Original subtitles

(dramatic music) - (soldiers shouting)

STANFIELD: "I remember the horses galloping out of control.

I remember the arrows we fired,

I remember the arrows we fired,

one after the other, without pause.

I remember the bodies covered in armour falling into the mud.

I remember the bodies covered in armour falling into the mud.

I remember that wall of metal and flesh.

My name is John Stanfield.

My name is John Stanfield.

I'm an archer, and I was at the Battle of Agincourt."

(tense, dramatic opening theme music)

(tense, dramatic opening theme music)

- (armour clanking)

STANFIELD: It's the morning of October 25th, 1415,

on the field of Agincourt.

on the field of Agincourt.

The sun finally breaks through a curtain of rain.

Henry V takes his place on the front line.

He is 29 years old and has been King of England for two years.

He is 29 years old and has been King of England for two years.

- He was not frightened.

He was participating in the battle.

He also gave prebattle speeches

He also gave prebattle speeches

where he said he'd rather be killed than captured.

And his men were inspired by his, uh... character.

And his men were inspired by his, uh... character.

- (soldiers shouting)

- The descriptions we have of him from texts written

in the 1430s is he was very athletic.

in the 1430s is he was very athletic.

It was alleged he could run and catch a stag.

In his father's reign,

he was involved in quite a lot of military activity in Wales,

so he got a tremendous military apprenticeship.

- (horses whinnying)

- (horses whinnying)

NARRATOR: Since the age of 15,

he has worn the mark of this military experience

under his right eye.

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (Toureille speaks French)

STANFIELD: "He's a true warrior, our King Henry.

STANFIELD: "He's a true warrior, our King Henry.

We are proud to serve him, and, by Saint George,

we will follow him to the end.

And death to the traitors in London plotting against him."

And death to the traitors in London plotting against him."

NARRATOR: In England, Henry V sits on a contested throne.

There are many who believe the kingdom should not be his.

There are many who believe the kingdom should not be his.

In 1399, his father, Henry IV,

seized power in a coup d'�tat.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- So when Henry becomes King in 1413,

I think we're going to expect great things of him.

And therefore, Henry had something to prove.

And therefore, Henry had something to prove.

(tense music)

NARRATOR: On that October morning in 1415,

at Agincourt as he sets out

at Agincourt as he sets out

to conquer France and consolidate his power,

Henry V knows that defeat would spell the end of his young dynasty.

- (soldiers shouting)

- (soldiers shouting)

NARRATOR: Staring across the battlefield,

he spies the immense army of the King of France.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: The Dukes of Orleans, Bourbon, Alencon and Bar;

NARRATOR: The Dukes of Orleans, Bourbon, Alencon and Bar;

the Counts of Vendome and Nevers,

Princes, blood relatives of King Charles VI.

Princes, blood relatives of King Charles VI.

But on the battlefield,

they won't be taking orders from the King himself.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: Instead, he - along with his eldest son -

are held back in the city of Rouen.

In their absence,

the Crown has delegated its authority over the army.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: The army of France carries on without its king.

NARRATOR: The army of France carries on without its king.

And its command is divided, like the country itself.

For more than 20 years,

Charles VI has drifted between periods of madness and lucidity.

Charles VI has drifted between periods of madness and lucidity.

And his instability has fuelled the ambitions of the kingdom's nobility.

Two factions covet his power the most.

Two factions covet his power the most.

On one side, the Armagnacs, on the other, the Burgundians.

The struggle evolved into a civil war.

And for Henry V, that conflict has given him an opening.

And for Henry V, that conflict has given him an opening.

- Henry V knew all too well

how weak the French were at that point in time.

how weak the French were at that point in time.

And therefore, he was all the more determined

to enter France with an army of 12,000 men,

the largest since 1346.

the largest since 1346.

NARRATOR: Well before Agincourt,

this was the first decisive English victory of the 100 Years' War.

this was the first decisive English victory of the 100 Years' War.

The 1346 conflict had its origins 18 years earlier,

with the death of France's King Charles IV.

with the death of France's King Charles IV.

Through his mother, King Edward III of England was

Charles IV's closest heir.

