battle of agincourt middle finger
Dear Cecil: Can you confirm the following? The Battle of Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories and was one of the most important English triumphs in the Hundred Years' War, along with the Battle of Crcy (1346) and Battle of Poitiers (1356). Fixed formatting. This famous English longbow was . Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. Agincourt 1415: The Triumph of the Longbow (Video 1993) - IMDb with chivalry. [68], Henry's men were already very weary from hunger, illness and retreat. Battle of Agincourt, 1415 (ALL PARTS) England vs France Hundred The origins of the sign aren't confirmed, but popular folklore suggests that its original meaning, packed with insult and ridicule, first appeared in the 20th century in the battle of Agincourt. The English Gesta Henrici described three great heaps of the slain around the three main English standards. Clip from the 1944 movie "Henry V" (137 min). Battle of Agincourt, (October 25, 1415), decisive battle in the Hundred Years War (13371453) that resulted in the victory of the English over the French. . Some historians trace its origins to ancient Rome. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [116] One particular cause of confusion may have been the number of servants on both sides, or whether they should at all be counted as combatants. The city capitulated within six weeks, but the siege was costly. And although the precise etymology of the English word fuck is still a matter of debate, it is linguistically nonsensical to maintain that that word entered the language because the "difficult consonant cluster at the beginning" of the phase 'pluck yew' has "gradually changed to a labiodental fricative 'f.'" The army was divided into three groups, with the right wing led by Edward, Duke of York, the centre led by the king himself, and the left wing under the old and experienced Baron Thomas Camoys. A list of English archers killed at Agincourt, as recorded in the village's museum, The story of the battle has been retold many times in English, from the 15th-century, Dates in the fifteenth century are difficult to reconcile with modern calendars: see, The first known use of angled stakes to thwart a mounted charge was at the Battle of Nicopolis, an engagement between European states and Turkish forces in 1396, twenty years before Agincourt. Fighting commenced at 11:00 am, as the English brought their longbows within killing range and the first line of French knights advanced, led by cavalry. And I aint kidding yew. 10+ True Battle Agincourt Facts That Will Make You Look Stupid As the English were collecting prisoners, a band of French peasants led by local noblemen began plundering Henrys baggage behind the lines. Opie, Iona and Moira Tatem. In the other reference Martial writes that a certain party points a finger, an indecent one, at some other people. If the one-fingered salute comes from Agincourt, as the graphic suggests, then at what point did it get transformed into two fingers in England? In Gestures: Their Origins and Distribution, Desmond Morris and colleagues note that the digitus infamis or digitus impudicus (infamous or indecent finger) is mentioned several times in the literature of ancient Rome. Why do some people have that one extra-long fingernail on the pinkie finger. [70]), The tightness of the terrain also seems to have restricted the planned deployment of the French forces. Corrections? The English and Welsh archers on the flanks drove pointed wooden stakes, or palings, into the ground at an angle to force cavalry to veer off. In March 2010, a mock trial of Henry V for the crimes associated with the slaughter of the prisoners was held in Washington, D.C., drawing from both the historical record and Shakespeare's play. Omissions? What is Mudra, ancient times to modern classic and controversial However, a need to reassert his authority at home (as well as his own ambition and a sense of justice) led Henry V to renew English claims in France. The situation in England, coupled with the fact that France was weakened by its own political crisisthe insanity of Charles VI had resulted in a fight for power among the nobilitymade it an ideal moment for Henry to press his claims. The next line of French knights that poured in found themselves so tightly packed (the field narrowed at the English end) that they were unable to use their weapons effectively, and the tide of the battle began to turn toward the English. Jones, P. N. (1992). Tudor re-invention, leading to the quintessential Shakespearean portrayal of "we happy few", has been the most influential, but every century has made its own accretions. [133] Branagh's version gives a longer, more realist portrayal of the battle itself, drawing on both historical sources and images from the Vietnam and Falkland Wars.[134]. Didn't it originate at Agincourt? They were successful for a time, forcing Henry to move south, away from Calais, to find a ford. As the mle developed, the French second line also joined the attack, but they too were swallowed up, with the narrow terrain meaning the extra numbers could not be used effectively. They might also have deployed some archers in the centre of the line. After Henry V marched to the north, the French moved to block them along the River Somme. The French had originally drawn up a battle plan that had archers and crossbowmen in front of their men-at-arms, with a cavalry force at the rear specifically designed to "fall upon the archers, and use their force to break them,"[71] but in the event, the French archers and crossbowmen were deployed behind and to the sides of the men-at-arms (where they seem to have played almost no part, except possibly for an initial volley of arrows at the start of the battle). The struggle began in 1337 when King Edward III of England claimed the title King of France over Philip VI and invaded Flanders. At issue was the question of the legitimate succession to the French crown as well as the ownership of several French territories. Thepostalleges that the Frenchhad planned to cut offthe middle fingers ofall captured English soldiers,to inhibit them fromdrawingtheir longbowsin futurebattles. Battle of Agincourt | Facts, Summary, & Significance | Britannica It may be in the narrow strip of open land formed between the woods of Tramecourt and Azincourt (close to the modern village of Azincourt). In the words of Juliet Barker, the battle "cut a great swath through the natural leaders of French society in Artois, Ponthieu, Normandy, Picardy. [116] Rogers, on the other hand, finds the number 5,000 plausible, giving several analogous historical events to support his case,[112] and Barker considers that the fragmentary pay records which Curry relies on actually support the lower estimates. Rogers says each of the 10,000 men-at-arms would be accompanied by a gros valet (an armed, armoured and mounted military servant) and a noncombatant page, counts the former as fighting men, and concludes thus that the French in fact numbered 24,000. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 ( Saint Crispin's Day ), near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France. 138). Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore [soldiers would] be incapable of fighting in the future. The next day the French initiated negotiations as a delaying tactic, but Henry ordered his army to advance and to start a battle that, given the state of his army, he would have preferred to avoid, or to fight defensively: that was how Crcy and the other famous longbow victories had been won. . Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured soldiers. The Duke of Brabant (about 2,000 men),[65] the Duke of Anjou (about 600 men),[65] and the Duke of Brittany (6,000 men, according to Monstrelet),[66] were all marching to join the army. [76] Modern historians are divided on how effective the longbows would have been against plate armour of the time. The image makes the claim that the gesture derives from English soldiers at the Battle of Agincourt, France in 1415. This symbol of rocking out is formed by tucking the middle and index finger and holding them in place with the thumb. The Battle of Agincourt took place during the the Hundred Years' War, a conflict which, despite its name, was neither one single war nor did it last one hundred years. The battlefield was a freshly plowed field, and at the time of the battle, it had been raining continuously for several days. (Storyline based on the play by William Shakespeare "The Cronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Batt. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here . Your opponent is not going to pay you (or pay you much) for the return of mutilated soldiers, so now what do you do with them? Archers were not the "similarly equipped" opponents that armored soldiers triumphed in defeating -- if the two clashed in combat, the armored soldier would either kill an archer outright or leave him to bleed to death rather than go to the wasteful effort of taking him prisoner. They were blocking Henry's retreat, and were perfectly happy to wait for as long as it took. The French, who were overwhelmingly favored to win the battle, Continue Reading 41 2 7 Alexander L They had been weakened by the siege at Harfleur and had marched over 200 miles (more than 320 km), and many among them were suffering from dysentery. It goes on to state thatafter an unexpected victory, the English soldiersmocked thedefeatedFrenchtroopsbywavingtheir middle fingers( here ). The battle remains an important symbol in popular culture. The French, who were overwhelmingly favored to win the battle, threatened to cut a certain body part off of all captured English soldiers so that they could never fight again. Its not known whether one displayed the digitus infamis in the same manner that we (well, you) flip the bird today. A widely shared image on social media purportedly explains the historic origins of the middle finger, considered an offensive gesture in Western culture. (There is an Indo-European connection between the p-sound and f-sound see the distinction between the Latin pater and the Germanic Vater/father but that split occurred a long time ago.) The military aspects of this account are similarly specious. T he battle of Agincourt, whose 600th anniversary falls on St Crispin's Day, 25 October, is still tabloid gold, Gotcha! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows that the gesture is known as giving the bird. And yew all thought yew knew everything! The trial ranged widely over whether there was just cause for war and not simply the prisoner issue. Giving the Finger - Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. According to research, heres the true story: Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. 78-116). News of the contrivance circulated within Europe and was described in a book of tactics written in 1411 by. According to most chroniclers, Henry's fear was that the prisoners (who, in an unusual turn of events, actually outnumbered their captors) would realise their advantage in numbers, rearm themselves with the weapons strewn about the field and overwhelm the exhausted English forces. The English army, led by King Henry V, famously achieved victory in spite of the numerical superiority of its opponent. Originally representing the erect phallus, the gesture conveyssimultaneously a sexual threat to the person to whom it is directed andapotropaicmeans of warding off unwanted elements of the more-than-human. ( here ). He contrasts the modern, English king and his army with the medieval, chivalric, older model of the French. The Battle of Agincourt (/dnkr(t)/ AJ-in-kor(t);[a] French: Azincourt [azku]) was an English victory in the Hundred Years' War. French history myths: The 'two fingers' insult comes from the Battle of . [125] Shakespeare illustrates these tensions by depicting Henry's decision to kill some of the French prisoners, whilst attempting to justify it and distance himself from the event. The French army blocked Henry's way to the safety of Calais, and delaying battle would only further weaken his tired army and allow more French troops to arrive. The French could not cope with the thousands of lightly armoured longbowmen assailants (who were much less hindered by the mud and weight of their armour) combined with the English men-at-arms. Updates? New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1991 ISBN 0-471-53672-5 (pp. [citation needed], In any event, Henry ordered the slaughter of what were perhaps several thousand French prisoners, sparing only the highest ranked (presumably those most likely to fetch a large ransom under the chivalric system of warfare). They shadowed Henry's army while calling a semonce des nobles,[30] calling on local