Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Black Prince’s ruby, large red gem set in the Maltese cross in the front of the imperial state crown of England. It is not a ruby but is one of the world’s largest gem-quality red spinels, a polished lump 5 cm (2 inches) long, pierced and partly filled with a small ruby. The stone was given to Edward the Black Prince by Pedro the Cruel, king of Castile, on the victory of NĆ”jera in 1367. It narrowly escaped destruction when Henry V wore it at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.