He believed, therefore, that HE should be crowned King of France.

The two kingdoms would then be united.

But instead, the royal court installed

But instead, the royal court installed

the Count of Valois on the throne in 1328.

This action marked the beginning of the 100 Years' War.

This action marked the beginning of the 100 Years' War.

- (soldiers shouting) - (weapons clanking)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: At the time of Henry V's ascension to the throne of England,

the conflict had been quiet for some 30 years.

the conflict had been quiet for some 30 years.

That peace would be broken by the new king

and his quest to consolidate his power.

In August 1415, he crosses the English Channel

In August 1415, he crosses the English Channel

with 700 ships and 12,000 men.

They're heading for the mouth of the Seine

and its strategic port of Harfleur.

Only a small garrison protects the fortified town.

Still, Harfleur is able to endure six weeks of siege

before finally surrendering.

before finally surrendering.

- I think his original plan was

to go on to take other places in Normandy -

Rouen, and then, perhaps, up the Seine, you know, towards Paris -

to threaten the heart of the French monarchy.

I think he realised that what had happened at that siege in Harfleur

I think he realised that what had happened at that siege in Harfleur

made it very difficult to conduct another siege of that sort.

And therefore, he decides to change his tactics.

And therefore, he decides to change his tactics.

NARRATOR: Henry V has no choice.

With dysentery tearing through his ranks,

his army has grown weak.

his army has grown weak.

The invasion of France will have to wait.

- (soldiers chattering)

NARRATOR: With his remaining 9,000 men, he changes course for Calais.

NARRATOR: With his remaining 9,000 men, he changes course for Calais.

The town has been an English stronghold

on French soil since 1346.

And it would only be a few days' march away.

And it would only be a few days' march away.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (soldier shouts)

(battle music)

(battle music)

- Besides, en route,

Henry could persuade towns to give him food stuffs,

and we know that that happened at Eux, for instance.

and we know that that happened at Eux, for instance.

I think also he wanted to show the French

that he was capable of marching through territory.

that he was capable of marching through territory.

NARRATOR: The humiliation was too much for the King of France to bear.

Illness and internal strife had forced Charles VI

Illness and internal strife had forced Charles VI

to abandon Harfleur to Henry V.

He could not let him return to England unchecked.

To block the English army's path,

To block the English army's path,

the French take advantage of a natural obstacle:

the River Somme.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (soldiers chattering) - (rainfall)

NARRATOR: To find a crossing point,

Henry V and his 9,000 soldiers have to follow the river eastward.

Henry V and his 9,000 soldiers have to follow the river eastward.

Forced to march in constant rain,

they advance 23 kilometres a day.

STANFIELD: "In my company, there were 24 of us;

now, there are only 16.

The others fell ill and died.

The others fell ill and died.

But we continue to march on...

fourteen, maybe fifteen days.

I can't remember.

I can't remember.

That unyielding river at all times to our left.

And on the opposite bank,

those relentless Frenchmen that you can see in the distance.

those relentless Frenchmen that you can see in the distance.

They seem to be everywhere...

as if their evil spirit is chasing us."

NARRATOR: On the 17th day of this trek,

NARRATOR: On the 17th day of this trek,

Henry V and his army finally manage to cross the Somme.

They are now just 40 kilometres from Calais.

They are now just 40 kilometres from Calais.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

- (soldiers shouting)

NARRATOR: Thousands of suits of armour, spears, and swords.

The French army is in battle position,

blocking Henry's path at the other end of a freshly ploughed field.

blocking Henry's path at the other end of a freshly ploughed field.

600 years later,

this piece of land is still being farmed.

this piece of land is still being farmed.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

NARRATOR: On October 24th, 1415,

after two weeks of pursuit,

the two armies stand opposite each other.

Henry V has been trying to avoid this situation.

But a confrontation now appears inevitable.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

(tense music)

- He had no choice.

- He had no choice.

And also, he's so determined not to fail.

And therefore, instead of withdrawing,

he faces up to this... this challenge.

he faces up to this... this challenge.

I think also Henry is a bit of a risk-taker.

NARRATOR: It's five o'clock in the afternoon.

