Edward, the Black Prince 1330 -
Although Edward of Woodstock never reigned as King of England he has gone down in history as a great medieval military leader, achieving notable victories against England's medieval rivals, the French, in the Hundred Years War.
Edward, the eldest son of Edward IIII and Phillipa of Hainault, daughter of William, Count of Hainault, was born on 15 June, 1330 at the royal Palace of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. Edward III, on 16 September, alloted five hundred marks a year from the the profits of the county of Chester for his maintenance, and in the following February, the whole of these profits were assigned to Queen Phillipa for him. He was created Prince of Wales on 12 May, 1343, aged twelve, at Westminster and was also created Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwall, making him the first English Duke. He was one of the original Knights of the Order of the Garter, an order of chivalry founded by his father. During his lifetime he was known as Edward of Woodstock; the title of Black Prince was adopted after his death and is a possible reference to his black armour.
Edward exhibited military ability at an early age, covering himself in glory at the Battle of Crecy on 26th August, 1346, during his father's campaign to acquire the throne of France. The prince commanded the right wing of the English forces in the battle and played a major role in the defeat of the French at the age of but sixteen. When Edward III encountered his son after the battle, he embraced him with emotion and declared that he had acquitted himself loyally.
Legend relates that the Black Prince acquired his arms of the Prince of Wales feathers from the blind King John I of Bohemia , who perished heroically in the conflict. In the aftermath of the battle, the prince happened upon the body of the dead King John, taking his helmet lined with ostrich feathers. The feathers and the dead king's motto 'Ich dien' (I serve) were adopted by Edward as his own badge, they have been used by every subsequent Princes of Wales since.
In 1355, he was appointed his father's lieutenant in Gascony and the following year led another significant victory against the French at Poitiers, taking King John of France prisoner, whom he treated with ostentatious chivalry and magnanimity. He was later created Prince of Aquitaine and Gascony.
Edward married his cousin Joan, Fair Maid of Kent in 1362 at Windsor Castle. Joan was the daughter and heiress of Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Kent and granddaughter of Edward I and his second wife Margaret of France. She possessed a chequered marital history, being first married to Sir Thomas Holland in 1340, that same year, when Holland was absent on campaign, Joan contracted a further marriage with William Montagu, Earl of Salisbury. In 1349 Holland successfully petitioned the Pope for his wife's return causing a great scandal at the time. Joan's brother died in 1352 and she became Countess of Kent in her own right. The marriage of Edward and Joan produced two children, Edward of Angouleme born in 1365, and Richard of Bordeaux, later Richard II who was born on 6 January 1367. Froissart described their household as especially magnificent. The young Edward died in 1372 at the age of six, leaving the second son, Richard of Bordeaux, as his father's heir. His parents were said to be grief stricken and much affected.
In 1367, Edward led an expedition to Castile, in support of the deposed King Pedro of Castile, leading an army into Spain over the pass of Roncesvalles, and on 3rd of April, 1367 won a resounding victory at the Battle of Najera in northern Castile. He then marched to Burgos, where he declared Pedro King of Castile. In gratitude for his military assistance, Pedro presented him with a huge and magnificent ruby, which is still kept in the British Crown Jewels and today adorns the Imperial State Crown. Edward remained in the kingdom of Castile for the next four months, residing mainly at Valladolid. His army suffered badly during the hot Spanish summer and Edward himself began to exhibit the first symptoms of a mortal disease, possibly dysentry.
Returning to Aquitaine, and having exhausted his financial resources with the high cost of his Castilian campaign, he made himself highly unpopular with the nobility of the province due to a levy of taxes to pay for his Spanish expedition. Resultantly, the Aquitinian nobles rose in rebellion against his rule and he responded by besieging Limoges. When the city fell to him 3,000 of its inhabitants were mercilessly massacred. A year later, Edward fell ill and returned to England on the advice of his physician.
His health fell into rapid decline and realising that he was dying, he spent much time in prayer and charitable works and asked his father to protect his young son Richard after his demise. The Black Prince died at Westminster on 8 June 1376, at he age of 45. He was buried at Canterbury Cathedral, a bronze effigy of the prince now marks the tomb.
The Black Prince's son Richard succeeded his grandfather Edward III in the following year. Joan of Kent, who later grew to be extremely obese, remained popular with the people. She died nine years after her third husband, on the 7th of August 1385, during the reign of their son and was buried, in accordance with the terms of her will, at the Greyfriars, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, beside her first husband.
