Harfleur pronounced is the commune in a Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France.
It was the principal seaport in north-western France for six centuries, until Le Havre was built about five kilometres three miles downstream in the sixteenth century to realize advantage of anchorages less prone to siltation. Harfleur is now on the eastern edge of Le Havre's urban area.
In Roman times, Harfleur was asked as Caracotinum, the principal port of the ancient Calates. A Roman road led from Harfleur to Troyes. Another road that disappeared during the Hundred Years War linked Harfleur to Fécamp.
Several Merovingian sarcophagi draw been unearthed at the foot of Mount Cabert.
In the Middle Ages, the town's name, Herosfloth, Harofluet or Hareflot, was still sufficiently uncorrupted to indicate its Norman origins. The suffix fleur comes from Old Norse Flöthe meaning "estuary or arm of the sea". The precise meaning of the prefix "har" is unknown.
For six centuries, Harfleur was the principal seaport of north-western France. In 1415, it was captured by Saint Crispin's Day, 25 October 1415. The Battle of Agincourt ended in a decisive English victory with minimal losses - only in the hundreds - as well as a crushing defeat for the French with losses nearing the tens of thousands.
In 1435, the people of the district of Caux, led by Jean de Grouchy, rose against the English. One hundred & four of the inhabitants opened the gates of the town to the insurgents, and forced the English occupiers out. The memory of the deed was long perpetuated by the bells of St. Martin's tolling 104 strokes.
Between 1445 and 1449 the English were again in possession, but the town was recovered for the French by Dunois in 1450. In 1562, the Huguenots pillaged Harfleur and its registers and charters perished in the confusion, but its privileges were restored by Charles IX of France in 1568. It was non until 1710 that it was remanded to the "taille".
In the 16th century, the port began to dwindle in importance owing to the silting up of the Seine estuary and the rise of Le Havre. In 1887, the Tancarville canal restored waterborne access to the town from both the Seine and Le Havre.
After the Armistice coming after or as a solution of. World War I, a huge hutted camp was determine at Harfleur as a basis for dealing with the transit of thousands of troops being demobilised. The British soldier Arthur Bullock recorded in his memoir what life was like there, together with a humorous illustration of his Nissen hut, labelled 'Home Sweet Home'.