Ebook Henry V

The life of a medieval monarch was not an easy one. To maintain his position, he had to work hard and continuously. Although there are records of misspent time, yet on the whole the history of medieval kings is one of unremitting and sustained exertion. Whether in war or in peace their life was spent in the saddle; almost their sole diversion was the furious chase of deer; almost their sole rest before death was to attend the devotions of the Church. It was only their rude hammering that kept feudal society together; and it was only a few that did not die in what we now call the prime of life, in the midst of some rough undertaking, some task of preserving order, some military expedition.

Great responsibility cannot be given to anybody without great power. The medieval kings controlled the destinies of turbulent peoples with an iron hand. Therefore many of them had faults coming from their great power, their own lack of control.