BattlefieldsBattle of Shrewsbury
Medieval

Battle of Shrewsbury

1403
Shropshire, England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Shropshire, England
Status
Registered · EHB09
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Rebels (Hotspur / Percy)
Forces
c.10,000-14,000 Percy rebels (Hotspur)
VS
Victor
Royalists (Henry IV)
Forces
c.14,000 Royalists (Henry IV)
Outcome
Royalist victory; Hotspur killed; Percy rebellion crushed
The Battle

History & Significance

Henry IV defeated and killed Harry Hotspur (Henry Percy) — who had helped put him on the throne. Hotspur was killed by an arrow through his visor when he raised it to breathe. The battle was bloody and marked by heavy use of archery on both sides. Henry V (then Prince Hal, aged sixteen) was wounded in the face by an arrow but refused to leave the field. Shakespeare fictionalised the battle extensively in Henry IV Part 1.

Casualties & Losses

c.1,600 killed on each side; Hotspur killed

Registered Historic Battlefield

This battlefield is listed on the Register of Historic Battlefields — a national designation identifying Britain's most significant battle sites for protection and further research. Reference: EHB09.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Shropshire

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Shropshire