2009/02/07 by David Green · 2 citations
Arts and Humanities · #Reformation and Early Modern Christianity #Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes #Masculinity #History #Genealogy #Demography #Gender studies #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1016/j.jmedhist.2008.12.002
openalex publication_date 2009/02/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
This article examines the nature of the illness that plagued Edward the Black Prince (1330–76) for the last nine years of his life and caused his death. The prince's premature death had profound political repercussions and a discussion of his symptoms provides a lens through which to examine late medieval attitudes to a wide range of social, religious and medical issues. The prince's symptoms, especially those described by Thomas Walsingham in his Chronica maiora, suggest traditional explanations of his death are incorrect. This article offers a number of varied but connected medieval and symbolic interpretations as well as a consideration of methodologies appropriate for analysing such material ☆ For their help with various matters in the preparation of this article the author wishes to thank April Harper, Katherine Lewis, Caroline Proctor, and the editor and anonymous reader of the Journal of Medieval History. Particular thanks are also due to Bronach Kane for her generosity in sharing unpublished research, and Dr Patricia Grocott, Reader in Palliative Wound Care, King's College, University of London, for her help with a possible medical diagnosis of the Black Prince's condition.