The Dark Secrets of Agincourt

[Fearghus Macildubh]

Found this on youtube. http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=ib8kGCFpJ ... re=related Combines archeology, metalurgy, geology and crowd dynamics.

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=cGadijbks ... re=related I found this segment and the final segment particularly interesting. It was not the weight of the armour, but the suction effect of Agincourt's mud on its smooth surfces that hindered the French foot. Fabric is much less susceptible to this. Henry chose his ground well. Gives lie to both the nuclear longbow and the stereotype of medieval commanders lacking true tactical skills.

[RandallMoffett]

Fearghus,

Neat find! Does anyone know what program this was on? I'd ask Anne but she is involved with so many things like this likely will not recognize it. The suction idea is very interesting. 15 bags of sugar! That’s not fun for sure. That’d slow someone down.

I do not think it lessens the importance of the longbow in the battle at all as much as it puts the weapon into perspective. The longer they were slogging in this muddy trap, the more time to shoot at them. The quote in this killing more with hand fighting than arrows is a modern concept/statement using accounts (very) liberally. Contemporary accounts do not say this; almost all English and many others give great praise to the arrows. As far as I know no specific numbers of men killed there give the number killed by any specific weapon. The most reliable indicating the archers only attacking after their arrows gone. I’d check out Cliff Rogers new Agincourt article for more on this.

As far as tactical skills.... yes I agree. Some of these generals/kings were amazing at what they did.

Nice find. Thanks for putting this up.

RPM

[Eamonn MacCampbell]

I watched the whole series last Sunday...Really neat program. And yeah...I wish I knew where I could get the whole thing on DVD. Toby Capwell is in one of the episodes, and it really gives a decent behind the scenes to the whole battle.

[sha-ul]

very interesting indeed.