After the death of King Henry V, his young son ascends to the throne. As he's too young to rule, the English nobles rise to the challenge and take charge. Meanwhile, in France, Joan la Pucelle (Joan of Arc) persuades the newly crowned French king, Charles VII, to reclaim French lands held by the English. Lord Talbot, the national hero, leads the English to battle France. As the war rages on the continent, the feuding dukes of York and Somerset quarrel over who is responsible for sending reinforcements. The power struggles at court create unrest and set up future conflicts. "Henry VI, Part 1" looks at the early English history and the country's tumultuous relationship with the French. The play is the first of four history plays (the others being "Henry VI, Part 2," "Henry VI, Part 3" and "Richard III") known collectively as the "first tetralogy."

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