Text: Juliette Barker
King Henry V of England was a devout Christian, and as such, even though he had the power and ambitions required of a king, his kingship was to a considerable extent bound by Christian doctrine. In order to please the gods, Henry V did many things that were impossible for the Qin-style imperial power, and this pattern of behavior of the British royal power was of great significance for Britain to take the lead in modern times.
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The coronation of Henry V took place on April 9, 1413. That day was also Good Friday.
That day is remembered for the blizzard that ravaged the entire kingdom, "the heavy snow that covered the mountains and fields flooded people, animals and houses, and even valleys and swamps, causing great danger and a great loss of life".
In those days, everything was seen as the result of the manipulation of the "hand of God" behind the scenes. This did not bode well, but Henry V would not let this superstition stand in his way.
Because he was the son of a usurper, he was determined to establish the legitimacy of his kingship regardless of the doubts of others. To do so, he crafted a perfect image of a medieval monarch, with the coronation being a key component of his strategy.
According to tradition, the coronation is considered one of the sacraments of the Church. The most important part of the ceremony is the anointing ceremony (conferring sacred and temporal authority on the new king) and the coronation oath.
Since the "discovery" of holy oil, the act of anointing oil has taken on a deeper meaning. According to legend, the holy oil was given to St Thomas Becket by the Virgin Mary.
She prophesied to him that a king anointed with these holy oils would regain the lands of Normandy and Aquitaine that his ancestors had lost. He would expel the infidels from the Holy Land and become the greatest king.
Until it was "rediscovered" by Archbishop Thomas Arundel, the oil was hidden in the Tower of London, just in time for the coronation of Henry IV.
This story is undoubtedly part of the political propaganda of the Lancastrian dynasty. But neither this story nor the fact that Henry IV failed to fulfill this prophecy did not discourage Henry IV's children and grandchildren from using holy oil at their coronations.
His children and grandchildren have not been able to fulfill this prophecy. Even Henry V, who was closest to the stated goal of the Virgin Mary, used force that did not correspond to the details of this prophecy.
As can be seen, the prophecy specifically states that Normandy and Aquitaine will be recovered "peacefully" and "without the use of force".
Another part of the coronation ceremony similarly emphasizes the king's responsibility. This is the coronation oath before the altar. Among them, the king pledged to obey the law, defend the Church, and treat all his subjects fairly.
It is also interesting that Henry IV tried to use this part of the coronation to find a plausible explanation for his usurpation. He accused Richard II of breaking his promise to bring "good rule" to the country and therefore unworthy of being king again.
Here, Henry emphasizes the duties of the king rather than the rights. The danger of this move was immediately apparent. He made himself a hostage of fate. Throughout his reign, promises he failed to fulfill would be repeated as an excuse to turn against him.
Henry V converted two essentially flawed ideas into a position in his favor. This is his usual practice.
In his opinion, there was no doubt that he was sent by God to rule. Like Richard II, he insisted that majesty did not derive from himself, but from his position.
Richard demanded that when he looked at his courtiers, they all had to kneel and salute. At least one source source source shows that Henry did not allow anyone to look at him, and thus removed him as Marshal of France.
Although Henry personally preferred a simple (almost ascetic) lifestyle, when he saw it necessary, he dressed up in majestic and luxurious garments.
As we are about to see, he will accept the formal surrender of the "rebellious" town of Avreur in a pavilion at the top of the hill (he will be able to look down on the defeated French when they approach him).
He sits on a throne surmounted by a canopy (made of fine golden linen). His triumphal helmet with a crown hung from the knight's spear beside him.
However, when he first entered the town, he dismounted and walked barefoot to the parish church of St Martin in the posture of a humble pilgrim or penitent, and thanked God for "his good fortune".
Henry's character, words and demeanor impressed even his enemies. The French ambassadors sent to negotiate with him sang an ode to him when they returned home a few years later.
According to them, he was a tall man, a very good man, and had the air of a prince. However, his attitude towards everyone, regardless of his rank, is amiable and courteous.
Unlike most people, Henry did not make long, empty speeches or casual and irreverent blasphemous remarks. His answers are always short, forceful and to the point: he will say "it can't be" or "it should be done".
If he were to take an oath, he would call on Christ with the name of his saints. What they admired most about Henry was that he always kept a cool head in the face of good news or bad news.
He was able to face setbacks in military conquest and encouraged his soldiers with the following words: "As you know, war is unpredictable. But if you want to get a good result, you must always muster up your courage. ”
On the battlefield of Agincourt, this philosophy has always inspired Henry and his men.
Henry's ability to distinguish between his role as an individual and as a king also made a strong impression on his contemporaries.
Unlike most modern commentators, who are able to see that his invasion of France was not motivated by personal expansionist ambitions, but because he believed it was his duty to secure a "rightful succession" to the throne.
On the other hand, people of his time and commentators of modern times are sometimes puzzled by this dual personality.
As soon as he feels that his bottom line has been touched and his freedom has been violated, the friendly, outspoken, and approachable soldier "Harry" quickly transforms into a cold, rude, and arrogant dictator.
Most of the chronicles about Henry are far from the period of his reign. These chroniclers wrote about how Henry wasted his youth in his youth, and how he dramatically transformed into a calm, fair, and righteous king at his coronation.
Although these stories are veiled with a veil of authenticity because of Shakespeare's work, it is only in the records of the contemporaries that we can sense a hint of Henry's misconduct in the comments of Henry's friend, Richard Courtenay, bishop of Norwich.
He believed that since Henry became king, he had become morally high. The importance of these stories lies not in their authenticity, but in the fact that they show the spiritual transformation that took place in the coronation ceremony in a hearsay way.
