Page 37 - All About History - Issue 11-14

Greatest Battles

09 Local French force France

attacks baggage TROOPS 36,000

Although the main battle was over, it threatened to CAVALRY 1,200
reignite when a local French force circumvented the forest
and attacked the English baggage. Fearing the substantial KNIGHTS 8,800
amount of prisoners would rebel and join this assault,
Henry ordered them executed – which many were,
until the attack was repelled.
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01 CHARLES D’ALBRET

LEADER
04 The former Constable of France
co-commanded the French army
alongside Jean le Maingre.
Strengths Experienced soldier.
Weaknesses Low social rank, so
orders were ignored by noblemen.

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02

KNIGHTS
KEY UNIT
Much of the French forces consisted
of heavy infantry, making them
tough adversaries in open combat.
Strengths Heavily armoured and
effective at hand-to-hand fighting.
Weaknesses Slow, cumbersome
Third line and easy to pick off by archers.
08 retreats
Seeing the fate that had met
the first and second waves, the
third line of the French forces
waited on the edge of the field,
pondering whether to join. After
being greeted by a messenger
07 French sent by Henry, who informed
second line them that if they joined the
battle, none of them would be
moves forward spared, they made their decision. HORSES
Unsurprisingly, considering their
options, they left the battlefield.
The French second line, led by D’Alencon, moved KEY WEAPON
forward in earnest to assist the beleaguered first line, Large numbers of knights on
horseback often presented a fearful
but was overwhelmed in a similar fashion. Seeing the sight for their opponents.
Strengths Fast and powerful
futility in continuing, he attempted to surrender to opponents in battle. © Look and Learn; Sayo Studio
Weaknesses Cramped and boggy
Henry, but was killed before he could reach the king. locations made them useless.

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