Henry V

Henry V is a historical play by William Shakespeare, believed to be written around 1599. It tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the ‘Hundred Years’ War. The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, part 1 and Henry IV, part 2. The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the Henry IV plays as a wild, undisciplined lad known as “Prince Hal.” In Henry V, the young prince has become a mature man and embarks on an attempted conquest of France.