Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written near 1599. It tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. In the First Quarto text, it was titled The Cronicle History of Henry the fift, and The Life of Henry the Fifth in the First Folio text. The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, and Henry IV, Part 2. The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the Henry IV plays as a wild, undisciplined young man. In Henry V, the young prince has matured. He embarks on an expedition to France and, his army badly outnumbered, defeats the French at Agincourt. Characters Chorus The English King Henry V Duke of Gloucester – Henry's brother Duke of Bedford – Henry's brother Duke of Clarence – Henry's brother Duke of Exeter – Henry's uncle Duke of York – Henry's cousin Earl of Salisbury Earl of Westmorland Earl of Warwick Sir Thomas Erpingham Capt. Gower – an Englishman Capt. Fluellen – a Welshman Capt. Macmorris – an Irishman Capt. Jamy – a Scot John Bates, Alexander Court and Michael Williams – soldiers Herald Pistol, Nym, and Bardolph – soldiers, former followers of Sir John Falstaff Boy – formerly Sir John Falstaff's page Mistress Quickly – hostess of the Boar's Head tavern, and Pistol's wife Archbishop of Canterbury Bishop of Ely The traitors Earl of Cambridge – Henry's cousin Lord Scrope Sir Thomas Grey The French King of France Queen Isabel Louis, Duke of Guyenne, the dauphin – their son and the Dauphin of France Catharine – their daughter Alice – Catharine's lady-in-waiting Constable of France Duke of Bourbon / Duke of Brittany (depending on the edition of the play) Duke of Orléans Duke of Berry Duke of Burgundy Lord Rambures Lord Grandpré Monsieur le Fer – French soldier Montjoy – French herald Governor of Harfleur French Ambassadors Soldiers, servants, attendants, and lords Synopsis The Elizabethan stage lacked scenery. It begins with a Prologue, in which the Chorus (a lone speaker addressing the audience) apologizes for the limitations of the theatre, wishing for "a Muse of fire", with real princes and a kingdom for a stage, to do justice to King