Edward, prince of Wales, surnamed the Black Prince, from the color of his armor, eldest son of Edward III. and Philippa of Hai-naut, born at Woodstock, June 15, 1330, died June 8,1376. In his 16th year he accompanied his father in his invasion of France, and he held the nominal command of the largest and most actively engaged division of the English forces in the battle of Crecy. Among the slain was John of Luxemburg, the blind king of Bohemia, whose crest of three ostrich feathers, with the motto Ich dien (I serve), was adopted by the prince of Wales, and has always been borne by his successors. In 1356 he gained the victory of Poitiers, in which the French King John was taken prisoner. He returned to England in 1357, the king of France on a splendidly caparisoned charger forming the principal ornament of the cavalcade with which he entered London. In 1361 the king of England united all his dominions between the Loire and the Pyrenees into one principality, and bestowed it upon the Black Prince, with the title of prince of Aquitaine. There Pedro the Cruel took refuge from Castile, and young Edward undertook to replace him on his throne.

He marched through the valley of Roncesvalles and by Pamplona to the frontiers of Castile, met and defeated Henry of Trastamare on the plains between Navarrete and Najera, was disappointed of the reimbursements which had been stipulated, and returned into Guienne with an exhausted treasury and a shattered constitution. To defray the expenses of his court, perhaps the most magnificent in Europe, and to fulfil his contracts with the troops that had followed him to Spain, he imposed taxes which made him unpopular with his barons. Summoned in 1369 to answer before King Charles of France to the complaints of his vassals, he replied that he would obey, but at the head of 60,000 men. He appeared in the field, but the French generals avoided an engagement and garrisoned their strong places. He laid siege to Limoges, captured it and reduced it to ashes, and massacred the inhabitants. This was the end of his military career, and by the advice of his physicians he returned to England, where he lingered for six years. The Black Prince is portrayed by contemporary writers as the most heroic of princes.

He married his cousin Joan, countess of Kent, famed for her beauty, by whom he left one son, Richard, who succeeded Edward III. as king.

Edwards #1

I. An unsettled S. W. county of Texas; area, 1,225 sq. m. It is chiefly noted for its mountain cedar, cold springs, and large rocks. II. A S. E. county of Illinois; area, 200 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 7,565. Bon Pas creek flows along its E. border, and the Wabash touches it on the S. E. The surface is occupied by forests and fertile undulating prairies. The chief productions in 1870 were 122,-703 bushels of wheat, 352,371 of Indian corn, 129,152 of oats, 14,522 of potatoes, 7,374 tons of hay, 48,703 lbs. of wool, and 133,150 of tobacco. There were 2,952 horses, 2,045 milch cows, 2,900 other cattle, 14,401 sheep, and 13,274 swine. Capital, Albion.