John Chandos

Life and work

They found the enemy vessels ranged in three compact lines, including the captured English prize the great cog Christopher.^[2] At a planned attack, Chandos' force retreated toward the bridge across the Vienne at Lussac-les-Châteaux, thinking they had been detected.^[3] According to Henry Knighton's chronicles, Edward III sent Chandos, Sir Reginald Cobham, and Sir Stephen Lambkin ashore at Blankenberge to scout the French fleet before the Battle of Sluys.^[2] The French forces, not knowing the English were there, chose to travel the same road to attack English troops.^[3]

The two opposing forces encountered each other at the Lussac bridge.^[3] During the fight, Chandos slipped on frost because his long coat caused him to lose his footing.^[3] A squire named James de Saint-Martin, serving Sir Bagnac, drove his lance into Chandos' face beneath his eye.^[3]

What the cited sources add

Froissart wrote that he heard Chandos regretted by renowned knights in France, who said he was so wise he would have found means of establishing peace.^[3] John Chandos' herald, known as Chandos Herald, wrote a poem titled The Life of the Black Prince.^[4] According to Desmond Seward, Charles V of France reportedly remarked that if Chandos had survived, he would have discovered a method to create a durable peace.^[3] Froissart wrote that among the English, no one in a hundred years had been more courteous or possessed more virtue and good qualities than Chandos.^[3]