This raises intriguing questions: Would French language and culture have been preserved, or would English influence have reshaped French society? Would Joan of Arc — the peasant girl who rallied France in the real timeline — have ever emerged, or would her legend have remained untold?
In this alternate timeline, French resistance might have been fragmented or eventually extinguished. French nationalism, as a unifying force, may have been delayed or changed altogether, possibly altering the future of continental European politics.
The Balance of Power in Europe
A successful Anglo-French monarchy under Henry V would have created a superpower straddling the English Channel. This would have alarmed neighboring powers like the Holy Roman Empire, Aragon, Castile, and the Papacy.
Would such a powerful state have led to earlier coalitions against England? Might we have seen an earlier version of the balance-of-power politics that defined later European diplomacy?
Furthermore, England’s focus on the continent might have reduced its ambitions for overseas exploration. The Age of Discovery, driven by nations like Portugal and Spain, might have played out differently. An English-French empire might have turned its attention inward or toward Mediterranean domination rather than colonizing the Americas.
Conclusion: A Kingdom That Might Have Been
The early death of Henry V was a pivotal moment in medieval history. His passing left a fragile inheritance in the hands of an infant son and led to a sequence of events that unraveled his achievements. Had he lived, he might have permanently altered the destiny of both England and France, perhaps creating a single powerful kingdom at the heart of Europe.
This alternative history invites us to consider how different the modern world might have been — politically, linguistically, and culturally — if one man had survived a few more decades. Henry V’s legacy remains one of glorious potential cut short. His survival might have given Europe a new empire, a different path, and perhaps a more unified future. But as with all "what ifs" in history, the outcome remains both unknowable and endlessly fascinating.
Would Europe today speak one language under a single crown? Or would Henry’s empire have fractured under the weight of its own ambition? The only certainty is that Henry V's untimely death changed everything. shutdown123