The name of the area where the legendary Robin Hood acted. Robin Hood: did the “noble robber” really exist?

“He hadn’t yet shaved his beard, but he was already a shooter...”

Once upon a time, in good old England, in the green Sherwood Forest, there lived a noble robber named Robin Hood... This, or something like this, begins each of the stories about Robin Hood. And every year these stories become more and more numerous, they are invented and told by everyone who is not too lazy. The English bards with their simple ballads were replaced first by novelists led by Walter Scott and Alexandre Dumas, and then, with the development of technology, by screenwriters of films, television series and cartoons. And what is characteristic: each of these storytellers invariably came up with their own Robin Hood, who cannot be confused with the others. As a result of such collective creativity, the legend of Robin acquired new details and became incredibly complex and confusing, even contradictory.

Historians could not help but be interested in the personality of Robin Hood. With the words “now we will definitely find out who this Robin Hood was,” they put forward several mutually exclusive versions about the true Robin. The Sherwood Bandit has finally become a character about whom everyone can think whatever they want. And then there are the creators computer games made their contribution. Moreover, they thought not so much about following the letter of the legend (in one version or another), but about game balance, fun and other things that had nothing to do with Robin Hood himself. As a result, several more new Robins were born.

Now the legend of Robin Hood is a legend without a hero. That is, everyone, of course, knows who Robin Hood is, but everyone has at least a little bit of their own Robin. This, perhaps, is what makes his image so attractive, because the absence of a clear canon opens up enormous possibilities for the imagination. The legend of Robin is never boring because it changes all the time.

But behind the beautiful legend, most likely, there was a very real person. Researchers have not yet come to a final conclusion about whether the legendary robber actually existed. But there is a lot of indirect evidence confirming that there is a fair amount of truth in the legend of Robin Hood.

Place and time of action

This is what the legendary Bishop's Oak looks like now.

All versions of the legend agree on one thing: the gang Robin Hood acted in Sherwood forest, located on the county border Nottinghamshire And Yorkshire. Yorkshiremen, by the way, still consider Robin Hood their fellow countryman and are offended by the residents Nottingham who appropriated the great robber to themselves.

The name Sherwood comes from "shire wood", which means "county forest". In the Middle Ages, Sherwood Forest covered an area of about 25 square miles and was a nature reserve in which only the king could hunt. Of course, local residents did not care about the prohibitions and regularly supplemented their meager diet with fresh venison from Sherwood. The authorities, in turn, brutally punished the caught poachers.

Through Sherwood and its neighboring Barnsdale passed through the forest Great Northern Highway, laid by the Romans and connecting the capital of northern England York with the southern counties. This was one of the most important roads in the country, and traffic along it was always very busy. It is not surprising that the road was literally swarming with robbers. In general, highway robbery was one of the calling cards of England in the Middle Ages; the authorities were able to finally deal with it only by the beginning of the 19th century.

Sherwood Forest still exists today. It is a small nature reserve, measuring just 4 square kilometres, in the northern part of the sprawling city of Nottingham. Every summer it hosts the Robin Hood Festival. The main attraction of modern Sherwood is an ancient oak tree, around which the bishop caught by Robin is believed to have danced a jig. That's what the oak is called - Episcopal.

Monument to Robin Hood in Nottingham.

This is interesting: The Bishop Oak may be up to a thousand years old. Its branches are so large and heavy that even in the 19th century. I had to install special supports for them. A project is currently underway to grow Bishop Oak clones in major cities around the world.

To what time can the events described in the legend be attributed? There is no clear answer to this question. The first written mention of the legend of Robin dates back to the end of the 14th century. Thus, there was no way he could live beyond that time.

Robin Hood is mentioned in folk ballads archery competition, which began to be carried out in England only in the 13th century. In addition, in one of the ballads there is a king named Edward. Three kings of this name reigned in England from 1272 to 1377. So, if we rely on the text of the ballads, Robin Hood lived at the end of the 13th century - early XIV centuries

However, there is evidence that relates the activities of Robin Hood to more early period. In 1261, a certain William Smith was outlawed. In the text of the corresponding decree, Smith was named Robinhood. That is, even then the name Robin Hood was a household name. Historians of the XV-XVI centuries. claimed that Robin lived either in the 13th century, or even earlier, at the end of the 12th century, during the time of the king Richard I the Lionheart. With the light hand of Walter Scott, the version according to which Robin was a contemporary of Richard I and his younger brother John became the most popular.

Hero Candidates

What's in a name?

It will die like a sad noise

Waves splashing onto the distant shore,

Like the sound of the night in a deep forest.

It's on the memorial sheet

Will leave a dead trail like

Tombstone inscription pattern

In an unknown language.

A. Pushkin

You can tell a lot about Robin Hood: he robbed the rich, helped the poor, mocked the priests and the sheriff, shot with a bow without missing... But there is only one clue that allows you to find the real Robin among many "outlaw"(outlawed robbers) who hunted in Sherwood Forest in the 12th - 14th centuries. This clue is his name.

"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Robin Hood shoots money from people passing through Sherwood.

By the way, it leads to certain suspicions. It has long been noticed that the name Robin Hood (Robin the Hood) strongly resembles Robin Goodfellow(Robin the Good Guy, aka Puck). This was the name of the mischievous forest spirit from pagan legends, the leader of a gang of fairy-tale creatures. This is not the only circumstance that connects the legend of the Sherwood robber with pre-Christian tradition. For example, in one of the ballads about Robin it is stated that there are not twelve in a year (as in church calendar), and thirteen months. The holiday dedicated to Robin Hood, which was celebrated by English peasants for a long time, also had a clearly pagan character. So the legend of Robin Hood may well be a later version of a pagan legend, and one of the candidates for the legendary robbers is not a real person, but an ancient forest deity.

However, this version is not particularly popular; fortunately, in ancient documents there were plenty of references to robbers whose name was Robin or even Robin Hood. Among the many versions, three seem the most plausible.

According to the first of them, Robert Goad, aka Hood or Hod, was born in 1290 in Yorkshire. He was a servant of the Earl of Warren and lived with his wife Matilda in the village of Wakefield. In 1322 Robert entered the service of Sir Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. Soon the count led a revolt against the king Edward II, was defeated and executed, and all participants in the mutiny, including, possibly, Robert Goad, were declared outlaws.

No documents have survived indicating that the former servant of the Earl of Lancaster was engaged in robbery in Sherwood Forest. However, it is known that in 1323 Edward II visited Nottingham, and already in next year Among his servants appeared a man named Robert Goad, perhaps the same one who had recently participated in the rebellion. This fact goes very well with one of the ballads. It tells how King Edward visited the bandit camp at Sherwood, was warmly received by them, granted amnesty to Robin and his friends, and then accepted them into his service. This Robin Hood died in 1346.

Second candidate for Sherwood legend, Robin God of Witherby, nicknamed Brownie, lived at the beginning of the 13th century. In 1226, he fled from justice, and all his property, worth a total of 32 shillings and 6 pence, was seized by the sheriff of York. Soon this sheriff moved to the neighboring city of Nottingham. There he announced a reward for the "outlaw and villain" Robin of Witherby. As a result of “operational search activities,” Robin was caught and hanged.

