The tomb of Edward, the Black Prince, was built in the 14th century for

Edward of Woodstock Edward of Woodstock (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), known as the Black Prince, was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Edward III of England. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, succeeded to the throne instead. Edward ne ...

(d. 1376). He was the son of

Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after t ...

and heir apparent to the English throne until his early death from

dysentery Dysentery ( , ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications may include dehyd ...

, aged 45. Due to his role in the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...

and his characteristic black

plate armour Plate armour is a historical type of personal body armour made from bronze, iron, or steel plates, culminating in the iconic suit of armour entirely encasing the wearer. Full plate steel armour developed in Europe during the Late Middle Ages, es ...

, Edward became known to history as "the Black Prince". Aware that he was dying and mindful of his legacy, his will (signed the day before he died) specified his desired place of burial, and contained detailed stipulations as to the design of his tomb and that it be located in the Trinity Chapel of

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Located in Canterbury, Kent, it is one of the oldest Christianity, Ch ...

, in

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

, England, where his body is still interred. The tomb consists of a recumbent

tomb effigy A tomb effigy (French language, French: ''gisant'' ("lying")) is a sculpted effigy of a deceased person usually shown lying recumbent on a rectangular slab, presented in full ceremonial dress or wrapped in a shroud, and shown either dying or sh ...

, a tomb chest and a tester holding his heraldic achievements. Due to its highly detailed armour, the effigy is considered one of the most important examples of English medieval

funerary art Funerary art is any work of art forming, or placed in, a repository for the remains of the death, dead. The term encompasses a wide variety of forms, including cenotaphs ("empty tombs"), tomb-like monuments which do not contain human remains, a ...

given that so few examples of contemporary armour survive. According to Jessica Barker of the

Courtauld Institute of Art The Courtauld Institute of Art (), commonly referred to as The Courtauld, is a self-governing college of the University of London specialising in the study of the history of art and conservation. The art collection is known particularly for ...

, "there is something deeply affecting about the way his armor is depicted on the tomb ... This isn't just any armor—it is his armor...replicated with complete fidelity even down to tiny details like the position of rivets."

Life and death of Edward of Woodstock

Edward became known as the "Black Prince" due to his distinctive black

and reputation for "savagery as a military commander"; he has been accused of ordering the massacre of hundreds of men, women and children in the

sack A sack usually refers to a rectangular-shaped bag. Sack may also refer to: Bags * Flour sack * Gunny sack * Hacky sack, sport * Money sack * Paper sack * Sleeping bag * Stuff sack * Knapsack Other uses * Bed, a slang term * Sack (band), ...

following the

Siege of Limoges The town of Limoges had been under English control but in August 1370 it surrendered to the French, opening its gates to the John, Duke of Berry, Duke of Berry. The siege of Limoges was laid by the England, English army led by Edward, the Blac ...

in 1370.Kindy, David.
Thanks to Medical Technology, the Black Prince’s Tomb Reveals Its Secrets
. ''

Smithsonian Magazine ''Smithsonian'' is a magazine covering science, history, art, popular culture and innovation. The first issue was published in 1970. History The history of ''Smithsonian'' began when Edward K. Thompson, the retired editor of ''Life'' magazine ...

'', 10 November 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2023Jones (2017), p. 371 He was the eldest son and

heir apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...

of King

, but died young and before his father, leaving his son

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as the Black Prince), and Joan, Countess of Kent. R ...

to succeed to the throne. Nevertheless, historians often give Edward the distinction of having been one of the most successful English commanders during the

.Kennedy, Maev.
Secrets of the Black Prince's tomb effigy in Canterbury Cathedral revealed by scientists
. ''

The Art Newspaper ''The Art Newspaper'' is a monthly print publication, with daily updates online, founded in 1990 and based in London and New York City. It covers news of the visual arts as they are affected by international politics and economics, developments i ...

'', 27 October 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2023 Edward's slow death from

aged 45 took a number of weeks, but he remained lucid and aware. He died on 8 June 1376 at the Royal Palace of Westminster, and per his wishes was buried at an extravagant ceremony in

, on 29 September. His funeral was conducted strictly in accordance to the instructions outlined in his will, which he signed in the days before his demise.Tyson (1977), p. 98 The will was written in French and is now at the

Lambeth Palace Library Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is situated in north Lambeth, London, on the south bank of the River Thames, south-east of the Palace of Westminster, which houses Parliament, on the opposite b ...

in London. It contains highly detailed descriptions of his tomb's design, including the materials to be used and a stipulation that he be depicted "fully armed in plate of war". The Black Prince of Crecy

His will contains the full text of the

epithet An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...

, and that the monument was to be positioned from the altar of the chapel of Our Lady of the Undercroft in Canterbury Cathedral.Jones (2017), p. 451 His choice of Canterbury Cathedral was influenced by his belief that

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury fr ...

(d. 1170 and also interred in the Trinity Chapel) had interceded to aid him at the

Battle of Poitiers The Battle of Poitiers was fought on 19September 1356 between a Kingdom of France, French army commanded by King John II of France, King JohnII and an Kingdom of England, Anglo-Gascony, Gascon force under Edward the Black Prince, Edward, the ...

, which he led against the French army commanded by King JohnII, on 19 September 1356, during the

.Jones (2017), p. 464 Edward instructed that "two warhorses, covered with trappings of my own armour and equipment, proceed before my body ... carrying all my banners, badges and

insignia An insignia () is a sign or mark distinguishing a group, grade, rank, or function. It can be a symbol of personal power or that of an official group or governing body. An insignia, which is typically made of metal or fabric, is a standalone sy ...

". Richard arranged and paid for the construction of his father's monument, adhering to Edward's design. At the same time, Edward's father honoured his son's outstanding debts, which were significant: at the time of his death, Edward owed 94 creditors a total of £2,972 (c. £2.2m in July 2023).Jones (2017), p. 452

Description

The monument is positioned within a tall protective iron gate, and below a tester that once held his heraldic achievements. The tester's imagery includes iconography related to the

Holy Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three ...

, reflecting his membership of the knightly

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...

who acted under the patronage of the Trinity.Green (2007), p. 167

Effigy

The effigy is made from gilt bronze and shows Edward lying recumbent in full plate armour. The metal plates are held together by an intricate system of bolts and pins. The garments worn over his armour include a

bascinet The bascinet – also bassinet, basinet, or bazineto – was a Medieval European open-faced combat helmet. It evolved from a type of iron or steel Cervelliere, skullcap, but had a more pointed apex to the skull, and it extended downwards at ...

(an open-faced helmet), a ceremonial cap, an

aventail An aventail () or camail () is a flexible curtain of mail (armour), mail attached to the skull of a helmet that extends to cover at least the neck, but often also the throat and shoulders. Part or all of the face, with spaces to allow vision, cou ...

(rows of

chain mail Mail (sometimes spelled maille and, since the 18th century, colloquially referred to as chain mail, chainmail or chain-mail) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common milita ...

), a leopard crest, and an arse-

girdle A belt without a buckle, especially if a cord or rope, is called a girdle in various contexts, especially historical ones, where girdles were a very common part of everyday clothing from antiquity until perhaps the 15th century, especially for w ...

.Jones (2017), p. 463 The intricate metalwork is so similar to the types worn by contemporary knights that modern historians believe that the designer was an experienced and highly placed designer of knightly armour. Edward is shown with open eyes, with his head resting on a helm. His hands are joined in prayer, and his feet are placed on an animal that is most likely a leopard. File:TombaPrincepNegre.JPG, Detail of the armour File:Edward, the Black Prince, in Canterbury Cathedral 12 (cropped).JPG, Detail showing the iron gate enclosure File:Tumba del "Príncipe Negro" 2.jpg, Full length view with lion resting at his feet File:Edward, the Black Prince, Canterbury (2896092290) (cropped).jpg, Detail with lion and inscriptions

Epitaph

The

epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

is written in French and inscribed on two rows on the upper edge of the tomb-chest. Its 16 lines of verse are directly transcribed from Edward's will, with some minor changes in wording.Tyson (1977), p. 99 Edward chose text that emphasises his pride in his military achievements but also showed him humbled before God. According to the historian David Green, the text describes "the inevitable corruption of all earthly things ... nda sense of disgust and pity for the human condition". It in part translates as: "But now a caitiff poor am I, deep in the ground lo here I lie. My beauty great is all quite gone, my flesh is wasted to the bone". Green notes the contrast between the splendour of the effigy and the humbleness of the inscription.Green (2007), pp. 163–164 Although the date that the inscription was added is unknown, it is believed to have been sometime between 1377 and 1380.Tyson (1977), pp. 98, 102–103 Scholars have identified one inspiration as the " Disciplina clericalis", a popular early 12th-century collection of verse (some of Arabian origin), originally written in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

Petrus Alphonsi Petrus Alphonsi (died after 1116) was a Spanish physician, writer, astronomer and polemicist who was born and raised as a Jew and later in life converted to Christianity in 1106. He is also known just as Alphonsi, and as Peter Alfonsi or Pete ...

