The Rottindean Project  Black Prince

 

Edward the Black Prince
Born: 15th June 1330 at Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Prince of Wales
Died: 8th June 1376 at Westminster Palace, Middlesex

 

Edward, Prince of Wales was called Edward of Woodstock, after his birthplace, and has, more recently, been known as The Black Prince. He was the eldest son of King Edward II of England , and father to King Richard II of England. Edward, an exceptional military leader and popular during his life, died one year before his father and thus never ruled as king. The throne passed instead to his son Richard.

Edward of Woodstock at the age of sixteen joined his father King Edward at the battle of Crécy, which was fought on the 26th August 1346. King Edward had ordered the Prince to wear on that day a richly ornamented black cuirass. This is the reason Edward became known through history as the 'Black Prince". Although another theory is that the French referred to him as the Black Prince after he had won some very bloody battles against them.

At Poitiers in 1356, he won his greatest victory, capturing the French king, Jean II, and his rich baggage. The French forces were so diminished by this battle it took them almost 15 years before they could regroup into anything like the force they were prior.

At Nájera in Castile in 1367 the Black Prince defeated Henry of Trastamara of Spain, who had usurped the throne of his half-brother, Pedro 'the Cruel'.

The Black prince had two sons Edward and Richard. Edward died aged Six years and Richard went on to be King Richard II.

The Black Prince returned to England a year before his death in 1376

It would seem that the Black Prince spent his life in victorious battles against the French during the 100 year war.

So what's his connection to Rottingdean and why is his ghost suppose to be resident in the Village. The Year following the death of the infamous enemy to the French The Black Prince, The village of Rottingdean fell to siege from a French naval invasion where on the village green the French rounded up some of the Black princes favorite knights and personal assistants before capturing them and holding them for ransom.

Can you just imagine the Black Prince must of been turning in his grave. The ghost of the Black prince has been seen in the grounds of the grange that overlooks the village green where this event took place back in 1377.