Shrewsbury, Battle of, took place on July 21, 1403, in Shropshire County (now Shropshire Unitary Authority), England. The battle near the town of Shrewsbury ended the revolt led by Sir Henry Percy against King Henry IV of England.
In 1399, Henry IV forced King Richard II from the English throne, aided by Sir Henry Percy. But in 1403, Percy and his uncle, the Earl of Worcester, led a rebellion against Henry IV. They assembled an army of around 5,000 men, hoping for the support of the Welsh leader, Owen Glendower. But just before the Welsh border, they were met by the combined armies of Henry IV and his son Prince Henry—a force of around 10,000 troops.
After failing to negotiate a truce, the king’s army attacked on the evening of July 21 near Haughmond Abbey, north of Shrewsbury. The armies met in a hail of arrows. It was the first time that English soldiers armed with longbows had faced one another in battle. Young Prince Henry—who later became King Henry V—was wounded in the face by an arrow but continued the fight. Percy’s men gained the initial advantage and pressed close to the king. But when Percy was killed, his army broke and fled the field. The king’s army won the day.
Around 1,600 men were killed in the few savage hours of the Battle of Shrewsbury. Percy’s body was first displayed in Shrewsbury. Then, beheaded and quartered, the pieces were sent to the far reaches of England to deter further rebellion. Most of Percy’s chief supporters were captured and executed.
Today, the restored Battlefield Church of St. Mary Magdalene marks the site of the battle and honors its dead. The church opened in 1409 atop a mass grave where many of the dead were buried. The battle is the climax of the play Henry IV, Part I by William Shakespeare.
See also Glendower, Owen; Henry IV; Percy, Sir Henry; Shakespeare, William.
