Windlass – Black Prince Sword

The Black Prince, born Edward of Woodstock, was every inch the heir of his father, the formidable King Edward III, one of England’s mightiest warrior kings. Perhaps the most storied figure of the Middle Ages, the Prince of Wales embodied the romantic ideal of chivalry. At the youthful age of 16, he led a wing of his father’s army at the Battle of Crécy, where he triumphed over a vastly larger French force, cementing his legend. Later, at the Battle of Poitiers, he took sole command and once more defied the odds, securing an unlikely victory. Tragically, illness claimed him before he could ascend the throne, yet his legacy endures. To his English peers, he was one of the greatest knights of the age.

Above his tomb, his sword once hung, a symbol of his valor, until it was reportedly taken by Oliver Cromwell. In the mid-20th century, a blade matching the one carved upon his effigy surfaced and came into the hands of Ewart Oakeshott. After meticulous study of its patina, craftsmanship, and maker’s mark, Oakeshott declared it the true sword of the Black Prince, a relic of a legendary warrior.

This reproduction of the famed longsword of The Black Prince has a well-tempered blade forged from 1080 high carbon steel which is faithful to the blade geometry of the Type XVa with a very thick diamond-cross section blade that is rigid, stiff and eminently well-suited for piercing through the weakpoints of an armored harness, particularly with a half-sword grip.

The guard and pommel are steel with a blackened finish and the wooden grip is wrapped in stitched black leather to match. The sword comes with a thick stitched leather scabbard with a chape and locket of blackened steel to complete it.