Osprey - General Military - Knight - The Warrior and ... - Brego-weard

A 15th-century depiction of Agincourt. The French army flee across the ploughed
field, falling to the arrows of the English bows. (Bridgeman Art Library)
by the chroniclers, so high that they had to climb up
on top of them in order to 'butcher their enemies
down below with swords, axes and other weapons'.
In the melee the archers used their nimbleness to
attack the flanks and rears of those already engaged,
using their knives, hangers and lead mallets to
dispatch men as they fell.
The battle was an overwhelming defeat for the
French and their casualties were acute, all the greater
because Henry, fearing an attack by the French
rearguard, who had remained unengaged, ordered
the prisoners killed so that they might not pick up
weapons and renew the assault. It was by no means
decisive. Whilst Shakespeare may have moved
straight to the negotiating table and the Treaty of
Troyes which saw Henry recognized as heir to the
French throne and betrothed him to the Princess
Catherine, the French and English did not. There
would be five more years of bitter campaigning and
much political manoeuvring before Henry would
come close to achieving his aims.