Henry V led the English army at the Battle of Agincourt.
The battle took place on October 25, 1415, during the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. Henry had invaded France to press his claim to the French crown, but illness, exhaustion, and a long retreat left his army greatly outnumbered before the French forces near the village of Agincourt.
English longbowmen played a major role. Muddy, cramped ground restricted the movement of heavily armoured French troops, while stakes helped protect English archers from cavalry. The English victory strengthened Henry’s position and contributed to the Treaty of Troyes in 1420, which recognized him as heir to the French throne and arranged his marriage to Catherine of Valois.
Agincourt is sometimes remembered as an easy victory, but the English army faced serious logistical problems and suffered losses. Henry V died in 1422, before he could become king of France.