In 1355 Edward again declared war against the French. The Black
Prince invaded France with an army of sixty thousand men. He captured
rich towns and gathered a great deal of booty. While he was preparing
to move on Paris, the king of France raised a great army and marched
against him.
The Black Prince had lost so many men by sickness that he had only
about ten thousand when he reached the city of Poitiers. Suddenly,
near the city, he was met by the French force of about fifty-five
thousand, splendidly armed and commanded by the king himself.
"God help us!" exclaimed the prince, when he looked at the long
lines of the French as they marched on a plain before him.
Early on the morning of September 14, 1356, the battle began. The
English were few in number, but they were determined to contest
every inch of the ground and not surrender while a hundred of them
remained to fight. For hours they withstood the onset of the French.
At last a body of English horsemen charged furiously on one part
of the French line, while the Black Prince attacked another part.
This sudden movement caused confusion among the French. Many of
them fled from the field. When the Black Prince saw this he shouted
to his men, "Advance, English banners, in the name of God and St.
George!" His army rushed forward and the French were defeated.
Thousands of prisoners were taken, including the king of France
and many of his nobles.
The king was sent to England, where he was treated with the greatest
kindness. When, some time afterwards there was a splendid procession
in London to celebrate the victory of Poitiers, he was allowed
to ride in the procession on a beautiful white horse, while the
Black Prince rode on a pony at his side.
The Black Prince died in 1376. He was sincerely mourned by the
English people. They felt that they had lost a prince who would
have made a great and good king.