Henry V: Machiavellian Or Ideally Christian?

In Shakespeare’s Henry V, Henry V is much more Machiavellian than ideally Christian. Henry V inherited a usurped crown and needed to both prove himself as a powerful king and a great Christian king. King Henry was able to accomplish appearing both a Christian and a Machiavellian king through being mostly Machiavellian.
King Henry practices prudence by being lenient during times of peace and unforgiving in times of war. An “excess of wine” (2.2.42) caused a subject to speak out against King Henry in Act 2. In a deceptive and manipulative manner, Henry V asks Scroop, Cambridge, and Grey for their opinion on the matter of the unruly subject, even though he was already planning to pardon the man. I do not believe Henry V pardoned the drunk out
How strong or true the relationship with God was is unknown, but Machiavelli would have eagerly approved of Henry V’s multiple references to God. Machiavelli’s states that nothing is “more necessary to appear to have” (The Prince, 70) than religion. If his relationship with God was true, which I believe it is to some extent, Erasmus would have also approved. After the Battle of Agincourt, King Henry finds out that 29,000 French have died compared to his 1,000 soldiers. He proclaims that “God’s arm” (4.8.108) was there at the battle and all of the glory and honor is “to thy arm alone” (4.8.109). Winning the Battle of Agincourt, especially by such great measures, created the allusion that he was heavily favored by God. This undoubtedly increased his popularity with his subjects and helped form an even more Machiavellian Henry
Before going to battle, Henry V disguises himself as a commoner and set out to find out what the morale is like in the camp. This was a very clever act, because he could have just as easily sent one of his men to figure out what was happening at the camp. Knowing what the morale in the camp was like proved to be very beneficial when Henry V delivers his St. Crispin’s Day speech. Before the Battle of Agincourt, Henry V delivers a passionate speech to his “band of brothers” (4.3.60) that riles them up and helps get even more approval of his seizure of France. The speech makes Henry V a true “example of humanity and munificence” (The Prince, 91), because not only does he set himself apart as an almost godly figure, he also fights with his men. Fighting in the Battle of Agincourt alongside his men helped hold “firm the majesty of his dignity” (The Prince, 91). Machiavelli advised princes to “meet with” (The Prince, 91) their subjects and to know how they are perceived by their