Why was the BLACK PRINCE called the Black Prince, given that his real name was Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales? In this video we will look at the story of this famous medieval Prince, who was the son of Edward III, husband of Joan of Kent and the father of Richard II but who was destined to be one of history’s many heirs to the throne who never became monarchs, after predeceasing his father in 1376.

We’ll explain why the Black Prince was famous, tell you some of the most notable events in his life and above all, explain when and where the Black Prince got his name, for this is not a moniker he was ever called during his lifetime. In fact, it cannot be traced back any further than the Tudor era. We’ll hear from early modern writers including John Leland and William Shakespeare as we trace the history of this famous warrior prince, who is one of the best remembered members of the sprawling Plantagenet dynasty to have lived during the 14th century.

We’ll show you some disputed portraits of Edward as well as his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral and explain the leading theories as to why later generations remembered him by such an unusual nickname. We’ll ask, was the Black Prince's armour black and is that where his name came from, or was the Black Prince a bad person, who was needlessly cruel and ruthless on the battlefield (especially in France) and is that what the sobriquet refers to?