Henry V: The background, strategies, tactics and battlefield experiences of the greatest commanders of history

Command #8

by Marcus Cowper

Immortalized in the plays of Shakespeare, Henry V is the most famous and celebrated of all England's medieval monarchs. His succession of victories over the French, combined with his death at an early age, has created an aura of myth around the man and commander that has endured to this day.

Accompanied by the detailed maps, photographs and artwork that readers expect from an Osprey book, this title thoroughly explores Henry's command experience, tracing his development from a young prince struggling against an insurrection to his eventual triumph in Northern France. Author Marcus Cowper examines Henry's key battles and sieges, how he systematically extended English control throughout northern France and how he was perceived by his contemporaries as a military leader. This in-depth analysis extends to Henry's private motivations and aspirations, including the impetus behind some of his controversial military decisions. Learn the truths that set the Bard's stage in this engaging new title from one of Osprey's newest series.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Medieval, Military History

64 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2006

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

This primarily focuses on Agincourt.🤷🏾‍♀️

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are interested in every battle that Henry V participated in then you should absolutely read this book. It'll only take you a little while to get through because it's a small volume. This book does not include much beyond the planning expertise and the battlefield prowess of Henry V so you might find it a bit of a struggle to keep your interest, but it's worth reading. This is no fault of the author. There's just very limited material available about this king.

I know more about Henry V now than when I started so that fact alone makes it a worthwhile read.

[Declan Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and concise review of the life and battles of Henry V before his early death in France. This book does (of course) mention Agincourt, but as I had a book on that battle recently (the excellent Osprey Campaign), I was more interested in his life before and after Agincourt.

Very interesting, well written, and well explained. Even those with little knowledge of the era or Henry V should have no trouble understanding it.

[Phil Syphe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book covers in detail all Henry V’s battles. This is therefore not a regular biography of the celebrated English king.

Includes illustrations from Henry’s times, plus modern photos of some of the places where he campaigned, with the focus being on Agincourt.

It’s not written in a scholarly way, so it’s accessible to all readers.

At times, I found it a bit monotonous with the topic being so rigid but I liked it on the most part.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slender volume in Osprey's "Leadership, Strategy, Conflict" series. The focus is Henry V, who was one of the last English rulers to have any success in folding onto England's lands in France and the surrounding region.

The book begins with a genealogy of the English royal family (starting with Edward II and Isabella. Always fascinating to see how John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford are so central! Also, the French royal family is depicted as well, starting with Philip III and Isabel of Aragon.

The volume begins with Henry's early life, his introduction to matters military, and the historical context in which he lived. There is a listing of key leaders in the conflicts with France. Also described are key battles, such as the siege of Harfleur and the glorious victory at Agincourt.

The book ends with an assessment of Henry V. If one wants great detail, this will not be the book for you. If you want a "quick and dirty" and well illustrated work on Henry V, this will do nicely.

[Ray Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my continuing quest to learn about the British monarchy, I picked up this short piece on Henry V which only took a few hours to read. I remember reading about Henry IV and V, but I can't remember. I'm pretty sure this one will end up in this category as well. There is a limited number of sources from this period, so the story is fairly straight forward. Until or unless massive archeology changes our understanding of the military campaigns or a trunk of personal letters and documents shows up, the story is what it is. Henry V built on the victories of his father to gain the crown of both England and France which were quickly lost after his death. Shakespeare romanticized the tales and took liberties with the timeline and characters to make his plays more compelling.

Looking for a quick review, "A little touch of Harry in the night"? This was more or less the Sparknotes edition which, again, gives the clear impression that their isn't much more.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon Review:
Immortalised in the plays of Shakespeare, Henry V is the most famous and celebrated of all England's medieval monarchs. Although his most famous battles and conquests took place in France, Henry, as was common amongst medieval aristocracy, was introduced to battle at an early age when he fought with his father, Henry IV, at the battle of Shrewsbury in 1403. On his accession to the throne, Henry turned his attention towards foreign affairs and the English position in France.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very informative read and it fed my brain well. Marcus Cowper tells the life of Henry simply, lays out the politics of the time in a straight-forward manner, and covers the big events in an unbiased way.

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short and concise history of Henry V's military career. Delivers on expectations.