Henry Percy (de Percy), Sir (1364 - 1403) - Genealogy Henry Percy Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland Wife: May 28 1364 - Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, England Death: May 28 1364 - Alnwick, Northumberland, , England Death: July 30 1403 - Shrewsbury, Shropshire, , England Mother: Margaret De Neville Of Raby Wife: Lady Elizabeth De Percy (born Mortimer) Children: Joan de Percy, Elizabeth De Percy Brother: 1364 - Warkworth Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: Elizabeth Percy, Baroness Camoys (born Mortimer) Children: May 20 1364 - Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: July 21 1403 - Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England Parents: Henry de Percy, Margaret de Percy (born Neville) Wife: May 20 1364 - Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: July 21 1403 - Shrewsbury, Sh

ropshire, England Parents: Henry de Percy, Margaret de Percy (born Neville) Wife: Henry de Percy, Lady Elizabeth Percy, Elizabeth Percy Brother: May 20 1364 - Warkworth Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England Death: July 21 1403 - Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, Shrewsbury, England Parents: Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland (born De Percy), Margaret De Neville (born Percy De Neville) Brother: Elizabeth Percy, Baroness of Camoys (born De Mortimer) Son: About Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy a short summary from Wikipedia: Harry Hotspur (Sir Henry Percy) Spouse: Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland Lady Elizabeth Percy Noble family House of Percy Father: Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland Mother: Margaret Neville Died: 21 July 1403 (aged 39) Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England ===================================================================== "Sir Henry Percy KG (20 May 1364 – 21 July 1403), commonly known as Sir Harry Hotspur, or simply Hotsp

ur, was the eldest son of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, and Margaret Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby, and Alice de Audley.

He was the most famous soldier of his day, but was slain leading the losing side at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403." ===================================================================== ==================================================================== Citations / Sources: [S11] Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), page 95. Hereinafter cited as Britain's Royal Family. [S125] Richard Glanville-Brown, online <e-mail address>, Richard Glanville-Brown (RR 2, Milton, Ontario, Canada), downloaded 17 August 2005. [S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H.

White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume XII/2, page 550. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume IX, page 712. [S1257] #248 A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland Enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank; but Uninvested with Heritable Honors (1834-1838), Burke, John, (4 volumes. London: Published for Henry Colburn, by R. Bentley, 1834-1838), FHL book 942 D2bc., vol. 4 p. 358.

[S2420] #11886 The Golden Grove books of pedigrees (filmed 1970), (Manuscript, National Library of Wales manuscript number Castell Gorfod 7. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1950), FHL microfilms 104,349-104,351., book 9 p. G1134, 1186; book 16 p. M1925. [S2411] #11915 British Genealogy (filmed 1950), Evans, Alcwyn Caryni, (Books A to H. National Library of Wales MSS 12359-12360D. Manuscript filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1950), FHL microfilms 104,355 and 104,390 item 2., book 6 p. F4, 9.

[S673] #1079 A History of Monmouthshire from the Coming of the Normans into Wales down to the Present Time (1904-1993), Bradney, Sir Joseph Alfred, (Publications of the South Wales Record Society, number 8. Five volumes in 13. London: Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1904-1993), FHL book 942.43 H2b., vol. 3 p. 8. [S712] #1039 Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families: with Their Collateral Branches in Denbighshire, Merionethshire (1914), Griffith, John Edwards, (Horncastle, England: W.K. Morton, 1914), FHL book Folio 942.9 D2gr; FHL microfilm 468,334., p. I, 305.

[S2] The Visitations of Yorkshire in the years 1563 and 1564, made by William Flower, esquire, Norroy king of arms, Flowers, William and Charles Best Norcliffe, (London : Harleian Society, 1881), FHL book 942 B4h vol. 16; microfilm 162,050 item 2., vol. 16, p. 242. [S452] #21 The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant (1910), Cokayne, George Edward (main author) and Vicary Gibbs (added author), (New edition. 13 volumes in 14. London: St. Catherine Press,1910-), vol. 2 p. 508; vol. 3 p.

293 [S266] #379 [7th edition, 1992] Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists, Who Came to America Before 1700 (7th edition, 1992), Weis, Frederick Lewis, (7th edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, c1992), FHL book 974 D2w 1992., p. 8 line 5:33, p. 23 line 19:32. [S394] #230 [5th edition, 1999] The Magna Charta Sureties, 1215 (5th edition, 1999), Adams, Arthur, (5th edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1999), FHL book 973 D2aa 1999., p. 46 line 36:10, p. 64 line 44:7.

Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy's Timeline 1364 Sir Henry Percy, called Hotspur (1364-1403) [Harry Hotspur; Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part I"] Search SIR HENRY PERCY, called Hotspur, eldest son of Henry, 1st Earl of Northumberland , was born on the 10th of March 1364. He saw active service when he was fourteen at the siege of Berwick. Six years later he was associated with his father in the wardenship of the eastern march of Scotland, and his zeal in border warfare won the name of Hotspur for him from his opponents. In 1386 he was sent to Calais, and raided French territory, but was shortly afterwards recalled to defend England against a naval attack by France. In popular story and ballad he is known as one of the heroes of Otterburn or Chevy Chase, which is the subject of one of the most stirring recitals of Froissart.

In the summer of 1388 the Scots invaded England by way of Carlisle, sending a small body under the earls of Douglas, Mar and Moray to invade Northumberland. The Earl of Northumberland remained at Alnwick, but sent his sons Sir Henry and Sir Ralph against the enemy. In hand-to-hand fighting before the walls of Newcastle, Douglas is said to have won Sir Henry's pennon, which he swore to fix upon the walls of Dalkeith. The Scots then retreated to Otterburn, where Percy, who was bent on recovering his pennon, attacked them on a fine August evening in 1388. Douglas was slain in the battle, though not, as is stated by Walsingham, by Percy's hand: Henry Percy was captured by Sir John Montgomery, and his brother Ralph by Sir John Maxwell. Hotspur was released on the payment of a heavy ransom, to which Richard II contributed £3000, and in the autumn his term as warden of Carlisle and the West March was extended to five years. In 1399 together with his father he joined Henry of Lancaster .

