ABSTRACT
Where did Henry V get his reputation as a ‘paragon of justice’? It is mainly conveyed to us by French chroniclers, and it is therefore necessary to investigate its origins in the French kingdom. This study focuses on Henry’s administration of justice at the surrender of the town and the Market of Meaux. The stout resistance of the besieged was punished harshly. It was a robust response to an obvious breach of the tacit code of honour. The heroic conduct of the defenders, especially the Bâtard de Vaurus, is a later historiographical construction. Uniquely, Henry V ordered the trial and execution of four ‘hardened criminals’. This sent a strong signal to the king’s enemies that was meant to leave a lasting impression. No one should defy his authority as heir to the throne of France. And no one, not even a nobleman, could terrorise the population with impunity.
