Wikipedia. Then they had to walk a few hundred yards (metres) through thick mud and a press of comrades while wearing armour weighing 5060 pounds (2327kg), gathering sticky clay all the way. The English army, led by King Henry V, famously achieved victory in spite of the numerical superiority of its opponent. The English men-at-arms in plate and mail were placed shoulder to shoulder four deep. When the French rejected Henrys substantial territorial demands, he arrived in Normandy in August 1415 with a force of about 12,000 men and laid siege to the city of Harfleur. [88] In some accounts the attack happened towards the end of the battle, and led the English to think they were being attacked from the rear. What is Mudra, ancient times to modern classic and controversial It may be in the narrow strip of open land formed between the woods of Tramecourt and Azincourt (close to the modern village of Azincourt). [5] [b] Henry V 's victory at Agincourt, against a numerically superior French army. The English numbered roughly 5,000 knights, men-at-arms, and archers. Medieval Archers (Everything you Need to Know) - The Finer Times [39] Curry, Rogers[118] and Mortimer[42] all agree the French had 4 to 5 thousand missile troops. The legend that the "two-fingered salute" stems from the Battle of Agincourt is apocryphal Although scholars and historians continue to debate its origins, according to legend it was first. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. Singer Robbie Williams insults the viewer. Although the French initially pushed the English back, they became so closely packed that they were described as having trouble using their weapons properly. Poitiers 1356: The capture of a king (Vol. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. Shakespeare's portrayal of the casualty loss is ahistorical in that the French are stated to have lost 10,000 and the English 'less than' thirty men, prompting Henry's remark, "O God, thy arm was here". The battle probably lasted no longer than three hours and was perhaps as short as half an hour, according to some estimates. Many folkloric or etymological myths have sprung up about its origin, especially the widely quoted one about the interplay between the French and English soldiery at the battle of Agincourt 1415, where the French threatened to amputate the middle fingers of the English archers to prevent them from drawing their bows, which of course is absolute [82], The surviving French men-at-arms reached the front of the English line and pushed it back, with the longbowmen on the flanks continuing to shoot at point-blank range. [72], The French cavalry, despite being disorganised and not at full numbers, charged towards the longbowmen. It forms the backdrop to events in William Shakespeare's play Henry V, written in 1599. The terrain favoured Henrys army and disadvantaged its opponent, as it reduced the numerical advantage of the French army by narrowing the front. By most contemporary accounts, the French army was also significantly larger than the English, though the exact degree of their numerical superiority is disputed. Course Hero uses AI to attempt to automatically extract content from documents to surface to you and others so you can study better, e.g., in search results, to enrich docs, and more. The French nobility, weakened by the defeat and divided among themselves, were unable to meet new attacks with effective resistance. He considered a knight in the best-quality steel armour invulnerable to an arrow on the breastplate or top of the helmet, but vulnerable to shots hitting the limbs, particularly at close range. The Battle of Agincourt Dear Cecil: Can you confirm the following? This famous weapon was made of the . What it is supposed to represent I have no idea. A Dictionary of Superstitions. For three hours after sunrise there was no fighting. [85], The French men-at-arms were taken prisoner or killed in the thousands. [44] There was a special, elite cavalry force whose purpose was to break the formation of the English archers and thus clear the way for the infantry to advance. . [68], Henry's men were already very weary from hunger, illness and retreat. It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows that the gesture is known as giving the bird. And yew all thought yew knew everything! Archers were not the "similarly equipped" opponents that armored soldiers triumphed in defeating -- if the two clashed in combat, the armored soldier would either kill an archer outright or leave him to bleed to death rather than go to the wasteful effort of taking him prisoner. Details the English victory over the French at the Battle of Agincourt. To meet and beat him was a triumph, the highest form which self-expression could take in the medieval nobleman's way of life." The key word for describing the battle of Agincourt is mud . Fixed formatting. The Battle of Agincourt - The European Middle Ages Battles were observed and chronicled by heralds who were present at the scene and recorded what they saw, judged who won, and fixed names for the battles. [c], The English made their confessions before the battle, as was customary. Upon his death, a French assembly formed to appoint a male successor. Henry managed to subjugate Normandy in 1419, a victory that was followed by the Treaty