Henry IV gave the charge of the West March to Northumberland, while Henry Percy received the castles of Bamburgh, Roxburgh and Berwick, and the wardenship of the East March, with a salary of £3000 in peace time and £12,000 in war. During the first year of Henry's reign Hotspur further was appointed Justiciar of North Wales and Constable of the castles of Chester, Flint, Conway, Denbigh and Carnarvon. Henry also gave him a grant of the island of Anglesey, with the castle of Beaumaris. William and Rees ap Tudor captured Conway Castle on the 1st of April 1401, and Percy in company with the prince of Wales set out to recover the place, Percy providing the funds. In May he reported to the king the pacification of Merioneth and Carnarvon, and before the end of the month Conway was surrendered to him. Meanwhile he wrote demanding arrears of pay, with the threat of resignation if the money were not forthcoming, but the king intimated that the loss of Conway had been due to his negligence, and only sent part of the money.

He had the same difficulty in obtaining money for his northern charge that he had experienced in Wales.1 Anglesey was taken from him, and he was deprived of Roxburgh Castle in favour of his rival, the Earl of Westmorland . The Scots again invaded England in the autumn of 1402, headed by the earl of Douglas and Murdoch Stewart, son of the Duke of Albany. Northumberland and Hotspur barred their way at Millfield, near Wooler, and the Scots were compelled to fight at Humbledon, or Homildon Hill, on the 14th of September. The English archers were provided with a good target in the masses of the Scottish spearmen, and Hotspur was restrained from charging by his ally, George Dunbar, Earl of March. The Scottish army was almost destroyed, while the English loss is said to have been five men. Disputes with the king arose over the disposal of the Scottish prisoners, Percy insisting on his right to hold Douglas as his personal prisoner, and he was summoned to court to explain.

It is related that when he arrived Henry asked for Douglas, and Hotspur demanded in return that his brother-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, should be allowed to ransom himself from Owen Glendower , with whom he was a prisoner. High words followed, in the course of which Henry called Percy a traitor, struck him on the face, and drew his sword on him. Percy is said to have answered this defiance with the words, "Not here, but on the field." This was late in 1402, and in 1403 Hotspur issued a proclamation in Cheshire stating that Richard II was alive, and summoning the inhabitants to his standard. He made common cause with his prisoner Douglas, and marched south to join forces with Glendower, who was now reconciled with Mortimer. He was reinforced by his uncle Thomas, Earl of Worcester , who, although steward to the household of the prince of Wales, joined his family in rebellion. The mythical Richard II was heard of no more, and Percy made himself the champion of the young Earl of March .

When he arrived at the Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury , early on the 21st of July, and demanded provisions, he found the king's forces had arrived before him. He retired in the direction of Whitchurch, and awaited the enemy about 32 mi. from Shrewsbury. After a long parley, in which a truce of two days was even said to have been agreed on, the Scottish Earl of March, fighting on the royal side, forced on the battle in the afternoon, the royal right being commanded by the prince of Wales. Hotspur was killed, the earls of Douglas and Worcester, Sir Richard Venables of Kinderton, and Sir Richard Vernon were captured, and the rebel army dispersed. Worcester, Venables and Vernon were executed the next day. Percy's body was buried at Whitchurch, but was disinterred two days later to be exhibited in Shrewsbury. The head was cut off, and fixed on one of the gates of York. 1 The dissatisfaction of the Percys seems to have been chiefly due to the money question. Sir J. H.

Ramsay (Lancaster and York) estimates that in the four years from 1399 to 1403 they had received from the king the sum of £41,750, which represented a very large capital in the 14th century, and they had also received considerable grants of land. King Henry IV. was about to march north himself to look into the real relations between the Percys and the Scots, when on the 6th of July 1403 Henry Percy was in open rebellion. Excerpted from: Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed. Vol XXI. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. 136. Other Local Resources: UK Battlefields Resource Centre - Medieval - The Battle of Battle of Shrewsbury Battle of Shrewsbury 21st July 1403 When Henry Bolingbroke had usurped the throne of England from his cousin Richard II in 1399, becoming King Henry IV, he did it with the assistance of the powerful Percy family, including Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland . But the relationship between Northumberland and the king was far from amicable.

By 1403 the Percys were demanding payment for outstanding debts from 1399 amounting to £20,000; an exorbitant figure. Added to this was their severe displeasure at the King’s insistence of keeping the Scottish nobles captured at Homildon Hill the previous year as prisoners of war rather than applying for their ransom. To Northumberland, who had led the victorious English troops, this was adding insult to injury and further depriving him of what he considered to be due reward. Henry was unlikely to have been deliberately withholding payment, he simply did not have the resources. Northumberland’s son, the infamous Sir Henry 'Hotspur' Percy, had been given high office in Wales, where he had completed several successful campaigns against the rebellious Owain Glyndwr, in 1401 and 1402. But he too awaited payment for services. In a complete reversal of allegiance the Percys now formed an alliance with Glyndwr and Edward Mortimer. Mortimer was uncle to the Earl of March, still in his minority, as well as brother-in-law to Hotspur and son-in-law to Glyndwr.

In an effort to gain support and justify their actions the Percys now claimed that they had only supported Henry in 1399 on the understanding that he only sought to reclaim his confiscated lands and that they had no idea he intended to usurp the throne. They also accused Henry of starving Richard to death in his castle at Pontefract. The Percys now supported the Earl of March as rightful heir to the throne. With a hastily mustered force, gathered largely in Cheshire, along with George, Earl Douglas (a captive from the battle of Homildon Hill the previous year but now allied with Percy), Hotspur headed towards Shrewsbury to join forces with the other rebels. That town was garrisoned by the King’s eldest son, Harry (later to become arguably our most famous military commader, Henry V), but this small force was unlikely to withstand an attack from the combined rebel forces. So, on the advice of the Scottish Earl of March, George Dunbar, the king headed north-west to intercept Hotspur before he could join forces with Glyndwr. The race for Shrewsbury was won by the king, who reached the town shortly before Hotspur on the 20th September.

