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Roots -

Edward of Woodstock was born on June 15, 1330, at Woodstock Palace, Oxfordshire, England.

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Parents -

He was the firstborn child of King Edward III and Philippa of Hainault.

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Claim to two thrones -

Being the first son of the English king, Edward had a claim to the English throne. But he also had a claim to the French throne, because his grandmother, Queen Isabella (pictured), was a daughter of Philip IV of France.

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Hundred Years' War -

Prince Edward was still a child when the Hundred Years’ War between England and France broke out; a conflict that would not end until the Battle of Castillon in 1453.

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He was trained -

Being a medieval prince, Edward was trained in chivalry and the arts of battle. The young prince became a competent knight.

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Titles -

Edward became Earl of Chester in 1333, Duke of Cornwall in 1337, and Prince of Wales in 1343. He later became Prince of Aquitaine from 1362 to 1372.

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Edward's first battle -

The prince had his first taste of war in July 1346, when he traveled with his father to France. The 16-year-old participated in the Battle of Crécy.

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Battle of Crécy -

On August 26, 1346, the prince received the sacrament alongside his father before the battle. Edward was in charge of the van (the vanguard of the army, composed of archers and foot soldiers).

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Battle of Crécy -

During the battle, the French Duke of Alencon charged Edward and his unit. Noblemen on the battlefield sent a messenger to warn King Edward III that his son was in danger. But the king, knowing that Edward had not been harmed, refused to send help.

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His life was saved and he earned his stripes -

Edward was knocked off his feet at one point, but his standard bearer, Richard Fitz-Simon, saved his life. Prince Edward eventually proved himself in battle and won both his spurs and his ostrich plumes.

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Siege of Calais -

Edward's second campaign was the Siege of Calais, which took place from 1346 to 1347. The town surrendered to the English and upon his return, Edward was honored with the Order of the Garter.

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Order of the Garter -

The order of chivalry was set up in 1348 by King Edward III to honor those who had shown great service to their country.

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Black Death -

King Edward III paused his military endeavors in both France and Scotland as the plague spread across Europe in the late 1340s. Prince Edward lost his sister, Joan of England, to the disease in 1348.

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Battle of Poitiers -

In 1356, when the plague was no longer a threat, another battle took place: the Battle of Poitiers. Prince Edward once again proved he was a true warrior and worthy of being a ruler. So much so, that the win is attributed to him rather than to his father.

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Battle of Poitiers -

This was an important win for England, who captured the French king, John II “the Good” and sent him to England where he was held for ransom.

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Marriage -

Prince Edward married Joan of Kent circa 1361-62. They had two children, one of whom would become king of England.

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Spanish chapter -

In 1365, the prince traveled to Spain and helped the deposed King Pedro “the Cruel“ of Castile defeat his brother, Henry of Trastamara, who had challenged Pedro for the throne.

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Battle of Nájera -

Prince Edward defeated Henry in the Battle of Nájera in 1367 and King Pedro rewarded him with a 170-carat (34 g) ruby (though it was actually a spinel and not a real ruby).

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The Black Prince's Ruby -

The Black Prince's Ruby is still part of the Crown Jewels. The ruby sits in the cross pattée at the front of the Imperial State Crown.

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Siege of Limoges -

In 1362, Edward III granted his son all of his territories in Aquitaine and Gascony. Limoges was in Aquitaine, but the prince was a busy man, so he had the Bishop of Limoges, Johan De Cross governing it. It turns out, he was a traitor.

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Siege of Limoges -

In August 1370, Johan De Cross welcomed French troops into the town. A French garrison of around 140 men stayed. Upon hearing the news, Prince Edward along with two of his brothers, John of Gaunt and Edmund of Langley, gathered a 3,000-men army.

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Blind rage -

Edward’s fury was ultimately unleashed on both the French soldiers and the civilians who lived in the medieval French town. It was reportedly a massacre and the darkest chapter in Prince Edward’s life.

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Edward lost one of his two sons -

Prince Edward’s eldest son, Edward of Angoulême, was just five years old when he died in 1371. Grief consumed the prince, whose health began to deteriorate thereafter.

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Succession -

With both King Edward III and Prince Edward’s health deteriorating, it was decided at the Good Parliament in April 1376 that the prince’s only surviving son, Richard (pictured with his mother) would succeed the king.

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Death -

Prince Edward died on June 8, 1376, at the age of 45. The cause of death is unknown, but many hypotheses have been put forward, including cancer, sclerosis, nephritis, dysentery, and war wounds.

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His son inherited the throne -

Prince Edward’s son went on to rule England as King Richard II from 1377 until 1399.

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Why was Prince Edward known as the Black Prince? -

Edward did not become known as the Black Prince until his death. During his lifetime, he was mostly referred to as Prince Edward, Edward of Woodstock, or Young Edward.

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Why was Prince Edward known as the Black Prince? -

There are several theories about the prince's nickname. One of them links it to the cruelty demonstrated during the Siege of Limoges. This one however has been dismissed by most historians.

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Why was Prince Edward known as the Black Prince? -

The most plausible theory is that it's a reference to the color of his armor, which was almost always black.

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Why was Prince Edward known as the Black Prince? -

Coincidently, Edward's bronze effigy turned black over the years after he passed away.

Sources: (Encyclopedia Britannica) (The Collector) (BBC)

See also: The most feared knights of the Middle Ages

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