Black Prince Paperback – July 12, 2018

Or more precisely, Michael Jones had me at "I walk into Canterbury Cathedral." For of course every story of the Black Prince should begin with a visit to his tomb.And what a wonderful story Michael Jones tells about the "flower of chivalry of all the world!"As a writer of historical fiction that spans this time period, I do so love the Black Prince for his life seems like such a perfect metaphor for fortune's wheel. The Prince rose to such incomparable heights and then as the wheel continued its inexorable turning, he--and England along with him--began the inevitable descent. Michael Jones lays out the life of the Black Prince in lively prose which is backed up by contemporary chronicles, as well as impeccable research. The result, however, is never boring. Perhaps partially because the lives of the Prince and his father cannot help but read like the stuff of great novels--not to mention morality plays.There is so much to unpack in this compelling biography and I'm sure it has been done well by professional reviewers so I'll just offer a few of my impressions. First of all, all of these characters, from Edward III to John Chandos to the Prince and his archers, are so irresistibly human. That is a tribute to Jones's writing. I was struck by the closeness of Edward III to his wife and children. From the beginning with the Prince he is like a lion with his cub, guiding and showing the Prince by example how to lead the kingdom that he will someday rule in his own right. From early childhood, when other boys are playing with marbles and spinning tops, the Prince is made the "guardian of England" on orders of his father when Edward III is across the channel. . It also seemed that Edward III and his son took great joy in battle and were excellent military commanders. (Though such exuberant tactics as laying waste to France caused untold heartache to the poor French who had to endure the English chevauchees.). The king learned from his early mistakes against the Scots and later adjusted his tactics. Particularly touching is when he sends his sixteen-year-old son to do battle at Crecy and refuses to intervene when the Prince is overwhelmed. But then, behaving like a father, he breaks his own rule and sends help. Only to have the Prince, who had been knocked unconscious, come back to lead his men to victory.The great campaigns, both land and sea, are detailed in exciting fashion, made more poignant because we know what is going to happen. Orson Welles said, "If you want a happy ending, it depends on when you end your story." Unfortunately, we cannot end Edward III's reign when he is England's beloved Arthur and the victor of battle after battle. Nor with the Prince when his physical strength is nearly superhuman, but when he is ravaged by the illness that finally ended his life.There have been many fictional portrayals of the Prince, a few that have pictured him as rather an effete, snobbish, clueless commander. I always found those insulting. Jones makes it very clear that the Prince was a man of strong character and one who perfectly suited the concept of chivalry. He was generous to a fault, which was one of the reasons he was perpetually in debt. But a great knight must be known for his "largesse." I was particularly impressed by his concern for his archers, all those common men who made England's victories possible. (And of course Edward III, who so understood the effectiveness of the longbow that he ordered his yeomen to practice every Sunday. It is estimated that it took a decade to be an expert archer. Both Edwards realized that their yeomen were their secret weapon.) Glorious days for England...and then of course fortune's wheel took its turn.From my reading I shaped the Prince as a great military tactician and warrior but not so much an administrator. Jones disagrees and has the research to back up his claims. In the Prince's dealings with Gascony, he had a clearer head than his father, who was by then sliding into senility. Their disagreement over that and Edward III's miscalculations around the Najera campaign, led to an estrangement that only ended on the Prince's death bed.Jones' effectively debunks the truth of Limoges, the stain on the Black Prince's record. The account of massive slaughter after the taking of the town, is only related by Froissart, never the most reliable of chroniclers. Recent evidence has reinforced the fact that the Prince, in his last campaign, behaved fairly and within the rules of war. I was also curious as to whether, early in THE BLACK PRINCE, when detailing the horrible last days of Edward II, Jones would mention historian Ian Mortimer's alternative hypothesis, that Edward II did not die at Berkeley Castle, but survived, lived many years and was most likely in touch with his son, Edward III. Jones does not. Could be because Mortimer's take is not accepted (though Mortimer is another excellent historian who writes like a novelist and is so much fun to read! And wouldn't it be nice to believe that Edward II enjoyed a few years as an ordinary fellow, as he often longed to be.).Finally, I was particularly touched by the last year of the Black Prince's life when he was largely confined to his bed. Such humiliation, such embarrassment. Yet Edward, as was befitting a great knight, was deeply religious, and seemed to accept it all with the grace for which he was known. As the French re-took so many of the lands the Prince and his father had won and the Prince's first born son died in a plague, both men worried that God had turned His back on England. Still, the Prince never seemed to grow bitter. He never wallowed in self-pity. Rather, just as he'd done during all his campaigns, the Black Prince faced his fate with humility. And always with bravery. (As Jones writes, for men like the prince the highest form of courage was "to scorn death rather than fear it.")No wonder The Black Prince was known as the flower of chivalry.Thank you, Michael Jones, for reminding us that if one is looking for a knight nonpareil, we need look no further than Edward the Black Prince.

private study purpose.This is an excellent review of this man's important role in English history. It is a true history of him, rather than the the otherwise excellent Phillipa Gregory category of historical novels, where extra fictional characters are included to make a story.

One of the best books that I have read for anyone into history. Contains superb details about Campaigns in France along with some significant detailing about budgets and expenditure. Recommended for all students of English history.

Loved the spiritual journey and prayers

Great book... I am living it... wonderful writer....!!!!

I have read over half a dozen books about the Black Prince and I came into this book expecting to read about the great medieval English prince from another authors perspective, perhaps giving me another piece of information here and there that I could add to my own collective. A jaded and well read veteran of many books about the prince and his father King Edward III, I did not expect to be wowed or struck with any great revelations. I was very wrong indeed. Mr Jones and his work has made me view the prince and his father significantly differently in some aspects of their lives and influence and in a way which perhaps is more true to how they really were. The book is well written and informative, drawing on a wealth of sources which well read medievalists would recognize, yet Mr Jones brings a good many things to light that one might not consider on their own. Mr Jones writes in a way which is well balanced between academia and vernacular and in a dramatic manner, well founded in historic fact and references. In fact, you'll find yourself both pondering academic trivialities and being caught up in the life and times of the Black Prince, feeling trepidation at his beginnings, exhilaration at his triumphs, and deep sorrow at his demise, all thanks to the authors passion, knowledge and delivery in this book. Never before, do I think, has an author has brought so much life and personality to the the Black Prince and it is not through contrivance or conjecture but through a thoroughly well researched and wonderfully written account of his life. I'm not someone who readily recommends just one book on a subject; I believe firmly that one must read from many different authors to get a fuller, tempered picture but if you were just going to read one book about the Black Prince? This is the one you should read.