Percy was now isolated on the north side of the town, with the River Severn and the king’s army between him and reinforcements from Wales. Withdrawing from the town, Percy spent the night some 3 miles north-west of Shrewsbury at the village of Berwick. The following morning, with no sign of Glyndwr but with the king’s forces advancing out of Shrewsbury, Percy hurriedly left Berwick and headed away from the river towards Harlescott. A battle was now inevitable. The battle of Shrewsbury was significant in military terms as it was the first occasion where massed troops armed with the longbow were pitted against each other on English soil, in the tactical formations that would be so effective in the coming decades against the French. The effectiveness of this tactical use of the weapon was apparent to all. In political terms it was also important: Henry was lenient to the Earl of Northumberland himself, grieving for his son who was killed at Shrewsbury, but the might of the Percy family was broken. The battlefield remains almost wholly undeveloped agricultural land, though now fully enclosed as hedged fields.

The Shrewsbury by-pass (A5124) crosses the very southern edge of the battlefield, from east to west, along the probable line of Henry’s deployment. Battlefield Church, which was built within a few years of the battle at the behest of King Henry ‘for the souls of those who fell’, is believed to sit close to the centre of the action. Access is via metalled and fenced public footpaths laid out by the local authority in a circular route around the battlefield, and including the church. A viewing mound and car park to the south has also been provided. In 2008 ‘Battlefield 1403’, an exhibition centre on the battle together with a café and farm shop was opened in converted farm buildings just north of the registered battlefield and a new permissive path leads from the centre down to the battlefield itself.

For more information on the Shrewsbury 1403 battlefield centre please CLICK HERE KEY FACTS Alnwick Castle | Harry Hotspur Alnwick Castle Welcome to one of Britain's most iconic castles What's on 30 Oct 2016 - 30 Mar 2017 Alnwick Castle will reopen on 31st March 2017 Downton Abbey Harry Hotspur Harry Hotspur, Alnwick Castle's most famous son, lived a life fraught with battle and intrigue. Immortalised by Shakespeare and celebrated in his own time, Hotspur is now remembered as one of England's best and most fearsome medieval warriors. The Percy Family: c.1364-1403 (Harry Hotspur in more detail) Cloaked in mystery O gentlemen, the time of life is short! To spend that shortness basely were too long If life did ride upon a dial’s point, Still ending at the arrival of an hour. And if we live, we live to tread on kings, If die, brave death, when princes die with us!...

-- Harry Hotspur in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act V, Scene 2 Henry Percy, son of the 1st Earl of Northumberland, is better known by the name given to him by his enemies due to the eagerness (and impetuousness) with which he would ride into battle: Harry ‘Hotspur’. Hotspur is the most famous character in the history of the Percy family, and is one of the most famous knights in English history. However, he never became Earl of Northumberland due to predeceasing his father. Many of the details of Hotspur’s life remain a mystery. Even the year and place of his birth are unknown; he may have been born in either Northumberland or Yorkshire, in either 1364 or 1366. He did describe himself as being 'of Alnwick' during his lifetime, however, and it is known that he died at the Battle of Shrewsbury on 21 July 1403.

Hotspur’s Life … thou makest me sad and makest me sin In envy that my Lord Northumberland Should be the father to so blest a son, A son who is the theme of honour's tongue… -- Henry IV in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1, Act I, Scene 3 In 1377, the year his father was made 1st Earl of Northumberland by King Richard II, Harry Hotspur was knighted; he would only have been a teenager at this time, if not younger. Two years later, he married Elizabeth Mortimer. Elizabeth and her family could be considered to have a claim to the throne; her maternal great-grandfather was King Edward III. This fact becomes significant when Hotspur, together with his father and uncle Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester, deposed Richard II and replaced him with Henry IV. The elder Percys seemed set on Henry as the new king, but it has been suggested that Hotspur may have believed his brother-in-law, the Earl of March, would be placed on the throne. This did not occur, of course, but may have been a contributing factor in the tension present in the relationship between Henry IV and Hotspur.

Elizabeth and Harry had two children; their son Henry, born in 1393, became the 2nd Earl of Northumberland. Later in his life, Harry became a Knight of the Garter, and due to his reputation for seeking glory, honour and battle, was a celebrity in his own lifetime. Battles ... I profess not talking; only this- Let each man do his best, and here draw I A sword, whose temper I intend to stain With the best blood that I can meet withal In the adventure of this perilous day. Now Esperance! Percy! And set on. Sound all the lofty instruments of war, And by that music let us all embrace, For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall A second time do such a courtesy. -- Harry Hotspur in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1, Act V, Scene 2 Hotspur probably witnessed his first combat situation as a child, accompanying his father in France, and led his first siege at Berwick in 1378. There is a story that Harry once met a soothsayer, who told him he would lose his sword in Berwick and die thereafter.

This prophecy did apparently come true, but not in a way that Hotspur could have predicted. Conflict and battle were intertwined with Hotspur throughout his life. He fought the Scots on the Borders and Welsh rebels in Wales, made trouble in Calais with his brother Sir Ralph, and finally died fighting Henry IV in England. His most famous battle against the Scots was at Otterburn in 1388. Two forces led by members of the Douglas family attacked England’s border regions on the west and the east, one aiming for Carlisle and the other Durham and Newcastle. When the Earl of Douglas took Newcastle, Hotspur and a force of soldiers rode to meet them. After a skirmish which may have included hand-to-hand fighting between Hotspur and Douglas, Douglas captured Hotspur’s pennant (a flag or standard; an object with great family pride attached to it) before riding west to join the rest of the Scottish army. Hotspur was advised to wait for reinforcements, but pursued Douglas regardless, marching his men 32 miles before reaching the Scottish camp at Otterburn as night fell. Douglas was killed in the ensuing battle, but the Scots won decisively, and Harry and Sir Ralph Percy were both taken prisoner.

