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Season 2022 – Talk 20 – Robin Hood
In Robin Hood David Simpson tries to answer the question as to whether he is fact or fiction.
Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.
Who?
David tells us of a number of people who could have been the model of the legendary leader who robs the rich to give to the poor. These, either individually or as a group, may be the inspiration for the tales recounted by the Medieval balladeers.
Where?
This depends on the who because each of the people discussed above are from different parts of England. Maybe Yorkshire? Possibly the South East? Or even the South West. Sherwood Forest and Nottingham may be less likely as, apparently there has never been a Sheriff of Nottingham.
When?
Another problem is that the cast of possible players for the part of Robin inhabited different centuries. So which King? Richard I and John? Edward I, Edward II, Edward III? It all depends on the scoundrel you choose for the ‘Who‘.
The members of Robin’s backing group, The Merry Men, also influence the ‘When’ as, for example, Friars didn’t exist in the reign of Richard the Lionheart!
The story evolves:
In the early ballads there is tell of Robin as a yeoman, a few centuries later he morphs into an earl. By the time Walter Scott writes Ivanhoe the story evolves into something we, and Errol Flynn, are familiar with.
Listen to the podcast and hear David tell the fascinating story.
About this podcast:
This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History Group and the Farnham u3a Medieval History Group.
It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk for copyright reasons.
The Farnham u3a site is here.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.
AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music. Joseph McDade licences The Tavern for use in this podcast.
© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023