nobles to join the army. Historians disagree less about the French numbers. Soon after the victory at Agincourt, a number of popular folk songs were created about the battle, the most famous being the "Agincourt Carol", produced in the first half of the 15th century. While the precise number of casualties is unknown, it is estimated that English losses amounted to about 400 and French losses to about 6,000, many of whom were noblemen. [8] These included the Duke of York, the young Earl of Suffolk and the Welsh esquire Dafydd ("Davy") Gam. [82], The surviving French men-at-arms reached the front of the English line and pushed it back, with the longbowmen on the flanks continuing to shoot at point-blank range. The English men-at-arms in plate and mail were placed shoulder to shoulder four deep. It may be difficult to pinpoint exactly when the middle finger gesture originated, but some historians trace its roots to ancient Rome. The fighting lasted about three hours, but eventually the leaders of the second line were killed or captured, as those of the first line had been. The French were commanded by Constable Charles d'Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party. There was no monetary reward to be obtained by capturing them, nor was there any glory to be won by defeating them in battle. Military textbooks of the time stated: "Everywhere and on all occasions that foot soldiers march against their enemy face to face, those who march lose and those who remain standing still and holding firm win. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Contents. Recent heavy rain made the battle field very muddy, proving very tiring to walk through in full plate armour. Without the middle finger, it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow; and therefore, they would be incapable of fighting in the future. The Battle of Agincourt The longbow. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Why not simply kill them outright in the first place? [89] A slaughter of the French prisoners ensued. Many folkloric or etymological myths have sprung up about its origin, especially the widely quoted one about the interplay between the French and English soldiery at the battle of Agincourt 1415, where the French threatened to amputate the middle fingers of the English archers to prevent them from drawing their bows, which of course is absolute [62] Le Fvre and Wavrin similarly say that it was signs of the French rearguard regrouping and "marching forward in battle order" which made the English think they were still in danger. [106] This lack of unity in France allowed Henry eighteen months to prepare militarily and politically for a renewed campaign. [88] In some accounts the attack happened towards the end of the battle, and led the English to think they were being attacked from the rear. With Toby Merrell, Ian Brooker, Philip Rosch, Brian Blessed. Keegan, John. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. In another of his books Morris describes a variety of sexual insults involving the middle finger, such as the middle-finger down prod, the middle-finger erect, etc., all of which are different from the classic middle-finger jerk. [127], Shakespeare's play presented Henry as leading a truly English force into battle, playing on the importance of the link between the monarch and the common soldiers in the fight. In the ensuing negotiations Henry said that he would give up his claim to the French throne if the French would pay the 1.6million crowns outstanding from the ransom of John II (who had been captured at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356), and concede English ownership of the lands of Anjou, Brittany, Flanders, Normandy, and Touraine, as well as Aquitaine. [31], The precise location of the battle is not known. What it is supposed to represent I have no idea. England had been fraught with political discord since Henry IV of the house of Lancaster (father of Henry V) had usurped the throne from Richard II in 1399. [52] The dukes of Alenon and Bar led the main battle. Battle of Agincourt, (October 25, 1415), decisive battle in the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) that resulted in the victory of the English over the French. In Nature Embodied: Gesture in Ancient Rome, Anthony Corbeill, Professor of Classics at the University of Kansas wrote: The most familiar example of the coexistence of a human and transhuman elementis the extended middle finger. When did the middle finger become offensive? - BBC News In the song Hotel California, what does colitas mean? [39] Curry, Rogers[118] and Mortimer[42] all agree the French had 4 to 5 thousand missile troops. What's the origin of "the finger"? - The Straight Dope His men-at-arms were stationed in the centre, flanked by wedges of archers who carried longbows that had an effective range of 250 yards (229 metres). The one-finger salute, or at any rate sexual gestures involving the middle finger, are thousands of years old. (Even if archers whose middle fingers had been amputated could no longer effectively use their bows, they were still capable of wielding mallets, battleaxes, swords, lances, daggers, maces, and other weapons, as archers typically did when the opponents closed ranks with them and the fighting became hand-to-hand.). It was often reported to comprise 1,500 ships, but was probably far smaller. [123] Other ballads followed, including "King Henry Fifth's Conquest of France", raising the popular prominence of particular events mentioned only in passing by the original chroniclers, such as the gift of tennis balls before the campaign. 33-35). Contemporary chroniclers did not criticise him for it. giving someone the middle finger This battle concluded with King Harold of England dying at the hands of the Norman King William, which marked the beginning of a new era in England. The English won in a major upset and waved the body part in question at the French in defiance. Subject: Truth About the Finger In the film Titanic the character Rose is shown giving the finger to Jack, another character. The body part which the French proposed to cut off of the English after defeating them was, of course, the middle finger, without which it is impossible to draw the renowned English longbow. It forms the backdrop to events in William Shakespeare 's play Henry V, written in 1599.
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