An outnumbered English army defeated France at Agincourt in 1415, reshaping the Hundred Years' War and establishing English dominance for 14 years.
Key Facts
- Date
- 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin's Day)
- English archer proportion
- Nearly 80% of Henry's army
- English dominance lasted
- 14 years, until Siege of Orléans (1429)
- French commander
- Constable Charles I d'Albret
- English commander
- King Henry V of England
- Key weapon
- English longbow
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After decades of relative peace, England resumed the Hundred Years' War in 1415 following failed negotiations with France. The English army's numbers were already depleted by disease during the Siege of Harfleur, and while attempting to withdraw to Calais, they found their route blocked by a substantially larger French force, making battle unavoidable.
On 25 October 1415, King Henry V led an outnumbered English and Welsh army against a far larger French force near Azincourt in northern France. English and Welsh longbowmen comprised roughly 80 percent of the army and proved decisive. The French, commanded by Constable Charles I d'Albret in place of the mentally incapacitated King Charles VI, were routed in an overwhelming English victory.
The unexpected English victory boosted English morale and prestige while severely crippling France. It inaugurated a 14-year period of English dominance in the Hundred Years' War, which lasted until France reversed the tide at the Siege of Orléans in 1429. The battle became one of England's most celebrated military victories and has had lasting cultural influence, notably inspiring Shakespeare's play Henry V.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
King Henry V of England.
Side B
1 belligerent
Constable Charles I d'Albret.