Agincourt (Paperback)

I found this book to give an informative insight into the dynastic quarrels of the 15th century, the challenges of military recruitment, the methods and weapons of combat and the characters involved in this battle. The comparison and contrast between history and Shakespeare's Henry V is interesting. Hibbert's assessment of Henry's character adds depth to the book.

This book is not a comprehensive history of the era by any means, but id does provide a map shot into one moment of it. All in all this merits a high recommendation as an introduction to this historic battle and a mild introduction for the reader with broader interests in the Middle Ages.

France was the dominant military power in Europe, with at least 60,000 troops in the field in 1415. King Henry V brought about 5,500 Englishmen to France in the summer of 1415, in response to the French who had raided the English coast with impunity for years. Think of the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001; likewise, in the early 1400s, Plymouth was burned by French marauders, the Isle of Wight had been raided the following year and later, French forces landed at Milford Haven to support Welsh rebels.

Sound familiar? Well, despite these raids, the French were "negotiating" with the English to settle differences. Negotiating, negotiating and negotiating -- like some nations ignore UN resolution after resolution after resolution. Sound more familiar? Finally, the French got serious: They sent the English envoys back with a gift of tennis balls for the King and told him to play with his balls rather than meddle in matters beyond his capacity. Well, that's the story, anyway. Sorta like Weapons of Mass Destruction. Nations don't go to war, even against blatant evil, without good emotional reasons.

King Henry V had had enough. In November 1414, Bishop Beaufort ofr Windsor told Parliament "the more their King's dominions were extended, the less would their burthens become; and these things performed, great honour and glory would necessarily ensue." Besides, for the English in 1414, fighting and killing Frenchmen was fun.

This isn't the type of book most Americans would read. But, it nicely reflects current American habits of great forbearance, patience and decisive action when the time is ripe. Like Americans now in Iraq, with access to the world's second largest oil reserves, victory meant war could be very profitable. In the time of Henry V, profits came from prisoners of war who were later ransomed back to their homelands.

Like the war on Iraq, King Henry V relied on mobility, speed and hard-hitting weapons. As in 1940 with their Maginot Line, the French relied on armour; the English had the five-foot long yew bows, firing a three-foot arrow with a steel tip that could penetrate a solid oak door that was four inches thick.

But there was another more significant difference. Then, as now, France was elitist; some French knights refused to have anything to do with common soldiers. The strength of the English army was its common soldiers who voluntarily and constantly trained to maintain their proficiency with the longbow. They were the finest infantry in Europe.

In brief, such explanations are the beauty of this book. Obviously, since it was published in 2000, it doesn't cover the attack on the World Trade Center or the War on Iraq. But, many of the themes are recognizable. Hibbert doesn't merely tell us who won at Agincourt -- the French lost about 10,000 dead, the English about 100, and the English wound up with about 1,500 high-ranking noble prisoners -- he offers reasons why.

Victory led to the recovery of all English possessions in France and made King Henry V the leader of all Christendom against the Infidels, at a time when the Crusades against Islam were the epitome of military valour. Instead of leading a Crusade, King Henry V fell ill in the summer of 1422, and died in Vincennes at the age of 34. His heir was a baby-king, with actual rule conducted by a regent; they didn't have his powers of leadership or parliamentary support. In France, faced with English indecision and confusion, Joan of Arc rallied the French and within years everything King Henry V had won was lost.