In 1344, Edward began building a Round Table at Windsor, his would-be Camelot, and hosted a series of tournaments and pageants. Twenty-first century forensic archaeology is helping to unravel the mythology surrounding King Arthur. Casting himself in the role of Arthur, the quintessentially English king, he was successfully able to portray warfare as a romantic ideal, akin to the glorious battles of Arthurian legend. To promote his cause, Edward turned to the Arthurian cult for help. Not only did he need parliament to okay another tax to fund his French campaigns but, with little overseas support, he would be forced to mainly draw his army from Englishmen. This idea was later taken up by the church with the emergence of patriotic religious figures such as Saint George and, later, by literature, most famously in the legend of King Arthur.īefore his victory at Crécy, Edward found himself having to persuade both the English parliament and the English public to support his ambitions across the Channel. Watch Now Help from Arthurįrom the 10th century, “chivalry” became recognised as an ethical code of conduct during war – a promotion of clemency between opposing sides. Legend of popular history Mike Loades provides Dan a detailed run down of Henry V's famous victory at Agincourt on 25 October 1415 and how Henry V's 'band of brothers' were really more a band of brigands. These military successes cemented Edward’s popularity as king, but it was mostly due to a clever propaganda campaign that placed his French campaigns in a chivalric context. In 1346, his persistence paid off and he won a great victory at the Battle of Crécy. Popular, enigmatic and confident, Edward quartered (joined together) the coats of arms of England and France before sailing across the channel and embarking on a series of military campaigns through which he gained land. This extended period of near constant fighting between England and France began with the ascension of Edward III to the throne of England and, alongside it, his claim to the throne of France. The Hundred Years’ WarĪgincourt was one of the key turning points of the Hundred Years’ War, a conflict that began in 1337 and ended in 1453. In doing so, he made the rules of war – usually rigorously upheld – entirely obsolete and brought an end to the centuries-old practice of chivalry on the battlefield. In 1415, Henry V ordered the execution of French prisoners at the Battle of Agincourt.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |