In Shakespeare’s “Henriad” plays, where he is the main character, he is portrayed as a great king. He is presented as charming, witty, and able to inspire and get on with men of every class and background. Of course, Shakespeare emphasizes his skills as a soldier and military tactician to present him favorably to an English audience. In real life, Henry V was indeed very successful in the Hundred Years War, and England was largely a stable and peaceful place under his reign. Henry was known for being a good politician who was able to form good relationships in Parliament and build relationships with men whose fathers had been executed under the old King, Henry IV. After the Hundred Years War, he married Catherine of Valois, the daughter of the King Charles of France. This was a step closer to the union between the two countries, but Henry died a couple of years later.