NARRATOR: It's five o'clock in the afternoon.

Daylight is beginning to fade.

The two armies remain on alert.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

NARRATOR: The armies set up camps on opposite sides of the battlefield,

knowing that, in the morning, they would fight.

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

STANFIELD: "These French have no honour.

They could attack us in the dark.

So, we keep watch,

and woe be to anyone who makes a noise.

His ear will be sliced off.

In the silence of the night, you can hear everything:

In the silence of the night, you can hear everything:

the fear of your friends, the rain falling,

and, in the distance, the songs of the devilish French."

and, in the distance, the songs of the devilish French."

- (French soldiers laughing) - (Toureille speaks French)

(tense battle music)

(tense battle music)

NARRATOR: In the early morning hours, from seven o'clock onward,

NARRATOR: In the early morning hours, from seven o'clock onward,

the English ready themselves for war.

(tense music)

They kneel down and pray...

They kneel down and pray...

and then place a bit of earth into their mouths as a sign of communion.

The date is October the 25th,1415.

The English have taken their positions.

But on the other side, the French are nowhere to be found.

But on the other side, the French are nowhere to be found.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: The Duke of Brabant and the Duke of Brittany,

for example, are still several kilometres from Agincourt.

Their troops would further bolster the French army...

Their troops would further bolster the French army...

but only if they reached the battlefield on time.

- (soldiers shouting) (dramatic battle music)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

(dramatic battle music continues) - (horses whinnying)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (clock chimes) NARRATOR: Ten o'clock.

The two armies are in battle formation.

Their strategies are radically different.

Their strategies are radically different.

- (Toureille speaks French)

(music intensifies)

- (soldiers shout in French) - (soldiers repeat)

- (Savary speaks French)

- Imagine these men as like tanks,

you know, sort of this whole tank division

against a smaller group of men at arms

against a smaller group of men at arms

that they hope to sort of push over.

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Under the grey skies of Agincourt,

NARRATOR: Under the grey skies of Agincourt,

the most illustrious knights stand out in the front ranks.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

NARRATOR: Each is vying for the honour of driving

NARRATOR: Each is vying for the honour of driving

the English out of France.

The high nobility crowd the frontlines

of a vanguard numbering some 4,500 men.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

NARRATOR: This vanguard is surrounded by two cavalry wings.

150 metres behind them, the main fighting force is made up

150 metres behind them, the main fighting force is made up

of 3,000 troops from the middle nobility,

and in the rear, 4,000 more from the lesser nobility.

And finally, the dragoons, archers, and crossbowmen,

And finally, the dragoons, archers, and crossbowmen,

who are given little attention by their superiors.

- (speaks French)

- (soldiers shouting)

- (soldiers shouting)

NARRATOR: In total, the French army fields more than 12,000 soldiers.

Henry V enters the fight with just 9,000 soldiers.

Henry V enters the fight with just 9,000 soldiers.

But his approach to the battle couldn't be any more different.

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: Henry V arms only 2,000 knights.

He divides them into three groups.

One on the left flank,

another on the right flank commanded by the Duke of York.

The last group fills the centre, led by the king himself.

The last group fills the centre, led by the king himself.

Between the knights, he places 7,000 archers.

They represent three quarters of his army,

while France's archers, relegated to the rear guard,

while France's archers, relegated to the rear guard,

make up only one quarter.

- (Toureille speaks French)

STANFIELD: "The great lords wear 25 kilos of heavy armour.

I couldn't fire my arrows with THAT on my back!

I couldn't fire my arrows with THAT on my back!

And this armour comes from Nuremberg or Milan.

I could never afford that. I'm not complaining, though.

I could never afford that. I'm not complaining, though.

In Henry's army, I earn more in a month

than my father does in a year.

And my father is the village blacksmith!"

- An archer is from the English lower classes.

So they were farmers, they were tradesmen,

they were carpenters, maybe butchers, blacksmiths,

they were carpenters, maybe butchers, blacksmiths,

those kinds of jobs.

They wouldn't have been able to afford a full suit of armour.

So this was probably the most armour they'd have been able to afford.

