Topic 2 Henry V and Franace Flashcards
1
Q
Henrys experience prior to becoming king
A
- Suppressed Welsh revolutions as Prince of Wales
- Fought Hotspur’s rebellion whilst wounded
- Became influential in council after Henry VI’s illness - improved relations with parliament
- 1411 - mistrust between Henry VI and his son - foreign policy, too much support
- 1411-12 Henry excluded - made up when Henry VI died in 1413
2
Q
background to 1415 invasion of france
A
- 100 years war started by Edward III, Richard II reduced it, Henry IV renewed it
- English started losing under Henry IV
- Henry V sent ambassadors to France - demanded lands and Catherine of Valois for marriage. These demands rejected - Henry prepared for invasion
- Charles VI, king of France, mental - caused political tensions in France
- Used the invasion to silence critics
3
Q
diplomacy and preparation for war
A
Henry used diplomatic tactics to secure himself and isolate France:
* Conciliatory attitude towards Welsh - pardons etc. - ensured they didn’t attack while he was away, also some fought in his amy
* Reinstated the Percy family as earls of Northumberland - ensured protection from Scottish
* Held James I of Scotland prisoner - meant less likely to attack
* 10 year truce with duke of Brittany - isolated France
* 1415 Southhampton plot - Edward Mortimer told Henry - he crushed rebellion -made him more aggressive towards France because they lent support to Southhampton
4
Q
campiagn of 1415
A
- Army from 10,500-12,00 , mostly archers, some heavy guns from Dutch
- Placed Halfleur under seige - took longer than expected for a little town - French eventually surrended
- English suffered many losses - fighting, dysentry - Henry sent lots home and left garrison in Halfleur
- Henry led army to Calais - English stronghold
Was a very difficult march because had to cross the Somme - Large army protecting most obvious crossing - all bridges blocked - likely to be attacked in water
- Henry’s army outmarched the French and they rebuilt broken crossing
- French spread out along the river so hard to attack the English
5
Q
Battle of Agincourt Oct 1415
A
- Henry took central fighting position - inspiring leader
- High proportion of archers (80%) - French were many heavily armoured men-at-arms
- Most archers placed either side with stakes protecting then - horses ran into them and died
French in 3 large divisions - narrow formation on narrow muddy ground meant tripping over eachother - English shot arrows, provoked small charges of French - these charges failed because of stakes
- Main French charge unsuccessful - lots of arrows caused death and confusion - overcrowding in the line - difficult to move - couldn’t retreat because cavalry behind them
- English archers fought with poleaxes - light and easy to move
- Henry gave order to kill prisoners - feared French attack from behind - contreversial because denied his men ransoms
6
Q
outcomes of battle of Agincourt and singificance of campaign
A
- English suffered few losses - a few hundred
- French suffered lots - thousands - lots of noblemen (120 barons, 1500 knights)
- Battle became famous - gave Henry V very good reputation as a good king
- Chroniclers focused on ‘underdog’ nature of the story
- Henry used victory to show he was chosen by God
- Victory mainly because Henry’s leadership and ability of men rather than luck
significance
* Huge celebrations when king returned - everyone loved him
* Brought political stability - secured Lancastrian regime as chosen by God
* Reduced threat of French invasion
* Parliament more willing to give financial assistance - even before he had returned!
