Edward, the Black Prince

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Effigy on the Black Prince's tomb in Canterbury Cathedral

Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, KG (June 15 1330 – June 8 1376), popularly known as the Black Prince, was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, and father to King Richard II of England. He himself never ruled as king, pre-deceasing his father by one year which allowed the throne to pass to his son Richard, a minor.

Contents

1 Life

1.1 Birth, early significance and titles
1.2 Military career
1.3 Final campaign and illness, death and burial

2 Emblem
3 Marriage and issue
4 The name \"Black Prince\"
5 View on chivalry
6 List of major campaigns and their significance
7 Further reading
8 See also

Life

Birth, early significance and titles

Born at Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire, Edward was created Earl of Chester in 1333, Duke of Cornwall in 1337 (the first creation of an English duke) and finally invested as Prince of Wales in 1343.

His birth was significant to the royal family in some views, as it is said that it gave Edward III and his associates the confidence that the Plantagenet dynasty would continue, so that they could go ahead with the overthrow of Mortimer and Isabella in 1330 without feeling the dynasty was at risk.

Edward served as a symbolic regent for periods in 1339, 1340, and 1342 while Edward III was on campaign. He was expected to attend all council meetings, and he performed the negotiations with the papacy about the war in 1337.

His early life saw a rise in fashion sense, with Edward taking a fancy to red and purple velvet cloaks and hats, and an early love for tournaments at the expense of learning, like his father. He also developed his recklessness with money which, along with his love of gambling, would eventually cause the end of his career.

Military career

Edward proved to have a prodigious military talent, as shown by his bravery at the Battle of Crécy when he was only sixteen years old. He followed this up ten years later with another Hundred Years' War victory at the Battle of Poitiers which allowed, in the long run, the Treaty of Bretigny to be signed after severe anarchy in France. He proved himself again in 1367 with the victory at the Battle of Najera in northern Castile.

He continued the practice of using Welsh and English archers in the English army, and the English owed much of their subsequent military success to the supremacy of the English longbow over the continental crossbow. He proved repeatedly that his longbowmen were not only able to fire far faster than crossbowmen, but more accurately at far greater distances. He also successfully used longbows in association with strong infantry holds and men-at-arms after the French cavalry started wearing light but strong plate armour, proving longbow superiority even against plate armour by knocking down the horses with arrows and the firm infantry holds (ditches, stakes, potholes, hedges, wagons, marshes, mud, rectangular thorny boxes, and hedgehog balls), and using men-at-arms (often mounted) to wipe out severely wounded French. Edward was also one of the first military leaders to introduce a uniform, clothing his Cheshire and Flintshire troops in green and white cloth.

However, despite his tactical skill, Edward generally avoided conventional battle, preferring to continue the chevauchee strategy of his father, wreaking havoc on the civilians of France through pillage, looting, slaughter, and rape. The aim behind this was to show the French that their king could not help them, thus successfully provoking the many internal issues of 1356 to 1560; e.g., the peasant movements, mercenary raids, power struggles, company revolts, jacquerie rebellions, and so on. It was also a successful form of economic warfare. Edward was generally superior to his fellow commanders at chevauchees, employing a balanced mix of speed and destruction during the attack raids, which generally lasted a couple of months. By contrast, his fellow commanders were often too slow and destructive, or too fast and weak. Edward even used specialised raider units for the job, and he scanned areas far and wide with reconnaissance mercenaries before attacking. However, Edward's weakness, in common with all English commanders of the time, was in the retreat from the area. Resources were inevitably strained, and the raiders were usually slowed down by their refusal to give up any prisoners or spoils of war, and too much trust was put into information from prisoners - who would try to trick the English.

The Black Prince is associated with at least two major atrocities in war: commanding the slaughter of some 3,000 civilian inhabitants, including women and children, of Limoges in 1370 after a siege provoked by the bishop of Limoges inviting the French to retake the city; and taking part in the raid of Caen during the Normandy Chevauchee of 1346 during which 2,500 civilians were slaughtered.

Details of his revolutionary tactics and strategy have been provided by historian and actor Robert Hardy, and military historian David Nicolle.

Final campaign and illness, death and burial

His military campaigning on behalf of Pedro of Castile, known to his enemies as 'Pedro the Cruel', ruined Edward's health as well as his finances, and he was forced to give up the administration of Aquitaine in 1371 and return to England. While trying to involve himself in the government of England, he soon had to give up any hope of resuming military activity, and he died aged 45 from dropsy at Westminster on Trinity Sunday, June 8 1376, leaving his young son as heir to the throne. He is buried in the Corona, Canterbury Cathedral, opposite his nephew Henry IV of England, where his original heraldic attributes may be seen. Edward's will had stipulated not only the design for his tomb but had also specified that he should be buried in the Crypt of the cathedral. This request was ignored, however, and the military hero was interred alongside the tomb of St Thomas in the Trinity Chapel. The effigy of the Prince — although gold in colour — was cast in latten.