The clothing is made up of your underwear first,

The clothing is made up of your underwear first,

your braies and a linen shirt,

and then, you wear a padded coat like this.

And these are made up from 14 to 20 layers of linen

And these are made up from 14 to 20 layers of linen

stitched together to create overlapping layers

to deaden blows, to stop cuts.

And they perform pretty well, but they're obviously not...

And they perform pretty well, but they're obviously not...

not going to stop a really determined sword thrust.

NARRATOR: Lightly protected,

these archers are vulnerable to cavalry assaults.

these archers are vulnerable to cavalry assaults.

Henry V understands this weakness and improvises a solution.

- He orders his archers to provide themselves

- He orders his archers to provide themselves

with a stake about six feet long,

sharpened at both ends that they can use

in front to protect themselves.

Horses will not attack if they are faced

Horses will not attack if they are faced

with stakes pointing towards them.

I sometimes wonder, though, how they managed to find...

(chuckles) ...so many stakes in that area so quickly.

(chuckles) ...so many stakes in that area so quickly.

(tense, ticking music)

NARRATOR: Entrenched behind its stakes,

the English army is ready to face its adversaries.

the English army is ready to face its adversaries.

SOLDIER: Again! ALL: Hey, hey! Hey, hey!

NARRATOR: But even at midday,

despite being provoked by Henry's soldiers...

despite being provoked by Henry's soldiers...

the French remain motionless. SOLDIERS: Hey, hey!

Hey, hey!

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: He decides to move his army forward

by a few hundred metres.

The enemy lines are now within range of his archers.

(dramatic battle music)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: The French do not seize their momentary advantage.

Henry's gamble has so far paid off.

His army is now positioned precisely in between two bordering forests,

His army is now positioned precisely in between two bordering forests,

creating a funnel effect.

It has also taken away the threat of the French outflanking him.

It has also taken away the threat of the French outflanking him.

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: Henry's army lets out another cry

NARRATOR: Henry's army lets out another cry

and fires their first volley of arrows.

- (soldiers shouting) - (arrows whooshing)

NARRATOR: The French have had enough... and attack!

The cavalry charges forward...

The cavalry charges forward...

followed by the vanguard.

- (horses whinnying) (dramatic battle music)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (soldiers shouting)

- The plan was to knock the archers out, really,

- The plan was to knock the archers out, really,

by having a cavalry charge against them

because the archers are not fully armed.

They do not have plate armour.

They... If a cavalry charge had come against them,

They... If a cavalry charge had come against them,

they would have been really quite damaged by that.

But their main idea was to have a very large first battle

But their main idea was to have a very large first battle

which would move towards the English men-at-arms

in a decent pace.

It's just by weight of numbers

that they hope to sort of push over the English.

And that's in itself not such a bad idea.

And that's in itself not such a bad idea.

NARRATOR: Before they can topple their enemy, however,

they need to cross the plateau of Agincourt.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Slowed by the field of mud,

NARRATOR: Slowed by the field of mud,

the French cavalry and vanguard are hit with a hail of arrows again.

- (arrows whooshing)

- I don't think they realised how many English archers there were.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

STANFIELD: "Same breath, same rhythm.

My comrades-in-arms and I repeat the same gestures.

The flaxen string tightens...

the arrows whistle as they shoot skywards.

But there is no time - or need - to watch where they fall.

The screams of the French tell us all that we need to know."

- (arrows whooshing) - (soldiers screaming)

- (arrows whooshing) - (soldiers screaming)

- From 1363,

ironically during a period of peace with France,

ironically during a period of peace with France,

there was a statute requiring people

to practise on Sundays with the Longbow.

And that obviously was intended

And that obviously was intended

to create a pool of archers there.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- Next, serve...

NARRATOR: In England, archery had become a national obsession,

NARRATOR: In England, archery had become a national obsession,

fuelled by stories from the first battles of the 100 Years' War...

and legendary heroes like Robin Hood.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: Without proper strength and training,

it would be impossible to control this medieval superweapon.

The English longbow measures two metres in length,

The English longbow measures two metres in length,

generating unrivalled power.

- So this is about the kind of middle of...

of what bows would have been back then.