Similarly famous was the Battle of Homildon Hill in 1402, one of Harry’s greatest victories, which took place near Wooler in Northumberland. Like the 2nd Lord of Alnwick’s defeat of the Scots in 1346, archers were essential in obliterating the Scottish forces, allowing Hotspur to take prisoners of his own – a situation that would eventually lead to his rebellion against the king, and his death. Hotspur’s Final Battle …thou hast robb'd me of my youth! I better brook the loss of brittle life Than those proud titles thou hast won of me; They wound my thoughts worse than sword my flesh: But thought's the slave of life, and life time's fool; And time, that takes survey of all the world, Must have a stop. -- Harry Hotspur in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1, Act V, Scene 4 Before Homildon Hill, Hotspur had been leading a campaign for the king to try to put down the forces of the famous Welsh rebel, Owain Glyndwr. However, Hotspur's soldiers were not being paid.

When Hotspur’s letters to Henry IV asking to rectify this were not answered to his satisfaction (the Crown claimed to be short of funds), he returned to Northumberland and Scottish border warfare. Following Homildon, when Hotspur had taken prisoners for ransom, Henry IV demanded that the ransom money should go to him rather than Harry, which led Hotspur to London to confront the king about the matter. The result of their altercation (which reportedly ended with the king slapping Hotspur across the face and drawing a dagger on him - 'not here, but in the field!' is said to have been Hotspur’s reply) was a full-blown rebellion led by Hotspur against Henry IV. At the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403, which took place partly under a solar eclipse, Henry IV dressed several of his knights in his attire and used them as a form of decoy; each time Hotspur killed one, he would think he had killed the King, only to find he hadn’t. Harry Hotspur was killed by an arrow to his eye during the battle.

He and his men had stayed in a small hamlet the night before, and due to the swift arrival of the king’s son, the Prince of Wales, on the battlefield, Hotspur was effectively rushed into battle not fully prepared, and apparently left his sword behind on the morning of the battle. The name of the hamlet was Berwick; the soothsayer, it seems, had been correct after all. Hotspur was buried near the battlefield, but then exhumed, and his head was displayed on the walls of York as a warning to other potential rebels of what would happen to those who went against the king. His body was quartered, and the four pieces displayed in Newcastle, London, Bristol and Chester, again as a warning to others. Hotspur’s final resting place is believed to be an unmarked grave in York Minster.

Read the next chapter in Percy history: Earls of Northumberland (1413-1670) Share this Battle of Shrewsbury in the Hundred Years' War Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester approximately 5,000-7,000 men Battle of Shrewsbury - Background: In 1403, during a lull in the Hundred Years' War , the powerful Percy family rose in rebellion due to perceived ill treatment by King Henry IV. The family's dissatisfaction stemmed from a feeling that they had been mistreated by the king after helping him gain his crown in the wars against King Richard II . Raising an army from among the Richard's former supporters, including longbow archers from Cheshire, Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy moved south with the goal of destroying a small Royalist force at Shrewsbury commanded by the 16-year old Prince of Wales . As he marched, Hotspur was joined by his uncle, the Earl of Worcester, who brought with him almost 1,000 men who had defected from the Prince's army.

Battle of Shrewsbury - The Armies on the Move: As Hotspur moved south, King Henry IV was marching north towards the Percy's lands in Northumbria. Arriving at Nottingham on July 12, and hearing of Hotspur's activities, he turned his army west and moved to aid his son. He arrived at Shrewsbury on the 20th, just in time to prevent Hotspur from assaulting the town. With the arrival of the king's forces, the rebels withdrew northwest towards the village of Berwick. Not wanting the rebels to escape, King Henry VI pursued and made camp three miles from the rebels. Battle of Shrewsbury - Hotspur Deploys: The following morning, Hotspur lined up his army along a low ridge while King Henry IV approached from the south. By mid-day, both armies were in position, though neither side seemed inclined to open the fight. Hoping to prevent bloodshed, the abbots of Shrewsbury and Haughmond attempted to mediate. While Hotspur appeared receptive, it was Worcester who went to meet the king.

Unwilling to give into Worcester's demands, the king sent him away and the battle opened two hours before sunset. Battle of Shrewsbury - The Forces Clash: As the king's men advanced, Hotspur's archers opened fire, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing them to return to their original lines. Seeing an opportunity, Hotspur ordered a general counterattack. Leading the charge himself, the rebel troops slammed into the Royalist lines. In the melee that ensued, Hotspur was killed. As the fighting continued, the Prince of Wales, whose division was outside of the fray, wheeled his men around and attacked the rebels in the flank. This assault broke the rebel's lines and drove them from the field, completing the victory for Henry IV. Battle of Shrewsbury - Aftermath: The battle ended in a decisive victory for King Henry IV and resulted in Henry "Hotspur" Percy's death. Also, the Earl of Worcester was captured and executed for his part in the rebellion. Approximately 2,000 were killed in the fighting, with records suggesting that Royalist forces sustained the heaviest casualties.

Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 - 1000033| Historic England Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 List Entry Summary This battlefield is registered within the Register of Historic Battlefields by English Heritage for its special historic interest. Name: Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 List entry Number: 1000033 The battlefield may lie within the boundary of more than one authority. County: National Park: Not applicable to this List entry. Grade: Not Applicable to this List Entry Date first registered: 06-Jun-1995 Date of most recent amendment: 09-Sep-2015 Legacy System Information The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system. Legacy System: Battlefields UID: 34 Asset Groupings This list entry does not comprise part of an Asset Grouping. Asset Groupings are not part of the official record but are added later for information. List entry Description Summary of Battlefield The site of the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403) which saw the army of King Henry IV defeat a rebel army led by Sir Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy.

Reasons for Designation The Battle of Shrewsbury (1403), which saw the army of King Henry IV defeat a rebel army led by Sir Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy, is included on the Register of Historic Battlefields for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: the battle was important politically because it broke the might of the Percy family and confirmed the House of Lancaster on the throne; * Military innovations: it was the first major battle in which English archers had fought against each other on their own soil and showed the effectiveness of the longbow.

