This is History: A Dynasty to Die For

Season 8, Episode 8 | The Triumph

Host: Dan Jones
Date: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In "The Triumph," historian Dan Jones chronicles Henry V's euphoric return to England after Agincourt, the nation's ecstatic reaction, and the king's relentless pursuit of further glory. The episode dives into the darker moral debates that shadow Henry’s celebrated victories, especially the slaughter of French prisoners, and sets the stage for his next campaign. It also explores the deep faith, political savvy, and severity that underpin Henry’s reign—and hints at the fatal flaws that may unravel his dynastic achievements.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Agincourt Aftermath: England's Roaring Homecoming

• [02:47] French prisoners are paraded into London, demoralized, as crowds celebrate an overwhelming English victory.
• Henry V returns not just with conquered territory (Harfleur) but with captured enemy nobles, including Boucicault and the Duke of Orleans.
• The scale of English jubilation marks the result as more than a military win; it’s a national event—a near-mythic triumph over France.

Quote:
"Ecstatic crowds pack the city streets. Some Londoners have clambered onto the rooftops, others have squeezed onto London Bridge… The whole city is in the mood for a sing song and a party." — Dan Jones (02:55)

2. The Agincourt Prisoner Massacre: Morality vs. Pragmatism

• [07:08] Amidst victory, Henry makes a chilling decision: fearing a renewed French assault, he orders the execution of most prisoners, sparing only the highest-ranking.
• This choice shocks his own men (since prisoners were typically lucrative for ransoms) and leaves a lasting stain on Henry's reputation.
• Dan Jones openly invites listener debate: Was Henry a brutal butcher, or was it rational military strategy?

Quote:
"Henry makes a dismal choice... With the exception of a few very high-ranking nobles, he orders all the French prisoners slaughtered on the spot." — Dan Jones (08:19)
"Was he justified, or is he a monster? That’s our discussion topic this week on Patreon." — Dan Jones (09:12)

3. Henry’s Divine Mission and Public Persona

• [09:56] Henry sees his triumph as ordained by God and tells his noble prisoner, the Duke of Orleans, that the French brought their ruin on themselves through sin and disorder—a clear case of moral justification for warfare.
• On his return to London, Henry refuses ostentatious celebration, attributing victory not to himself but to divine favor. No battle armor displays, no jingoism—just solemnity and prayer.
• The episode draws a sharp contrast between Henry and his predecessor, Richard II, in how each embraced kingship and public adulation.

Quote:
"I believe in full certainty that God wanted to punish the French..." — Henry V (quoting Dan Jones's narration, 10:13)
"Henry keeps a very solemn demeanour and spends most of his time inside London’s biggest churches, praying, kissing relics, and making offerings at religious shrines." — Dan Jones (12:48)

4. The Pilgrimage and Strategic Pause

• [16:56] At the start of 1416, Henry makes a pilgrimage to St. Winifred’s Well in North Wales—a site tied to both his father’s and cousin’s legacies—to reflect on his victory and consider strategy for conquering France.
• The pilgrimage sets a tone of piety and continuity with royal history.

5. Shifting Continental Alliances: Sigismund of Luxembourg

• [18:52] Sigismund, King of the Germans, visits England seeking allies and gifts Henry the pickled heart of St. George.
• A political alliance is formed: Henry receives the Order of the Garter, Sigismund gets a coronation sword, and together they plot to corner France diplomatically.
• Henry heeds Sigismund’s advice to avoid direct battle at Harfleur in 1416, sending brother John, Duke of Bedford, instead—resulting in heavy casualties but ultimate victory.

Quote:
"Not a bad Airbnb if you can get it." — Dan Jones, on Henry gifting Sigismund Westminster Palace (19:55)
"In return, Sigismund offers a range of helpful suggestions for how Henry might squeeze out massive concessions from the French..." — Dan Jones (21:20)

6. England Readies for the Next War (1417)

• [25:01] Henry’s kingdom gears up for a massive military campaign. The government procures supplies, taxes are raised, geese are plucked for arrow feathers—England is on a war footing again.
• Henry seeks to morally clean house, cracking down on crime, closing brothels and bathhouses, and invoking the need for a righteous people as a precondition for military favor.

Quote:
"His judges are out en masse, cracking down on crime and disorder... Henry’s aim in keeping his people dangerous, dirty, and horny is, as his law puts it, to avoid incurring the great abomination and displeasure of God." — Dan Jones (26:30)

• News from France brings more opportunity: a series of Dauphins (heirs to the French throne) have died, leaving only a 14-year-old Charles—a weak rival.
• Henry departs for France in April 1417, buoyed by military momentum and a sense of divine support.

7. The Uncertain Future: Triumphs and Troubles Ahead

• As Henry rides out, the episode warns the listener: "No one can know that he'll be gone for nearly four years."
• The sense of accomplishment is laced with hints at the tragedies and failures to come—setting up the ongoing drama of Henry V’s reign.

Quote:
"All he’s proved so far is that God wants him to succeed. Now Henry wants more. He wants it now." — Dan Jones (14:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the value of prisoners:
  "Alive, each one of them is a winning lottery ticket… Dead, they’re worth nothing." — Dan Jones (08:40)

• On Henry’s unflinching religious certainty:
  "He tells the Duke of Orleans that Henry has been sent to France as God's scourge. No matter how many men are dead, the French only have themselves to thank. How's that for victim blaming?" — Dan Jones (10:33)

• On the King's refusal to celebrate:
  "There is no smiling and waving... Henry is half aloof. He very much isn't staying up ’til 2am drinking espresso martinis with the diehards." — Dan Jones (13:41)

• On England’s war preparations:
  "Goose feathers make for precise arrow flights… Every goose in this farmyard has to have six of its longest wing feathers ripped out." — Dan Jones (25:08)

• On the moral campaign:
  "He orders that all the bath houses and brothels in London be closed, since he regards them as hotbeds of vice… It would be a bit embarrassing to fall into the same trap [as the French]." — Dan Jones (26:52)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Battle of Agincourt aftermath & London’s reaction: 02:47 – 07:08
• Massacre of French prisoners & moral debate: 07:08 – 09:12
• Henry’s justification (conversation with Duke of Orleans): 09:56 – 10:49
• Triumphal entry & public pageantry: 11:20 – 14:10
• Religious solemnity vs. royal celebration: 12:48 – 14:23
• Pilgrimage to St. Winifred’s Well: 16:56 – 18:12
• Sigismund’s visit & diplomacy: 18:52 – 22:54
• Raising for war, moral crackdown, and campaign launch: 25:01 – 28:22
• Episode wrap-up and preview of next campaign: 28:22 – End

Tone & Style

Dan Jones keeps the narrative engaging and vivid, often wry, with a knack for juxtaposing the grim realities of war and medieval politics against the pageantry and mythmaking of kingship. His language is accessible, irreverent at times, and always places the listeners firmly amid the dust, blood, and fervor of the 15th century.

For Further Debate

Primary listener discussion, as posed by Dan Jones:
"Was Henry V justified in ordering the slaughter of the Agincourt prisoners, or is his reputation forever stained by this cruel and callous act?" — (29:34)

To join the debate, early episodes, and more:
See patreon.com/thisishistory

Episode Summary in One Line

Henry V returns from Agincourt to the raptures of England, but his ruthless choices and ceaseless ambition lay the groundwork for both soaring triumphs and the seeds of dynastic tragedy.