Henry V is best known today for defeating a numerically superior French army at Agincourt, a feat immortalised by William Shakespeare. But according to historian Dan Jones, it’s a miracle England’s greatest medieval monarch lived to fight his most famous battle, let alone win it. Twelve years prior the fight, in July 1403, while engaging a rebel army at Shrewsbury, aged just 16, an iron arrowhead from a lucky longbow shot tore into his face to the side of his nose, embedding itself deep into the back of his skull.
The wooden shaft came off, leaving a one-ounce lump of metal lodged in Henry’s pudding bowl hair-cutted head. Only the skill of England’s finest surgeon, John Bradmore, operating over 30 days, saved the young Prince of Wales from a horrible death. Jones explained: “He was millimetres from dying on the spot and the operation to save him was just as dicey. Really, he should never have lived. If you believe in miracles, and in the Middle Ages people did, this is as close to one as you’re going to get. “It’s one of the many amazing and surprising things about Henry’s life. He only ever fought two real battles: Agincourt, which most people have heard of thanks to Shakespeare, and Shrewsbury, which nearly ended his story early.”
Indeed, without Bradshaw’s skillful intervention, the tale of Henry – and England – would be strikingly different, historically and culturally.
Jones, 43, was apprehensive about writing ‘another’ book on Henry V — a monarch who is well covered in literary circles. But after 14 big books, including best-selling accounts of the Plantagenets and the Wars of the Roses that straddle Henry V’s reign, plus two thrilling novels set during the Hundred Years’ War, this feels like the story Jones, an unabashed fan, was destined to write.
And the tattooed writer described by Guns N’ Roses bassist and history fanatic Duff McKagan as a “bad*** history writer” has hit the mark, according to fans. The father of three who lives in Surrey received an accolade for his book when it was listed in the Goodreads Best History Books of 2024 list.
Part of the appeal for bibliophiles seems to be the realisation that Jones’ book allows you to read medieval history you don’t need a degree to follow. Enlightening and entertaining, Henry comes across as a surprisingly relatable figure, despite the six centuries that separate him from modern readers.
As Jones recounts, Henry was a man of deep contrasts — a successful warrior king who was also creative, artistic and bookish — and a monarch who often made mistakes and poor decisions regarding friends, yet unerringly emerged triumphant.
Jones said: “He was very intelligent, and he has a great enthusiasm for war and much as we’d like not to characterise the Middle Ages as a totally barbaric time, being a successful warrior was very high on the list of things a king needed to be.
“But Henry also understood you could only afford to go to war if you were seen to provide justice at home. The great seal had the king as a warrior on one side, and the scales of justice on the other. That’s what the job was about — justice and defence of the realm, interpreted in quite an aggressive way, unusually meaning to smash the French.
“It’s not very complicated but Henry had a long apprenticeship in both, first sent to Wales as a young teenager to learn the ropes of warfare in the struggle against [Welsh rebel] Owain Glyndwr. Then he rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck into the fiscal reality of government when his father’s ill. It’s great training for his own kingship.”
Some book lovers have praised the story for getting them out of a ‘reading rut’.
One said: “Ever get in a reading rut? You know, that feeling where you read just a little slower or your attention starts to fray just a bit? I felt myself slipping into one and then came across the jolt that is Henry V by Dan Jones. I will make no secret that Jones is one of my favourite writers. That said, even I was a bit taken aback at how seamlessly Jones tells the story of one of England’s greatest kings.”
Another wrote: “One of the book’s strengths is Jones’s ability to bring medieval history to life through vivid storytelling. He balances military history with insights into court politics, diplomacy, and the personal struggles that shaped Henry’s reign. While the book doesn’t necessarily break new scholarly ground, it serves as an excellent introduction to Henry V and his era, making it a valuable read for those interested in medieval history. One way this is approached by Jones is through his storytelling style, told in the present to bring Henry to life more.
“This is an excellent biography. Jones manages to get past both the stereotype of Henry V as an austere conqueror and Shakespeare’s fictional party-goer turned responsible monarch to portray a complex multifaceted individual. This achievement coupled with the author’s crisp writing and brisk pace makes Henry V a truly enjoyable read.”
Jones, who has had a strong, loyal following as an author for some years, really seems to be hitting his stride more with his historical storytelling niche, which is building him an even stronger fan following as time goes on.
“It’s not totally radical,” Jones added, “I wrote the book that I wanted to write about Henry and the older I get, the more experienced I get, the more I trust my gut instinct.”
