The Black Prince

By Michael Jones

A major new biography of the Black Prince.
'A clear-eyed and thrilling vision of the man behind the legend' DAN JONES.
'Pacy, vivid and extremely readable' TLS.

In 1346, at the age of sixteen, he won his spurs at Crécy; nine years later he conducted a brutal raid across Languedoc; in 1356 he captured the king of France at Poitiers; as lord of Aquitaine he ruled a vast swathe of southwestern France. He was Edward of Woodstock, eldest son of Edward III, but better known to posterity as 'the Black Prince'.

Michael Jones tells the remarkable story of a great warrior-prince – and paints an unforgettable portrait of warfare and chivalry in the late Middle Ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Jul 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781784972929

Michael Jones

Michael Jones did his Ph.D. on the Beaufort family, and subsequently taught at the University of South West England, the University of Glasgow, and Winchester College.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and now works as a writer and media presenter.  He is the author of six books, including The King's Mother, a highly praised biography of Margaret Beaufort, which was shortlisted for the Whitfield Prize.

Reviews for The Black Prince

[gothamajp · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very readable and engaging account of Edward of Woodstock, the warrior prince often held up as the chivalric ideal and the “embodiment of all valor.” Using contemporary sources while also drawing from, and comparing different chroniclers Jones examines the life and achievements of the man behind the mythology to place him in his historical context in a way that’s understandable for the modern reader.

[schmerguls · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

5578. The Black Prince England's Greatest Medieval Warrior, by Michael Jones (read 30 Aug 2018) This book is 2018 biography of Edward, the first-born son of King Edward III. The Back Prince was born 15 June 1330, was at the battle of Crecy on 26 Aug 1346, Had a major role in the triumphal battle of of Poitiers on 19 Sept 1356, was named prince of Aquitaine on 19 July 1362, married Joanof Kent 29 June 1363, and died 6 June 1376--before his father, Edward III. died on 21 June 1377 The book is largely admiratory of the Black Prince and excuses some of the things he did by saying that that was the way everybody fought in those times. Sometimes the book is not overly attention-holding but at the end of my reading I felt that it was worthwhile reading it.