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Robin Hood is one of the most recognizable characters in popular culture. He has been the hero of countless books, comics, plays, and of course, motion pictures. Everyone has read or seen tales of the outlaw's adventures and his band of ‘Merry Men.’ He has become a by-word for a popular hero who takes from the rich and gives to the poor.  It is often assumed that he is only a legend, but others contend that he was a historical character. There has been a great deal of debate on the historicity of the famous outlaw. This article examines some of the latest research and theories on this question and tries to determine a real Robin Hood?  ==The What is the story of Robin Hood? ==The story of Robin Hood is so well known. The story is was set in the 13th century England, and Robin Hood was the alias of Robin of Locksley and an Earl. He was a follower of King Richard I (the Lionheart) , who when he went on Crusade had his throne usurped by his brother Johnwhen he went on Crusade. Robin is forced to become an outlaw by the evil King John , who was a cruel tyrant. The Sheriff of Nottingham , the King's agent of the King , attempts to capture and kill the brave Robin.  However, he defies him , and in a series of adventures , he escapes the clutches of the Sheriff and his henchmen. Robin assembles together a number of several colorful outlaws such as Will Scarlett, Little John, and Friar Tuck. The hero is concerned for the welfare of the poor , and he is opposed to the corrupt aristocracy and clergy. He is a great archer and is a thorough gentleman. The outlaw is typically shown to be in love with the beautiful Maid Marian. At the end of the tales of Robin Hood, he manages to outwit the Sheriff of Nottingham and helps the rightful king Richard the Lionheart reclaim the throne of England. This monarch pardons Robin and even marries him to Maid Marion. However, this is the modern version of the tale of Robin and there have been many earlier versions of the adventures of the outlaw and these are often very different from the one that we all know so well <ref> Kennedy, D.N. 'Who was Robin Hood?', Folklore, vol. 66 (1955), pp. 413-415</ref>.

==The development At the end of the legend==The name tales of Robin Hood or similar names seems , he manages to have been a term uses to describe outlawsoutwit the Sheriff of Nottingham and helps the rightful king, who were engaged in crimes such as poachingRichard the Lionheart, which was a capital crime in reclaim the throne of England. There are a number of references This monarch pardons Robin and even marries him to Robe Hood or Robehod, who were bandits and outlawsMaid Marion. It appears that However, this is the name was part modern version of the oral tradition outlaw's tale, and there have been many tales earlier versions of him were told in the Shires of England in outlaw adventures, and these are often very different from the Middle Ages one that we all know so well.<ref>Kennedy, p 410D.N. 'Who was Robin Hood?', Folklore, vol. 66 (1955), pp. 413-415</ref>. The first literary reference to  == Who created the outlaw was in the classic Medieval epic poem Piers Ploughmanstory of Robin Hood? ==Robin Hood or similar names seem to have been as terms to describe outlaws who were engaged in crimes such as poaching, written a capital crime in the mid-England. There are many references to-late 14th century. The first stories of Robin Robe Hood are narrated in some ballads that date from the 15th centuryor Robehod, who were bandits and outlaws. In someIt appears that it was part of the oral tradition, he is a hero but and many tales of him were told in others, he is involved the Shires of England in comic adventuresthe Middle Ages. Unlike the modern version in these ballads<ref>Kennedy, p 410</ref> The first literary reference to the outlaw is a member of the Yeoman class, who were mainly small landowners. Robin outlaw was very popular in English folklore and his life and adventures were the subject classic Medieval epic poem Piers Ploughman, written in the mid-to-late 14th century. The first stories of many plays and dramasRobin Hood were narrated in some ballads that date from the 15th century. HoweverHe is a great hero, but in others, there he is no definitive versioninvolved in comic adventures. In one tale Maid Marion Unlike the modern version in these ballads, the outlaw is shown to be a witch and the enemy member of the great bowmanYeoman class, mainly small landowners. By the 15th century, the stories of [[File: Robin and his ‘Merry Men’ became associated with May Day festivities<ref>KennedyHood three.jpg|250px|thumb|left|The alleged burial site of Robin of Locksley, p 413</ref>. These often believed to be the historical Robin Hood]]Robin was very popular in English folklore, and his life and adventures were celebrations that marked the beginning subjects of summer and for many centuries was more popular than Christmasmany plays. There were many portrayals However, there is no one definitive version of the tales. In one story Maid Marion is shown to be a witch and references to Robin in Elizabethan and Jacobian dramasthe enemy of the great bowman. Shakespeare referred to By the ‘good’ bandit and 15th century, Robin and his band in several of his dramas‘Merry Men’ stories had become associated with May Day festivities. For example<ref>Kennedy, in one p 413</ref> May Day marked the beginning of his comedies he has one of his characters saysummer, ‘By the bare scalp of Robin Hood’s fat friar/This fellow and it was for centuries more popular than Christmas.  There were a king for our wild faction!’ <ref> many portrayals of and references to Robin in Elizabethan and Jacobian dramas. Shakespeare, William, Two Gentlemen referred to the ‘good’ bandit and his band in several of Veronahis dramas. For example, Act 2in one of his comedies, scene 3</ref>. By the end he has one of the 16th centuryhis characters say, ‘By the development bare scalp of printing made Robin known to Hood’s fat friar/This fellow were a wider audience. During the 18th centuryking for our wild faction!’ <ref> Shakespeare, William, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 2, scene 3</ref>  By the standard version end of the 16th century, the development of printing made Robin was formedknown to a wider audience. This was mainly During the 18th century, the standard version of Robin coalesced because of the English writer Ritson. He compiled an anthology of medieval ballads on the outlaw's life and adventures of the outlaw and and his bandfellow bandits.  It was only in the 19th century that the present version of Robin Hood was fully developed, and this was mainly thanks to the depiction of the character in the novel ‘Ivanhoe’ by Sir Walter Scott. His work Scott's book was based on the compilation of stories by Ritson. This version was then popularized by the The authors of children’s booksthen popularized this version. These sanitized versions of the medieval folktales were popular on the stage , and later Hollywood made motion pictures based on them. [[File: == Who was Robin Hood three.jpg|200px|thumb|left|of Locksley in real life? ==The alleged burial site modern version of Robin of Locksley, often believed to be the historical Robin Hood]]==Hood centers around Robin of Locksley==In , the modern version Earl of Huntingdon. Robin Hood that is now known around the world, the bandit’s real name is Robin of Locksley, the Earl of Huntingdon. Robin went on went on a Crusade with the great heroic king King Richard the Lionheart. However, he returned to England only to find King John had seized the throne of his brother Richard the lawful monarch. There was a  Robin of Locksley and he is a historical figure who was indeed the Earl of Huntington and his . Robin Locksley's grave is often referred to locally as the grave of the Bowman and banditRobin Hood. There But there are some problems with this theory, . Locksley is in was from Yorkshire and not in Nottinghamshire, the setting of the Robin's legend of Robin and . Additionally, there is entirely no evidence that the Earl was outlawed an outlaw or bandit.<ref>Kennedy, p 412</ref>. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that an aristocratic figure such as Locksley would ever have used a bow and arrow. This The bow was a weapon that was mainly used primarily by the lower orders especially Yeomensoldiers who were yeomen, not nobiles. Furthermore, in the earliest ballads, the hero is referred to as a commoner and most definitely not a noble, like the Earl of Huntingdon.  ==Other Who are the other candidates for the real Robin Hood? ==There was an outlaw called Robin Hood who had been outlawed in Yorkshire and not in Nottingham. He was known as Robin Hood of York. There are many references to him in local court records. However, this figure was not a great archer , and he definitely did not steal from the rich and gave it to the poor. In reality, this Robin was outlawed because he owed money to the Church. <dh-ad/>Another theory is that Robin de Deyville (or De Vile) was the real Robin Hood. He was an adherent of Simon de Montfort, an aristocratic rebel who sought to curb royal power. After Montfort’s defeat at the Battle of Evesham, de Deyville fled to the forests and became a bandit. There are some similarities between this historical figure and the legendary outlaw, and some Early Modern writers believed that he was the historical character upon which the outlaw was based.  Another potential candidate to be the ‘real’ Robin Hood is Roger Godberd. He was from the Nottingham area and lived in the 13th century. He was originally initially a friend of the Sheriff of Nottingham , but the two fell out after a local power struggle. Godberd was persecuted prosecuted by the Sherriff and took to the forests , and lived a life outside of the law. After a series of adventures as a bandit and robber, he was eventually pardoned by the King and became a local landowner. However, while there are undoubted undoubtedly similarities between Godberd and the Robin Hood's well-known adventures of the Nottingham bandit, but there is no evidence to suggest that he was ever known as Robin Hood. ==Was Robin Hood as a mythological figure? ==Since the Tudor era, there have been several scholars who claim claimed that the legendary outlaw was, in reality, a spirit of the forest. This is theory was based on his remarkable fortune and skill with the bow. Some have suggested that the story of Robin Hood, who was very much opposed to the established Church , was somehow related to a pagan cult, a survival relic of the old Celtic religion, that continued to flourish in the dense forests.  For example, his traditional color’ green, is often associated with the fairies. Some have even argued that he was the embodiment of one of the spirits of the forest. Many believe that the origin of the outlaw figure 's origin was in the Northern European folkloric figure known as Hodekin. He was regularly portrayed with a felt hat , and he was seen as a ‘good’ spirit, like the outlaw-hero. Then there are those who some claim that Robin was really Puck , the well-known goblin .<ref> Raglan, Lord. The Hero: A Study in Tradition, Myth, and Drama (London, 1936), p 145</ref>. However, the claims that the famous Bowman was a mythical spirit are now largely has been somewhat discredited.  ==Was Robin Hood- just a nicknamefor English Outlaws? ==The most widely accepted theory that is now generally accepted that there was no one historical figure by that name. The name Robin which is a diminutive of Robert , was very an extraordinarily common name in medieval England. Then the The surname Hood was also popular and common in the English of the England during this time, it period. Hood is also a word that was also a name for the woods . <ref> Coghlan, Ronan. The Robin Hood Companion (London, Xiphos Books, 2003), p 13</ref>.  There were probably many Robin Hoods , and some of them were probably outlaws and went to the forest which was beyond the control of the King and his officials. It seemed that many outlaws and fugitives from the law began to use the name, Robin Hood. In all probability, the name was a nickname given to any who have been outlawed by the Royal authorities, over time. One theory suggests that the name was an alias that was used by thieves and robbers to hide their real identity. The name Robin Hood became associated with would be comparable to the Dread Pirate Roberts from the tradition of outlawrybook and movie <i>The Princess Bride</i>. In medieval that story, each Dread Pirate Roberts would pass the title to someone else who would take his place.  The name Robin Hood also became associated with the tradition of outlawry. In medieval England, there were many bands of bandits and robbers in the forest forests, such as Sherwood Forest .<ref>Coghlan, p 15</ref>. Among the common people, robbers , and poachers who defied the Royal agents were often seen as heroes. It seems that these ‘Robin Hoods’ were the subject of ballads and became part of the oral tradition. These were In time, the 'Robin Hoods' became so popular and that they were incorporated into celebrations that marked May Day and other festivities. It seems that even in the  Even official records that the name was used began to refer to 'Robin Hood' to describe a person who had been outlawed for committing serious crimes such as poaching and murder. Essentially, the term 'Robin Hood was a term that was commonly used for an ' became interchangeable with 'outlaw. ' The various balladeers and storytellers began to use the name of Robin Hood as a stock character. So whenever, someone wanted to tell a tale of an outlaw that they simply used the name of the most popular outlaw in Medieval England. There were so many references to the name that people began to assume that he was a historical figure.  Many writers later connected the legend to a variety of historical figures. The best-known example of this is the link that some writers made between the story of the outlaw and Robin of Locksley .<ref> Wright, Thomas. Essays on Subjects connected Connected with the Literature, Popular Superstitions, and History of England in the Middle Ages (London, 1846), vol. II, pp. 164-211 </ref>. As a result, over time, what started as a story or a nickname came to be regarded as a real-life person. This is something that has regularly happened down the centuries in a variety of cultures.  

Robin Hood is perhaps the most famous bandit of all time. However, it is highly likely that there was no single person who had been outlawed in Medieval England by that nameknown as Robin Hood. There were many called by that name or used it as Robin Hood morphed into an aliasin England in the 1300s-1600s. It seems that the The name was a nickname or epitaph that eventually became synonymous with those who engaged in banditry in England in the Middle Ages and who lived outside of the law. Balladeers and writers took up the legend , and they greatly embellished it. The stories about the Merrie Men, the Sherriff of Nottingham , and Maid Marion are just tales. There was no historical Robin Hood , but that does not mean that we cannot enjoy the characters' tales and stories about the character. ==Further Reading==Dobson, R.B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 63-64.

====Further Reading====Knight, Stephen Thomas. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080148992X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=080148992X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=9b78d49476a662a209e5bcc31498a31f Robin Hood: A Mythic Biography]. (Cornell, Cornell University Press, 2004).  Dobson, R.B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0750916613/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0750916613&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=457672e512b801fcd7aad75b32f1decc Rymes of Robyn Hood: An Introduction to the English Outlaw] (London, 1976). Evans, Michael R. 'Robin Hood in the landscape: place-name evidence and mythology', in: Phillips, Helen, ed. Robin Hood: Medieval and Post-Medieval (Dublin, 2005), pp. 181-87.

KnightRaglan, Stephen ThomasLord. Robin HoodThe Hero: A Mythic Biography. Study in Tradition, Myth, and Drama (Cornell, Cornell University PressLondon, 20041936).  ====References====<references/>

Raglan, Lord. The Hero[[Category: A Study in Tradition, Myth, and Drama (London, 1936). ==References==Wikis]][[Category:English History]] [[Category:Medieval History]] [[Category:Historically Accurate]] [[Category:Fact or Fiction]]