Dan Snow's History Hit The Black Prince
8 snips
Apr 27, 2026 
Michael Jones, historian and author of The Black Prince, outlines Edward of Woodstock’s rise as a feared medieval commander. He covers childhood training, major battles like Cressy and Poitiers, the brutal chevauchées and sieges, controversies such as Limoges, and how illness and fate shaped his legacy. Short, sharp stories of chivalry, tactics and the human cost of war.
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Black Prince Nearly Killed At Cressy
- Edward of Woodstock got his initiation at age 16 leading the vanguard at Cressy and nearly died when the French broke through his line.
- Edward III famously said to let his son win his spurs, then quietly sent 40 knights to support him, securing the prince's survival and fame.
How The Longbow Won Cressy
- The English longbow and disciplined deployment transformed battles like Cressy into crushing victories by neutralising French cavalry charges.
- Tactical coordination and measured generalship beat chaotic French assaults, producing a decisive strategic advantage in 1346.
Ostrich Feather From A Chivalric Moment
- The Black Prince adopted the ostrich feather emblem after witnessing the blind King of Bohemia tether his horses and die with his retinue at Cressy.
- That emblem later became the Prince of Wales badge, a lasting symbol from that chivalric moment.
