Which English prince was known as the Black Prince?

The English prince known as the Black Prince was Edward of Woodstock. Born in 1330, he was the eldest son of King Edward III and became Prince of Wales in 1343, making him heir to the English throne.

Edward became famous as a military commander during the Hundred Years’ War. At the Battle of Crécy in 1346, when he was still a teenager, he helped lead the English forces to victory. He later won another major victory at Poitiers in 1356, where the French king John II was captured. His campaigns strengthened his reputation as one of the most formidable warriors of the fourteenth century.

Despite his fame, Edward never became king. Ill health prevented him from succeeding his father, and he died in 1376, one year before Edward III. His son became King Richard II. Edward also ruled territories in southwestern France and led a destructive campaign in Castile, where he helped restore Peter of Castile.

The nickname “Black Prince” was not a contemporary official title. It became established in later sources, and its exact origin remains uncertain; theories connect it with his armor, martial reputation, or later storytelling.