Agincourt in Context by Rémy Ambühl Craig Lambert

Author:Rémy Ambühl, Craig Lambert [Rémy Ambühl, Craig Lambert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780367588724
Google: o2WUzQEACAAJ
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Published: 2020-06-30T05:07:27+00:00

Conclusion

The siege of Harfleur in 1415 marked a crucial turning point in the history of English gunpowder weapons. This was the first time that guns had played an important role in the capture of a substantial settlement and it set the pattern for subsequent military operations in France. Yet it was only made possible by the technological and administrative changes that had occurred in the reign of Henry IV. Royal interest in guns and patronage of foreign gunners meant that his son was able to draw upon the skills and expertise of a small number of men in the service of the crown. Henry V’s preparations for his first expedition to France were on an unprecedented scale, however, with extensive resources allocated to the acquisition of guns and the hiring of large numbers of gunners as well as other professionals. This meant that the besiegers of Harfleur were equipped with a powerful artillery train which subjected the defenders to a devastating bombardment. The English guns played an important role in the outcome of the siege which, although costly in terms of casualties and munitions, was an important victory for Henry. The successful deployment of gunpowder weapons against a well-defended town also served as a powerful demonstration of the king’s might and adoption of the latest military technology. Although overshadowed by his triumph at the Battle of Agincourt shortly afterwards, Henry’s success at Harfleur undoubtedly played a significant part in the creation of his reputation in his lifetime as a great warrior king.

Furthermore, the successful deployment of guns at the siege had the effect of demonstrating English technological parity with rival polities which employed gunpowder weapons in this period. A notable example is Burgundy: John, duke of Burgundy, made extensive use of these weapons in his military campaigns in 1408 and 1412, and in early 1415 reformed the administration of his ordnance by placing it under the control of a new master of artillery, concentrated at a central arsenal in Dijon.94 The potential of gunpowder artillery also meant that it was viable for Henry to adopt a strategy of conquest in Normandy, as opposed to the chevauchées of the fourteenth century; and it was made feasible in part due to a sharp fall in the price of gunpowder in the early fifteenth century. In addition, this strategy had the advantage of being significantly cheaper than traditional means of besieging large urban settlements. In 1346–7, Edward III had been forced to maintain a large army of 26,000 men for the siege of Calais for almost an entire year at great expense.95 By contrast, the comparatively short siege of Harfleur meant that the wage bill for the 1415 campaign was markedly lower. Assuming that the use of guns reduced the length of the siege by half, this would translate to a cost saving of around £13,000 minus the subsequent expenses associated with the defence of the town.96 The success of gunpowder artillery at the siege of Harfleur led to a transformation in the way in which the English conducted military operations.

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