(d. after 1116) and later translated to French. This indicates that he (or his clerics or advisors) had some literary awareness, given that few other English medieval epitaphs are derived from literary sources.Tyson (1977), p. 102

Tomb-chest

The tomb chest is made—as Edward had specified—from marble "of good

masonry Masonry is the craft of building a structure with brick, stone, or similar material, including mortar plastering which are often laid in, bound, and pasted together by mortar (masonry), mortar. The term ''masonry'' can also refer to the buildin ...

". It is lined with twelve panels, each one foot in width. Six show his arms, and six contain the three ostrich plumes representing his role as the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

, and each containing his motto "" (high spirits);Green (2007), p. 163 which he interpreted as being possessed of, according to Green, an "almost supernatural strength" and leadership, which he felt he had displayed at the

, the

Battle of Nájera The Battle of Nájera, also known as the Battle of Navarrete, was fought on 3 April 1367 to the northeast of Nájera, in the province of La Rioja, Castile. It was an episode of the first Castilian Civil War which confronted King Peter of Ca ...

and later victories.Jones (2017), p. 464 Thus, he asked that his burial reflect his life as a warrior. His heraldic achievements (

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...

symbols to which the bearer of a

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

is entitled), consisting of his

surcoat A surcoat or surcote is an outer garment that was commonly worn in the Middle Ages by soldiers. It was worn over armor to show insignia and help identify what side the soldier was on. In the battlefield the surcoat was also helpful with keeping ...

(a padded tunic), helmet, shield and gauntlets,Jones (2017), p. 31 have been replaced with replicas; the originals are now in a nearby glass cabinet. As of 2017 they were scheduled for restoration, after which they would again be placed above the monument. File:Edward, the Black Prince, in Canterbury Cathedral 02.JPG, Shield with coat of arms showing

fleur-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...

and leopards File:Edward, the Black Prince, in Canterbury Cathedral 03.JPG, Shield with ostrich plumes File:Black Prince Heraldic Achievements (cropped).JPG, The original funerary hatchments

Notes

References

Sources

* Barker, Jessica; Mcarthur, Graeme; Pegues, Emily.
Fully armed in plate of war’: making the effigy of the Black Prince
. ''

The Burlington Magazine ''The Burlington Magazine'' is a monthly publication that covers the fine and decorative arts of all periods. Established in 1903, it is the longest running art journal in the English language. It has been published by a charitable organisation s ...

'', 19 October 2021 * Green, David. ''Edward the Black Prince: A Study of Power in Medieval Europe''. London: Routledge, 2007. (Kindle edition) * Jones, Michael. ''The Black Prince''. London: Head of Zeus, 2017. * Oosterwijk, Sophie.
Precious-metal effigial tomb monuments in medieval Europe 1080-1430
. Academia.edu, 2014 * Stanley, Arthur Penrhyn. ''Historical Memorials of Canterbury The Landing of Augustine, The Murder of Becket, Edward the Black Prince, Becket's Shrine''. Canterbury: J. Murray, 1855 * Tyson, Diana. "The Epitaph of Edward the Black Prince". '' Medium Ævum'', volume 46, no. 1, 1977.

External links

Investigating the Black Prince's Tomb
a summary of recent examinations by scientists and art historians, video doc, Canterbury Cathedral, 2017
Tomb of the Black Prince in the (Canterbury) Cathedral
Series of 1871 prints,

Royal Collection Trust The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the ...

, UK {{coord, 51.27965, N, 1.08366, E, display=title Buildings and structures completed in the 14th century Canterbury Cathedral Edward the Black Prince Memento mori Tomb effigies Tombs in the United Kingdom