of Troyes in 1420, which betrothed Henry to King Charles VIs daughter Catherine and named him heir to the French crown. (Storyline based on the play by William Shakespeare "The Cronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Batt. Battle of Agincourt. The English won in a major upset and waved the body part in question at the French in defiance. Rogers says each of the 10,000 men-at-arms would be accompanied by a gros valet (an armed, armoured and mounted military servant) and a noncombatant page, counts the former as fighting men, and concludes thus that the French in fact numbered 24,000. This head-lowered position restricted their breathing and their vision. In March 2010, a mock trial of Henry V for the crimes associated with the slaughter of the prisoners was held in Washington, D.C., drawing from both the historical record and Shakespeare's play. [127], Shakespeare's play presented Henry as leading a truly English force into battle, playing on the importance of the link between the monarch and the common soldiers in the fight. At issue was the question of the legitimate succession to the French crown as well as the ownership of several French territories. Some historians trace its origins to ancient Rome. What's the origin of "the finger"? - The Straight Dope This moment of the battle is portrayed both as a break with the traditions of chivalry and as a key example of the paradox of kingship. The French hoped to raise 9,000 troops, but the army was not ready in time to relieve Harfleur. In such a "press" of thousands of men, Rogers suggested that many could have suffocated in their armour, as was described by several sources, and which was also known to have happened in other battles. [b] The unexpected English victory against the numerically superior French army boosted English morale and prestige, crippled France, and started a new period of English dominance in the war that would last for 14 years until France defeated England in the Siege of Orlans in 1429. Moreover, if archers could be ransomed, then cutting off their middle fingers would be a senseless move. Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured soldiers. [23] Thomas Morstede, Henry V's royal surgeon,[24] had previously been contracted by the king to supply a team of surgeons and makers of surgical instruments to take part in the Agincourt campaign. The idea being that you need two fingers to draw a bow, which makes more sense, and thus links up a national custom with a triumphant moment in national history! One popular "origin story" for the middle finger has to do with the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Bowman were not valuable prisoners, though: they stood outside the chivalric system and were considered the social inferiors of men-at-arms. On October 25, 1415, during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) between England and France, Henry V (1386-1422), the young king of England, led his forces to victory at the Battle of . [86], The only French success was an attack on the lightly protected English baggage train, with Ysembart d'Azincourt (leading a small number of men-at-arms and varlets plus about 600 peasants) seizing some of Henry's personal treasures, including a crown. PDF THE ENGLISH VS FRENCH - Carolina Traditional Archers [107], Most primary sources which describe the battle have English outnumbered by several times. The original usage of this mudra can be traced back as far as the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The image makes the further claim that the English soldiers chanted pluck yew, ostensibly in reference to the drawing of the longbow. 138). Africa: Funny but Fanciful - Little Evidence for Origin of the F Word The cavalry force, which could have devastated the English line if it had attacked while they moved their stakes, charged only after the initial volley of arrows from the English. Soon after the victory at Agincourt, a number of popular folk songs were created about the battle, the most famous being the "Agincourt Carol", produced in the first half of the 15th century. The latter, each titled Henry V, star Laurence Olivier in 1944 and Kenneth Branagh in 1989. This famous English longbow was . because when a spectator started to hiss, he called the attention of the whole audience to him with an obscene movement of his middle finger. Morris also claims that the mad emperor Caligula, as an insult, would extend his middle finger for supplicants to kiss. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore [soldiers would] be incapable of fighting in the future. The pl sound, the story goes, gradually changed into an f, giving the gesture its present meaning. As the English were collecting prisoners, a band of French peasants led by local noblemen began plundering Henrys baggage behind the lines. [87] Whether this was part of a deliberate French plan or an act of local brigandage is unclear from the sources. Without a river obstacle to defend, the French were hesitant to force a battle. The insulting gesture of extending one's middle finger (referred to as digitus impudicus in Latin) originated long before the Battle of Agincourt. [54] To disperse the enemy archers, a cavalry force of 8001,200 picked men-at-arms,[55] led by Clignet de Brban and Louis de Bosredon, was distributed evenly between both flanks of the vanguard (standing slightly forward, like horns). The traditional view of the years 131821 is one of domination by The town surrendered on 22 September, and the English army did not leave until 8 October. This was an innovative technique that the English had not used in the Battles of Crcy and Poitiers. Rogers, Mortimer[117] and Sumption[41] all give more or less 10,000 men-at-arms for the French, using as a source the herald of the Duke of Berry, an eyewitness. Axtell, Roger E. Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World. Made just prior to the invasion of Normandy, Olivier's rendition gives the battle what Sarah Hatchuel has termed an "exhilarating and heroic" tone, with an artificial, cinematic look to the battle scenes. [109] Juliet Barker, Jonathan Sumption and Clifford J. Rogers criticized Curry's reliance on administrative records, arguing that they are incomplete and that several of the available primary sources already offer a credible assessment of the numbers involved. The Battle of Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories and was one of the most important English triumphs in the Hundred Years' War, along with the Battle of Crcy (1346) and Battle of Poitiers (1356). The History of the Middle Finger & "Fuck You" - Blogger The Agincourt Carol, dating from around this time and possibly written for Henrys reception in London, is a rousing celebration of the might of the English. On February 1, 1328, King Charles IV of France died without an heir. [52] The dukes of Alenon and Bar led the main battle. The Face of Battle. The 'middle finger salute' did not derive from the defiant gestures of English archers whose fingers had been severed at the Battle of Agincourt. [23] The army of about 12,000 men and up to 20,000 horses besieged the port of Harfleur. [8] These included the Duke of York, the young Earl of Suffolk and the Welsh esquire Dafydd ("Davy") Gam. It is unclear whether the delay occurred because the French were hoping the English would launch a frontal assault (and were surprised when the English instead started shooting from their new defensive position), or whether the French mounted knights instead did not react quickly enough to the English advance. In his 2007 film adaptation, director Peter Babakitis uses digital effects to exaggerate realist features during the battle scenes, producing a more avant-garde interpretation of the fighting at Agincourt. The English were not in an ideal condition to fight a battle. Eventually the archers abandoned their longbows and began fighting hand-to-hand with swords and axes alongside the men-at-arms. [105] Other benefits to the English were longer term. Axtell, Roger E. Gestures: The Dos and Taboos of Body Language Around the World.New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1991 ISBN 0-471-53672-5 (pp. Agincourt and the Middle Finger | First Floor Tarpley He contrasts the modern, English king and his army with the medieval, chivalric, older model of the French. giving someone the middle finger This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with the English and Welsh archers comprising nearly 80 percent of Henry's army. Subject: Truth About the Finger In the film Titanic the character Rose is shown giving the finger to Jack, another character. Military textbooks of the time stated: "Everywhere and on all occasions that foot soldiers march against their enemy face to face, those who march lose and those who remain standing still and holding firm win. 33-35). A BBCNews Magazinereportsimilarlytracesthe gesture back toAncient Greek philosophers ( here ). . [citation needed], The French responded with what they considered the generous terms of marriage with Catherine, a dowry of 600,000 crowns, and an enlarged Aquitaine. The Battle of Agincourt is an iconic moment in English military history. Winston Churchhill can be seen using the V as a rallying call. [18] A recent re-appraisal of Henry's strategy of the Agincourt campaign incorporates these three accounts and argues that war was seen as a legal due process for solving the disagreement over claims to the French throne. [92], The French had suffered a catastrophic defeat. After Henry V marched to the north, the French moved to block them along the River Somme. Jones, P. N. (1992). [70]), The tightness of the terrain also seems to have restricted the planned deployment of the French forces. As John Keegan wrote in his history of warfare: "To meet a similarly equipped opponent was the occasion for which the armoured soldier trained perhaps every day of his life from the onset of manhood. They shadowed Henry's army while calling a semonce des nobles,[30] calling on local nobles to join the army. A Dictionary of Superstitions.