Henry the Fifth

Henry V (16 September 1386 - 31 August 1422), also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1413 until his death in 1422. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes in the Hundred Years' War against France made England one of the strongest military powers in Europe.



Analyses of Henry's reign are varied: while widely praised for his personal piety, bravery and military genius even by contemporary French chroniclers, his occasionally cruel temperament and lack of focus on domestic affairs has made him the subject of some criticism. Nonetheless, his militaristic pursuits during the Hundred Year's War created a strong sense of English nationalism, setting the stage for England, then Britain's rise to prominence as a dominant global power.