However, the third version is the most popular. According to her, the true Robin Hood was someone Robert Fitz-Wuth, Earl of Huntington. He was born somewhere around 1160 and died on November 18, 1247. This Robin Hood could not see King Edward, but he speaks in his favor the only direct evidence. The point is that next to Kirklei Monastery in Yorkshire, which in all legends is called the place of death of the legendary robber, has been preserved Robin Hood's grave. A barely visible epitaph remains on the tombstone. Here is its text, recorded in 1702 by Thomas Gale: “Here, under this small stone, lies Robert, the true Earl of Huntington. There was no archer more skillful than him. And people called him Robin Hood. England will never see exiles like him and his people again.".

Robin Hood dies surrounded by his closest friends. The noble robber bequeathed to bury himself where the last arrow he fired would fall.

This is interesting: The current owner of the estate, on the territory of which Robert Fitz-Ut is buried, cannot stand the legend of the Sherwood robber and is constantly fighting with admirers of Robin Hood. Every time someone tries to look at the Earl of Huntington's grave, the owner of the estate calls the police. Local kids call him nothing more than “Sheriff of Nottingham” and regularly shoot at his house with homemade bows.

However, there are great doubts that under this stone really lies the same Robin Hood. Now the text of the epitaph can no longer be read in full, and Thomas Gale could well have made a mistake when he rewrote it. Author of two books about Robin Hood Richard Rutherford-Moore, although he believes in the authenticity of the robber’s grave, claims that he was reburied, and his old grave was in a completely different place.

Robert Fitz-Ut was deprived of his inheritance, and in 1219 his younger brother John became the next Earl of Huntington. Perhaps this was a consequence of Count Robert's dissolute character. The modern Earls of Huntington claim to be related to Robin Hood, although in reality they have nothing to do with Robert Fitz-Wuth. The line of Yorkshire Huntingtons died out long ago, and since then the title has changed hands several times.

It is also possible that all three were the prototypes of Robin Hood from folk ballads, and different plots of the legends go back to the activities of different robbers.

Attention is a myth: Robin Hood is often called Robin of Loxley or simply Loxley. Three villages with this name lay claim to being the birthplace of the legendary robber. However, none of the possible prototypes of Robin Hood had anything to do with any of these villages.

Merry fellows from the green forest

Let there be no stake and no yard,

But they don't pay taxes to the king

Knife and ax workers -

Romantics from the high road.

Yu. Entin, “Romantics from the High Road”

Robin's first meeting with Little John almost ended in self-harm.

“Don’t have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends,” says the Russian folk proverb. Robin Hood, according to legend, had well over a hundred friends. His gang alone included 140 outlawed yeomen. These people were called Merry Men, which is usually translated into Russian as "funny boys" or "funny men". But the word merry also has another meaning: “a follower and associate of a person declared outlaw.”

“Merry guys” usually act in stories about Robin as a kind of extras, but some of them are not only named, but also have the same coloring as the leader.

Little John was right hand Robin Hood. He is mentioned already in the earliest ballads, where he is portrayed as a very intelligent and talented person. Later ballads say that John was a real giant, and received the nickname Baby from his friends as a joke. To the gang " cheerful guys He joined after defeating Robin Hood in a stick fight. Later, Little John saved Robin more than once and was the only person present at his death. John was a rather cruel man: he once personally killed the monk who betrayed Robin to the sheriff. Another story tells how John entered the sheriff's service, calling himself Reynold Greenleaf (and setting up a trap for the sheriff).

As with Robin Hood, there is some evidence that suggests Little John actually existed. His grave can still be seen in the village of Heathersage in Derbyshire. When this burial was opened in 1784, the skeleton of a very tall man was indeed found in it. Since this grave belonged to the Naylor family, Little John is also sometimes called John Naylor.

Along with Little John, the earliest ballads also mention Will Scarlet, or Scatlock, And Mach, the miller's son.

Little John's grave.

Will Scarlet is one of the youngest members of Robin Hood's gang. He was quick-tempered, hot-tempered, loved to show off his beautiful clothes. He received the nickname Scarlet (i.e. “dressed in red”) because he often wore clothes made of red silk. Will fought with swords better than all the other “fun guys.” One of the ballads states that Scarlet's real name was Gamwell and that he was the nephew of Robin Hood. Robin accepted Will into his squad after he killed a man and fled from justice in the forest. Scarlet is believed to have been buried in the churchyard at Blidworth, near Nottingham.

Much, the miller's son, is usually depicted as almost a boy, although in early ballads this name is borne by an adult and experienced person. Forest robbers saved him from hanging, to which he was sentenced for poaching. In most stories, Much turns out to be something like a “son of the regiment” with “cheerful guys”. Sometimes he is called not Mach, but Mage.

Will Stutley appears in two later ballads. He is sometimes confused with Will Scarlet. When Little John joined the "Merry Boys", it was Stutley who acted as his "godfather" and named him "Little". One day, Stutley spied on the sheriff and was caught by the guards. But the “funny guys” did not abandon their friend in trouble and rescued him from the sheriff’s dungeons.

Monk Tuk was a kind of chaplain in a detachment of forest robbers. However, he became famous not for his piety, but for his drunkenness, gluttony and ability to fight with sticks. He was expelled from the monastery for disobedience and lack of respect for his superiors. Usually Tuk is portrayed as a bald and fat jovial fellow, although sometimes he demonstrates remarkable physical strength.

Robin crosses the river, sitting on Friar Tuck's back.

Tuka is usually called friar, that is, a member of a mendicant monastic order. Such orders appeared in England after the death of Richard the Lionheart. So, if Robin Hood lived during Richard's time, there could not have been a Friar in his squad.

The prototype of Monk Thuc is usually called a certain Robert Stafford, who lived at the beginning of the 15th century. This Sussex monk was indeed known as Tuck. He was the leader of a gang of forest robbers operating 200 miles from Sherwood, and later stories his adventures became part of the legend of Robin Hood. According to another version, Monk Tuk is a collective image that combines the features of several monks who lived in Sherwood Forest.

Alan-a-Dale was a traveling minstrel. His beloved was to be given in marriage to an old knight. But the “cheerful guys” disrupted this wedding, after which one of the forest robbers, either Little John or Friar Tuck, disguised himself as a bishop and married Alan to his beloved. Alan-a-Dale appeared quite late in the Robin legend, but became a very popular character. It was Alan-a-Dale who inspired the authors of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons to create the Bard class. The village of Dale Abbey, halfway between Nottingham and Derby, lays claim to being Alan's birthplace.

Arthur Bland, like Little John, joined the gang after defeating Robin Hood in a duel. He is sometimes called Little John's cousin.

This young man in red is the wandering minstrel Alan-a-Dale.

ABOUT David from Doncaster very little is known. This “brave young man” persistently advised Robin Hood not to go to the archery competition organized by the sheriff. David felt it was a trap, and in the end he was right.

The “cheerful guys” had many friends and protectors. For example, in some versions of the legend, the king himself is on their side. The poor people adored Robin because he protected them from the arbitrariness of the authorities and helped them in difficult times. Knight Richard Lee once saved the “cheerful guys” from the sheriff, hiding them in his castle. Shortly before this, Robin helped Sir Richard pay off his debt to the abbot and regain his lands.

A special place in the stories about Robin Hood is occupied by his beloved, Maid Marian. Her character varies greatly from story to story. Sometimes she is portrayed as a commoner, sometimes as a noble lady, even a princess. In one version of the legend, Robin and Marian, after a long separation, do not recognize each other and begin to fight with swords.

In fact none of the Robin Hood ballads contain a character named Marian. They also say nothing about whether Robin had a lover. However, the character named Marian has as long a history as Robin Hood himself.

Initially, Maid Marian was one of the central figures at the traditional May games. Sometimes she was also called May Queen. Since these games have always been closely associated with the forest and archery, they soon began to be called Happy Robin Hood. And Marian turned into the bride of the Sherwood robber. According to another version, the name Marian came into legend from a French pastoral play. Robin and Marian first connected in the 16th century. and since then they have walked hand in hand across the pages of books and cinema screens.

Task Force from Nottingham

Our role is honorable and enviable.

The king cannot live without guards.

When we walk, the earth trembles all around.

We are always close, next to the king.

Yu. Entin, “Royal Guard”

Since good guys In the legends about Robin Hood, everyone is entirely robbers, poachers and their accomplices, but the guardians of law and order inevitably ended up playing the role of villains.

Robin Hood's greatest enemy is Sheriff of Nottingham. He commands all sorts of guards and foresters, and is supported by the church and the feudal nobility. He has the law and chests full of gold on his side. But he can’t do anything about the brave Robin, who has not only the ability to shoot accurately with a bow, but also an extraordinary mind and the support of the broad masses...

"Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood". The final showdown between Robin and the sheriff.

Sheriff in medieval England he was an official responsible for fighting crime, in fact, the head of the criminal police. This position appeared before the Norman conquest of 1066. However, it was only under the Normans that England was divided into districts, each of which had its own sheriff. These districts did not always coincide with counties. For example, the sheriff of Nottinghamshire also had jurisdiction over the neighboring county of Derbyshire.

The sheriff is the protagonist of all the ballads about Robin Hood, but in none of them is he named. Its possible prototypes usually include William de Wendenal, Roger de Lacy And William de Bruer. In any case, there is no doubt about the reality of the existence of the Nottingham Sheriff.

In the early ballads, the sheriff was the enemy of the "merry fellows" simply because he was the sheriff and was obliged to fight bandits and poachers. However, in later legends he turns into an inveterate scoundrel. He mercilessly oppresses the poor, illegally seizes other people's lands, imposes exorbitant taxes, and generally abuses his official position in every possible way. In some stories, he also harasses Lady Marian and tries to take the throne of England.

This is interesting: Several years ago, Nottingham City Council decided to remove Robin Hood from the city coat of arms. The only one who voted against this decision was Derek Cresswell, who at that time held the post of Sheriff of Nottingham. Mr. Cresswell, explaining his position, said that rumors of his feud with Robin Hood were greatly exaggerated.

In most stories, the sheriff is not particularly brave. He usually sits in his castle and thinks over new plans to capture Robin Hood. His subordinates usually do all the dirty work for him.

Another enemy of Robin behaves completely differently - Sir Guy Gisborne. This is a skilled and brave warrior, excellent at sword fighting and good archery. One of the ballads tells how Gisborne went into the forest to kill Robin and receive a reward from the sheriff for this. As a result, Sir Guy himself fell at the hands of Robin Hood. Gisborne is usually called a noble knight, although in some stories he turns out to be a cruel and bloodthirsty killer, an outlaw. Sometimes he also becomes the suitor or even the groom of Maid Marian. His appearance is quite unusual - instead of a cloak, he wears horse skin. Gisborne is a fictional character. Perhaps he was once the hero of a separate legend, which later merged with the legend of Robin.

Forest bandits greet King Richard the Lionheart.

Prince John, the future King John the Landless, fell into the legend of Robin Hood through the efforts of Walter Scott. In the novel Ivanhoe, Robin Hood helps King Richard, who returned to England after the crusade and captivity, to regain his throne, usurped by his younger brother John. Later, this plot was repeated many times (with minor variations) in numerous books, films and computer games.

John indeed took the throne of England during his brother’s absence and was in no hurry to ransom Richard from captivity. He even sent a letter to the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, who was holding Richard captive, in which he asked to keep the legitimate English king away from England. Some historians claim that John tried to protect his country from not the most wise government Richard. However, he himself did not shine with talents at all. His own reign, which began after Richard's death in 1199, was one complete disaster. John miserably lost the war with France and was forced to cede Normandy to her. Having quarreled with the Pope, he brought excommunication on England. As a result, he brought his country to complete ruin and forced his subjects to take up arms. The rebels gained the upper hand and forced John to sign the famous Magna Carta which underlies modern English democracy.

As for the simple henchmen of the sheriff and other enemies of Robin Hood, they are for the most part nameless. Sometimes, however, in the text of ballads there are names of individual guards and foresters, inserted there, presumably, for greater persuasiveness.

The Dark Side of Robin Hood

I'm the terrible Robin Bad.

I hurt people.

I hate poor people

Widows, orphans and old people.

O. Arch, "Robin Bad"

IN Lately in England several attempts were made to debunk a beautiful legend about Robin Hood.

Nottingham City Council, which had long been very concerned that their dynamic city was associated throughout the world exclusively with the highwayman, contributed to this endeavor. In 1988, the city issued an official statement declaring Marian, Friar Took, Alan-a-Dale and Will Scarlet to be fictional characters. Little John was recognized historical figure, however, from a noble robber he turned into an evil grumbler and a bloodthirsty killer. Robin Hood received less from the current authorities of Nottingham than his associates, but the integrity of his reputation was also subject to great doubt.

The “Jolly Fellows” treat themselves to ale after a successful operation to rob the rich of excess cash.

A book by a Cambridge University professor caused a lot of noise James Holt"Legends of Robin Hood. Between truth and error." Holt writes about Robin: “He was completely different from what he is portrayed in folk songs, legends, and later in books and films. There is absolutely no evidence that he robbed the rich to give money to the poor. The legend acquired these fabrications two hundred years or more after his death. And during his lifetime he was known as a notorious looter, a sadistic killer, who abused defenseless victims and a molester. In a word, if he lived now, Robin Hood would not have avoided life imprisonment in prison...” The historian did not spare the monk Tuka, who, in his words, “was very far from harmless gaiety, since he plundered and burned the houses of his enemies... robbed passers-by to the last, and, unable to tame his greed, caught up with those who had already been robbed and brutally killed them... personally raped women and children, and then chopped them with axes like cattle...".

However, a professor of English literature from Cardiff University outdid everyone Stephen Knight. This pundit bluntly stated that both Robin Hood and his “Merry Men” were in fact... gay. To prove his point, Knight refers to passages from ballads that seem ambiguous to him. He also points out that the original ballads say nothing about Robin's lover, but all too often mention his close friends like Little John or Will Scarlet. Knight's point of view is shared by a professor at Cambridge University Barry Dobson, who believes that "the relationship between Robin Hood and Little John was very controversial." This opinion is also shared by all kinds of fighters for the rights of sexual minorities. One of them, someone Peter Tatchell, demands that the version of the Sherwood robber's unconventional sexual orientation be taught in school.

The desire to deprive Robin Hood of his romantic aura and turn him into a banal robber and murderer is so great that there are already calls to demolish the statue of the noble robber in Nottingham and erect a monument in honor of the Sheriff of Nottingham in its place.

However, for a huge number of people around the world, Robin Hood remains a favorite hero and role model. After all, the Sherwood robber personifies such positive qualities as the desire for justice, devotion to friends and the desire to help those in trouble.

Robin Hood in fiction

Hair stuck to our sweaty foreheads,

And it sucked sweetly in the pit of my stomach from the phrases,

And the smell of struggle turned our heads,

Flying towards us from yellowed pages.