It thus has particular importance for the development of late medieval military tactics which were subsequently and successfully employed by Henry V at Agincourt; * Archaeological: it has the potential to contain archaeological remains associated with the battle in the form of arrowheads, weapons and personal effects; * Documentation: the battle is popularly remembered in the context of Shakespeare’s play Henry IV Part I in which the last two acts are principally concerned with Shrewsbury; * Biographical: the battle is significant biographically in the military career of Prince Henry, later King Henry V, and the death of the defeated Henry’ Hotspur’ Percy; * Group value: the site forms the setting for the collegiate church of St Mary Magdalene (scheduled and listed Grade II*) constructed on the battlefield in 1406-09 at the behest of King Henry IV; * Amenity value: the battlefield has high amenity value with a high level of public access and information, with a visitor centre, a viewing mound and a comprehensive battlefield trail. Views within, across and beyond the site make an important contribution to understanding the battle.

History HISTORICAL CONTEXT On 21st July 1403 the armies of King Henry IV and the rebellious Percy family met in battle some three miles to the north of Shrewsbury. Although the Percy family, including Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, and his son, Sir Henry Percy, better known at Hotspur, had been instrumental in helping Henry seize the throne from his cousin King Richard II in 1399, their relationship was far from amicable. Under Richard II, the Percys’ had been given extensive civil and military responsibility including the defence of the Border region. In 1399 Hotspur was appointed High Sherriff of Flintshire and subsequently completed successful campaigns against the Welsh patriot Owain Glyndwr in 1401 and 1402. In 1402, the Percy’s were also victorious against a Scottish force at Homildon Hill. However, the lack of financial recompense for their military expenditure heightened their disenchantment with Henry IV’s rule along with his failure to put an end to Glyndwr's rebellion through a negotiated settlement.

Also infuriating the Percy’s was the King’s increasing promotion of the military authority of his son, Prince Henry, in Wales, and his failure to ransom the Percys' kinsman, Sir Edmund Mortimer, Henry Percy's brother-in-law, whom had been captured by the Welsh in June 1402. Spurred on by these grievances, the Percys’ hatched a scheme to divide England in alliance with Mortimer, who was uncle to the Earl of March, and Glyndwr. Now supporting the Earl of March as the rightful heir to the throne, Hotspur raised a small group of retainers in early July 1403 and started the march south to meet his uncle, Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester. Although Hotspur’s ultimate destination was Shrewsbury, which was garrisoned by Prince Henry, he spent several days in Cheshire raising an army. Cheshire was seen to be a natural recruiting ground as it was the county in which Richard II’s archer bodyguard had been raised and was the only region which had attempted to resist Henry’s seizure of the throne.

More importantly, it had many experienced soldiers, notably its archers, which were expected to be reinforced by a Welsh force under Glyndwr. The King received news of these events whilst at Burton-on-Trent on 12th July as he marched an army north to assist the Percys’ against the Scots. He immediately headed north-west to intercept Hotspur before he could join forces with Glyndwr, arriving at Shrewsbury shortly before him on 20th July. Hotspur, who found the gates defended against him, withdrew some three miles to the north-west to the village of Berwick. The King, who was under pressure to attack before Glyndwr’s reinforcements could arrive, spent the night camped outside Haughmond Abbey. On 21st July, Hotspur moved his rebel army to a ridge overlooking Shrewsbury, to the east of Albright Hussey, so that he could observe the ground towards Haughmond Abbey and the approach of the King. Although there is no firm evidence for the size of each army, it is assumed that Hotspur was outnumbered. Initially, there was a general reluctance to commence battle and a great deal of time was spent in negotiation.

The Abbot of Shrewsbury and the clerk of the privy seal served as a delegation on behalf of the King, offering Hotspur peace and pardon if he would desist from his adventure. As a result of their persuasions Hotspur decided to negotiate and sent his uncle, Thomas Percy, who explained the causes of the rebellion and demanded a real reformation. When the king had condescended as far as reason would allow, his uncle returned to his nephew and reported the contrary, inflaming the mind of Hotspur and impelling him to battle, even though he was reluctant to fight. Negotiations ended near noon and the two forces advanced close for the battle in a large field planted with peas below the ridge. DESCRIPTION OF MILITARY ACTION Contemporary accounts of the battle indicate that the first clash of arms came around two hours before dusk when the royal vanguard under the Earl of Stafford advanced against Hotspur’s line and were met by a deluge of arrows from his Cheshire archers. An archery duel subsequently developed resulting in heavy casualties.

On seeing the discomfort of his vanguard, the King led his main battle forward to its relief and at this moment Hotspur led a group of horsemen forward in an attempt to kill the King. Bloody hand-to-hand fighting followed and many men were slain on both sides. Although Hotspur's foray did kill the Earl of Stafford and Henry’s standard bearer, Sir Walter Blount, it failed to find the King. It is then thought that Henry launched a counter-attack which may have included an outflanking movement by a body of troops under Prince Henry, possibly using the depression of a small brook, now known as Battlefield Brook, to avoid detection. Despite Prince Henry, who was fighting his first battle, being shot in the face by an arrow, his division reached the main body of the enemy before the others, breaking their line, and overthrowing all opponents. Passing right through he faced about, and thus closed them in between his own division and that of the King. The rebel army fell into a state of great confusion, not knowing whether they were fighting against the King's party or their own. During this uncertainty, Hotspur was cut down and killed, apparently being shot in the face when he opened his visor.

His death was not initially realised, and at some point soon afterwards the Northumbrian knights mistakenly hailed the death of King Henry and took up the war cry ‘Henry Percy king’ to encourage their own men. Understanding the object of these cries, the King retaliated by shouting ‘Henry Percy is dead’ with the absence of a reply confirming Percy’s demise. As the news of Hotspur's death began to spread, his army began to disintegrate in flight, with the battle believed to have dispersed into many smaller actions over a wider area before coming to an end. Estimates placed the dead and wounded at well over 5,000 men, with the majority being interred in a mass grave on the battlefield. Hotspur’s body was taken by Thomas Neville, 5th Baron Furnivall, to Whitchurch for burial. However, when rumours circulated that Percy was still alive, the King had the corpse exhumed and displayed in the market place at Shrewsbury.

After this, the King dispatched Percy's head to York, where it was impaled on one of the city's gates; his four-quarters were sent to London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Bristol, and Chester before they were finally delivered to his widow who had him buried in York Minster. In January 1404, Percy was posthumously declared a traitor, and his lands were forfeited to the Crown. In 1406 the site of the mass grave was acquired by the Rector of Albright Hussey to build a chantry chapel to commemorate the souls of the fallen. Completed with endowment from Henry IV, it was in use by 1409. In 1410 it was re-established as a college of seven chaplains with a large moated enclosure built around the church and a series of fishponds built to serve the college. The college was dissolved in 1547. The church was restored as the parish church in 1862; it is now redundant.

The collegiate church is listed at Grade II* (NHLE 1246192), and the whole of the collegiate site is a scheduled monument (NHLE 1003717). Details TOPOGRAPHY The site of the battlefield is dominated by a ridge of high ground running from Albright Hussey in the west to Battlefield Farm in the east. The land is still primarily agricultural in nature, mainly being under arable cultivation, although some parts are under permanent pasture, with the open fields of 1403 now enclosed with hedges. The Church of St Mary Magdalene occupies a prominent position on the landscape, enclosed by the earthwork and buried remains of a large moated enclosure. To the south-east of the church there are a series of five fishponds separated by causeways and now traversed by a boardwalk. Earthwork remains of ridge and furrow are found in both the western half of the churchyard and the south-east section of the site. The ridge and furrow formed part of the common fields of the manor of Albright Hussey and, with the field system being in place by the C13, they probably pre-date the battle.

The modern world has imposed itself to some degree on the site, including the construction of the railway line on the east side, opened in 1858, the gradual northwards spread of Shrewsbury, and the construction of the Battlefield Link Road, completed in 1998. Immediately to the north of the link road are car parking facilities and a viewing mound from where the battle site can be appreciated. FEATURES The most prominent features associated with the battle that are still evident are the ridge on which Hotspur’s rebel army assembled and the two areas of ridge and furrow. The earthwork remains of the ridge and furrow in the battlefield’s south-east corner lie in a field which has been known as Trooper’s Piece and Roushill whilst the adjacent field was called King’s Croft in the C18. The Church of St Mary Magdalene stands as a prominent memorial to those who died during the battle. ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL Although the battlefield has not been the subject of extensive archaeological survey and investigation, the site has the potential to contain archaeological remains associated with the battle in the form of arrowheads, weapons and personal effects.

The ridge and furrow remains are of considerable importance as any possible archaeological remains will not have suffered mechanical damage for several centuries. Further significance is also derived from the site of the mass grave which lay within the enclosure where the Church of St Mary Magdalene stands. Selected Sources Books and journals Priestley, EJ , The Battle of Shrewsbury 1403, (1979) Calvert, E, 'Annales Rich II Et Hen IV' in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, , Vol. 10, (), 295-305 Websites Information on the Battle of Shrewsbury from the UK Battlefields Resource Centre, accessed 8 December 2014 from Other English Heritage, 1995, Battlefield Report: Shrewsbury 1403 National Grid Reference: SJ5086717165 © Crown Copyright and database right 2017. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900. © British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2017. All rights reserved.

Licence number 102006.006. Use of this data is subject to Terms and Conditions . The above map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. For a copy of the full scale map, please see the attached PDF - 1000033 .pdf The PDF will be generated from our live systems and may take a few minutes to download depending on how busy our servers are. We apologise for this delay. This copy shows the entry on 20-Jan-2017 at 01:12:44. End of official listing 7 Famous Knights of the Middle Ages 7 Famous Knights of the Middle Ages Andrew Knighton Left: A Victorian depiction of Sir James (third from left), and other leaders of the Wars of Independence by William Brassey Hole, part of a mural in the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo Credit . Right: Possible statue of Tancred of Hauteville on the north side of Coutances Cathedral. This is an 1875 replacement for a statue damaged in the French Revolution. Photo Credit . Medieval knights were among the celebrities of their day – warriors, leaders, and even scholars.

They became figures of romance and inspiration, giving them a special status in our imaginations. Here are seven of the most famous men who gave knighthood its allure. William Marshal (1146-1219) Described as ‘the greatest knight that ever lived’ by Archbishop Stephen Langton, William Marshal rose from minor nobility to become the most respected knight in England. After embarrassing himself with hot-headed behaviour at his first battle at the age of twenty, he joined the glamorous French tournament circuit, becoming a popular combatant. Following the death of his close friend Henry, son of King Henry II, Marshal went on crusade in his friend’s memory. On returning to England, Marshal fought for Henry II, helped rule the country in Richard I’s absence, and was a signatory to Magna Carta during the rebellion against King John. Following John’s death in 1216, Marshal became the protector of the young Henry III. Aged 70, he took the field at the Battle of Lincoln, defeating the combined rebellion and French invasion threatening the young king. On his deathbed, he was made a Knight Templar, and buried in the Temple Church in London.

Geoffroi de Charny (1300-1356) The Battle of Poitiers (1356) Eugène Delacroix A French nobleman, Sir Geoffroi de Charny was known by many as ‘a true and perfect knight’. He was also a scholar of knighthood, writing at least three books on the subject. His Book of Chivalry remains one of the most important sources on 14th century knightly behaviour. Fighting against the English in the Hundred Years’ War, Charny was captured twice. Such was his reputation for honesty that he was let out of captivity to raise his own ransom. After fighting courageously in several important battles, Charny was killed in the front line at the Battle of Poitiers, carrying the Oriflamme, the French royal banner, to the last. James Douglas (1286-1330) A Victorian depiction of Sir James (third from left), and other leaders of the Wars of Independence by William Brassey Hole James Douglas was only a child when his father died fighting with William Wallace against the English invasion of Scotland.

Sent to Paris for his own safety, it was there that he learned the ways of knighthood. On his return to Britain, he found King Edward I unwilling to restore his family’s lands, and so joined Robert the Bruce in the revolt that led to Scottish independence. A leading fighter in the Scottish guerrilla war, Sir James captured Douglas and Roxburgh Castles (1307 and 1314) and fought in the famous Scottish victory at Bannockburn (1314). He became one of Bruce’s closest companions, and was known by the English as the Black Douglas. When Bruce – now King Robert I – died in 1329 he asked Sir James to take his heart to Jerusalem. Diverted to a crusade against the Saracens in Spain, Douglas saw a fellow knight become surrounded at the Battle of Teba. Throwing Bruce’s heart ahead of him, he charged into the thick of the fighting, and died a warrior to the last. Sir Henry Percy (1364-1403) The Pennon or banner flown by Sir Henry Percy aka Harry Hotspur and taken from him in combat by James Douglas, Earl of Douglas.

The Percy family were one of the most powerful in northern England. Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, this part of the country was plagued by violence, including local feuds, Scottish raids and even rebellions. Sir Henry Percy, known as Hotspur, became a part of this. Knighted at the age of 13, Hotspur fought in his first battle only a year later, helping to capture Berwick Castle. He proved an excellent warrior and leader, famed for his skill and courage in tournaments, on crusade in Prussia, in England’s wars with France and in fighting Scottish border raiders. Hotspur helped put the rebel Henry Bolingbroke on the throne as King Henry IV in 1399. But the two then fell out. Hotspur himself rebelled in 1403, and was killed in battle by royal forces at Shrewsbury. The King wept for his friend’s death, but displayed his head on a pole as a warning to other traitors.

Continued on Page 2 Henry 'Hotspur' Percy Henry 'Hotspur' Percy Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England (age 39) Hotspur in History Henry Percy, eldest son of the future Earl of Northumberland (also named Henry), was, in his day, looked at as the archetypal man of war. He was knighted by King Edward III (soon before the old king's death) in 1377 and began fighting in wars by the time he was fourteen. The Percy family had long been known as protectors against the Scots in the north of England, and Henry made sure that reputation was continued. Throughout his youth Henry continued to gain a reputation as a brave warrior. He fought in many battles in Scotland, Ireland, France and even Asia. Furthermore, he was created a Knight of the Garter in 1388 and made warden of the marshes on several different occasions. The Scots, the people with which Percy fought with the most, gave Percy the nickname "Hotspur" due to the fact that he was always ready to do battle.

Hotspur was briefly captured by the Scots in 1388 after the Battle of Otterburn (although the Scottish commander Douglas was killed) and ransomed for a large sum. Throughout the next ten years, Hotspur continued to loyally serve King Richard II and build up his status as a military commander, fighting in battles whenever the opportunity arose. By 1399, however, the Percies, like many others, had become disillusioned with King Richard. The most likely reason for the Percy defection was their dislike of the king's handling of the border situation with Scotland and the fact that he was weakening their hold in England's north. Therefore, the Percies put their support behind Henry Bolingbroke, a cousin of the king's who had been unjustly exiled the previous year and had also been disinherited when the king seized the possessions of his recently deceased father John of Gaunt to fund his Irish expedition. It is not known whether the Percies believed that Bolingbroke was back in England merely to retrieve his inheritance (mainly the Duchy of Lancaster), but they must have known that his seizing the crown was highly likely.

When Richard returned from Ireland, Hotspur's father Northumberland played in integral part in capturing the king and bringing him before Bolingbroke, while Hotspur seems to have played a large part in procuring an army to support the soon to be king. After Richard was formally deposed (and soon after killed) the Percies were showered with immense amounts of rewards (mainly through lands and titles) by the newly crowned King Henry IV. As a result, the Percies continued to loyally serve Henry and resumed their position as the protectors of northern England. Unfortunately, by 1403, the Percies would once again rebel against a king. In 1402, the Percies won an extremely important battle against the Scots at Humbleton Hill. The Scottish leader, Archibald, Earl of Douglas, was, with several other noblemen, captured. After the battle was fought, King Henry demanded that the Percies hand over their prisoners to him. Northumberland willingly did so but Hotspur was not so eager to do so, claiming that the prisoners rightfully belonged to him (Douglas in particular).

In addition, Hotspur was still angry with the fact that Henry had refused to ransom Edmund Mortimer (Hotspur's brother-in-law), who had been captured by the Welsh rebel Owen Glendower (and had married his daughter). It is most likely that the king refused to do so because of the fact that Mortimer's nephew, the young Earl of March, was, technically (though ambiguously), the rightful King of England because of his descent from Lionel, second surviving son of Edward III (Henry was descended through Edward's third son, John of Gaunt). These issues, combined with the fact that Henry's gratitude in general towards the Percies had seemingly run out, caused the northern family to rebel against the man that they had been so instrumental in putting on the throne. The Percies joined forces with the Scots and with Glendower and the Welsh in rebellion against the king. Unfortunately, the army that was led by Hotspur (and also included his Uncle Thomas, Earl of Worcester, and the Scottish Earl of Douglas) was cut off by the forces of the king (and the young Prince of Wales, the future Henry V) before it had the opportunity to join with the forces of Northumberland and Glendower.

A battle ensued at Shrewsbury that saw significant losses on both sides. Hotspur was killed during the battle, and Douglas and Worcester were captured (the latter executed). Thus ended the life of a true warrior; he was thirty-nine. The king was certainly upset for the loss of his longtime friend but realized his death was for his own benefit. After being buried briefly, Hotspur's body was put on public display to prove that he was indeed deceased and to provide an example for prospective future rebels. For all the glory Hotspur achieved in the battlefield, he will most be remembered as a man who betrayed, and was ultimately killed by, his own countrymen. Hotspur in Shakespeare Appears in: Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1 Within Shakespeare's plays, Hotspur is portrayed as a youth who is young enough to be the son of King Henry IV. In reality, Hostpur was actually two years older than Henry. He is first seen in Richard II when he and his father, Northumberland, have joined forces with Henry Bolingbroke against the king.

