Product Description

One of the most charismatic and enigmatic personalities of the High Middle Ages, Edward the 'Black Prince' commanded an English division at the battle of Crécy when just sixteen years old. But despite his battlefield exploits, romantic reputation and popularity among the people, Edward has become notorious as a proponent of 'scorched earth' campaigns, or chevauchée. These expeditions amounted to little more than the licensed plunder of undefended towns and the murder of non-combatants. The premature death of Edward saw his infant son ascend to the throne and led, eventually, to the fracticidal chaos of the Wars of the Roses and the emergence of the Tudor dynasty. In this startling reappraisal of the prince's life, David Green assesses his actions in their historical context and examines what might have been had Edward the Black Prince become King Edward IV.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28451 in Books
• Published on: 2008-11-11
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review

''An excellent, impressively sourced work of history which cleanly dissects the big issues of fourteenth-century politics, society and historiography.''

Alex Burghart, Medieval Studies

‘This is much more than a fine biography. It is a wide-ranging and deeply imaginative portrait of fourteenth-century aristocratic society, based on intimate knowledge of both the primary and secondary sources: a fitting culmination to years of research into one of the most controversial and flamboyant characters in English history.’

Chris Given-Wilson, Professor of Late Medieval History, University of St Andrews

‘David Green’s fascinating new study of how this most iconic but enigmatic figure exercised his power acutely analyses the cultural and social as well as political factors that shaped his turbulent century.’

Michael Jones, Emeritus Professor of Medieval French History, University of Nottingham

‘In this thoroughly readable book, David Green provides a vivid picture of England in the late fourteenth century, centred on the career of the Black Prince. The nature of aristocratic power provides a central theme, while war, plague and religion receive full attention. The book also throws many fascinating sidelights on the period, from the scandalously low-cut dresses of the Princess of Wales and the military finery of the Black Prince, to the increasingly macabre tombs of the period, with their images of decaying skeletons contrasting with worldly splendour.’

Michael Prestwich, Professor of History, University of Durham

Customer Reviews

Excellent, flawless
There isn't exactly a shortage of material on this guy, but I still found this book extremely valuable in gaining a detailed knowledge and insight into the life of one of the most prominent chivalric figures in British history. I don't think I would recommend it as THE book to start with if you know nothing of Edward or his period, since it is quite in-depth. However, it is certainly not a book just for those who have already read everything else. I picked this up after studying this period for a while, and having read several works on the Black Prince, notably Barber's 'Edward, Prince of Wales and Aquitane'. This book is by far the best in my opinion. All the details are there, from military to sentimental, the book is very carefully written and surprisingly easy to read. Green hardly ever loses his grip on the reader, and although it is not as 'narrative' (so to speak) as Richard Barber's work, the interest factor is just as high.

What can I say? It's only a book - but it's a book that will probably tell you everything you wanted to know. Even if you HAVE read everything else on this subject, 'The Black Prince' is certainly worth a look if not a buy!