Many poems, stories and ballads have been written about the noble robber Robin Hood. But was he a real person, or just a beautiful legend? There has been a long history of debate about this.
Who was the prototype for Robin Hood?
Probably the earliest source describing the deeds of this hero is "The Ballad of Robin Hood", written at the end of the XIV century. The proud, fearless robber from Sherwood Forest robs the rich, helps the poor, punishes the wicked and the greedy …
Later, the name of Robin Hood begins to appear in other sources. For example, Jeffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales mentions "the hazel thickets where the merry Robin walked."
Modern researchers believe that several historical figures could be the prototypes of Robin Hood at once.
So, in the census registers for 1228 and 1230, the name of Robert Hood, nicknamed the Brownie, is found. According to sources, he came into conflict with the law. In addition, the rise of the rebel movement led by Sir Robert Twing dates back to about the same time. It is known that the rebels robbed monasteries, took away grain supplies from there and distributed them to the poor.
Another candidate for the role of Robin Hood is Robert Fitzut. Legend has it that Fitzut was born into an aristocratic family, lived from about 1160 to 1247, and organized rebellions in order to win the supposedly due title of Earl of Huntington. In any case, Fitzut's dates of life coincide with the dates of Robin Hood's life, as indicated in some sources. However, no mention of Robert Fitzut has been found in the official archives. Robin Hood, however skeptics point out that modern records do not mention a rebellious nobleman named Robin Fitzut.
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Who was the king of Robin Hood?
In addition to issues related to the timing of the origins of the Robin Hood stories, various sources tell us about different kings. The first historian, Walter Bower, confidently placed Robin Hood in the 1265 revolt against King Henry III, led by Simon de Montfort, the king's son-in-law. After his defeat during the Battle of Eveshem, most of the rebels remained in the army and led a life similar to that described in the ballads about Robin Hood. “At that time,” wrote Walter Bower, “the famous robber Robin Hood appeared among those who were disinherited and exiled for participating in the uprising. These people sang their feats in romances, performances and excerpts. The main snag in Bower's reasoning is the presence of the bow, which is so common in the ballads about Robin Hood. It had not yet been invented during the rebellion of Simon de Montfort.
A document dated 1322 tells of the "Robin Hood stone" in Yorkshire. It is assumed that ballads - not human - were already well known by this time. Those who would have placed the real Robin Hood in this particular time frame suggest that Robin Hood, the owner of Wakefield who took part in the uprising of the Earl of Lancaster, was the prototype of the rebel hero. The next year, they point out, King Edward II visited Nottingham and hired a certain Robin Hood as his court valet. His salary was paid for the next 12 months or until he was fired, "because he could no longer work." This testimony is beautifully presented in the third story of Robin Hood's Little Gesture.
The mention of King Edward II settles the hero of robbers in the first quarter of the 14th century. But according to other versions, Robin Hood appears as a supporter of King Richard the Lionheart, who ruled in the last decade of the 12th century, and an opponent of Richard's brother and his successor John Landless - so he was named for the territories lost in France.
Fictional stories
What is most evident in Robin Hood is the development of the legend about him. In the early ballads, there is no mention of Marian, the hero's girlfriend. It first appears at the end of the 15th century, when folk songs and dances became popular on the May holidays. Huge baby John along with Robin Hood at the very beginning, but Father Tuck appears in the last ballad when he plunges Robin into a stormy stream. The real Robin Hood is a simple yeoman, later he turns into a rebellious nobleman.
There are so many conflicting additions to the legend of Robin Hood that it is unlikely that a real hero will ever be found. Most scholars nowadays agree that he is the type - the robber hero - who has been described in ballads passed down from generation to generation since the 1300s. Storytellers weave a variety of conflicting stories and real people into their stories and turn it all into a story about a person who may never have existed. As one professor wrote, "Robin Hood is the product of a muse," the invention of unknown poets who wanted to glorify the common man who sought justice against the pressures of nobility and wealth. This is what made him famous and made him the hero of ballads:
He was a kind robber
And did a lot of good to the poor
And for this the Lord spared his soul.
There is also a version that Robin Hood was one of the warriors of King Richard the Lionheart. He ruled England in the last decade of the 12th century. However, the aforementioned monarch almost never visited his state, spending time in foreign military campaigns. And the adventures of Robin Hood take place in England.
The prototype of Robin Hood could also be a certain tenant from Wakefield, who in 1322 took part in the uprising of the Earl of Lancaster. This version is confirmed by documentary information that in 1323 the English king Edward II, having visited Nottingham, took a man named Robert Good into his service as a valet. The Ballad of Robin Hood has similar facts.
Historians believe that if Robin Hood really existed, then he performed his feats in the first quarter of the XIV century. This exactly coincided with the era of the reign of Edward II.
Man in the hood
Most researchers are still inclined to believe that Good is a nickname, not a surname. Hood (Hood) translated from English means "hood". This is a traditional item of clothing for all medieval robbers. By the way, this word could mean several hats at once: a hood, a cap, a hood, a cowl, a helmet - the main thing is that it protects the whole head … And the term also has a figurative meaning: "hide". Hence the expression "hoodlum" - "thug", "hooligan" (after all, honest people do not need to cover their faces and heads if they are not warriors). Thus, Robin Hood was understood as a secretive person with hooligan manners …
So, most likely, the image of Robin Hood is collective. Oppressed by the authorities and the rich, the poor dreamed of a national hero who would fight for justice, defending the rights of the most disadvantaged.
Robber's grave
Oddly enough, the mythical character has his own grave, next to which there is even a monument to Robin Hood. It is located near Kirkless Abbey in West Yorkshire.
Legend has it that the sick Robin Hood came to the abbess of the monastery after hearing that she was very well versed in the medicinal craft. But she turned out to be loyal to the authorities pursuing the robber and decided, on the contrary, to hasten his death. The woman went for a trick: she made it so that Robin lost too much blood, and so that the patient did not notice it, she passed the blood through a jug with a hole.
Realizing that the end was near, Robin Hood bequeathed to bury himself where the arrow he released would fall. The arrow fell about 650 meters from the monastery gatehouse, where, according to legend, the robber was overtaken by death. A memorial was set up there.
Meanwhile, researcher Richard Rutherford-Moore doubts that Robin Hood could have been buried in this particular place. Having experimented with a bow and arrow of a medieval model, he concluded that an arrow fired from the window of the gatehouse could fly away from him at most 5 meters. And the archives indicate that in the 18th century, in the process of laying pipes, the remains of an unknown man were found near the notorious gatehouse. Maybe these were the bones of Robin Hood? But where they are now - nobody knows.
Irina Shlionskaya
