SAMLESBURY LONGBOW ARCHERS THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT - 1415 reenactment. Traditional long bow archery shoot on of the battle anniversary in medieval dress, British Long-Bow Society (BLBS) event. Credit; MediaWorldImages/AlamyLiveNews
Victory for the longbow against overwhelming odds Narrow terrain protecting the flanks and a well-staked position brought down concentrated volleys of shot on a massed charge by cavalry and men at arms on foot. After a march of 17 days from Harfleur almost round the headwaters of the river Somme, the 28-year-old King Henry V of England set up his camp in the fields and orchards of Maisoncelles near Agincourt. The much larger French Army of some 20 to 30000 men blocked its progress to Calais. It was encamped in a position that left King Henry little choice. He could neither retreat into the heavily fortified town of Hesdin nor could he turn either East or West. The French commanders had not closed their army right up to the woods on either side, but were to the North of its narrowest point. The French commanders may not have been fully aware that of the 6000 English, over 5000 were longbow men. However, on that very evening of 24 October the French commanders had made their first error. The site they had chosen was narrow and their position to the North had left the English the option to close their army up to the woods at the narrowest point of the site. After a stand-off of three hours on the morning of the battle, King Henry ordered his army to lift its stakes in the ground and advance some 870 yards/800 metres. That brought it to within approximately 330 yards/300 metres from the French position. Crucially this advance brought the flanks of the English Army right up to the woods on either side and did so at the narrowest point of the battlefield. As the cavalry gathered pace the longbow men held their arrows. The order to shoot was given when the horses were within bowshot at 220 to 240 yards (200 to 220 metres). From then on volleys of arrows were wounded horses panicked, riders were thrown, killed or suffered agonizing wounds. The cavalry was thrown back and trampled into the tightly packed advancing footmen.
Size: 5472px × 3648px
Location: Preston, UK
Photo credit: © MediaWorldImages / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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