Roughly 120 pounds to 160 pounds is

a good sort of spread of the kind of bows

that would have been used in battle.

that would have been used in battle.

Competition archery these days, the men are drawing roughly 65 pounds.

So this is more than double the power of...

So this is more than double the power of...

an Olympic archer is using.

NARRATOR: To make a bow this powerful,

you need sinewy wood that is both strong and highly elastic.

you need sinewy wood that is both strong and highly elastic.

The tree that best combines these traits is the yew.

- Oh, this is a piece of yew from the yew tree.

Two distinct colours to it. You've got the sap wood,

which is just underneath the bark on the surface.

which is just underneath the bark on the surface.

And you've got the orange-coloured heartwood.

The sap wood is very good at resisting tension.

The sap wood is very good at resisting tension.

So that forms the outside curve of the bow when it's bent.

The heartwood is very good at resisting compression,

The heartwood is very good at resisting compression,

and that forms the inside curve.

So, you've got those two ideal properties in one piece of wood.

NARRATOR: Equipping the royal army required mass production.

The yew became a precious commodity.

There were even laws put in place

There were even laws put in place

to regulate the import of yew from Spain and Italy.

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

NARRATOR: The nation's best bow makers established workshops

with apprentices and respected craftsmen.

with apprentices and respected craftsmen.

- You can make something that looks like a bow,

but it isn't a bow until it bends evenly.

but it isn't a bow until it bends evenly.

And you've trained the wood to get used to bending.

The bow is a spring.

The bow is a spring.

It has to bend,

but then go back to its original position.

We bend the bow, and then push and pull...

We bend the bow, and then push and pull...

..until the string goes into the top knock.

And the bow is now ready to use.

And the bow is now ready to use.

- These bows are all about artillery.

They're not used to take a man's eye out at 50 paces.

They're not used to take a man's eye out at 50 paces.

It's more like cannon and mortars

and raining as many arrows as you can

on one area of the battlefield to disrupt formations,

on one area of the battlefield to disrupt formations,

cause injuries, and create panic and disorder.

- Some archers are much more skilled than others.

- Some archers are much more skilled than others.

Not all of them are Robin Hoods.

The beauty of the archer is using him in mass formation,

and some of them were probably not that good,

and some of them were probably not that good,

but with a mass volley of arrows, it doesn't really matter.

STANFIELD: "Surrounded by my companions,

STANFIELD: "Surrounded by my companions,

it's no longer just arrows that we're shooting;

it's a swarm of bees escaping from our bows.

And it's so compact that it blocks the sun

And it's so compact that it blocks the sun

before falling on the steel armour of the French knights."

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (horses whinnying) - (soldiers shouting)

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (horses whinnying)

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: The cavalry is decimated.

The knights in their heavy armour exhaust themselves,

stumbling around the boggy field

or getting dug in by their panicked horses.

or getting dug in by their panicked horses.

Then, the French second line charges in.

Its advance is met by a merciless hail of arrows.

Its advance is met by a merciless hail of arrows.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: In the 15th century, whether English or French,

NARRATOR: In the 15th century, whether English or French,

knights wear similar armour.

Hand-to-hand combat is a clash of heavy metal.

- (soldier groans)

- (Savary speaks French)

NARRATOR: Close combat like this will mark

NARRATOR: Close combat like this will mark

the second phase of the Battle of Agincourt.

After grinding through 50 metres of mud and blood,

Charles's army finally manages to reach the English lines.

Charles's army finally manages to reach the English lines.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

(dramatic battle music)

(dramatic battle music)

- (soldiers shouting) - (weapons clanking)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (slow-motion, dramatic music)

- (slow-motion, dramatic music)

- (soldier groans in slow-motion)

- There is hand-to-hand fighting there.

The Duke of York is killed; the Earl of Suffolk is killed.

And a number of people in that retinue,

And a number of people in that retinue,

also in that part of the battle are killed.

So, the French have some successes.

NARRATOR: In the centre as well,

the French break through the English lines led by the Duke of Alencon.

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: The Duke of Alencon hacks his way to the King of England.

