Sometimes it’s not just about what happened but what might have happened. Shrewsbury (21 July 1403) was such a battle.

The rebellious Henry Bolingbroke saw off the incumbent Richard II and sat on the throne as Henry IV, nervously watching for the rebels that might unseat him. In July 1403 Henry was advancing north to assist the Percys against Scottish incursions when he learned that Henry Percy, aka ‘Hotspur’, had rebelled and was heading his way, hoping to ally with the elusive Welsh malcontent Owen Glendower. This potential union was Henry’s greatest nightmare. The king headed for Shrewsbury, a vital gateway into Wales, where he hoped to intercept Percy.