Prince Edward,
The Black Prince of Wales
by Lord Matthias Kotok / MKA Joseph Niks
Prince Edward was the son of King Edward III and Queen Philippa of Hainault. He was
born at the Royal palace of Woodstock, on the 15th of June in 1330. When he turned
3 years old, he was made Earl of Chester. In four more years he became Duke of
Cornwall .
The Battle of Crecy, which was fought on the 26th of August in 1346 , was kind of a
test for the young Edward. His father King Edward, was hoping that his oldest son
would "win his spurs," at this battle and gave him the command of the van, and with the
council and assistance of the Earls of Warwick and Sir John Chandos. The belief is,
that the King had ordered the prince to wear a richly decorated black cuirass on that
day. Some people believe that this is why he is called the black prince. Others believe
it was because of his temper. The defeat of the enemy at this battle is known to have
been complete. Edward III hugged and congratulated his son on the field battle and at
the same time he publically talked of how his son had proved himself fit to rule the
empire.
The estate provided for Prince Edward in his early infancy, by his investiture, had
placed vast resources at his disposal. Once he came to an age to administer his own
affairs, history says he did so brilliantly.
After his return from Calais, in 1347 ,his town residence was " Pulteney House , ". This
mansion, which had been erected, by sir John Pulteney is described as a magnificent
dwelling. Its country residences appear to have been at Berkhamstead Castle and
Wallingford Castle.
History tells us that Edward made good use of his wealth by giving costly presents to
his family, companions in arms, retainers, and gifts to strangers of every rank he
happened to like. This added to his popularity!
When the truce with France expired on the 24th June 1355, Edward began to prepare
to go to Gascony with a great retinue. He was attended by 433 men-at-arms and 700
Archers, of whom 400 should be mounted and 300 on foot; and archers of the Earls of
Warwick, Suffolk, Oxford and Salisbury. His time in Aquitaine well showed his talents,
not only as a military commander, tactician, and as a statesman. Because of his
actions in 1362, the King created his victorious son, Prince of Guienne and Gascony,
and erected those provinces into a principality for the term of his life. Edward went
immediately to his new lands. He was accompanied by his princess whom he had
married on Sunday the 10th of 1361 at Windsor Castle. They held court in his new
lands with great magnificence. On one occasion the Prince gave a Royal joust of forty
knights and as many esquires at his Court in Poitiers. The joust was in honor of his
son, Edward.
While he lived in Bordeaux, his aid was personally solicited by Peter "The Cruel," King
of Castile . King Edward agreed with the cause so the Prince entered Spain at the
head of 30,000 men and, after a severe contest at Najara on the 3th of April in 1366,
restored the ungrateful Monarch to his throne.
It is said that he never quite recovered from this trip. His spirits also had suffered from
the death of his eldest son, Edward who had died at the age of six. From then on he
left prosecution of the continental war to his brothers, the Duke of Lancaster and Earl
of Cambridge. He embarked with the Princess and their only surviving child, Richard,
arriving at Plymouth in January 1371. Two years later, he surrendered the principality
of Guienne into the King's hands and, from that period, seems to have taken little
interest in public business.
Knowing he was not long for this world he made his will, on 7th June 1376. Then on
June 8th, 1376, passed away. He had come to be loved by the populace and was
greatly mourned. His body was embalmed, and was kept until the meeting of
parliament at Michaelmas, in order that it might be interred with greater solemnity. This
was performed at Canterbury, near the shrine of St. Thomas A. Becket. A stately
monument to his memory and it still stands there today.
SOURCES:
The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages
by Norman F. Cantor
Viking Books; (May 1, 1999)
Edward, Prince of Wales and Aquitaine : A Biography of the Black Prince
by Richard Barber
Boydell Press; New Ed edition (February 21, 2003)
The Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition
2001 Columbia University Press
Britannia Biographies
http://www.britannia.com/bios/royals/blckprnc.html