henry V, 1413-1422

Question 1

background as prince henry

Answer 1

• campaigns in Wales against Owain Glyndwr
• led ruling council from 1406-1411 during Henry IV’s illness
• won his spurs at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 (Hotspur)
• row with Henry IV 1411-12 -> excluded from political influence -> reconciled in 1413

Question 2

background to the 1415 invasion of France

Answer 2

• wanted to regain losses of important French territories (end of Henry IV’s reign/1360 Treaty of Bretigny)
• wanted to marry Catherine of Valois and offered a large dowry -> rejected -> French ambassadors mocked Henry’s youth by sending him a box of tennis balls as toys
• Henry would exploit the weaknesses in French government due to Charles VI’s mental illness and the political divisions

Question 3

diplomacy and preparations for war, 1413-1415

Answer 3

• already a formidable army commander (experienced)
• conciliated with Wales, investigated complaints of oppression from the Welsh, pardons to former rebels
  
  • less risk of Welsh attacks on border, some Welshmen prepared to fight France w/ Henry
• rehabilitated Percy family, granted Hotspur’s son return to England from Scotland and the earldom of Northumberland
  
  • secured the North
• held James I of Scotland prisoner
• truce w/ Duke of Brittany in Jan 1414 (10 years) -> would exploit truce to prevent Bretons from helping France -> isolate France
• raised money and organised indentures from early 1415 through Parliament
• dealing ruthlessly with the 1415 Southampton Plot

Question 4

Southampton plot

Answer 4

• 1415
• led by Richard, earl of Cambridge, Baron Scrope and Sir Thomas Grey
• motivated by anger, frustration and greed. Richard as the poorest earl (title came w/ no land/money) wanted wealth and status, Scrope+Grey wanted Henry V to reward them
• wanted to remove Henry V and replace him with Edmund Mortimer V
• aided by Scot+Welsh rebels, Lollards, partially funded by French
• Mortimer informed Henry V -> rebels executed (Richard friends w/ Henry so only beheaded, not hanged). Mortimer spared and pardoned

Question 5

Harfleur

Answer 5

• army was of 10k-12.5k men
• besieged Harfleur by land and sea, and the French surrendered by 22 Sep
• left a garrison to defend Harfleur
• after this, many men caught dysentry and around 2k-4k men were lost. Many were sent back to England with a sick note

Question 6

post-Harfleur

Answer 6

• Henry V decided to walk through France to either capture more land, show how weak the French were by freely walking through France, or to draw attention away from Harfleur
• French armies were blocked the Somme river crossing points but eventually Henry crossed the river on Oct 18

Question 7

Agincourt

Answer 7

• 25 Oct 1415
• army broken up into 3: Henry V in middle, Edward, duke of York on the right, Thomas, Baron Camoy on the left
• army was made up of 80% archers. They cut down trees and sharpened them into stakes and put them into the ground to use as protection (horses either impaled/turned around). More archers at the back of the French
• French outnumbered the English
• arrows were shot in volleys, overwhelmed the French as they were unpredictable -> French army collided into each other
• French vanguard approaches onto York’s side and kill him. Archers are able to be involved in the melee
• took prisoners but rumours of French backups arriving -> controversial decision to kill the prisoners (except the nobles). Duke of Orleans and Bourbon kept as prisoner

Question 8

Causes of the Anglo-Burgundian alliance in 1419

Answer 8

• 1364: King John II granted the Duchy of Burgundy to Philip the Bol
• 1384: Philip the Bold inherits the wealth of Flanders through a marriage to Margaret of Flanders
• 1404: Philip the Bold dies and the Duchy is inherited by John the Fearless
• 1407: Louis, Duke of Orleans assassinated on orders of John the Fearless
• 1415: French defeat at Agincourt
• Jan 1419: Henry conquers Normandy
• 10 Sep 1419: John the Fearless is assassinated on the orders of the French Dauphin Charles, Philip the Good inherits the Duchy
  
  • Duke of Burgundy resented the claim of Duchy
  • after the assassination, Philip the Good formed an alliance with the English

Question 9

Significance of Philip the Good in the Hundred Years War from 1407-36

Answer 9

• alliance with the English from 1419 prevented a French-Burgundian alliance
• English could remain in France
• showed that he supported the faction of Queen Isabella, lead to the marriage of Henry V and Catherine of Valois
• Dauphin Charles was disinherited, Henry became regent (when Charles sick) and heir to the French throne (on Charles’ death). Henry’s heirs would also be heirs to the French throne

Question 10

Key terms of the Treaty of Troyes

Answer 10

• signed 21 May 1420
• Henry was now heir to the French throne which disinherited Charles the Dauphin
• Henry to marry Catherine of Valois (married her on 2 June 1420) which increased the Lancastrian claim to the throne of England and France
• Henry would rule France as regent until Charles VI’s death (assisted by French noblemen)
• Normandy to be reunited with France when Henry became king
• Henry and Duke of Burgundy worked together to prevent Dauphin Charles from seizing power

Question 11

Aftermath of the Treaty of Troyes

Answer 11

• December 1420: Parliament began to argue about taxation as Henry’s popularity was decreasing due to consistent taxes as he was always in France. Reluctance to fund campaigns in France
• 1421: dauphin attacks Bauje and kills Henry’s brother (Thomas, Duke of Clarence). Henry V returns to France and sieges Meaux
• August 1422: Henry catches dysentery and dies. 9 month old son Henry became King Henry VI

Question 12

What was Lollardy?

Answer 12

• anti Catholic Church views
• they had problems with Church wealth and taxation, Pope’s authority, etc.
• John Wycliffe was supported by John of Gaunt and escaped punishment (initial leader of Lollardy)
• many views developed that weren’t linked to Wycliffe’s writings

Question 13

John Oldcastle

Answer 13

• he was a leading Lollard knight and head of a conspiracy to murder Henry V
• under Henry V’s patronage, he gained wealth, power and a marriage to a wealthy heiress (gained title of Lord Cobham)
• 1413: Oldcastle arrested and tried for heresy after some letters and manuscripts found. He was found guilty and condemned to death but Henry V spared him and imprisoned him in the Tower
• Oldcastle escaped and fled to the Welsh border, received followers for his rebellion
• Jan 1414: out of intended 20k rebels, only 250 showed up. Plotters arrested
• Oldcastle was on the run for 4 years but he was captured+hanged in 1418

Question 14

Short term significance of Oldcastle

Answer 14

• he was a former close associate of Henry V
• early in Henry’s reign, hadn’t established rule properly yet
• Oldcastle on the run for 4 years, had time to gain support
• unsettlement as Henry was about to invade France
• Statute of Lollards in April 1414 which increased the role of secular authorities in investigating heresy, was a deterrent
• strengthened the 1411 Statute of Riots which gave more power to the Chancellor to take action against criminals who had escaped justice
• direct threat to the Church
• fled to the Welsh border = sympathy/support

Question 15

Short term insignificance of Oldcastle