Robin Hood

Some Say He’s Not Real

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The subject of an untold number of ballads, books and films, Robin Hood is one of popular culture’s most enduring folk heroes of all time. But was the legendary leader of Sherwood Forest's merry outlaws, some call ‘Robin, the Hood’, really inspired by the genuine article are such classic tales fantasy?

Academics, have combed the historical record for evidence of a real Robin Hood. United Kingdom legal records suggest that, as early as the 13th century, ‘Robbihod’ and ‘Robert Hod’ or other such variations that had become common descriptive names for outlaws or criminals. But what really inspired these nicknames: a fictional tale, an infamous bandit or a combination of both?

The first literary references to Robin Hood appears in a series of 14th and 15^th century ballads about a violent man who lived in Sherwood Forest with his men who frequently clashed with the Sheriff of Nottingham. Rather than a knight or fallen noble, as portrayed in later versions, the hero of these medieval stories was a commoner. His associates, Little John and Will Scarlet are part of this Robin’s “merry” crew which during that era was nothing short of an outlaw’s gang.   Maid Marian, Friar Tuck and others would not enter the legend until some years later.

Most contemporary scholars have failed to turn up solid clues, but medieval chroniclers took it for granted that a historical Robin Hood lived and breathed during the 12th or 13th century. The details of Robin’s accounts vary widely by such chroniclers, however, the often place him in conflicting regions and eras.

As for historical evidence: well that occured with the publication of Scottish historian John Major’s “History of Greater Britain” in 1521; here Robin was depicted as a follower of King Richard some time between 1193 AD and 1194 AD, which became one of his (Robin’s) defining characteristics in modern times.

Yet another small bit of information is in British court records dated July 25, 1225 which notes that the royal justices held court at York on that day; penalties were recorded in the roll of the Exchequer (a former superior court having jurisdiction in England and Wales primarily over revenue matters), they included a list of the personal property of one ‘Robert Hod’, fugitive. This account was carried forward into the next year, and by then he had acquired the nickname of ‘Robbohod’, regardless, these records indicate that “Robin Hood” had been a tenant of the of the York Archbishop.

In addition, there is a grave (said to be that of Robin Hood) located near Kirklees of West Yorkshire, England (where the legend claims he was killed), dated in 1247.

On this bit of flimsy evidence, it is possible to construct a time line of a sort: Robin was active in the 1190s, considered an outlaw by 1225, dead by 1247 and a legend soon thereafter. Quite frankly, I wouldn't stake my reputation on this as being even close, but it beats nothing.

I expect the truth is we may never know for sure whether or not Robin Hood existed outside the verses of ballads and pages of books. But even if we did, fans of all ages would most likely continue to flock to England’s Nottinghamshire region for a tour of the legend’s former hot spots; including local pubs that are hundreds of years old as well as the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest.  

We do know, however that the simple notion of a brave rebel who lives on the edge of society, fighting injustice and oppression with his band of ‘outlaws’, has universal appeal; it matters not who he’s played by in films: Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe or even, as in a 1979 episode of “The Muppet Show,” Kermit the Frog.

Sources …                                                                        http://www.history.com/topics/robin-hood                         http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/robin_01.shtml           http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood