Recalling Henry, Harfleur and Agincourt

On this date in 1415, English forces led by Henry V finally took the French port of Harfleur, ending a siege that lasted approximately six weeks. Henry, who claimed the crown of France through his great-grandfather Edward III,  had invaded France the month before after negotiations between the two countries collapsed.

Henry landed with an army of about 12,000, but the siege took longer than expected and the English had suffered a significant number of casualties through disease.

With the campaigning season coming to a close,  Henry decided to move most of his army of 9,000 to the English stronghold of Calais, in northern France, where it could regroup over the winter.

But because the siege had taken longer than expected, the French forces had been given time to raise a significant force of their own. The French shadowed the English as they left Harfleur, forced them to divert their course and, eventually, met them face to face at Agincourt.

It was there on Oct. 25, 1514, that the English, though vastly outnumbered, relied heavily on the longbow and mowed down the elite of French society, inflicting a devastating defeat on Charles VI’s forces. It was among the greatest battles of the Hundred Years’ War.

Nearly 600 years later, Agincourt still holds a special place in British history, alongside Hastings, Crecy, Trafalger, Waterloo, and El Alamein.

Henry’s invasion and victory in Northern France was so inspiring that songs were written about the triumph. Among them, the Agincourt Carol (seen above).

Sometimes known as the Agincourt Song, the Agincourt Hymn or by its chorus and central words, Deo gratias Anglia, the Agincourt Carol is an English folk song written some time in the early 15th century. Its lyrics are written in somewhat archaic English, but are still quite understandable:

Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria!

[England, give thanks to God for victory!]

Owre Kynge went forth to Normandy

With grace and myght of chyvalry

Ther God for hym wrought mervelusly;

Wherefore Englonde may call and cry

Chorus

Deo gratias!

Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria!

He sette sege, forsothe to say,

To Harflu towne with ryal aray;

That toune he wan and made afray

That Fraunce shal rewe tyl domesday.

Chorus

Then went hym forth, owre king comely,

In Agincourt feld he faught manly;

Throw grace of God most marvelsuly,

He had both feld and victory.

Chorus

Ther lordys, erles and barone

Were slayne and taken and that full soon,

Ans summe were broght into Lundone

With joye and blisse and gret renone.

Chorus

Almighty God he keep owre kynge,

His peple, and alle his well-wyllynge,

And give them grace wythoute endyng;

Then may we call and savely syng

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