Michael Jones

But I think the mood of the army, suddenly people get that this is going to be the last chance saloon and everyone is up for it.

So this small force comes in at the rear and then the cavalry attack hits the French line with such force.

that Jean II, the King of France and his bodyguard, did not clean out the battle line into an adjacent meadow.

And even then, the English, adrenaline-fueled as they are, outnumbered by about ten to one, but the French are in a state of shock.

So it's the most extraordinary victory, and I don't think much as military historians love

studying weapons and tactical analysis and this, that and the other.

I think this battle is outside the comfort zone, really.

And of course, once again, it fuels this idea from the prince that divine protection wins in the battle.

Yeah, and we capture the French king as well.

That's the big one.

Well, yeah, he doesn't get on very well with his own ability.

And when he's in London, he can be the kind of martyred hero with everyone actually saying, he wasn't so bad.

Yeah, good question.

I think...

In some respects, he's very much a man and a warrior of his times.

And these brutal raids, it's how his father was conducting fighting both with the Scots and also in the early stages of the Hundred Years' War.

People were pious in the Middle Ages, but the Black Prince's piety was very deep.

And what tends to get lost, I think, the first thing that tends to get lost is that he had a very mischievous sense of humor.

He was very charismatic and very winning.

And one can find this in some chronicle sources, particularly more obscure French chronicle sources, how mischievously humorous he was.