V. Vysotsky, “Ballad of Struggle.”

"Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood". Robin, Marian, Little John, Stutley, Scarlet and Took with trophies in the background.

Many people have addressed the theme of the adventures of Robin Hood English writers, for example, poets Robert Keats And Alfred Tennyson. Tennyson wrote the play “The Foresters, or Robin Hood and Maid Marian.” In 1819 the famous novel was published Walter Scott"Ivanhoe." In this novel, Robin Hood is the leader of a detachment of Saxons fighting against the Norman knights who oppress them. We can say that the modern image of Robin Hood owes its appearance to Walter Scott. He did not ignore the noble robber and Alexandr Duma, who wrote the adventure novels "Robin Hood - King of Robbers" and "Robin Hood in Exile."

During the Victorian era, the legend of Robin Hood was adapted for children. In 1883, a collection considered to be a classic was published Howard Pyle"The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood." It collected and literary processed all the stories about Robin Hood that existed at that time, with the exception of those that mentioned Marian (after all, the collection was intended mainly for children, and the requirements of Victorian morality were extremely strict). Pyle idealized medieval England. In Sherwood Forest from his book there is never winter, and there is no end to the fun. Pyle's Robin Hood appears as a kind of ideal philanthropist and altruist. Pyle's collection was revised in 1956. Roger Green. His book differs from Pyle's work only in that Lady Marian is present in it.

"Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood". A mountain of corpses in the central square of Nottingham.

The twentieth century gave the world a huge number of new, sometimes completely original stories about Robin. Terence White made Robin the hero of his book The Sword in the Stone, which tells the story of the childhood of King Arthur. Michael Cadnam wrote two novels based on the legends of Robin Hood: “The Forbidden Forest” and “In the Dark Wood.” The main character of the first book is Little John, and the second is none other than the Sheriff of Nottingham himself. In the novel Teresa Tomlinson Lady Marian comes to the fore, turning uncouth highwaymen into legendary fighters for justice. In the novel Gary Blackwood"The Lion and the Unicorn" tells the story of how the treacherous Alan-a-Dale takes Robin's lover away from him. In the duology Godwin Park"Sherwood" takes place during the time of King William the Red, and in the trilogy Stephen Lawhead- in Wales. In the novel Robina McKinley"Outlaw from Sherwood" Robin Hood does not know how to shoot a bow at all, but he more than compensates for this deficiency due to his intelligence. From the pen Jennifer Roberson a love-adventure dilogy about Robin and Marienne was released. In the book Clayton Emery The story is told from the perspective of the animals and fairy-tale creatures that inhabit Sherwood Forest. Among the huge number of books for children, one can highlight the cycle Nancy Springer, dedicated to the adventures of Robin Hood's young daughter. American writer Esther Friesner made Robin the hero of the science fiction novel Sherwood's Game. In this book, talented programmer Carl Sherwood creates a virtual world for a game about Robin Hood. Suddenly, this world escapes the control of its creator, and Robin Hood and other characters in the game begin to live independent life. In the story Adam Stemple the action also takes place in virtual reality: the spirit of Robin Hood, possessed by a computer, is engaged in the redistribution of the world's wealth through the Internet.

"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Sherwood Forest from a bird's eye view.

Russian writers did not stand aside either. The ballads about Robin were translated into Russian Nikolay Gumilyov And Marina Tsvetaeva. Moreover, Tsvetaeva’s translation came out very freely. Robin Hood, according to the poetess, did not live in the vicinity of Nottingham, but somewhere in Scotland. Mikhail Gershenzon made a classic Russian-language retelling of the legends of Robin. If in Soviet times Robin Hood was the hero of mainly children's books, but recently domestic science fiction writers have taken him seriously. In "The Sword and the Rainbow" Elena Khaetskaya Robin Hood is a minor but very colorful character. Anna Ovchinnikova offered a very unusual version of the adventures of the Sherwood Outlaws. The main character of her book “Robin Hood's Friend and Lieutenant” is our contemporary and compatriot Ivan Menshov, who moved through time and space and became Little John. Robin's gang, according to Ovchinnikova, numbered only ten people, Monk Tuk was a vagrant, and one of negative characters books bears the surname Huntington.

Many writers, although they did not write directly about Robin Hood, put some of his traits into their characters. For example, the forest robber John Vengeance for All from Black Arrow is very reminiscent of Robin Hood. Robert Louis Stevenson.

The Screen Life of Robin Hood

A character like Robin Hood simply could not help but end up on the silver screen. The legend about him has everything you need to create a spectacular film, doomed to box office success: medieval romance, beautiful forest landscapes, a love story, the struggle between good and evil, humor, brawls using all types of bladed weapons...

This movie poster features Errol Flynn as Robin Hood.

The first film about Robin was made back in 1908. However, the first truly successful film adaptation of the legend was made only fourteen years later. In the 1922 film, the role of Robin Hood was played by Douglas Fairbanks, one of the main stars of the silent film era. And in 1938 the film was released "The Adventures of Robin Hood", main role in which the inimitable Errol Flynn performed. This picture had a huge influence not only on all subsequent Hollywood films about the Sherwood robber, but also on all films of the same genre.

The classic legend, according to which Robin was killed by an insidious nun, received a completely unexpected interpretation in the film. "Robin and Marian"(1976). Old and gray Robin Hood (Sean Connery) returns to Sherwood Forest after a very long absence. And he discovers that his beloved Marian (Audrey Hepburn) has long gone to the monastery and even managed to become abbess. Marian, forced to choose between loyalty to her monastic vows and her love for Robin, ends up killing her lover and then committing suicide.

In 1991, Sean Connery again starred in the film about Robin Hood. But this time he plays not Robin, but King Richard. The role of Robin Locksley in the Hollywood blockbuster "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" went to Kevin Costner. The filmmakers said a new word in “Robinhood studies” by introducing a black Saracen into Robin Hood’s gang.

In 1993, a brilliant comedy appeared "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" parodying films with Eroll Flynn and Kevin Costner.

Soviet filmmakers went their own way. If in Western films the Robin Hoods are all knights and nobles, then our Soviet Robin Hood is a bearded peasant played by Boris Khmelnitsky. Films by Sergei Tarasov "Robin Hood's Arrows"(1975) and "The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe"(1983) were remembered by many thanks to the wonderful songs of Vladimir Vysotsky.

Of course, there was a place for Robin in cartoons. Who hasn't played the role of Robin Hood or his friends! And Bugs Bunny the rabbit, and Daffy the duck, and even the Pink Panther...

"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Whack-Whack-Whack! Take away what's ready...

In 1967, during the period of enormous popularity of science fiction films and TV series, a multi-part cartoon was shot "Rocket Robin Hood". The action of this series takes place in 3000. Robin and his gang of “fun astronauts” live on the Sherwood asteroid and fight against the evil sheriff... In general, everything is the same as in the 13th century, only the surroundings have changed.

Finally, in 1973, the Walt Disney Company took up the matter. In their cartoon, all the characters are humanoid animals. Robin and Marian became foxes, Little John, naturally, became a bear, the sheriff became a wolf, Took became a badger, and Alan-a-Dale became a rooster. The cartoon couldn't do without Robin either. "Shrek" He is, however, an episodic hero and, moreover, not very positive.

Robin Hood has appeared on television more than once. The most famous of the Robin television series was called "Robin of Sherwood" and ran on British television from 1984 to 1986. Unlike the vast majority of books and films about Robin, this series was made in the fantasy genre. The main villain in Robin of Sherwood is the powerful sorcerer Baron de Balham. And the main ones goodies two at once: after the death of the peasant Robin Loxley, his work is continued by Count Robert Huntington. By the way, both really wear hoods, and not green caps with a feather. The music for the series was written by the famous Irish band"Clannad"

The creators of the science fiction series also paid tribute to the legend of Robin Hood "Star Trek: The Next Generation". In one of the episodes, the crew of the starship Enterprise has to temporarily transform into the characters of the legend and feel like real forest robbers.

Robin Hood in computer games

You can become Good, neighbor,

Or maybe I will be it,

That's why for hundreds of years

No death to Robin Hood!

Evgeniy Agranovich, “Brave Robin Hood”

"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". The Sheriff of Nottingham listens to the complaint of a merchant who was robbed by the "jolly fellows."

Computer games have opened up new opportunities for fans of the Robin Hood legend. If, when reading a book or watching a film, a person passively perceives ready-made information, then in a computer game he can actively influence the development of the plot. In other words, computer games allow the player to feel for some time in the shoes of a Sherwood outlaw.

The first Robin video game came out in 1985. It was an action movie called "Super Robin Hood". The same year the game appeared "Robin of the Wood". IN classic game "Defender of the Crown"(1986) Robin is one of the player's allies in the fight to unite civil war-torn England. However, you cannot play directly as Robin in this game.

In the wake of the popularity of the film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", several games were released at once. "The Adventures of Robin Hood"- role-playing game with action elements. The player controls the brave Robin, who performs all sorts of heroic deeds, thereby increasing his popularity among the local population. On a quest "Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood" a lot depends on the size of Robin's gang and how well the player commands it. The plot of the game is non-linear. The matter could end in either a gallows or a wedding.

"Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood". Drummers made in Sherwood Forest.

In strategy "Age of Empires II" There are such heroes as Robin Hood, Took and the Sheriff of Nottingham. It also contains the Sherwood Forest and Heroes of Sherwood cards. In many role playing games you can find characters that closely resemble Robin, although they go by a different name. IN "Medieval II: Total War" Robin is gone. But by playing as England and building a foresters guild, you can gain access to a fighter called the Sherwood Archer. You can play as Robin, although not right away, in the game Shrek SuperSlam.

In 2003, a remake of the game "Defender of the Crown" was made. In a new game called "Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown", the player no longer controls one of the English barons, but Robin Hood himself. And he will have to fight against the Sheriff of Nottingham.

As in original game, the action takes place on a map divided into several counties. Only this is not a map of England, but of the immediate surroundings of Nottingham or some other city. As a result, the “counties” have names that are quite strange for counties: Forest, Paths, Bridge, Mills, Tract. The player has many options. He can command armies in battle, storm castles, fight in tournaments, raid the sheriff's treasury and shoot enemies passing through Sherwood Forest with a bow. But it all looks quite monotonous and gets boring very soon. It's much more fun to rescue from captivity beautiful ladies. By the end of the game, Robin has collected a whole collection of noble maidens. And where is Lady Marian looking? During a break between fights, you can chat with one of the “funny guys” or read stories about Robin’s exploits.

"Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood". Robin Hood and Little John came to visit Prince John.

A game "Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood"(2002) from Spellbound Studios was released in a series of tactical games, which also includes Desperados and Chicago 1930. The player controls the actions of Robin Hood and other “merry guys”. In order to win the game, you need to successfully complete several missions, the complexity of which is constantly increasing. In addition to the missions that are required to be completed, there are several missions that you can skip by bribing the enemy army or choosing another task.

From one to five characters are sent on each task. This could be Robin himself or his friends. Robin starts out alone, but is gradually joined by Will Stutley, Scarlet, Took, Little John and Lady Marian. In addition to these characters, whose death means the end of the game, there are many ordinary gang members who can be used as cannon fodder or free labor. A forest robber who has not gone on a mission can produce all sorts of useful things or improve his combat skills. Each character has unique skills. For example, Robin and John can knock out an enemy without killing him, Scarlet shoots accurately with a slingshot, Stutly pretends to be a beggar, and Took ties up prisoners and can solder guards.

"Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown". Robin Hood and Will Scarlet.

The plot of the game is quite simple: you need to put an end to the evil machinations of the sheriff and Prince John. There are two types of tasks: in the forest and in the city. Both here and there you can plunder the loot with all your might, replenishing your treasury. The amount of money, however, does not in any way affect the success of the game. The fact is that the gang is growing due to volunteers coming to Sherwood after each mission. Their number directly depends on the percentage spared enemies. So being too bloodthirsty in this game is not recommended. If you regularly complete missions without a single corpse, then at the end of the game there will be a crowd roaming Sherwood that far exceeds your needs for labor force.

The undoubted success of the game developers is fencing with the mouse. All fights are very intense and exciting. True, sometimes it is more difficult to win a one-on-one battle than to cope with a squad of a dozen guards. The enemy behaves quite adequately: archers do not bother and shoot from cover, men-at-arms use shields to protect themselves from arrows, and mounted knights prefer to attack with acceleration. If the guards find themselves in the minority, they scatter in different directions and raise the alarm.

Not all game situations, however, look realistic. But that’s why it’s a game, to differ from reality.

The legend of Robin Hood was, without a doubt, excellent material for creating computer games. But its potential has not yet been fully realized. Let's hope that in the future we will see many new wonderful games about the noble robber from Sherwood Forest.

Historical prototype of Robin Hood

For 600 years now, scientists have been puzzling over where the world-famous ballad hero, leader of the forest robbers Robin Hood, came from, or rather, who he was based on, and whether he really existed. At least the four most common versions in equally prove the existence of Robin, but only argue about the prototypes. For example, Robert Goad (aka Good or Hod), born in 1290, lived during the reign of the English king Edward II. In 1322 Robert became a servant of the Earl of Lancaster. The count rebelled against the king and was executed, his possessions were transferred to the state treasury, and the participants in the uprising were declared outlaws. And then Robert hid in Sherwood Forest, organizing a criminal group with the mission of extorting money from the rich - nobles and royal servants. Also, one historical document says that this same Robert worked as a porter at the court of Edward II from March 24 to November 22, 1324 - so he had a chance to repent, receive forgiveness and enter the royal service. But by the time this could be done, Robert Goad was already seriously ill, and in 1346 he died in the Kirkley monastery from blood loss.

Another legend, somewhat similar in the chronology of events, states that Robert Goad lived in Witherby and escaped from the king's justice - this fact is stated in a court document from 1226 found in the London Public Record Office. The document also states that the sheriff of York took possession of the property of the escaped “Robin Hood”, but did not transfer the money to the treasury, and a year later put him on the wanted list, calling him “a criminal and villain of our land.” A little later, the robber was found and executed.

Another common version about the mysterious Robin Hood emphasizes that he was from the yeoman class (free artisan) from the village of Loxley, obsessed with a thirst for justice and prone to various extraordinary games. A bunch of alternative versions, which says that Robin was allegedly the eldest son of the Earl of Huntington, refutes the fact that bards would rather write ballads and sing songs not of the count’s son, but of a peasant socially close to them, helping the poor.

And finally, according to the fourth modern version, it is believed that Robin Hood lived during the times of Richard I, John I and Henry III, i.e. at the end of the XII - mid-XIII centuries. Since the hero was outlawed for a long time and became very famous for his exploits, soon every fifth robber began to be called “Robin Hood.” The deeds of all the Robin Hoods were summed up, from which ballads and legends were formed.

Most historical sources are divided into two directions, according to which it is possible to determine at least, the era of Robin Hood. Some believe that Robin appeared under King Edward II or Edward III (1307-1377), others are inclined to believe that he was a contemporary of Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199). One thing remains clear: Robin Hood is a collective image, tailored from ballads and legends of different times and different generations.

Hero of Medieval England

Not far from the city of Nottingham lay Sherwood Forest. The Great Northern Road, laid by the Romans, passed through it - one of the main roads in Northern England. In the 11th century, after the conquest of England by the Normans, the new rulers harshly oppressed the Anglo-Saxons and treated them with undisguised contempt. Suffice it to say that the kings of the Norman and Angevin dynasties who ruled the country did not know a word of the language of the indigenous inhabitants of England.

The Anglo-Saxons, of course, rebelled - many of them went into the forests, creating gangs there for self-defense. Robin Hood became the leader of one of these gangs. His gang consisted of hundreds of valiant free shooters - fighters for the idea. Some became as immortal figures in folklore as Robin Hood himself. For example, the deputy chieftain, a healthy thug nicknamed Little John, whom Robin defeated in the famous stick fight at the river ford. And also the corpulent monk Tuk - a big fan of drinking, snacking and fighting. And other very colorful characters - such as Will Stutley-Scarlett, the minstrel Alan-o-Dale, Robin Hood's beloved Marion. They all wore green cloaks and were excellent archers, “good guys” who fought for economic justice by taking money from monks and landowners and giving it to the needy.

To live in the forest, you need to eat something, and that means hunt. In medieval England, such activity was considered criminal on a par with robbery, to the point that a poacher who shot a deer doomed himself to public hanging. Smaller game was punished in proportion to its size - for example, a rabbit could simply have its hand cut off. All the game that lived in the forest belonged only to the king; no one had the right to hunt there without permission. The king’s lands were guarded by specially appointed foresters, calling the robbers “arrogant rabble,” and they tried to catch poachers at every opportunity.

One day, the Bishop decided to take a walk through Sherwood and came across Robin's gang in the forest, where they were carefreely roasting venison. The bishop did not immediately realize that in front of him were the famous robbers whom the sheriff had been looking for for so long, and ordered his guards to seize the poachers. Those who loved to have fun from the heart, Robin and his friends, began to pretend to be simple serfs, begging for mercy. When Robin got tired of the fun, he gave a sign, and the rest of the gang rushed to their aid. The bishop was taken hostage and forced to dance a jig around a large oak tree. Since then, this oak has been called “Bishop’s”, and many ballads talk about the royal foresters as the eternal enemies of Robin Hood.

However, the foresters did not have the same power as the Sheriff of Nottingham, because in medieval England, the sheriff was a very significant figure, akin to the governor. Appointed personally by the king, the sheriff exercised all military, police, administrative and judicial powers in the county. He also collected taxes, some of which he took for himself without permission. The king, of course, did not know about this, but the peasants and aristocracy perceived him as their natural enemy. Not to mention the criminals from Robin Hood's squad, who mocked the official as best they could.

One day, the sheriff ordered the three sons of an old widow to be hanged for shooting a deer in the royal forest. This incident gave Robin another reason to have fun. Dressed in the clothes of a simple artisan, he hurried to Nottingham - to the square where the poachers were to be executed. Literally a second before the execution, Robin blew his horn, to the call of which all his friends immediately jumped up, beating off the prisoners.

The sheriff could not do anything about the “damned robber.” Once he even complained to the king, blaming his impotence. The king gave him wise advice - to resort to cunning, for which the sheriff came up with an “insidious” measure. He announced an archery competition in which the winner receives an arrow made of pure gold. Oddly enough, Robin fell for the simple trick and was about to set off for Nottingham when Little John advised him to change his green cloak to a multi-colored one. The sheriff did not recognize Robin, who arrived in such an outfit, allowing the robber to safely win the competition and hide in the forest along with the golden bow.

Very often the ballads talk about how Robin and the gang shook out the purses of fat abbots and monks. This was not done without reason, because the church was then the largest landowner and took three skins from the peasants.

And yet, why do they say that Robin was a nice guy? He did not harbor any fierce hatred for the nobles and even helped them if they were in trouble. For example, one knight had to mortgage his estate to the local abbot, and when the time came to pay the debt, he went to the abbey to ask for a deferment. Having met Robin on the road through Sherwood, who was about to rob him, the knight told a sad story about his situation. Robin Hood, mistaking him for a noble man, gave him money to pay off his debt, and the rest of the gang showered him with gifts.

Even in ballads there was the concept of a boomerang - good from fate for doing good to someone. One day, on a forest road, Robin Hood met a king who, according to legend, was “returning incognito from the Crusade.” Either in a fight with the king, or in a conversation with him, Robin managed to charm the monarch so much that he, having had enough of the gang, forgave them all their sins and accepted them into his service.

The Love and Death of Robin Hood

There should be a place for love in every story, even if it is a legend about a robber and a scoundrel. Initially, the slogan of Robin Hood and his associates was not “to rob and kill everyone,” but only evil and wealthy citizens who made capital through theft. This did not apply to women - they were in no way subjected to abuse or humiliation by the gang. One day, during the next “raid,” Robin met Marion, a noble and immaculate girl, and immediately fell in love with her. For a long time, posing as a count, Robin Hood sought her favor. Their feelings turned out to be mutual, but soon the hero had to return to Sherwood to his friends. Saddened by the separation, Marion changed into a man's dress and went to look for her lover. By chance, the couple met on a forest road, where Robin, in the dark, mistook her for a rich traveler and decided to rob her. Marion also did not recognize her betrothed in the robber and began to bravely defend herself. Robin Hood was pleasantly surprised by such an active attack and proposed to make peace. Soon the misunderstanding was cleared up, and they lived happily in the forest.

The exploits of Robin Hood and his robbers continued to shock the kingdom for some time, but after a few years, as the ballads say, the energetic and cheerful hero felt unwell. He was no longer able to fight; his arms were weak. Since there was no medicine at that time, he decided to seek help from the Kirkley monastery, whose inhabitants were famous for the art of “opening blood.” In the Middle Ages, this was considered almost the only and best remedy for any serious illness.

The nuns, either out of malice and conspiracy, or out of ordinary imprudence, drained so much blood from Robin's veins that he barely remained alive. Finally realizing that the end had come for him, Robin blew his horn, and Little John rushed after him. With the help of a faithful friend, the heroes return to the forest, Robin Hood pulls the bowstring for the last time and shoots a golden arrow, bequeathing to bury himself where it falls. So, according to legend, Robin passed away with dignity and humility.

After the end of the story of Robin Hood, a May holiday in his honor existed in England for a long time, when peasants went into the forest to collect fresh green branches. This custom indicates that in the popular consciousness Robin Hood was united with the pagan forest deity.

A character from English folklore, a skilled archer and warrior from Sherwood Forest who robs the rich and distributes his loot to the poor. Interestingly, this trait was not part of the original ballad character and did not appear until the 19th century. It is unknown whether the legend of the noble robber had real prototype or it was based only on medieval ballads and tales, but over the past centuries Robin Hood has become one of the most popular elements English culture, and the story about him feels great in the age of cinema and television.

