A Dark Ritual Decision
One of the most controversial acts during the battle was King Henry’s order to execute French prisoners, fearing that they might regroup or be freed if the battle turned. While this decision was strategic, some have seen it through the lens of ritual cleansing or preventing spiritual pollution.
Killing prisoners was generally frowned upon under the code of chivalry, yet Henry justified it by citing military necessity. Chroniclers present it as a grim but necessary act—less a breach of ritual and more an act of leadership guided by divine protection.
This incident illustrates the tension between ritual ethics and brutal pragmatism in medieval warfare.
The Aftermath: Rituals of the Dead
Burial and Commemoration
Following the battle, the treatment of the dead was itself a ritual act. Thousands of French corpses littered the field, and many English also perished. Henry V reportedly ordered that the fallen English nobles be buried with honors, likely with prayers and religious rites, while many of the French dead were left unburied or buried in mass graves, a symbolic reflection of divine favor or dishonor.
Some chroniclers speak of priests moving among the corpses, giving last rites or offering prayers. The battlefield became a sacred space, where chaplains gave thanks, and soldiers reflected on the miracle of their survival.
Over time, the site of Agincourt became a place of commemoration. Religious services were held in England to celebrate the victory. Henry V himself credited the triumph to God and vowed to give thanks by making pilgrimages and building religious foundations shutdown123