Throughout the play, Hotspur (although in rebellion against the rightful king) is portrayed as a man who is unswervingly loyal to Bolingbroke. Their relationship is furthered in 1 Henry IV when King Henry goes so far as to say that he wishes Hotspur and his own son, Prince Hal, were switched at birth. The relationship is damaged, however, when Hotspur refuses to give over his Scottish prisoners to the king after the Battle of Homildon (historically Humbleton) Hill and further berates the king for not ransoming his brother-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, who has been capture by the Welsh rebel Owen Glendower. Soon after, the Percies plan a rebellion against the king and join forces with the Welsh and the Scots. Hotspur shows himself to be a brash youth throughout the entirety of the play, scolding his father and uncle for supporting Henry and even insulting his ally Glendower in a semi-comical portrayal of the Tripartite Indenture (Hotspur's presence at the indenture is purely an invention of Shakespeare's. He had actually been dead for two years by the time it occurred).

In addition, he is considered to be a direct rival of Prince Hal. This is, once again, an invention of Shakespeare's, considering the fact that the men were actually twenty-three years apart in age. Hotspur does show more moderation at other times in the play. For example, he shares a loving relationship with his wife and allows her to accompany him to the battlefield. In addition, he seems to be more inclined towards peace with King Henry when the two armies are about to engage in battle at Shrewsbury. Unfortunately, just before the battle of Shrewsbury, Hotspur is betrayed by his Uncle Worcester, who tells him that King Henry has refused any offerings of peace. The battle erupts and the rivalry between Hotspur and Prince Hal reaches its climax when the two meet in single combat. Prince Hal slays Hotspur and becomes the hero of the battle for the royal forces. Hal delivers a heartfelt eulogy over Hotspur's corpse but chides him for being brought down for his "ill-weaved ambition." The fictional knight Sir John Falstaff then appears and stabs the dead Hotspur in the thigh and attempts to take credit for slaying the rash warrior.

Hal ultimately acquiesces to his friend's absurd claim. Historically, it is unlikely that Hal (a youth of sixteen) defeated Hotspur (a seasoned general of thirty-nine) single-handedly. Although Hal's slaying of Hotspur is slightly hinted at in Holinshed's Chronicles (Shakespeare's primary source for his history plays) it is more likely that Hotspur was killed in some random charge or even by a stray arrow. Shakespeare, of course, makes the two "youths" rivals to create a better dramatic background for his play. Many scholars will agree that 1 Henry IV is more about the rivalry between Hal and Hotspur (myself included) than about King Henry himself. Their opinions are certainly not without warrant. References Walker, Simon.

‘Percy, Sir Henry (1364–1403)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [ accessed 19 Oct 2009] Armour Illustrations: Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 Sir Robert Mavesyn Sunday, 21 December 2014 Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 Sir Robert Mavesyn In my Battle of Shrewsbury painting there is a character who has been knocked down by an arrow situated in the centre of the picture. This knight is Sir Robert Mavesyn who died at the battle in 1403 fighting for King Henry IV against Sir Henry Percy (Harry Hotspur) The 19th century monument to Sir Robert Mavesyn, who was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 is situated in the Church of St Nicholas, Mavesyn Ridware, Note the small shields displaying his coat of arms. . Sir Robert's story is interesting as he survived single combat before the battle. He had been in a longstanding feud with his neighbour Sir William Handsacre.

Sir William supported the rebel Henry Percy, otherwise known as Hotspur, whilst Sir Robert supported Henry IV. ‘As early as 1382 Robert Mavesyn had leased to John Hammond, fisherman, his fishery in the Trent at Bryggewater, between Handsacre and the Oxonholme Pool, and the miller, one Robert Mulner, got into dispute as to the boundary of the two parishes at the mill dam and floodgates. The dispute resulted in a feud and an affray, ending in a riot, in which the mill was burnt and Lawrence de Frodesley, of the Handsacre party was killed by the Mavesyns.’ On the eve of the Battle of Shrewsbury, the two knights met at the river Trent and proceeded to take part in single combat. Sir William was killed and Sir Robert carried on to Shrewsbury to fight with the king. During the battle he was killed. My unfinished painting of the Battle. Sir Robert hit by an arrow. (To see the painting in full click on the link below). A relief frieze of the story is situated in the church.

The Mavesyn Chapel It is believed the church was founded in 1140 by Hugo de Mavesyn who's effigy is seen here on the left. The name ‘Mavesyn’ is derived from the name and family of Malvoisin, a French knight who came by the manor following the Conquest. The name reputedly means dangerous neighbour, being French for a siege tower that was constructed to attack castles in the Dark Ages. The painting will show Sir Robert with his coat of arms born on his jupon. To see my painting of the battle follow A Kingdom in Crisis: Henry IV and the Battle of Shrewsbury | History Today A Kingdom in Crisis: Henry IV and the Battle of Shrewsbury Henry IV Alastair Dunn discusses the battle and its repercussions in its 600th anniversary year. On Saturday July 21st, 1403, the vigil of St Mary Magdalene, two armies met just outside Shrewsbury.

One was led by Henry IV (1366-1413), king of England since the summer of 1399, and the other by his erstwhile ally, Sir Henry Percy (1364-1403), son of the Earl of Northumberland, and better known to history as ‘Hotspur’. The ensuing encounter was the hardest fought battle between Englishmen since that of Evesham in 1265. Engaging the royal forces with cries of ‘Henry Percy King!’ the rebels threatened to undo the Lancastrian revolution of 1399, and plunge England into renewed turmoil. The stakes at Shrewsbury could not have been higher for Henry IV, as both he and his eldest son Hal, the future Henry V, were present at the battlefield. The last battle fought between Englishmen, that at Radcot Bridge (Oxon) in 1387, had been little more than a posturing skirmish, and although some were killed, most of the energy had been expended in manoeuvre and flight. But Shrewsbury was an entirely different affair.

The widespread use of archers, more than 2,000 in Prince Hal’s retinue, and nearly 870 in that of Hotspur (as estimated by Philip Morgan) ensured a heavy death toll. The prince himself was struck in the face with an arrow which, had it landed with more force and accuracy, could have inflicted the type of fatal wound sustained by King Harold at Hastings, as shown on The Bayeux Tapestry. Want the full article and website archive access? Already a member? Log in now

Question: In which battle of 1403 was Henry Percy, known as Hotspur, killed?
Answer: SHREWSBURY