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Robin Hood (spelled Robyn Hode in older manuscripts) is a heroic outlaw in English folklore, and, according to legend, was also a highly skilled archer and swordsman.
Although such behaviour was not part of his original character, since the beginning of the 19th century he has become known for “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor”, assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his “Merry Men”.
Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes. The origin of the legend is asserted by some to have been actual outlaws, or ballads or tales of outlaws.
Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in the medieval period, continuing through to modern literature, films and television. In the earliest sources, Robin Hood is a yeoman, but he was often later portrayed as an aristocrat wrongfully dispossessed of his lands and made into an outlaw by an unscrupulous sheriff.
The oldest references to Robin Hood are not historical records, or even ballads recounting his exploits, but hints and allusions found in various works. From 1228 onward, the names ‘Robinhood’, ‘Robehod’ or ‘Robbehod’ occur in the rolls of several English Justices.
The majority of these references date from the late 13th century. Between 1261 and 1300, there are at least eight references to ‘Rabunhod’ in various regions across England, from Berkshire in the south to York in the north.
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