Henry V
/ˌhenri ðə ˈfɪfθ/
/ˌhenri ðə ˈfɪfθ/
- (1387-1422) king of England (1413-22) and son of Henry IV. He is regarded as a symbol of English patriotism (= love of one's own country), especially because of Shakespeare's play Henry V. He took an English army to France during the Hundred Years War and defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt (1415), putting an area of France under English control.
- a play (1599) by Shakespeare which celebrates the military victories in France of King Henry V. It contains several famous patriotic speeches, including the king's famous speech before the battle of Agincourt. There have been two film versions of the play, the first in 1944, directed by Laurence Olivier with himself as Henry, and the second in 1989, directed by Kenneth Branagh,who also played the title role. “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;For he today that sheds his blood with meShall be my brother.”