In 1415, King Henry V of England assembled an army of about 10,500 men in Northern France with an objective of defeating the French and putting an end to what would would later be known as The Hundred Years' War. Having been slowed during the siege of Harfleur and ravaged by disease and lack of food, Henry abandoned his artillery and most of his supplies to make a quick push to Calais, where his army could rest and regroup for the winter.
Following an uncontested river crossing at Bellencourt and Voyenes on October 19th, Henry's army was suddenly shadowed by a large force of approximately 35,000 French soldiers under the command of Constable Charles D'Albret and Marshall Boucicaut.