Agincourt by Juliet Barker
Agincourt took place on 25 October 1415 and was a turning-point not only in the Hundred Years War between England and France but also in the history of weaponry. Azincourt (as it is now) is in the Pas-de-Calais, and the French were famously defeated by an army led by Henry V. Henry V's stunning victory revived England's military prestige and greatly strengthened his territorial claims in France. The exhausted English army of about 9,000 men was engaged by 20,000 Frenchmen, but the limited space of battle favoured the more compact English forces. The undisciplined charges of the French combined with the exceptional skill of the English archers contributed to a pivotal moment in European warfare. Not more than 1,600 English soldiers died; the French probably lost more than 6,000 men. Juliet Barker's shimmeringly brilliant narrative commemorates and analyses a canonical battle in British history.
'.. a lively, stimulating account of this bloody day of battle. It is full of both serious research and entertaining gems. Barker makes the politics of the Hundred Years' War lucidly comprehensible.' Erica Wagner, The Times 'History writ fine, overflowing with extraordinary details...a milestone in Agincourt studies' Independent 'She brings vividly to life scenes such as the ceremonial surrender of Harfleur at the outset of the campaign, or the extraordinary pageant mounted by the city of London to celebrate the victorious king's return.' Richard Barber, Literary Review 'Juliet Barker tells this story beautifully. If you buy just one book of history this year, choose this one. It will make a wonderful Christmas present for it is a handsome book, well illustrated, but above all, it is a great story and Juliet Barker has written a classic account. Agincourt, like Henry's achievement, is a triumph.' Bernard Cornwall, Mail on Sunday 'Juliet Barker is a talented and versatile historian . . . [Her] deep understanding of the late Middle Ages shows in many fascinating asides about contemporary life. Biographical vignettes of the participants, great and small, liven up the pages . . . This book is a model of how to write scholarly history for a wide audience' Jonathan Sumption, Evening Standard '...fascinating blow-by-blow, arrow-by-arrow account of the most patriotic of all English battles' The Guardian 'Plenty to enjoy' BBC History Magazine 'A gripping story' Independent on Sunday
Juliet Barker, the distinguished biographer of the Bronte sisters and Wordsworth, is a medievalist and scholar.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780316726481 |
| ISBN 10 | 0316726486 |
| Title | Agincourt |
| Author | Juliet Barker |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Little, Brown & Company |
| Year published | 2005-01-01 |
| Number of pages | 480 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |