The Agincourt King
The Plantagenet Legacy, Book #5
by Mercedes Rochelle
From the day he was crowned, Henry V was determined to prove the legitimacy of his house. His father's usurpation weighed heavily on his mind. Only a grand gesture would capture the respect of his own countrymen and the rest of Europe. He would follow in his great-grandfather Edward III's footsteps, and recover lost territory in France.
Better yet, why not go for the crown? Poor, deranged Charles VI couldn't manage his own barons. The civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs was more of a threat to his country than the English, even after Henry laid siege to Harfleur. But once Harfleur had fallen, the French came to their senses and determined to block his path to Calais and destroy him.
By the time the English reached Agincourt, they were starving, exhausted, and easy pickings. Or so the French thought. Little did they reckon on Henry's leadership and the stout-hearted English archers who proved, once again, that numbers didn't matter when God was on their side.
Welcome back to The Coffee Pot Book Club, Mercedes! It's great to see you again.
Please make yourself at home. Would you prefer tea or coffee, or perhaps something more…fortifying?
I'm a Drambuie drinker, myself, when I can afford it!
Ooh, a fine choice indeed. Here's a dram for you.
I’m sure our regular readers know you and your books very well by now, but for our new followers, could you please introduce yourself?
I’m sure our regular readers know you and your books very well by now, but for our new followers, could you please introduce yourself?
In my younger days (before I was married), I immersed myself into a medieval group called the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA for short). I soon became enamoured with Medieval English history and channeled my interest into fiction writing. My angle is to tell the real story about real people and events, as best as I can. Some of us call it Historical Faction, though the term doesn't seem to have caught on. My first four books covered the eleventh century, then I jumped forward three hundred years to Richard II, who always fascinated me. Now it seems I won't finish until I've covered all the Plantagenet Kings, though that wasn't my original intention. There's just so much to say!
Oh, I can imagine. The Plantagenets were an incredibly busy bunch.
Many congratulations on your recent release! What an exciting time!
Could you tell us a little about your new novel, and what led you to write about this particular event?
Blame it on Shakespeare. In fact, many of my books are inspired by the great bard. The play Henry V has fascinated us for centuries, but not much is generally known about the famous battle of Agincourt, and even less is known about the rest of his short reign. Did Henry win the battle, or did the French lose it? Events in France that precipitated Henry's invasion are just as fascinating as the king himself.
When researching this era, did you stumble upon any unexpected surprises?
I didn't realize just how dysfunctional the French government was during this period. It's hard to imagine how a society can be so divided that they couldn't defend themselves against a common enemy. This went on for years! And it wasn't just the rulers. The people wholeheartedly supported one side or the other while Henry rode roughshod over their country. There were times when the populace were truly vicious, foreshadowing the French Revolution in more ways than one.
Well, I currently live in France, and not much seems to have changed over the centuries... ;-)
But tell us, why do you think Agincourt still fascinates readers?
We all love the underdog coming out on top. Everything was against the English: they were terribly outnumbered, starving, and exhausted. They truly expected to die that day. I think the victory of the humble archers against mighty armored knights will always excite our admiration.
Very true. During your research, did you learn something about King Henry V that wasn’t commonly known, and what was it?
More than ever, I discovered a man who would never be satisfied. He set himself up against impossible odds, and expected everyone else to fall in line. Fortunately for him, most of his nobles were willing. I believe he truly thought he was on a mission from God, and it didn't seem to matter how many tens of thousands of lives he had to destroy to reach his goal. He may have been a brilliant commander, but he wasn't much of a humanitarian.
Fascinating. I'm sure you'll be revealing more about Henry himself during our blog tour.
What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing Historical Fiction surrounding such a famous event?
I was intimidated by its enormity. So much is known, and yet so many different interpretations abound that it's impossible to "get it right". Specifics are all over the place. The numbers! That was a big one. How were the armies deployed? Even eye witnesses contradicted each other. I was so uneasy about the conflicting details that it took me twice as long to write this novel as ever before. I read a huge pile of books and came up with more questions than answers.
That sounds like a truly immersive project. It can't have been easy, matching contradicting records.
So, lastly, we all want to know what you are working on next!
I have the second half of Henry's reign to work out. Shakespeare shows us a treaty at the end of the play, and Henry's courtship of Catherine. But that didn't happen right after the battle. We still have five years and the conquest of Normandy before the King of France signs away his crown. Then Henry is dead two years later. So far, I've written two books for each Plantagenet king, and Henry V is no exception.
After that, things get even more complicated before we lurch into the Wars of the Roses. I have my hands full! The series is called The Plantagenet Legacy, and apparently it won't let me go until I've finished with Henry VI. Or maybe Richard III. I'll know when I get there.
I see we'll have more fascinating books from you to look forward to. Brilliant! And just perhaps, we should dare you to continue up to Richard III...
Anyway, thank you very much for your time, Mercedes. It’s always a pleasure to host you here at The Coffee Pot Book Club. We hope you enjoyed your dram, too.
Thanks so much for interviewing me! Your questions always inspire more thought.
A real pleasure. You're very kind.
The series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Mercedes Rochelle
Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called “The Plantagenet Legacy” and begins with the reign of Richard II. She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story.
Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to "see the world". The search hasn't ended!
Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.
Thanks so much for hosting me today!
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome, Mercedes. I enjoyed our chat! :-)
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