Edward, the Black Prince and the Battle of Poitiers

When we think of knights we think of chivalry, honour and great engagements in the name of valour. I believe that we should begin with a tale that has been romantacised by fantasy writers and taken into lore by modern historians and students alike.

Edward was born in Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire on the 15th June 1330 and was quickly gathering his royal titles as the son and heir of the King of England Edward III. He took the title of Prince of Wales when he was only thirteen in 1343. He quickly gained politcal experience as he attended the Privy Council meetings in his father's name as the latter was on campaign in France.

To know who Edward was you have to understand the background in which he refined his image into one of an esteemed military commander. His fame stems from the '100 Years War' between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France that lasted over the 14th and 15th centuries. This era of conflict has laid down the historical rivalry between England and France primarily because the former finds itself to be entitled to the throne of France, in part due to the Norman conquests of the island nation led by William the Conqueror. Another dangerous event running rampant in the middle of Edward's life was the infamous epidemic the Black Death.

With these events and an air or insurmountable tension between European powers it is not surprising that the Prince of Wales garnered experience of conflict. In time it would be Edward's decisive victory that swung the war in England's favour.

Battle of Poitiers
In August 1356 Edward and his forces conducted a 'chevauchée' or a horse charge aimed at causing chaos along side a systematic burning and pillaging campaign aimed at weakening enemy forces. On a side note, this strategy was used by the Norman invaders at Hastings aimed at subduing English forces. Edward met little resistance whilst doing this act until he was caught in a downpour that rendered his strategy null. As a result the King of France Jean II moved his forces to strike at Edward to avoid more loss of arable land. Edward retreated his forces with the King of France behind him until the French caught up with the English southwest of Poitiers. Edward was a veteran of battle and used the natural land he found himself in to defend himself. He used forests and streams to protect his flanks whilst setting up his longbowmen in a V-position on the flanks to engage the oncoming elite knights of France under the command or French lords and notably the Dauphin of France, King Jean II and the Philip of Valois. What occured was devasting, using bodkin arrows and a side position allowed archers to shoot arrows at the lightly armoured horses blunting the cavalry's momentum. The engagement continued with infantry combat but even with Jean II putting up memorable resistance he was captured along with his entourage.

Aftermath of Poitiers
The devasting loss destablised France as a country and bandits and brigands rose up whilst the French nobles were gathering their own plunder from peasants and the Churches. Edward's quick thinking made him hugely popular in England in due part as he was heir made his victory all the more appealing to the English aristocracy and pesantry alike.

The Fall of the Black Prince
Edward continued campaigns in France but he would actually not suceed his father to the throne as Edward IV (the first Prince of Wales not to do so) because of illness. After he returned to England in 1371 his health gradually deterioated, he would die presumably of cancer in 1376. He was buried with honours in Canterbury Cathedral in Kent with a bronze effigy and tapestries detailing his accomplishments.

The Legend of the Black Prince
Edward was not actually referred to as the Black Prince during his lifetime he was usually called Edward of Woodstock (his birthplace). Later medieval historians may have given him this title because he either wore black armour and used a black shield or his actions before Poitiers involving the burning of farmland was deemed as a 'black-hearted' thing to do. Either way he is famous for being a prominent character in William Shakespeare's Edward III and has been the topic of plays and novels usually as a beneovlent prince in difficult times who cares about his people and regrets actions taken in war.