His sickness is considered by some historians as not the only reason for his loss of power in 1371. He had made a reputation for cruelty at the Siege of Limoges when the war resumed and he was expected to defend Aquitaine. When the campaign in Spain did not pay off (as Pedro was murdered), England sustained heavy debts because of Edward's actions, the Black Prince's heavy taxes causing only resentment. As a result, Edward III found himself being forced to stick with a commander who was sick, resented, and not careful with money. Some time into his rule, Edward made matters worse when the French called him to Paris to explain himself; his reply was that he would come to Paris with 70,000 men behind him. However, respected biographer Richard Barber has questioned such 'facts', and the primary historian of the time, Jean Froissart.

Emblem

A painted carving on the main gate of Oriel College, Oxford depicting the emblem of the Prince of Wales

See also main article Prince of Wales's feathers

The emblem of the Prince of Wales's feathers and its accompanying motto, Ich dien (German: "I serve"), are said to have been inherited by the prince from King John of Bohemia, against whom he fought in the Battle of Crécy. According to legend, after the battle, the prince walked over to the King of Bohemia's dead body. The king had ridden into battle despite his blindness, and Edward admired his bravery. He picked up the king's helmet, lined with ostrich feathers, and took the king's motto, Ich dien. This emblem and motto were not exclusively used by the Black Prince, but also by his brothers. This story, however, is only partly true; while it may be true that he adopted the ostrich feathers from the King of Bohemia, the emblem he used was used before him by other English monarchs.

There is a theory that the Black Prince and his brothers inherited the ostrich feather badge from his mother Philippa of Hainault; she came from the family of the Counts of Hainault, and they used the ostrich (French autruche) feather symbol as a heraldic pun on the name of a place called Ostrehans which they owned.

There is a theory that "Ich dien" arose as a Germanizing mishearing of Welsh Uwch dyn = "Your servant".

Marriage and issue

Edward had been raised with his cousin Joan, "The Fair Maid of Kent". Edward married Joan in October 1361, prompting some controversy. Both Edward and Joan had the same great-grandfather (Edward I Longshanks), and it was believed that a warrior such as Edward should have married a foreigner for diplomatic advantages in war. Many believe he was thus exiled to the province of Aquitaine, where he ruled as prince on behalf of his father. During this period, he fathered two sons: Edward, who died in infancy; and Richard, who would later rule as Richard II of England. He was given the lordship of Biscay by Pedro I of Castile in 1367. It should be noted that some historians are critical of the idea that Edward was exiled in Aquitaine, as it allowed him to take control of nearly sovereign area on his own.

The name \"Black Prince\"

Edward is almost always now called the "Black Prince", but he was never known as such during his lifetime (instead being known as Edward of Woodstock after his place of birth). The "Black Prince" title does not appear in writing until at least 200 years after his death. Its origin is uncertain; while some later historians have speculated that he may have worn black armour (possibly presented to him by his father at the battle of Crécy), or a black surcoat over his armour, it is also likely that the name was first coined by French chroniclers in reference to the ruinous military defeats he had inflicted on France or his cruelty in these. One possibly apocryphal etymology of the phrase has it deriving from the blackness of his tomb effigy from dirt and/or black polish, when it is in fact shiny metal.

View on chivalry

Edward lived in a century of decline for the knightly ideal of chivalry. The formation of the Order of the Garter, an English royal order of which Edward was a founding member, signified a shift towards patriotism and away from the crusader mentality that characterized England in the previous two centuries. Edward's stance in this evolution is seemingly somewhat divided. Edward displayed obedience to typical chivalric obligations through his pious contributions to Canterbury Cathedral throughout his life. He, like many in the English royal family, was married and buried there. However, during his campaigns in France, his practice of accepted chivalric wartime practices was highly inconsistent.

On one hand, after capturing John the Good and his youngest son at Poitiers, he treated them with great respect, at one point giving John leave to return home, and he reportedly prayed with John at Canterbury Cathedral. Notably, he also allowed a day for preparations before the Battle of Poitiers so that both sides could discuss the upcoming battle with one another, and so that the Cardinal of Perigord could plead for peace. Though not agreeing with knightly charges on the battlefield, he also was devoted to tournament jousting, notably shown in the film "A Knight's Tale" (though, it is very hard to extract facts from the film).

