Monetary Cost
Estimates suggest that equipping an archer with a bow and initial supply of arrows could cost the equivalent of several pounds sterling, a significant sum for the period.
Repeated campaigns meant continuous investment in archery supplies.
Economic Effects on Suppliers
The demand for arrows stimulated local industries:
- Wood suppliers (forests managed for arrow shafts).
- Feather suppliers.
- Blacksmiths producing arrowheads.
This created a minor economic sector supporting military logistics.
The Significance of Crown Financing
The central financing of arrows and other supplies by the Crown reveals several important aspects of medieval warfare:
- Centralized military administration: The English monarchy had the resources and bureaucratic structures to fund and equip large armies.
- Strategic prioritization: Investing in archery was a strategic choice, recognizing the longbow’s decisive role.
- Sustainability of war effort: Reliable funding and supply chains allowed sustained military campaigns abroad.
Conclusion: The Crown’s Pivotal Role in Paying for the Arrows
While individual nobles and archers contributed to equipping themselves, the majority of the arrows used at Agincourt were paid for by King Henry V’s royal treasury. The financing came through a combination of taxation, borrowing, and efficient administration. The Crown coordinated procurement from craftsmen and suppliers and ensured logistical support to deliver the massive volume of arrows necessary.
Without this financial and organizational backbone, the English archers would not have been able to unleash the deadly volleys that shattered the French army. The question of “who paid for the arrows” is thus answered by looking at the machinery of medieval English monarchy, demonstrating the essential but often unseen infrastructure behind one of history’s most famous battles. shutdown123