PRINTS NOW AVAILABLE! http://www.cafepress.com/maludwigworks Project requested by user/WinefrideofWales The man who was to be named "The Black Prince" only after his death in 1376 was known throughout his lifetime as Edward of Woodstock, the eldest son of King Edward III and Queen Phillipa. Edward was later to become father to King Richard II. A born military leader, Edward defeated the French Army at the Battle of Crecy when he was only 16. Though his ascent to the throne seemed certain, it was not to be. Edward died a year before his father after succumbing to a long and mysterious illness, possibly contracted during his Spanish expedition. When his father King Edward III died a year later, the throne was deferred to Edward's son, King Richard II. Prince Edward was buried in great splendor in Canterbury Cathedral. At his request, his effigy shows his armored hands brought together in prayer. *The name "The Black Prince" didn't come about until after Edward's death, and many believe that the moniker refers to his trademark black armor that he always wore. *Prince Edward's mother Phillipa was of Armenian descent, with dark hair and exotic features, while Edward's father had the long face and light hair of his ancestry, which was a key component in creating the reconstruction, since what little history describes Edward suggests that he was "handsome, strong-limbed, & intelligent with blonde hair, blue eyes, a droopy mouth, and a melancholy countenance." He was a perfect mix of his two parents' features and lineage.