The Black Prince's Ruby
The Black Prince's Ruby, which now forms part of the crown jewels, was presented to Edward, the Black Prince by Pedro the Cruel of Castile, in reward for Edward's putting down the revolt of Pedro's illegitimate brother, Henry of Trastamara.
The ruby has a long and fascinating history, possibly originating from the historic ruby mines in Badakshan in present day Tajikistan, in middle of the fourteenth century it was in the possession of Abu Sa'id, the Moorish Prince of Granada.
At that time, the rule of Castilian Spain was being centralized to Seville and the Moorish Kingdom of Granada was being systematically attacked and reverted to Spanish rule as a part of the Christian reconquest of Spain. According to historical accounts, Abu Sa'id wished to surrender to Don Pedro, but the conditions he offered were unclear. Don Pedro welcomed his coming to Seville and when the pair met, Don Pedro had Abu Sai'd's servants slain and may have personally stabbed Said to death himself. Upon searching Said's body, the ruby was found and taken by Don Pedro.
During his French campaigns, King Henry V wore a gem-
Heraldic Achievements of the Black Prince
At the time of the death of the Black Prince, some of his arms and armour were hung above his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral, near to shrine of Thomas A'Beckett.
The practice of setting up arms and armour as 'achievements', carried in the funeral procession and then hung above the owner's tomb, became common from the Middle Ages. His helmet, gauntlets, quilted surcoat, shield, and scabbard are still displayed the cathedral. Although today, replicas hang directly above the tomb, while the faded originals are kept safely behind glass.
The decayed scabbard and belt is without its sword, legend sates that the original sword was taken by Oliver Cromwell, in the seventeenth century. The gauntlets are made of copper gilt and are lined with soft doeskin.
The Black Prince's shield, which is made of poplar wood, is still covered with layers of canvas, gesso, parchment, and leather. The front is decorated with the leopards of England and fleurs de lys of France, adopted by his father, King Edward III when he lay claim to the French throne.
His surcoat, which is made of velvet, stuffed with wool and lined with satin, bears the same arms as the shield. It laces up at the front with eyelets and originally had long sleeves, although the sleeves currently reach only to the elbow.
The huge iron helmet is cylindrical in shape with a flat top, eye holes and breathing holes. It is surmounted by a crest, which consists of a lion standing on a cap of maintenance, both made from leather. The hat is lined with red velvet.
Trematon Castle
After leaving Launceston we made our way south down the fertile Tamar valley to the ancient settlement of Saltash.
A couple of miles beyond the town is Trematon Castle.
This magnificent monument is one of the series of castles built in Cornwall by the Normans both for defence and as centres of administration and control in their recently conquered territory.
It is sited high on the banks of the Lynher, just above the picturesque village of Forder, where the river empties itself into the Tamar.
Unlike the other medieval castles we visited, Trematon does not dominate the surrounding countryside. Rather, it lies hidden in the folds of the hills and woods. It is a castle which fulfills perfectly the aims of its builders, providing a vantage point from which to observe without being observed.
As well as being unusual in the subtlety of its location, Trematon also differs from the other Norman castles in Cornwall in that it is still a part of a private home. Begun in the eleventh century and completed about two hundred years later, it is similar in design to Restormel and Launceston, the keep standing high on a man-
At present Trematon is leased from the Duchy of Cornwall by Lord and Lady Caradon. They have lived here for the past twenty years and deserve a great deal of the credit for the castle’s excellent state of preservation. Apart from one weekend in the summer the castle remains closed to the public but Lady Caradon very kindly showed us round and through her knowledge and interest brought
Trematon Castle
After leaving Launceston we made our way south down the fertile Tamar valley to the ancient settlement of Saltash.
50 Servants of the People
money to spare which they could lend to carry on the royal wars.
Some of these guilds still exist and in London march with their banners at the Lord Mayor's Show on the ninth of November of each year. But the work of the guilds is not the same as it was in the early days ; and it is no longer the rule for boys to become apprentices.
THE BLACK PRINCE
Of all the famous tales in history most boys love best of all that which tells how the Black Prince won the Battle of Crecy. Perhaps this is because the prince was only a boy at the time.
The battle was fought in France at a place not very far from the Straits of Dover. Edward III., King of England, the father of the Black Prince, said that he ought also to be King of France ; and he took a splendid army of knights and bowmen across the Channel to fight the French king for his crown.
