Osprey Men-at-Arms 317 : Henry V and the Conquest of France 1416-1453

The battle of Agincourt in 1415 was not the decisive encounter that the likes of William Shakespeare suggest it was. This book details the English army that Henry V led back into France in 1417 to conquer Normandy and again take the war to the French. With his Burgundian allies it took another 3 years campaigning to force Charles VI to recognise him as his heir by the Treaty of Troyes in 1420. Powerful enemies remained even after this, notably the Dauphin, and the war continued. In 1422 Henry died, and was succeeded by the nine-month-old Henry VI: by 1429 English fortunes were in decline. More than 20 years of warfare would pass before the English were driven from France, with the exception of Calais. This period of the war is often ignored in preference to the battles of Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt but in fact is the decisive phase of the conflict. This book fills that gap, bringing the research up to date and examines the army that fought these campaigns in detail looking at its composition, organisation, equipment and weaponry. Text by Paul Knight with illustrations by Mike Chappell.

Contents

• Introduction
• Background
• Chronology
• Henry V's Army
• Organisation
• Arms and Armour
• The Campaigns
• Campaign Life
• Garrison Life
• Training
• In Battle
• The Navy
• Artillery
• The Plates