- (soldiers shouting) - (weapons clanking)

- (soldiers shouting) - (weapons clanking)

- (Hiltenbrand speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- Henry was wearing a helmet with a fleuron,

- Henry was wearing a helmet with a fleuron,

a sort of a... a circlet of, uh...

a Fleur de Lys around here.

And we hear that one of these fleurons is knocked off.

And we hear that one of these fleurons is knocked off.

So it shows how close Henry came to danger.

So it shows how close Henry came to danger.

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: The history of Europe, for a moment, hangs in the balance.

The Duke of Alencon raises his axe again

The Duke of Alencon raises his axe again

over the head of the King of England.

But before he can strike a fatal blow,

But before he can strike a fatal blow,

Henry V's bodyguard steps in...

..and kills the young duke.

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Toureille speaks French)

- (soldiers shouting) - (weapons clanking)

- (soldiers shouting) - (weapons clanking)

- And the French have to withdraw, essentially.

- And the French have to withdraw, essentially.

I mean, the French pull out. They don't continue fighting.

And Henry thinks the battle is over.

NARRATOR: Still stationed at the other end of the field,

NARRATOR: Still stationed at the other end of the field,

the French rearguard never joined the fight.

By 1:00pm, the British soldiers are scouring the battlefield,

By 1:00pm, the British soldiers are scouring the battlefield,

digging under bodies hoping to find survivors

that they can take prisoner.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: The battlefield of Agincourt is littered

with French noblemen.

Beneath the heaps of corpses lie Marshal Boucicaut

Beneath the heaps of corpses lie Marshal Boucicaut

and the Counts of Vendome and Richemont, among others.

For the English, it's an unparalleled treasure.

STANFIELD: "This is how it is after every battle.

STANFIELD: "This is how it is after every battle.

We rummage around. We pick up armour, swords, helmets:

things that are normally too expensive

but will come in handy in the next battle.

but will come in handy in the next battle.

Above all else, though, we are looking for prisoners.

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: Since the reign of Edward III

and the start of the 100 Years' War,

English victories in France have ended with a harvest of prisoners,

English victories in France have ended with a harvest of prisoners,

enriching the English soldiers.

Each demand for ransom generates a genuine financial transaction,

Each demand for ransom generates a genuine financial transaction,

guaranteed by contract and recorded on parchment.

- So what we have here is a Frenchman,

whose name was Robertos Mersenne, yeah?

whose name was Robertos Mersenne, yeah?

And he was captured at the Battle of Agincourt

by two men from different retinues

in the, uh... English Army.

in the, uh... English Army.

And it tells us what the total ransom is,

"Redemptionae", here.

NARRATOR: The law even dictates how the sum will be distributed:

NARRATOR: The law even dictates how the sum will be distributed:

the soldier who captures the prisoner

pays a third of the ransom to his captain,

who in turn pays a third of his share to the King of England.

who in turn pays a third of his share to the King of England.

- And then, it calculates what the third of the third is,

the value to the crown of that,

which is 33 shillings and four pence.

NARRATOR: The ransom is set by the captor

and depends on the value of the prisoner.

and depends on the value of the prisoner.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: At Agincourt, the defeat of France's best fighting force...

NARRATOR: At Agincourt, the defeat of France's best fighting force...

has the English army dreaming of huge profits.

But just as the soldiers are rounding up their prisoners,

But just as the soldiers are rounding up their prisoners,

two surprise events threaten to rewrite the outcome of the battle.

First, Henry V, surrounded by his soldiers,

First, Henry V, surrounded by his soldiers,

spots a small group of French cavalrymen in the distance.

They've travelled nearly 200 kilometres at breakneck speed

and reach Agincourt

and reach Agincourt

while the English are still on the battlefield.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (speaks French)

- (horses whinnying) - (soldiers shouting)

NARRATOR: At the same time, behind him,

NARRATOR: At the same time, behind him,

Henry V hears a disturbance coming from his own camp.

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: With their keen knowledge of the surrounding area,

the local fighters bypass the English

through the forest of Agincourt

through the forest of Agincourt

and take aim at Henry V's personal belongings.

They steal a sword, a crown,

and even a few coins from the royal treasury.

and even a few coins from the royal treasury.

