The Battle

­­On Saturday 21 July 1403 the armies of Henry IV and his son aligned their forces for battle against the rebellious Percy family three miles to the north of Shrewsbury. Hotspur positioned himself on the favourable higher ground on the northern part of the battlefield, leaving the royal army lower down the slope to the south at a disadvantage, apparently in a field of peas (Calvert 1898).

The conflict began, after a long stand off and failed negotiations, with an archery attack from both forces followed by an attack by the King. Prince Harry commanded the right flank. At some point in the conflict Harry received an arrow in the face and although apparently still commanding his troops for some time, was subsequently forced to retire to the rear (Priestley 1979).

Hotspur and a small force of men then made an attack towards the King's people, but although they killed several important nobles, he was cut down in the unsuccessful attempt. The rebels, hearing of the demise of their leader fragmented and the battle was subsequently lost. Douglas withdrew and was pardoned by the King as a potential ally. Hotspurs corpse was originally buried, but was later exhumed quartered and dispersed across Britain. It now possibly rests in the Percy chapel in York Minster (ibid).