Amongst a handful of battles that mark the rise of England into Britain and on to found the British Empire, Agincour stands out was a battle where a tired ragged army, significantly smaller than the fresh French Army, turned and fought and won magnificently. – Highly Recommended.
NAME: Agincour 1415, Field of Blood FILE: R2567 AUTHOR: B Renfrew PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword BINDING: soft back PAGES: 201 PRICE: £8.99 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: France, French Knights, English Army, English Knights, archers, Knights on foot, Knights on horseback, men-at-arms, camp followers
ISBN: 1-47389-488-3
IMAGE: B2567gjpg BUYNOW: http://tinyurl.com/ydx29jjy LINKS: DESCRIPTION: Amongst a handful of battles that mark the rise of England into Britain and on to found the British Empire, Agincour stands out was a battle where a tired ragged army, significantly smaller than the fresh French Army, turned and fought and won magnificently. - Highly Recommended. In the 15th Century, England was a small country of no particular wealth or account that was ruled by a Norman French king who still tried to cling to ancestral possessions in France. By comparison France was a mighty nation that looked down its long nose at little England, making a mistake that is still made today by some Europeans. King Henry took to France a small army in defence of his remaining French possessions. England could ill-afford the expense of this undertaking that was immense and costly in English terms, but pitifully small against the force France could deploy against it. After a dispiriting campaign, the exhausted English survivors were demoralized and sickness was rife. Attempting to fight their way to the coast and ships for home, they appeared to have become trapped by a vast fresh French army, well-fed and well-equipped. Defeat seemed the likely outcome for the English. What took place next was in one account a synopsis of all that is English and all that became British, to be repeated time after time through history. King Henry gave his troops a short, simple, emotive speech that motivated his tired, sick army. He turned and advanced on the French host alone. Then a mighty roar came from the English ranks and, as one, they followed their King into battle. The English Knights fought on foot with the men-at-arms alongside them. The haughty French Knights stood separate from their common soldiers, mounted on great horses of war. The English archers caused carnage amongst the French. Incredibly, the French Army was humbled and the tiny remnant of a small British army stood victorious. It became one of the great moments of English history. It was the cypher for all that was English and is now British. The author has made good use of first hand accounts from commanders and soldiers on both sides, basing the story on chronicles of the times. Not a popular story in France but one that every Briton should read and know. Also a story that ignorant Europeans should read to avoid repeating the French mistake of not respecting Great Britain.