England
Henry V (1413-1422)
King at age twenty-six, dead by age thirty-five, Henry V was the most popular of the Lancastrian kings. A brilliant war leader, he was perfectly suited to the times. Chivalrous knight, well-liked by all, though actually an unpleasant sort of person away from the battlefield. Fortunately for Henry, he was on the battlefield for much of his life.
As the hero of
Agincourt (1415), Henry early in his reign established himself as a war hero. His nation was so grateful that Parliament readily voted all the subsidies he could want, so only at the end of his life did he have to worry much about money or politics.
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| Henry V |
But it's telling that once you've narrated Henry's battles, and have taken account of the Treaty of Troyes, there's little to say of consequence. He took the England he inherited from his father, an England that was deeply divided by overmighty subjects, and he did little to change that inheritance. The consequences of this were hidden by his magnificent victories that caused the barons to remain loyal to him and to suppress their quarrels. If he'd had a strong adult son succeed him, perhaps . . . well, perhaps many things. The fact is, he was succeeded by a year-old baby who grew up to be one of England's weakest monarchs.
I'll leave the telling of Henry's military career to the lecture on the Hundred Years War. He did little at home except continue existing traditions. Parliament willingly granted him money because of his great successes, especially after Agincourt, so there was no conflict there. The position and influence of the barons was if anything further enhanced precisely because of those victories. England had suddenly acquired huge areas to rule while still having a war to conduct, so Henry apportioned much political power to others and most notably to his brothers.
Henry was the eldest living of Henry IV's sons. Next came Thomas, Duke of Clarence; then John, duke of Bedford; followed by the youngest, Humphrey, duke of Gloucester. Even while Henry lived, Humphrey tended to England while the older brothers helped with the military effort. After Henry died of dysentary in 1422, Humphrey became Henry VI's guardian, while John of Bedford became regent of France in the boy's name.
