Agincourt 1415: The Archers' Story

by Anne Curry, Robert Hardy (foreword)

The battle of Agincourt still rings down through the centuries as a quite incredible victory by the outnumbered, happy few of England, enfeebled by disease and exhaustion, against the might of French chivalry. For many commentators then and now, it was the English archers who won the day for Henry V. This history re-tells the story of the battle and Henry V's Normandy campaign from the perspective of the reputed commander of the English archers, Sir Thomas Erpingham.

Sir Thomas, an experienced warrior from Norfolk with military experience dating back 40 years, is known for his brief but pivotal appearances in Shakespeare's Henry V, where he is correctly portrayed as an elderly, white-haired veteran. At 57 he was one of the oldest there and a close personal confidant of the King. But what was his background? How did he command his archers to such a place in history? And what role did the longbow and battlefield tactics play in the final analysis of victory?

Copiously illustrated with reproductions of original muster rolls and other material, Agincourt 1415 steers the reader through the history of the most important battle of the Hundred Years War from an entirely fresh perspective.

Genres: Medieval

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2008

About the author

Anne Curry is Professor of Medieval History and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Southampton, after teaching for many years at the University of Reading. She has published many books and articles on the Hundred Years War, as well as definitive works on Agincourt itself and an on-line database of all known soldiers between 1369 and 1453 (www.medievalsoldier.org ). An historical advisor to the battlefield centres at Azincourt, Shrewsbury, and Bosworth, she is co-chair of the "Agincourt 600" committee, tasked with organizing the commemorations of the sixth hundredth anniversary of the battle. President of the Historical Association between 2008 and 2011, she is also a former Vice-President of the Royal Historical Society.

Reviews

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, basically several essays regarding the Battle of Agincourt. Mostly regarding Thomas Erpingham and his role in the battle. I really enjoyed this book due to the use of many illustrations, maps and photographs that let you see, instead of just read, about the battle.