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Why did Henry V order the killing of French prisoners during the Battle of Agincourt?
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Henry V
English king Henry V, painting by an unknown artist; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
During the Battle of Agincourt, King Henry V ordered the execution of the French prisoners he was holding because he believed his army was under attack from the rear.1
As the English were collecting prisoners, a group of French peasants led by local noblemen began plundering the English baggage train behind the lines. Fearing this was a renewed assault on his forces, Henry ordered the killing of the prisoners to prevent them from rejoining the fight or overwhelming his troops.1