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The Battle of Agincourt 5th October 1415 - Coggle Diagram
The Battle of Agincourt 5th October 1415
Background
Henry V was king
Reputation of a wonderful military leader
Spent a lot of time fighting in France
As part of the Hundred Years' War
All this fighting left financial problems
English army land in France and attack
The French army rush to stop them
French heavily outnumber the English. Some estimates= 60,000 vs 6,000
Delayed and many soldiers get ill
The English Advance
The battlefield was on a plain with woods either side. This forced the sides into a narrow field of combat. Benefits the English archers.
The English line up in 3 ranks left to right. The French in 3 rank one behind the other.
Draw battle map.
The two sides waited for four hours, until Henry gave the order to close the gap to the French. They drove stakes in the ground to protect them from cavalry attacks.
The sides were now only 300 yards apart. The longbowmen started firing.
The French Attack
The muddy field hindered the heavily armoured French infantry/cavalry (difficult to get up)
The second French line had to clamber over piles of bodies and this broke their line. Many were killed/captured by the English archers.
The third and final French line retreated.
Any French knights still alive were captured and taken prisoner. However, many were ordered to be killed when Henry was worried they were under attack from behind.
The English archers were forced to fight hand to hand, but the French knights were exhausted (the archers fought in small groups against the heavily armoured French).
The archers began to fire (10 arrows per min). The French cavalry attacked. Many horses were shot and their riders were thrown into the mud.
Results of the battle
Henry V had won an incredible victory. Made him a national hero
Loses: English around 300 men and the French over 6,000
The battle lasted for four hours
After Henry's death, the Hundred Years' War went increasingly wrong for England. Leaving them with just the Port of Calais in France.
Many were also taken prisoner.
4.Why did England win?
French mistakes
Retreating soldiers crashed into their own advancing men
They did not attack when the English were advancing and use their superior numbers
The French attacks were choatic. The rushed in an undisciplined mob and were so tightly packed they could not lift their weapons
English Luck
Forests narrowed the battlefield, squeezing the French together
By the time the French eventually reached the English, they were exhausted.
The battlefield was very muddy, making attacking difficult for the French. This got worse as the battle progressed.
English army (archers)
Each archer could fire 10 arrows per minute at almost 300 yards
They were well trained and disciplined. The English longbowmen were among the best soldiers in Europe
The attacks of the English archers were immensely effective
The archers aimed for the French horses as the knights had thick armour. Wounded horses threw their riders into the mud
When fighting hand on hand, the English archers worked in groups to kill the heavily armoured French knights.
Henry' V's leadership
He provoked the French into attacking the flanks
He ordered the prisoners to be killed, as he wanted to be ready for the French counter attack.
Ordered stakes to be placed in the ground, to stop charging horses