Henry V: The Background, Strategies, Tactics and Battlefield Experiences of the Greatest Commanders of History Paperback by Marcus Cowper Read Free Book Online Page A

historians, notably
    Jim Bradbury ( The Medieval Archer
    Boydell & Brewer: Woodbridge,
    1985), have claimed that this
    would have been a most unusual
    deployment for the era, and
    would have weakened the line of
    men-at-arms considerably. Instead
    they suggest that the archers were
    deployed on the flanks, behind their line of stakes, enabling them to provide The battlefield at
    a flanking fire on the French forces while at the same time leaving the line of Agincourt is well
    men-at-arms unbroken.
    commemorated by a
    For the French there survives a battle plan devised to deal with the English museum in the village threat; although it was only applicable to the smaller advanced force under itself and memorials
    the command of Marshal Boucicaut and Constable d'Albret it does highlight and a Calvary on the field.
    many of the tactics used by the French in the actual battle itself. They intended These models of archers to use two divisions of mounted troops to the flanks and rear of the army to line the road from
    encircle and neutralize the English archers, and to attack the baggage train and Agincourt to Tramecourt, rear of the English army, while the main body of men-at-arms was to advance which runs just in front in the centre, protected to the flanks by crossbowmen and other missile troops of where the French front that were available.
    line would have been.
    The actual formation adopted by the French on the day of the battle is (Author's collection)
    strikingly similar, with the three central battles of men-at-arms lined up one
    in front of each other. The first two consisted of dismounted men-at-arms
    while the third was mounted. Two further units of mounted troops were
    mounted on the flanks, while French crossbowmen and other missile troops
    appear to have played little part in the battle. While the basic formation of the
    French forces appears to be clear, the numbers involved are to a large extent
    uncertain. The French certainly outnumbered the English, but to what extent
    is debatable. A recent study by Anne Curry ( Agincourt: A New History Tempus:
    Stroud, 2006) argues that the numbers involved are much closer than previous
    historians have claimed, and that the French forces may have only totalled
    12,000 compared to an English figure of 9,000. The various English and
    French chronicles give any figure from 8,000 to 150,000, with the total of
    60,000 occurring frequently. The Burgundian chronicler Enguerran Monstrelet
    breaks down the French army in some detail, with 13,500 men in the first
    battle, a similar number in the main battle and the rest in the third, excepting
    two forces of 800 and 1,600 cavalry on the flanks, giving a grand total for the
    French of between 35,000 and 40,000. While the numbers may be uncertain,
    what is clear is that the English forces had a preponderance of archers
    29

    The battle of Agincourt, 25 October 1415
    French Camp .
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    . English Camp
    English Forces
    1. Dismounted men-at-arms under King Henry
    2. Dismounted men-at-arms under Thomas Lord Camoys
    Maisoncelle ^ ^
    3. Dismounted men-at-arms under the Duke of York
    4. Archers on the flanks
    French Forces
    A. Dismounted men-at-arms under Charles d'Albret
    B. Cavalry commanded by the Count of Vendome
    C. Cavalry commanded by Clignet de Brebant
    D. Second line of dismounted men-at-arms along with archers
    and crossbowmen, commanded by the Dukes of Bar and Alengon
    E. French calvary
    as opposed to men-at-arms, while the French forces were much more
    traditionally based upon the heavily armoured men-at-arms as the centre
    point of their fighting force.
    The French system of command and control was by no means as clear cut
    as that of the English, with the advance guard commanded by Constable
    d'Albret and Marshal Boucicaut along with the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon,
    as well as the Counts of Eu and Richemont. The main body was under the
    Dukes of Bar and Alengon and the Counts of Nevers, Vaudemont,