I like to read the story of the battle as it is told by a knight named Sir John Froissart, who lived at that time, and whose book you must read some day. Here is a portion of the great story in Froissart’s own words :—
“ During the time, a heavy rain fell, accompanied by thunder and a very terrible eclipse of the sun ; and before this rain, a great flight of crows hovered in the air over all the battalions, making a loud noise ; shortly afterwards it cleared up, and the sun shone very bright; but the French had it in their faces, and the English on their backs.
“ When the Genoese who fought for the French king were somewhat in order, they drew near to the English
The Black Prince
and set up a loud shout, in order to frighten them ; but the English remained quite quiet, and did not seem to attend to it.
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“ Then they set up a second shout and advanced a little forward ; the English never moved. Still they hooted a third time, advancing with their crossbows presented, and began to shoot. The English archers then advanced one step forward and shot their arrows with such force and quickness, that it seemed as if it snowed.
“ When the Genoese felt these arrows, which pierced through their armour, some of them cut the strings of their crossbows; others flung them to the ground ; and all turned about and retreated quite discomfited.”
Remember as you read the above that this fight at Crecy was one of the first of our many battles. The English and Normans had at last joined together to make one united nation, and now the new English nation was facing a foreign foe on his own ground.
Now take another glimpse at this battlefield :—
“ Early in the day the enemy had broken through the archers of the prince's battalion and had engaged with the men-
“ On the knight's arrival, he said, ‘ Sir, the knights who are with your son are vigorously attacked by the French ; and they entreat that you will come to their assistance with your battalion, for if numbers should increase against him, they fear he will have too much to do.’
“ The king replied, 4 Is my son dead, unhorsed, or so badly wounded that he cannot support himself i' 4 Nothing of the sort, thank God,’ replied the knight,4 but he is in so hot an engagement that he has great need of your help.'
Servants of the People
“ The king answered, * Now, Sir Thomas, return to those that sent you, and tell them from me not to send again for me this day, nor expect that I shall come, let what will happen, as long as my son has life ; and say that I command them to let the boy win his spurs ; for I am determined, if it please God, that all the glory of this day shall be given to him and to those into whose care I have entrusted him.'
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“ The knight returned to his lords and related the king's answer, which mightily encouraged them, and made them repent that they had ever sent such a message.''
The battle ended in a complete victory for the army of the Black Prince. He had been taught on that great day to depend upon himself. He learnt that if he was meant to govern a kingdom he must prove himself able to lead its armies.
Now note the six words which are printed in italics in the above description—“ let the boy win his spurs.” These words remind us that the Black Prince belonged to that company of men who were known as knights, and who lived their lives according to very definite rules* These men all belonged to an “ order" or society, banded together for certain objects.
They were all riders of horses, and therefore they came to be known as the members of the Order of Chivalry (from the French word cheval, a horse). The time in which they lived, about six hundred years ago, is sometimes spoken of as the Age of Chivalry.
The monks and priests of the time had a great deal to do with these knights. Before a man could become a knight he spent a long time in the company of the priests who explained to him what he would be expected to do.
He must help all who were oppressed or ill-
both sexes ; fight bravely against all enemies of the Christian religion ; keep himself pure in thought and word and deed ; and abide by his promises so that the expression “ on the honour of a true knight " might be more binding than bars of iron.
The young man who wished to be made a knight was obliged to spend a whole night kneeling in prayer before the altar of a church on the steps of which his sword and armour were laid. This was called “ keeping vigil.”
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(From a picture of the time)
On the next morning the priests came to him and54 Servants of the People
prayed with him, blessing his sword and dedicating it to the service of God. He was then taken before the king or some famous warrior, who made him kneel before him, and struck him a light blow on the shoulder with a naked sword. Then after naming him “ Sir So-
A newly-
Both King Edward III. and the Black Prince were known in many lands as pattern knights whom all the eager young gentlemen of the time strove to imitate. And in this great game of knighthood they were doing the people valuable service.
We might say, with a great deal of truth, that the knights of those early days were the inventors of manners.
Before their time even the nobles and leaders were somewhat coarse and boorish in many ways. They had little respect for women or children or the aged. Their ways of living were rude and dirty, and their houses were ill-
They were much more courteous to each other both in speech and action, bowing, making curtseys, “ doffing ” the hat, and so forth. Their ways of speaking were more careful and gentle. Their table manners were cleaner, and their treatment of each other less boorish and selfish.
Each knight was taught to forget himself for the good of his order; and this consideration for others is at the root of all good manners.
