Henry V of England

Henry V (16 Henry V, or Henry of Monmouth (September 1386 – 31 August 1422), was the King of England from 1413 to 1422. He was born at Monmouth, Wales. It is not known whether he was born on 9 August 1386 or 16 September 1387. What we know is that Henry V is the second Lancastrian king of England.

Henry of Monmouth
Miniature in the Regement of Princes by Thomas Hoccleve, c. 1411–1413
King of England (more...)
Reign	21 March 1413 – 31 August 1422
Coronation	9 April 1413
Predecessor	Henry IV
Successor	Henry VI
Regent	Catherine of Valois (1421-1422) While In France
Prince of Wales
Reign	30 September 1399 – 21 March 1413
Created	15 October 1399
Predecessor	Richard of Bordeaux
Successor	Edward of Westminster
4th Duke of Lancaster
Reign	1398 - 31 August 1422
Predecessor	Henry Bolingbroke
Regent of France
Regency	21 May 1420 – 31 August 1422
Monarch	Charles VI of France
Born	Henry of Monmouth 16 September 1386 Monmouth Castle, Wales
Died	31 August 1422 (aged 35) Château de Vincennes, France
Burial	7 November 1422 Westminster Abbey, London
Spouse	Catherine of Valois ​ (m. 1420)​
Issue	Henry VI of England
Full name Henry Monmouth Of Lancaster, 4th Duke Of Lancaster
House	Lancaster (Plantagenet
Father	Henry IV of England
Mother	Mary de Bohun
Signature

Henry V was the son of Henry Bolingbroke, later Henry IV, and Mary de Bohun, who died before Bolingbroke became king.

Henry IV was very unpopular, because he was actually not the rightful man to the throne. But his son, Henry V became greatly favoured by his people. In the earlier war against Wales, he and his father had fought the 'Prince of Wales', Glyndwen. After the death of Henry IV, Henry V pardoned the Prince, and went to fight France, claiming that he should be the king of France.

A few decades ago, England had started a century-long war, the Hundred Years' War with France. Henry IV had lost his part of the war and switched to fighting at home, at the border of Wales. After resuming the war at France, Henry V defeated the French at the famous Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Shakespeare wrote a play about that and made him important in other plays too.

Henry V was important in British politics too. He created a court system to solve crimes, cases and arguments in justice. Many people liked this democracy. He was also a brilliant military general, who won many battles and ingeniously defeated armies that were far larger than his. Unfortunately, the next king, his infant heir Henry VI, lost all his gains after he died, and turned England to a chaotic nation.