The anointing ceremony transforms an ordinary person into a one-of-a-kind being. Part of him was a secular person, while the other part was a clergyman. He was chosen by God to be God's representative on earth.
Although Henry firmly believed that his kingship was granted by God, he also placed great emphasis on his coronation oath and made it the centerpiece of his kingship.
Unlike his father, he "saw it almost as a manifesto, or as a government platform," and was committed to its realization. He will uphold the law, protect the church, and treat all people fairly and equally.
From the moment he succeeded to the throne, he made it clear that he wanted to distance himself from the previous 20 years of his life.
Of the young nobles who were knighted by him on the eve of Henry's coronation, at least five were sons or heirs of those who died or were executed in a rebellion against Henry IV.
The most important of these is the 21-year-old Earl of March, Edmund Mortimer. He was once the designated heir of Richard II. He was the focus of attention during the two plots to depose Henry IV.
It was hoped that he would be able to replace Henry IV as King of England. He spent most of his childhood in captivity, but after 1409 he was less formally imprisoned in the inner court of the future Henry V.
Now, Henry has given him full credit. Not only did he grant Edmund freedom, but he also made him a knight and restored all his estates. He allowed Mortimer a seat in the first parliament of his term.
Although in two years he would be embroiled in the aristocratic conspiracy against Henry V, his personal sense of duty, as he had shown the king, remained unchanged. For the rest of his life, he remained loyal to Henry and served the royal family wholeheartedly.
For another potential opponent, 23-year-old John Mowbray, Henry V also showed his magnanimity. This also pays off nicely.
Mowbray's father and Henry V's father had a violent conflict that led to both being exiled by Richard II. His elder brother, Thomas Mowbray, was executed by Henry IV for treason in 1405.
It was not until two weeks before the death of Henry IV that John inherited Thomas's estate. As soon as Henry V ascended the throne, he reinstated his hereditary title and made him Minister of Ceremonies.
This is not an empty name, and the timing of the reinstatement is carefully planned. In this way, Mowbray was able to play an important role in their family's tradition at the coronation ceremony and show the public that the feud between the two families was finally over.
Henry V also began consultations on the restoration of Henry Percy and John Holland.
Henry Percy is only 19 years old, he is the son of Harry of Tottenham and the grandson of the Earl of Northumbria. Both his father and grandfather died in a rebellion against Henry IV.
Eighteen-year-old John Holland was the son of the earl of Huntingdon, whose father was executed by Henry IV in 1400.
In the selection of ministers for the country, the new king also showed wisdom and sophistication. He assembled a team centered around him. Henry V was able to achieve victory in Agincourt thanks to these people.
Whenever he finds young talents, he always wants to promote and reuse them. At the same time, he also left behind his old ministers who served his father wholeheartedly.
These could be government officials, such as the presiding officer John Wakering (whom Henry had promoted to bishop of Norwich in 1416), or large nobles, such as Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland (who had been appointed Minister for the Western Frontier of Scotland).
On the other hand, Henry also held important positions for his own cronies. They had gathered around him as early as his time as Prince of Wales.
On the first day of the king's reign, his uncle (and long-time ally) Bishop Henry Beaufort of Winchester replaced the 60-year-old Archbishop Arundel as Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper of the Seals of England. Combining these two positions made Beaufort the most powerful minister in the Kingdom of England.
Thomas (nephew of the Archbishop) of Arundel replaced Sir John Pelham as Chancellor of the Exchequer of England and was appointed Governor of the Five Ports League and Superintendent of Dover, forming the first line of defence to defend the country.
The young Earl of Warwick, Richard Beecham, had already demonstrated his outstanding negotiating skills and military talent. He was appointed on several important diplomatic missions, and in early 1414 he was appointed prefect of Calais, a position of great strategic importance.
Just as important as the choice of the strategists, Henry rejected the promotion of others. Those may be looking forward to receiving official positions, glory, and benefits from the new king.
Henry Beaufort's financial prowess, incendiary speeches, and his strong influence in the House of Commons made him an exemplary justice. However, this position still could not fill his endless desires.
When Archbishop Arundel died on 19 February 1414, Beaufort set his sights on the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. However, instead of appointing him, Henry Chichele did.
Compared to aristocrats such as Arundel and Beaufort, he was both a newcomer and an outsider.
Henry Chicelli was the priest the new king wanted to stay with. He was a native of London, and his brothers were very prominent members of the London City Council.
He himself is a graduate of Oxford University and is an expert in civil law. He served as ambassador to France, as well as the king's agent in Rome and as a delegate to the Council of Pisa.
From 1408 he was Bishop of St David's Church in Wales. Between 1410 and 1411, as Prince of Wales, Henry presided over the Council of Queens, in which Chicelli served.
It is worth noting that after Henry's dismissal, Chicelli also left the place, which fully indicates that he was already a subordinate of Prince Henry.
When Chicelli was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, he was 52 years old. Chicelli had a wealth of experience, both as an official and as a diplomatic envoy, but in two important respects he was the antithesis of the king's uncle.
First of all, he was reliable, trustworthy, and sophisticated, loyal to the church and the king, and had little interest in satisfying his own ambitions.
Moreover, unlike the flamboyant and worldly Beaufort, he was very religious and a little overly disciplined. This is a quality that Henry himself possesses, and he admires people with such qualities.
Henry himself was too religious to appoint a man who did not have the spiritual interests of the Church in mind as the head of the Church of England.
By keeping a low profile and effectively carrying out diplomatic missions and handling ecclesiastical affairs, Chicelli fully repaid the trust of Henry V.
His appointment was also a warning to others. This shows that no matter how high their status or how long they have served the king, no one can expect the new king to offer them a reward.
Beaufort should have learned this lesson in 1414, but he took it a few years later in a more brutal way.
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