book-too much to explain at the beginning-but still an enjoyable story.
July 7, 2014
As usual, Henty has entertained me with his careful attention to historical detail while drawing me into the lives of the characters of the story. Nice read.
August 12, 2016
Another enjoyable book by G. A. Henry!
I'm 48 and I have found every G. A. Henry book I've read thrilling! Call me simple but I love books that have good positive endings!
I'm 48 and I have found every G. A. Henry book I've read thrilling! Call me simple but I love books that have good positive endings!
July 15, 2015
The Best!
May 18, 2010
No wonder the French could never win a war. It's genetic. Great book of the 1400's
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews