The Real Robin Hood

Robin Hood as we know him likely never existed: the name grew out of the exploits of several medieval criminals who became popular for flaunting the draconian laws and corruption of public officials of the time. The first reference to this composite character in any literature appeared in the late 1300s, while the first body of stories telling his exploits was set down during the 1400s. Historical records from 1261 and 1262 note a William Robehod whose gang was declared outlaws and whose personal property was seized as a result.

Given the imperfect nature of that era’s record-keeping, his last name morphed into Robynhod. Scottish historian John Major, however, wrote in 1521 of a Robert Hod who was a fugitive in 1193 and 1194 before getting caught in 1225 and dying in 1247. Two of Major’s contemporaries noted different dates for Hod, though, and it’s likely that both Hod’s and Robehod’s exploits — and names — contributed to the Robin Hood legend.

Fleshing Out the Story

Two other notorious fugitives helped add color to the Robin Hood tale: Fulk fitzWarin was actually a childhood friend of Prince John who lost his family estate when John gave it to a rival after assuming the throne. Fulk murdered that rival and spent three years battling the King’s men before being pardoned in 1203. During his years on the lam, Fulk was known for robbing the King’s men and forcing them to eat meals with him. In a direct parallel with a Robin Hood story, he lured the King into a forest, kidnapped him and had dinner with him before setting him free.

Eustace the Monk took over the island of Sark in 1205 and plied the English Channel waters as a pirate until his death in 1217. Legend says that he disguised himself as a simple tradesman to evade capture and, in another parallel with the Robin Hood stories, he was notorious for asking those he attacked how much money they were carrying and sending them on their way if they told the truth.

Characters of Many Origins

While not all the outlaws who inspired the Robin Hood legend took refuge in forests, the woods were often controlled by medieval royalty who wanted to keep their hunting grounds secure. Thus the peasants of the era would have taken great delight in the exploits of an outlaw who operated right under the nose of the King. Like Robin himself, Maid Marian and the band of Merry Men never existed: they were added piece-meal by storytellers who needed a supporting cast to help flesh out the increasingly complicated tales.

The same can be said of Robin’s nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham. Technically, Nottingham didn’t have a sheriff until 1449, but the surrounding land, known as the shire of Nottingham, did have one, so the position itself likely became the bad guy in the Robin Hood tales. Most of the sheriffs were notoriously corrupt, especially during the reign of King John, and often collected far more taxes than the crown required, pocketing the extra income.

With a basic foundation in place, Robin Hood’s legend grew as generations of storytellers embellished his exploits and mixed the real with the fantastic. Depending on who was telling the tale, Robin became an outlaw after killing some foresters who threatened to inform the King that he had illegally slain a deer. Or perhaps he returned from the Crusades and discovered that King Richard the Lion-Hearted was captured by Leopold V of Austria, leaving the throne open for Prince John to take. The latter part really did happen, and King John was incredibly unpopular, so it’s not a surprise that they incorporated that part of history into the Robin Hood fantasy.

Robin could also be the Earl of Huntingdon or a simple man, Robin of Locksley. Depending on the religious climate of the time, Robin was a devout Catholic or he swore allegiance to the pagan god Herne the Hunter. No matter how he was depicted, stories of Robin Hood’s adventures became the basis of medieval and Elizabethan ballads and plays. During the 20th century, he starred in novels, comic books, TV shows, movies and several video games.

The “Real” Tale?

This game uses what is more or less the “official” version of the Robin Hood story, if such exists. Robin of Locksley accompanies King Richard the Lion-Hearted on the Crusades, with Prince John taking control of England in Richard’s absence. On his way back, King Richard is kidnapped by Duke Leopold of Austria, who demands a ransom for his return. Prince John uses the incident to impose harsh laws and appoint overbearing men to local positions.

Robin decides to go back to England and raise the money needed to free the King, but he discovers that his father, Lord Locksley, died while he was away. The Sheriff of Nottingham took advantage of that event to claim that Robin had died during the Crusades, confiscating all his property and leaving him penniless. As the game begins, Robin heads for Lincoln, where he spent his youth with Lord Godwin, who taught him how to use a bow and arrow. He hopes Godwin can assist him with his plight.