Mud
The key word for describing the battle of Agincourt is mud. The battlefield was a freshly ploughed field, and at the time of the battle, it had been raining continuously for several days. Soon after the battle started, it had thousands of English and French soldiers and horses running through it. Anywhere near the battlefield, the mud was at least ankle deep. Much of the time, it was up to the combatants' knees. Occasionally, it reached their waists. There are descriptions of horses floundering around in mud up to their bellies.
Falling off of a horse in the kind of mud that was at Agincourt was sometimes deadly, especially in armour. Indeed, many of the deaths (including that of the Duke of York) were caused by drowning.
The mud was undoubtedly a major factor in the lopsided English victory. The barefoot and in many cases bare legged English foot soldiers were vastly more mobile than the armoured French.
Myths
It has long been told that the famous "two-fingers salute" and/or "V sign" derives from the gestures of Welsh archers who used the English longbow, fighting alongside the English at the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War. The myth claims that the French cut off the index finger and the middle finger of the right hand.The unfortunate archers were then sent back to the English army, unable to draw their bows and use the weapon they had trained all their lives to master. It was meant as a taunt towards the French, as if to say: 'Look - you haven't cut off our fingers', but the message was meant the same as it does today!
This may have some basis in fact. The historian Jean Froissart (circa 1337-circa 1404) was one of the most important of the chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of 14th century Kingdom of England and France. His history is also one of the most important sources for the first half of the Hundred Years' War. The story of the English waving their fingers at the French is told in the first person account by Froissart, however the description is not of an incident at the Battle of Agincourt, but rather at the siege of a castle in another incident during the Hundred Years' War. Also, Froissart is known to have died before the Battle of Agincourt. Like many social memes it is difficult to ever know for sure where they began but this story has become a part of western myth.
Another myth is the one about Sir Peers Legh, Knight of Lyme. Peers fell in King Henry's victory over the French during the Battle of Agincourt on St. Crispin's Day, October 25, 1415. The knight's loyal dog, a mastiff, stood over and defended her master many hours until he was carried off the field by his fellow soldiers. Although Peers died of his wounds, his faithful mastiff returned to England. An old stained glass window remains in the drawing room of Lyme Hall portraying Sir Peers and his devoted Mastiff and today's famous Lyme Hall strain is descended from her nearly six centuries later.
Casualties
Total English losses were put at thirteen men-at-arms (including Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York, a grandson of Edward III) and about 100 of the foot soldiers. Contemporary estimates of French losses range from 4,000 to 11,000 while more modern scholars estimate 7,000 to10,000. In addition, 1500-1600 prisoners, all nobility, were taken to England as prisoners. The constable, three dukes, five counts and 90 barons were among the wounded; 1000 more were taken prisoner, amongst them the Duke of Orléans (the famous poet Charles d'Orléans) and Jean Le Maingre, Marshal of France.Noble losses:
Antoine of Burgundy, Duke of Brabant and Limburg
Philip of Burgundy, Count of Nevers and Rethel
Charles I d'Albret, Count of Dreux, the Constable of France
John II, Count of Bethune
John I, Duke of Alençon
Frederick of Lorraine, Count of Vaudemont
Robert, Count of Marles and Soissons
Edward III, Duke of Bar John VI, Count of Roucy
Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York