Jean Froissart is the author of the Chronicles, and what little information we know about Froissart’s life comes from his own writings. Froissart may have been born in 1337 at Valenciennes in modern-day France near the border with the Netherlands, which was then part of the independent county of Hainault (9-10). It is believed he came from a middle-class family involved in trade, which the modern translator of the Chronicles, Geoffrey Brereton, argues deeply influenced his perspective even though Froissart was sympathetic toward the nobility (20-22).

At some point, Froissart became a priest (13). Before and after he joined the Church, Froissart travelled extensively to different noble and royal courts across France, the Netherlands, England, and Scotland where he found aristocratic sponsors for his works. The powerful people and veterans of wars he befriended provided him with the information he used for his Chronicles. His date of death is unknown, but it is believed he died sometime around 1410 (15)

The Black Prince is also known as Edward of Woodstock or by his title, the Prince of Wales. This nickname, “Black Prince,” was derived from either the black armor he wore or his fearsome reputation in France.