Robin Hood owes his name not to the English word “good,” that is, “good,” as Russian readers usually believe. The most common belief is that he got his nickname from “hood,” that is, a hood or other headdress. Robin Hood - Robin in the hood. Attempts to connect this name with a real person have led nowhere, in particular because Robert has been one of the most popular names in England over the past ten centuries, and Robin is perhaps the most popular diminutive version of it. . It is not surprising that in medieval records there were many people named Robert or Robin Hood, and some of them were indeed criminals - but not so famous or significant as to contribute to the birth of the legend.

Robin Hood is accompanied by a squad of loyal companions, all of whom live in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, where the action of the first Robin ballads and modern films and television films mainly takes place. In the earliest accounts he was a yeoman gone into the woods, a free peasant, but later he was often portrayed as an exiled aristocrat, unjustly deprived of his possessions due to the machinations of an unscrupulous sheriff. The Forest Archer is often called Robin of Loxley - he is believed to have been born in this village near Sheffield, but this version dates from the late 16th century, while there are earlier versions of his birthplace, such as the village of Skelough in South Yorkshire (Skellow, South Yorkshire), which has been associated with the name of Robin Hood since 1422.

The first reference to the poems about Robin Hood dates from the end of the 14th century, but the ballads themselves were written down only in the 15th and 16th centuries, and already in them Robin Hood has all his main features - he comes from the common people, worships the Virgin Mary, enjoys increased attention among women, he is a skilled archer, cannot stand clergymen and is at enmity with the Sheriff of Nottingham. Little John, Will Scarlet and Much, the miller's son, have already appeared in Robin's squad. Much the Miller's Son), but there is still no mention of Maid Marian and the cheerful monk Friar Tuck - they will appear a little later. In popular culture, Robin Hood is considered a contemporary and supporter of King Richard the Lionheart. , that is, lives in England (England) of the 12th century.

Interestingly, the first ballads give readers a few details to determine the time of action, such as King Edward, for example, but ballads, of course, cannot be considered reliable in such matters historical source. Moreover, there were several kings with this name - King Edward I ascended the throne in 1272, and Edward III died in 1377. Since the 16th century, Robin Hood "becomes" a nobleman, usually considered the Earl of Huntingdon, and this version is still very popular today.

In any case, Robin Hood is a model for any noble robber. He collects tribute from wealthy merchants, knights or high-ranking clerics who were not lucky enough to meet him in Sherwood Forest, offering them to dine on juicy venison, obtained, of course, by poaching. True, the payment for such a dinner is usually the “guest’s” wallet. There are exceptions to the rules - in one of the ballads, Robin Hood invites a knight to dinner, intending to rob him completely, but upon learning that the knight is about to lose his land, which the greedy abbot has his eye on, he gives him enough money to pay debt to the abbot.

Robin Hood is young, tall, handsome and very intelligent, despite his simple origins. He and his men usually dress in green, which helps them hide in the dense forests. He has a sharp tongue, loves to joke, and can be quick-tempered and quick to kill. It is very interesting that in the ballads Robin keeps his people in strict submission, and, recognizing his supremacy, they kneel before him as before their lord - in medieval legends there is no hint of modern ideals equality and fraternity. Historians argue that the legend of Robin Hood was cultivated mainly among the gentry, the minor nobility, and it would be a mistake to see him as an embodiment peasant uprising. He does not so much rebel against the social standards of the Middle Ages as he embodies them - generous, moderately pious and courtly, despising greedy, effeminate and discourteous enemies. Although there are more than a hundred people in his squad of "Merry Men", only four or five of them, Robin's closest friends and associates, are regularly described in ballads.

At the latest, by the beginning of the 15th century, Robin Hood had become associated with the May holidays, and around the same time, Robin Hood's romantic attachment to Maid Marian (or Marion), who eventually became his lifelong friend, appeared in the sources. Marian is also portrayed either as a commoner or as an heir to a noble family, and in modern culture it is believed that eventually Robin and Marian marry and leave the forest, returning to a rich and civilized life.

The Victorian era created its own Robin Hood - it was during this period that he became a philanthropist who robs the rich to give gifts to the poor - and the 20th century brought its own changes: from book to book, from film to film, Robin Hood turned from a cheerful robber to national hero of epic proportions, who not only cares for the weak, but also bravely defends the English throne from unworthy and corrupt lords.

For almost 700 years there has been a legend telling about a noble robber. He robbed the rich, and distributed the goods taken from them to the poor. This man led a gang of “knife and ax workers” numbering more than a hundred people. Desperate people lived in Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire) and caused a lot of trouble to dishonest, greedy and greedy citizens.

Robin Hood was the name of the legendary hero who cared about the welfare of ordinary people and honest people. So many ballads of praise have been written about him that you involuntarily begin to believe in the reality of this person. But did the noble robber live in reality or the legends about him - beautiful myth that has nothing to do with real life?

In the second half of the 15th century, an unknown author wrote 4 ballads dedicated to the brave leader of forest robbers. In the first ballad the story is about how Robin helps a poor knight ruined by a greedy abbot. Lent to the poor guy large sum money, and the faithful squire of the noble leader of the robbers, Little Joe, is given to help. He was a huge fellow, endowed with immeasurable strength. Naturally, the knight takes revenge on the greedy abbot, and good triumphs.

Second ballad is dedicated to the conflict between the sheriff of Nottingham and the noble robber. The “highway romantics” organized a deer hunt in the sheriff’s lands, and then, with the help of cunning, invited the most formidable law enforcement officer to the feast.

Third ballad tells about Robin's meeting with King Edward. He secretly comes to Nottingham to conduct an incognito investigation into violations of the law by local authorities. The defender of the poor and the threat of the rich enters the service of the king and swears allegiance to him.

Fourth ballad the saddest. It tells about the death of a noble robber. He again begins to engage in dangerous work, but catches a cold and goes to Kirkley Abbey to undergo treatment. However, the insidious abbess treats him with leeches. They suck blood, the noble robber weakens day by day and, in the end, dies.

This, in brief, is the essence of the legends about a courageous man who faithfully served ordinary people. A great many such ballads were written. Robin is presented as a proud and independent person who opposes the rich who oppress the people. At the same time, the noble robber was loyal to the king and revered the church. Next to him all the time was a cheerful and kind monk named Tak.

As for the origin of the glorious hero, some consider him a free peasant, others believe that he was a minor nobleman. The wife's name was Marian, however, she might not have been a wife, but simply a fighting friend.

Experts studied the census registers of England in the period from 1228 to 1230. In these lists, a man named Robin Hood was found, who was wanted for crimes. This time is notable for popular unrest. They were led by a certain Robert Thwing. Under his leadership, the rebels plundered monasteries, and the confiscated grain was distributed to poor peasants.

Some historians are inclined to believe that the legendary robber was Robert Fitzug. He was born around 1170 and died approximately in 1246. This man was the Earl of Huntington, who had lost all his wealth. In fact, he was a rebellious aristocrat, but for some reason he did not oppose the king, but only opposed the nobles.

This is how Robin Hood is portrayed in Hollywood

Who sat on the royal throne during the activities of the noble robber? If you rely on ballads and legends, you can find the names of several crowned heads. In particular, this is Henry III (1207-1272). During his reign in 1261, an outbreak Civil War. The rebels were led by Count Simon de Montfort (1208-1265).