7
Q
Lollardy and Lollards - challenges
A
- Only permitted faith was the Roman Catholic Church
- John Wycliffe was Oxford theologian - tought some things differently
- Protected by John of Gaunt when summoned by Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1377 - condemnded by Pope Gregory XI - Oxford ordered to investigate - were reluctant
Wycliffe’s differences were - authority of Pope, wealth of church, role of priest - Wycliffe espcaped punishment - died naturaly in 1384
- Wycliffe’s teachings spread widely after his death - across all social classes
- Known as ‘Lollards’ because they translated scriptures into English - however term was broad and included anyone expressing anticlerical views
- As Lollardy spread, it developed aspects not linked to Wycliffe
8
Q
royal response to heresey
A
- No medieval monarch supported heretical groups openly (even though they questioned the power of the Pope over the king) because:
- There was an expectation that a king should be pious - took vow at coronation
- Pope could enforce an interdict - would make king very unpopular
- Role of the king was a religious one
- The church was a very powerful institution so needed to be allies
9
Q
Johnoldcastles rebellion against the crown
A
- Fought on Lancastrian side against French - made advantageous marriage and gained land
- He congratulated Bohemian people for challenging the clergy
- Member of parliament - helped propose anti-clerical legislation and to make it harder to persecute heretics
- Archbishop of Canterbury (Arundel) campaigned against heresy in 1410
- John Badby of Evesham retrialled, executed while Henry V watched
- Lollards in London arrested
- Complaint against Oldcastle’s chaplain - ordered to be placed under interdict - however relented because Henry V trusted Oldcastle with military matters in Wales
- Raid on workshop discovered heretical book - Henry allowed Arundel to arrest Oldcastle
- Henry requested he was allowed 40 days in tower to repent - Oldcastle escaped
- 1414 - led a group in disguise to infiltrate palace - wanted to convert Henry or murder him
10
Q
short tem consequences of john oldcastles rebellion
A
- Important because was at the start of Henry V’s reign
- Secured reputation of Henry’s decisiveness and ability to rule - quickly destroyed rebellion
Rebels executed - however Oldcastle escaped - Not a significant threat - though was concern about internal strife as Henry went to France
- ‘Statute of Lollards’ passed - more help for Church combatting Lollardy and those convicted handed to secular judicial system for execution
- Detterant for Lollards - treason meant whole family was disinherited
- More legislation about riots passed - fines increased and more efficient system
11
Q
long term consequences of Oldcastles rebellion + what happended to Oldcastle
A
- Oldcastle still active - may have conspired with England’s enemies - though no significant impact in terms of Lollardy
- Lollards supported Southampton plot - was big rebellion dealt with well
- After Agincourt, any attempts against the king were unpopular - so no rebellions after 1415
- Oldcastle captured while conspiring with Welsh rebels
- Decreased any loyalty to him - faced a deeply hostile parliament
- Declared loyalty to Yorkists and was executed - hanged and burnt at same time
12
Q
importance of Anglo Burgundian alliance
A
- Duchy of Burgundy became very powerful - support was important factor in wars with France
- Madness of Charles VI led to Burgundy and Orleans jostling for power
- Duke of Burgundy murdered duke of Orleans (who was dauphin)
- Caused massive tension between Burgundians and Armagnacs (Orleans’ people)
- Henry V wanted to exploit this with an invasion of France
- 1417-19 Henry conquered Normandy - wanted to negotiate with French and Burgundians
- Tension between the two intensified - Armagnacs (who supported the dauphin) murdered duke of Burgundy - his son declared loyaly to Henry instead
- Very important alliance - if French and Burgundy allied they would be unstoppable - meant advantageous links in French court - would help seal the Treaty of Troyes
- Henry V’s death blow to English unity
Anglo-Burgundian alliance survived - won important battle, but then often fought seperatley - Joan of arc made dauphin king - duke of Burgundy engaged in short regional truces
Charles VII recognised by Pope - Burgundy turned alliegances to the French king - meant English-French monarchy became difficult
13
Q
conquest of Normandy and Treaty of Troyes
military campaign 1417-19
A
- Parliament keen to secure more French territory
- Enaged in siege warfare against towns in Normandy - lots of guns and soldiers was expensive
- Captured Caen - set up new administration to consolidate control
- Eventually took Rouen, capital of Normandy - fined them heavily for £50,000
14
Q
impact and cost of success of military campaign in Normandy
A
- Treaty of Troyes - Henry recognised as king of France after Charles VI died, marriage to Catherine of Valois, Normandy considered seperate until Henry was king, allliance with Burgundy
- French campaign caused financial strain - parliament reluctant towards end of Henry’s reign
- French towns unable to fund campaign because of damage - also bad harvest
- Henry provided stability in Normandy - established English lords there, financial reforms
- Henry VI doomed to fail - French civil war, financial strain, king of two countries
