29. The Arrow Storm That Wrecked a French Army
In 1415, England’s king Henry V was marching through Normandy with an army of 5000 longbowmen and 1000 knights, when his path was blocked by a French army that outnumbered his six to one. Henry picked a position near Agincourt, with flanks protected by woods, and a muddy field in front of him. He placed longbowmen on his flanks, and his dismounted knights and more longbowmen in the center. He then had his men hammer-pointed stakes in front of their positions, and waited for the French to attack. The French obliged, and their commander ordered his first wave of mounted knights to charge. However, the muddy fields, the weight of their heavy armor, the rows of sharpened stakes in their path, and the rain of arrows spelled trouble. The charge wallowed to a halt, and a throng of disorganized French milled about in front of the English positions.
The English then attacked, and within minutes, the entire French first wave was killed or captured. A second French wave attacked, but was beaten back. While this was going on, king Henry received mistaken reports that he was being attacked in the rear. Judging that he lacked the men to guard thousands of prisoners, Henry ordered the captives executed. By the time he learned the reports were mistaken and ordered a halt to the executions, about 2000 prisoners had been massacred. The French sent in their third and final wave, but it was also repulsed. Henry then ordered his small contingent of knights to mount up and charge the French, who, thoroughly demoralized by now, were routed. Estimated losses were about 600 English killed vs 10,000 French dead on the field of battle, plus another 2000 executed prisoners.