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992 ISBN 0-19-282916-5 (p. 454). The king received an axe blow to the head, which knocked off a piece of the crown that formed part of his helmet. The Battle of Agincourt forms a key part of Shakespeare's Henry V. Photo by Nick Ansell / POOL / AFP) Myth: During the Hundred Years War, the French cut off the first and second fingers of any. Supposedly, both originated at the 1415 Battle of Agincourt, . This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. In the ensuing negotiations Henry said that he would give up his claim to the French throne if the French would pay the 1.6million crowns outstanding from the ransom of John II (who had been captured at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356), and concede English ownership of the lands of Anjou, Brittany, Flanders, Normandy, and Touraine, as well as Aquitaine. Henry would marry Catherine, Charles VI's young daughter, and receive a dowry of 2million crowns. A truce had been formally declared in 1396 that was meant to last 28 years, sealed by the marriage of the French king Charles VIs daughter to King Richard II of England. Without the middle finger it would be impossible for the English soldiers to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore incapable of fighting in the future. [17] Two of the most frequently cited accounts come from Burgundian sources, one from Jean Le Fvre de Saint-Remy who was present at the battle, and the other from Enguerrand de Monstrelet. Several heralds, both French and English, were present at the battle of Agincourt, and not one of them (or any later chroniclers of Agincourt) mentioned anything about the French having cut off the fingers of captured English bowman. . See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. The impact of thousands of arrows, combined with the slog in heavy armour through the mud, the heat and difficulty breathing in plate armour with the visor down,[83] and the crush of their numbers, meant the French men-at-arms could "scarcely lift their weapons" when they finally engaged the English line. The campaign season was coming to an end, and the English army had suffered many casualties through disease. The fighting lasted about three hours, but eventually the leaders of the second line were killed or captured, as those of the first line had been. query that we are duty bound to provide a bit of historical and linguistic information demonstrating why this anecdote couldn't possibly be accurate: The 'Car Talk' show (on NPR) with Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers have a feature called the 'Puzzler', and their most recent 'Puzzler' was about the Battle of Agincourt. Idiom Origins - Middle finger - History of Middle finger Certainly, d'Azincourt was a local knight but he might have been chosen to lead the attack because of his local knowledge and the lack of availability of a more senior soldier. At least one scholar puts the French army at no more than 12,000, indicating that the English were outnumbered 2 to 1. [93] Entire noble families were wiped out in the male line, and in some regions an entire generation of landed nobility was annihilated. [116] Rogers, on the other hand, finds the number 5,000 plausible, giving several analogous historical events to support his case,[112] and Barker considers that the fragmentary pay records which Curry relies on actually support the lower estimates. He told his men that he would rather die in the coming battle than be captured and ransomed. There is no evidence that, when captured in any scenario,archers had their finger cut off by the enemy( bit.ly/3dP2PhP ). Giving the Finger - Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Battle of Agincourt, 1415 (ALL PARTS) England vs France Hundred After the victory, Henry continued his march to Calais and arrived back in England in November to an outpouring of nationalistic sentiment. Moreover, with this outcome Henry V strengthened his position in his own kingdom; it legitimized his claim to the crown, which had been under threat after his accession. Barker states that some knights, encumbered by their armour, actually drowned in their helmets.[64]. The city capitulated within six weeks, but the siege was costly. "[129], The play introduced the famous St Crispin's Day Speech, considered one of Shakespeare's most heroic speeches, which Henry delivers movingly to his soldiers just before the battle, urging his "band of brothers" to stand together in the forthcoming fight. The French knights were unable to outflank the longbowmen (because of the encroaching woodland) and unable to charge through the array of sharpened stakes that protected the archers. Contents. One final observation: any time some appeal begins with heres something that intelligent people will find edifying you should be suspicious. In the Battle of Agincourt, the French threatened the English Soldiers that they would cut off their fingers and when they failed the Englishmen mocked them by showing their fingers. I thought the French threatened to cut off the primary finger of the English longbowmen (the middle finger was neeed the most to pull the bowstring). The Battle of Agincourt (720p) Watch on One Of The Oldest Insults: The Origin Of The Middle Finger - Storypick [19], Henry V invaded France following the failure of negotiations with the French. [34][d] The French apparently had no clear plan for deploying the rest of the army. [121] Mortimer notes the presence of noncombatant pages only, indicating that they would ride the spare horses during the battle and be mistakenly thought of as combatants by the English.[122]. [124], The most famous cultural depiction of the battle today is in Act IV of William Shakespeare's Henry V, written in 1599. Henry V's victory in the mud of Picardy remains the .