Perhaps he made the speech that Shakespeare claims, or something like it. Henry moved among his men, his battle-scarred face making him one of their own. The Priests were walking amongst the men to help them make peace. On the English side, the army was miserable, cold, hungry. On the French side the men could be heard partying, laughing, gambling and getting drunk, rejoicing ahead of what was thought to be an inevitable victory. It was also the day of the Feast of St Crispin, a public holiday in England. As far as milltary campaigns went – it was very late in the season. It was typical October weather, wet and not too cold. These days it’s not certain how many many each side had but certainly the French army was substantially bigger. Of course the French did not think they could lose – his offer was rejected. It was claimed, says Gary, that the English army had 7000 men – the French had 30,000 men. Nevertheless it is said that Henry V made contact with the French to see if he could buy his way out. The French had the advantage of big open fields but for some reason they moved on to ground that was less favourable. Near modern day Azincourt, Henry realised that he was in serious trouble and decided that though it was not ideal he would have to stay and fight. They were thwarted by French resistance and took twists and turns in their journey to the northern tip of France and, they assumed, safety. Despite his army being decimated by dysentery he insisted on order among the ranks including that they pay for what they took. From there he would make his way back to England. He sailed with his army to Normandy where he took Harfleur and then decided to march to Calais which was under English rule. The English King Henry V considered the weakness of the French Crown an excellent opportunity to attack. “He thought he was made of glass – never a good sign” says Gary drily. The health of the French King Charles VI had deteriorated and he was by now quite mad. Once again the French and the English were lining up to do battle. Of the legendary “super King” Henry V, a man who died several centuries ago but whom to this day is referred to in motivational talks. In Azincourt, as the French call it, surrounded by green fields and quite country roads Gary started to tell the story of the Battle of Agincourt. Of course we had to stop and look at this and you can read about Captain Matthew Latham, the real Sharpe, here. “That” he said “is where the real Sharpe” is buried, referring to the Bernard Cornwell stories of Richard Sharpe of his Majesty’s British Army in the 1800s. On the way to Agincourt, Gary who is an absolute mine of information, facts, figures and anecdotes pointed out the town of Blingel, a sleepy little place with amazing houses and a small cemetery. A tour of the legendary battlefield site of Agincourt with historian and tour guide Gary Ashley had started with a brief overview of the Hundred Years War and a tour of the Battlefield Site of Crecy, a fight which had taken place some 80 years before Agincourt.
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