At first, the rebels were victorious with the establishment of the dictatorship of the rebel count, but then Henry III managed to regain power in 1265. However, some of the rebels did not bow their heads to the king. The nobles went into the forests and became robbers. Among them was our glorious hero. The king took everything from him, but could not take away his noble heart. Some researchers believe that that courageous nobleman from the 13th century became the hero of ballads and legends.

Robin Hood is also associated with Earl Thomas Plantagenet of Lancaster (1278-1322). He opposed King Edward II (1284-1327) and led the baronial opposition. The reason for the hostility was that the count was not appointed chief adviser at court. In 1322, a rebellion broke out. He was brutally suppressed, and Lancaster himself was beheaded.

The king pardoned some of the rebels. One of them was a man with a legendary name. He was taken into service at court and given the rank of valet. During the year this gentleman's salary was carefully paid. Then the newly appointed valet disappeared, and what happened to him next is unknown. It is quite possible that for a number of reasons he became a noble robber.

If we consider Edward II as the main royal figure, then we can assume that the “romantic and unmercenary from the high road” did good deeds in the period from 1320 to 1330. However, the famous writer and historian Walter Scott (1771-1832) portrayed the image of a noble robber in his novel Richard the Lionheart. This English king lived from 1157 to 1199. And this indicates an earlier period of the existence of Robin Hood, or more precisely at the end of the 12th century.

Nowadays, many researchers believe that a bright and mysterious personality is a composite image. That is, there was no specific person, but only a popular dream of a just and honest hero-robber. This is a purely folk creation, born among ordinary people. Since the image was unusually interesting and romantic, it became popular among poets and novelists. Creative people have turned it into a symbol of the eternal struggle between good and evil. That is why it remains not only popular, but also relevant for several centuries..

Since childhood, Robin Hood has been and remains a hero for many (eng. Robin Hood (and not “good” - “good”; “hood” - “hood”, it means “to hide (cover with a hood)”), “robin" can be translated as “robin”) - the noble leader of forest bandits from medieval English folk ballads, according to them Robin Hood acted with his gang in Sherwood Forest near Nottingham - robbed the rich, giving the spoils to the poor.
The legend about the noble robber has lived for more than six centuries, but the identity of the prototype of these ballads and legends has not been established.
In William Langland's edition of Plowman Pierce (1377), there is a reference to "poems about Robin Hood". Langland's contemporary Geoffrey Chaucer in Troilus and Criseyde mentions "the hazel thicket where merry Robin walked." Moreover, Gamelin's Tale, which was included by Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales, also features a robber hero.

Several real historical figures have been identified, which could serve as a prototype for the legendary Robin. In the census registers for 1228 and 1230 the name of Robert Hood, nicknamed Brownie, is listed as a fugitive from justice. Around the same time, a popular movement arose under the leadership of Sir Robert Thwing - the rebels raided monasteries, and the looted grain was distributed to the poor. However, the name Robert Hood was quite common, so scientists are more inclined to believe that the prototype of Robin Hood was a certain Robert Fitzug, a contender for the title of Earl of Huntingdon, who was born around 1160 and died in 1247. Some reference books even list these years as the dates of Robin Hood's life, although written sources from the time make no mention of a rebellious aristocrat named Robert Fitzug.

Who was the king in the time of Robin Hood? Dating historical events It is further complicated by the fact that different versions of the legend mention different English monarchs. One of the first historians to study this problem, Sir Walter Bower, believed that Robin Hood was a participant in the 1265 rebellion against King Henry III, which was led by the royal relative Simon de Montfort. After Montfort's defeat, many of the rebels did not disarm and continued to live like the ballad hero Robin Hood. “At this time,” wrote Bower, “the famous robber Robin Hood ... began to enjoy great influence among those who had been disinherited and outlawed for their participation in the rebellion.” The main contradiction to Bower's hypothesis is that the longbow mentioned in the ballads of Robin Hood had not yet been invented at the time of de Montfort's rebellion.

A document from 1322 mentions "Robin Hood's Stone" in Yorkshire. It follows from this that the ballads, and perhaps the owner of the legendary name himself, were already well known by this time. Those inclined to look for traces of the original Robin Hood in the 1320s usually suggest Robert Hood, a tenant from Wakefield who took part in the rebellion led by the Earl of Lancaster in 1322, for the role of the noble brigand. In support of the hypothesis, information is provided that the following year King Edward II visited Nottingham and took into his service as a valet a certain Robert Hood, who was paid a salary for the next 12 months.

If we take the mention of King Edward II as a starting point, it turns out that the robber hero performed his exploits in the first quarter of the 14th century. However, according to other versions, he appears on historical scene as a brave warrior of King Richard I the Lionheart, whose reign occurred in the last decade of the 12th century - it is this version in the artistic presentation of Walter Scott that is currently most popular. Since Walter Scott used the image of Robin Hood as the prototype for one of the characters in the novel Ivanhoe in 1819, the noble robber has continued to be popular hero children's books, films and television.

One of the most complete collections of English ballads, published by Francis Child in the 19th century, contains 40 works about Robin Hood, while in the 14th century there were only four:

In the first novella Robin lends money and his faithful squire Little John to an impoverished knight to take revenge on the greedy abbot.

In the second- by cunning he forces the hated sheriff from Nottingham to dine with him on venison, which the robbers obtained in the patrimony of the law enforcement officer - Sherwood Forest.

In the third- Robin recognizes the disguised King Edward, who comes to Nottingham incognito to investigate violations of the law by local rulers, and enters his service.

artist Daniel Content Published by Rand McNally & Co ~ 1928

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932

In the fourth- the final part of the ballad, published in 1495, tells the story of Robin’s return to robbery and the betrayal of the abbess of Kirkley Abbey, who brings him to death with bloodletting when he comes to her monastery for treatment.

artist N. C. Wyeth Published by David McKay ~ 1917

In the early ballads there is no mention of the maiden Marianne, Robin's lover. She first appears in later versions of the legend, which arose at the end of the 15th century.

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932:

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

The giant, nicknamed Little John, is present in the band of robbers already in the original versions of the legend,

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

And Brother Tak (a wandering monk, a cheerful fat man) appears in a much later version. And Robin himself, from a yeoman (a free peasant), eventually turned into a noble exile.

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

There is also a known association of Robin Hood with Robin Goodfellow, or Puck, a forest spirit in the folklore of the Frisians, Saxons and Scandinavians.

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

Now most researchers agree that Robin Hood is " pure creation folk muse." And, according to M. Gorky, “...the poetic feeling of the people made a hero out of a simple, perhaps robber, almost equal to a saint” (preface to the collection “The Ballads of Robin Hood”, Pg. 1919, p. 12).

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932

THE BALLAD OF ROBIN HOOD
(translated by I. Ivanovsky)

We will talk about a brave guy,
His name was Robin Hood.
No wonder the memory of a daredevil
People take care of it.

artist N. C. Wyeth Published by David McKay ~ 1917

He still didn't shave his beard,
And there was already a shooter,
And the heaviest bearded man
I couldn't compete with him.

But his house was burned by his enemies,
And Robin Hood disappeared -
With a band of valiant shooters
Went to Sherwood Forest.

artist N. C. Wyeth Published by David McKay ~ 1917

artist Frank Godwin (1889 ~ 1959) Published by Garden City Publiching Co ~ 1932

Anyone shot without missing a beat,
Jokingly wielded a sword;
Two to attack six
They didn't care.

artist Lucy Fitch Perkins Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company ~ 1923

There was a blacksmith, Little John -
Big guy of big guys,
Three healthy guys
He carried it on himself!