- (speaks French)

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: The King of England orders the soldiers

NARRATOR: The King of England orders the soldiers

who are holding prisoners to kill them on the spot.

- (speaks French)

- Remember, Henry is determined to win.

How is he going to allow another French army to come

and cause damage against his men for the sake of French prisoners?

and cause damage against his men for the sake of French prisoners?

I mean, you know, you've got to sort of look

at the logic of this situation

and the immediate decision he has to make.

and the immediate decision he has to make.

NARRATOR: His order seals the outcome of the battle:

the Duke of Brabant is dead.

The locals who attacked the King's supplies escape

The locals who attacked the King's supplies escape

with relatively little to show for it.

The French rearguard flees in terror.

And, meanwhile, the French King's archers

And, meanwhile, the French King's archers

and crossbowmen still hadn't even had a chance to enter the fight.

For Henry V, Agincourt is a spectacular success.

For Henry V, Agincourt is a spectacular success.

- He wins the battle,

and that makes him tremendously powerful.

STANFIELD: "We were staring at DEFEAT, DISHONOUR, and DEATH.

We were told, 'There are more of THEM; THEY are stronger'.

And look - God has given us victory because our cause is just.

And look - God has given us victory because our cause is just.

Because OUR KING is the TRUE KING of England AND France."

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR: Henry V has brought France to its knees.

4,000 dead, 1,500 prisoners.

The Kingdom of France is demoralised,

The Kingdom of France is demoralised,

and its army paralysed.

- It's a psychological effect of Agincourt, I think,

that is important for the French.

that is important for the French.

They never face him in battle again.

And he invades again in 1417.

NARRATOR: By 1419, Henry has conquered the whole of Normandy.

NARRATOR: By 1419, Henry has conquered the whole of Normandy.

The following year,

he imposes a humiliating treaty on the King of France...

requiring Charles VI to make Henry V his heir instead of his own son.

requiring Charles VI to make Henry V his heir instead of his own son.

- All we've got to wait for is Charles VI to die,

and Henry V will become king of the double monarchy

and Henry V will become king of the double monarchy

of France and England.

And that treaty said those kingdoms will remain

with the same king for ever more.

The Hundred Years' War is won by the English at that point in time.

The Hundred Years' War is won by the English at that point in time.

NARRATOR: The story of the Battle of Agincourt becomes legend,

passed on by English chroniclers across the country.

- I think what we have here is a national myth.

It's something that is central to English identity

It's something that is central to English identity

that, on this occasion, uh...

we beat the hell out of the, uh... the French.

we beat the hell out of the, uh... the French.

NARRATOR: Nearly two centuries later, in 1599,

William Shakespeare devotes an entire act of his play -

Henry V - to the battle.

Henry V - to the battle.

The playwright transforms the legend into a myth:

one where just a handful of Englishmen takes on

an overwhelmingly large French army.

an overwhelmingly large French army.

- (Schnerb speaks French)

- (Schnerb speaks French)

NARRATOR: This exaggerated figure has remained

NARRATOR: This exaggerated figure has remained

in the collective imagination,

but historian Anne Curry is determined

to set the record straight.

(soft piano music)

(soft piano music)

- All of these documents taken together give us

the names of people on the campaign.

But, sometimes, we haven't got muster rolls or retinue rolls,

But, sometimes, we haven't got muster rolls or retinue rolls,

but we do have other financial records

that give the size of the companies.

So, adding all this data together,

So, adding all this data together,

we can come up with how many men were on the campaign.

NARRATOR: The final tally reveals that on October the 25th 1415,

NARRATOR: The final tally reveals that on October the 25th 1415,

9,000 Englishmen took the field against 12,000 Frenchmen.

But numbers aside,

Agincourt remains a seminal event on both sides of the Channel.

Agincourt remains a seminal event on both sides of the Channel.

- (Toureille speaks French)

NARRATOR: This would be the generation

of a little girl from Lorraine.

Just three years old when the bloody battle of Agincourt came to an end,

Just three years old when the bloody battle of Agincourt came to an end,

she would later rise to become one of France's greatest heroes.

Her name was Joan of Arc.

(energetic, dramatic closing theme music)

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