On the other hand, his chivalric tendencies were overridden by pragmatism on many occasions. The Black Prince's repeated use of the chevauchee strategy was not in keeping with contemporary notions of chivalry, but it was quite successful in accomplishing the goals of his campaigns and weakening the unity and economy of France. On the battlefield, pragmatism over chivalry is also demonstrated via the massed use of infantry strongholds, longbowmen, and flank attacks (a revolutionary practice in such a chivalric age). Moreover, he was exceptionally harsh toward and contemptuous of lower classes in society, as indicated by the heavy taxes he levied as Prince of Aquitaine and by the massacres he perpetrated at Limoges and Caen. Edward's behavior was typical of an increasing number of knights and nobles during the late Middle Ages who paid less and less attention to the high ideal of chivalry.

Such arguments have been explored in more depth by Richard Barber.

List of major campaigns and their significance

The 1345 Flanders Campaign on the Northern Front, which was of little significance and ended after 3 weeks when one of Edward's allies was murdered.
The Crecy Campaign on the Northern Front, which crippled the French army for 10 years, allowing the siege of Calais to occur with little conventional resistance before the plague set in. Normandy came virtually under English control, but a decision was made to focus on northern France, leaving Normandy under the control of England's vassal allies instead.
The Siege of Calais on the Northern Front, during which, though long, the inhabitants suffered worst and were reduced to eating dogs, rats and babies. The siege gave the English personal and vassal control over northern France before the temporary peace due to the Black Death.
The Calais counter-offensive on the Northern Front, after which Calais remained in English hands.
Les Espagnols sur Mer or the Battle of Winchelsea on the English Channel Front, which was a Pyrrhic victory of little significance beyond preventing Spanish raids on Essex.
The Great Raid of 1355 on the Aquitaine-Languedoc Front, which crippled southern France economically, and provoked resentment of the French throne among French peasantry. The raid also 'cushioned' the area for conquest, opened up alliances with neighbours in Aquitaine of which that with Charles the Bad of Navarre is most notable, and caused many regions to move towards autonomy from France, as France was not as united as England.
The Aquitaine Conquests on the Aquitaine Front, which brought much firmer control in Aquitaine, much land for resources and many people to fight for Edward.
The Poitiers Campaign on the Aquitaine-Loire Front, which crippled the French Army for the next 13 years, causing the anarchy and chaos which would inevitably cause the Treaty of Bretigney to be signed in 1360. Following this campaign, there was no French Army leader, there were challenges towards Charles the Wise, and more aristocrats were killed at Crecy and Poitiers then those lost to the Black Death.
The Reims Campaign, following which peace was finally achieved with the Treaty of Bretigney. But, on the same terms, England was left with about a third of France rather than a little under half which they would have received through the Treaty of London. This is due to the failure to take Reims which led to the need for a safe passage out of France. As a result, a lesser treaty was agreed to and Edward III was obliged to drop his claims to the French throne. France was still forced to pay a huge ransom of around 4 times France's gross annual domestic product for John the Good. The ransom paid was, however, a little short of that demanded by the English, and John the Good was not returned to the French. Thus, this campaign yielded mixed results, but was mostly positive for Edward. One must also remember Edward III never actually dropped his claim to the throne.
The Najera Campaign on the Castillian Front, during which Pedro the Cruel was temporarily saved from a coup, thus confirming Castillian Spanish dedication to the Prince's cause. Later, however, Pedro was murdered. As a result of Pedro's murder, the money the prince put into the war effort became pointless, and Edward was effectively bankrupt. This forced heavy taxes to be levied in Aquitaine to relieve Castile's financial troubles, leading to a vicious cycle of resentment in Aquitaine and vicious repression of this resentment by Edward. Charles the Wise, king of France, was able to take advantage of the resentment against Edward in Aquitaine. However, the prince temporarily became the Lord of Biscay.
The Siege of Limoges on the Aquitaine Front, after which the Black Prince is obliged to leave his post for sickness and financial issues, but also partly because of the cruelty of the siege. Without the Prince, the English war effort against Charles the Wise and Bertrand Du Guesclin is doomed. The Prince's brother John of Gaunt was not interested with the war in France, being more interested with the War of Succession in Spain.
King Edward III and the prince sail from Sandwich with 400 ships, carrying 4,000 men at arms and 10,000 archers for France, but after six weeks of bad weather and being blown off course they are driven back to England. This is the final campaign of the black prince, and following the failure the prince formally resigns from his position as prince of Aquitaine.