English standard-bearer “Fox Tales” at Agincourt, 1415

The “Fox Tail” is a Lancastrian troop alignment insignia.

The Battle of Agincourt was an English victory in the Hundred Years’ War. It took place on 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin’s Day) near Azincourt, in northern France. The unexpected victory of the vastly outnumbered English troops against the French army boosted English morale and prestige, crippled France, and started a new period of English dominance in the war. That advantage lasted for 14 years, until England was defeated by France in 1429 during the Siege of Orléans.

After several decades of relative peace, the English had resumed the war in 1415 amid the failure of negotiations with the French. In the ensuing campaign, many soldiers died from disease, and the English numbers dwindled; they tried to withdraw to English-held Calais but found their path blocked by a considerably larger French army. Despite their numerical disadvantage, the battle ended in an overwhelming victory for the English.

King Henry V of England led his troops into battle and participated in hand-to-hand fighting. King Charles VI of France did not command the French army as he suffered from psychotic illnesses and associated mental incapacity. The French were commanded by Constable Charles d’Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party. This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, as English and Welsh archers comprised nearly 80 percent of Henry’s army.