Held at the British Library, and entitled The Death of John Chandos this image gives us the impression that Chandos
died in battle.
However, his death did not occur exactly as it is depicted. Of his death, the medieval French chronicler Froissart wrote
"it was a great pity he was slain, and that, if he could have been taken prisoner, he was so wise and full of devices,
he would have found some means of establishing a peace between France and England"
Sir John Chandos was born in the County of Derbyshire. Chandos is believed to have been the mastermind behind three English victories during the Hundred Years War, the Battle of Crecy, Poitiers, and Auray, and his death on the 31st of December
of 1369 is said to have been regretted by both the English and the French.
Unusual for a man of his day, Chandos had no noble title, his family connections were to land held from the time of the Norman Conquests, and they may well have been pre-Norman landowners. He was a founding knight of the Order of the Garter and a close personal friend of Edward, the Black Prince. For services rendered to the crown, Chandos was made Lieutenant of France, the vice-chamberlain of England later became Constable of Aquitaine and Seneschal of Poitou.
By the middle of the fourteenth century, Chandos had fallen out with the Black Prince and left England to retire to property he held in Normandy. By 1369 Edward had asked Chandos to return, their disagreement of taxation seems to have been forgotten, to join his forces against the French who were busy retaking English territory.
Sadly, it was this recall that ended in Chando's death, not in battle as we have seen, but a simple accident. The accident
took place after his troops returned from a nighttime skirmish, Chandos returned to camp, where, whilst walking, he managed
to entangle himself in his clothing and subsequently slipped on an icy patch and was stabbed in the face by a squire.
He was taken to Castle Morthemer but died of his wounds a few days later.
"it was a great pity he was slain, and that, if he could have been taken prisoner, he was so wise and full of devices,
he would have found some means of establishing a peace between France and England"
Sir John Chandos was born in the County of Derbyshire. Chandos is believed to have been the mastermind behind three English victories during the Hundred Years War, the Battle of Crecy, Poitiers, and Auray, and his death on the 31st of December
of 1369 is said to have been regretted by both the English and the French.
Unusual for a man of his day, Chandos had no noble title, his family connections were to land held from the time of the Norman Conquests, and they may well have been pre-Norman landowners. He was a founding knight of the Order of the Garter and a close personal friend of Edward, the Black Prince. For services rendered to the crown, Chandos was made Lieutenant of France, the vice-chamberlain of England later became Constable of Aquitaine and Seneschal of Poitou.
By the middle of the fourteenth century, Chandos had fallen out with the Black Prince and left England to retire to property he held in Normandy. By 1369 Edward had asked Chandos to return, their disagreement of taxation seems to have been forgotten, to join his forces against the French who were busy retaking English territory.
Sadly, it was this recall that ended in Chando's death, not in battle as we have seen, but a simple accident. The accident
took place after his troops returned from a nighttime skirmish, Chandos returned to camp, where, whilst walking, he managed
to entangle himself in his clothing and subsequently slipped on an icy patch and was stabbed in the face by a squire.
He was taken to Castle Morthemer but died of his wounds a few days later.
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