Folk heroes from different countries. Nottingham - the legend of Robin Hood

Date: 09/12/2014 0 2486

Robin Hood was more associated with Yorkshire than with Nottingham, say experts in Doncaster (a city in South Yorkshire, UK). According to them, he was buried in their county - his grave is in the town of Kirklees. And his wedding to Lady Marian took place in Doncaster church.

The famous English medieval robber Robin Hood, who also goes by the nickname Robin of Sherwood, is actually more worthy of being called Robin of Yorkshire, and he may not have spent much time in Sherwood Forest.

According to Carolyn Dalton of Doncaster Museum, stories of Robin Hood in historical sources Yorkshire contains the oldest and most detailed references to Robin Hood in English history.

Usually stories place him and his band of merry bandit friends in Sherwood Forest, but judging by Yorkshire sources, it all began with Robin in Barnsdale Forest, near Doncaster. Also in this source, The Gest of Robin Hood, dating from the 15th century, there are references to the wedding of Robin and his beloved Lady Marian in the church of Donkster.

Monument to Robin Hood

In another legend, he attacks the Bishop of Hereford, ties him to a tree and robs him, and all this also takes place in Barnsdale Forest, and not in Sherwood. It also mentions that "there is still a tree in Doncaster's Skelbrooke Park which residents call the Hereford Tree." But the early ballads already mention the familiar Nottingham with known history about Robin, the monk and the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Stories about Robin Hood first appeared in the late 14th century, and he was also popular character different stories throughout the 15th century. Historians still argue about who Robin Hood was, as well as about the origin of his nickname. IN " True story Robin Hood" (A True Tale of Robin Hood), written in 1632 by the London poet Martin Parker, states that Robin "was once a noble Earl of Huntingdon, named Robert Hood." Throughout the north of England he was famous not only for his shooting accuracy, but also for his generosity. As a result, the young count squandered his entire fortune and went into debt, borrowing a large sum at the abbot of St. Mary's in the city of York.

The rich and influential abbot, who kept the entire region in debt slavery, complained to the king about the malicious defaulter, and Robert was declared outlaw. This word (literally “outside the law”) then meant not only a robber, as in later times, but also simply a person excluded from the scope of the law - he could be killed, robbed, or thrown into prison with impunity. Fleeing from a similar fate, Robert with three hundred of his “shooters” (bowmen) fled to the nearest forest and took up robbery. Remembering his offender, he had a special dislike for monks.

Images of Robin Hood from medieval books

The beginning of Robin's story looks completely different in the earlier (16th century) ballad "Robin Hood's Path to Nottingham", also known as "Robin Hood and the Foresters". There the hero is not an earl, but a yeoman, as in medieval England they called a special class of free landowners, which included both richer peasants and poorer nobles. At the age of 15, having learned to master archery, Robin decided to go to an archery competition in Nottingham. On the way, he met the royal foresters, who were camping in the forest for a picnic, and bet with them that he could kill a deer with an arrow at a distance of a hundred fathoms.

Robin won, but the foresters, not wanting to give him the promised 20 marks of silver, threatened to bring him to trial as a poacher. Angry, the young man grabbed a bow and, without allowing the deceivers to come to their senses, shot them all - 15 people. He did the same with a detachment from Nottingham that came to the aid of the foresters. Naturally, after this murder, the young man could only take refuge in the forest, where he was joined by other exiles - those who were in trouble with the law.

Experts read that these legends are mixed up as the stories of at least two people.

There is an epitaph on the "Robin Hood's grave" in Kirklees, which says that Robin Hood, killed by the Sheriff of Nottingham, was buried here. The grave is dated to 1247, but the inscription itself is only dated to 1702.

This is not the first time that the neighboring counties of Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire have fought for the right to be considered the homeland of the hooded bandit. In 2004, Doncaster named its airport after Robin Hood. Which greatly outraged the Nottinghamshire authorities.

If you want to explore even more of the countryside in England, your best bet is to head to Nottingham. This city is associated with the popular legend of these places - the legend of Robin Hood, because it was in Sherwood Forest that he once fought for justice.
Nottingham. Wollaton Hill

Nottingham England, Nottingham city

Nottingham is a city in the center of England, located in the county of Nottinghamshire, on the banks of the River Trent. By Russian standards, this is a small town, its population is less than 300 thousand people. Nottingham was founded in the 7th century by Saka settlers and has been under Danish rule for several centuries.

Nottingham. Sherwood Forest

Getting to Nottingham

There are several ways to get to Nottingham. The nearest airport is Leicestershire, from which you can reach by bus, the journey takes about 45 minutes. But you will still have to make a transfer from Russia. In addition, you can take the train, for example, from, the journey time is about two hours. You can rent a bicycle right at the train station.

Nottingham. All Saints Church

Nottingham attractions

One of the main attractions of the city is Nottingham Castle, where the museum is located today. Right outside the gate there is a monument to the main character of the city - Robin Hood. A festival dedicated to Robin Hood is held here every year. Another main attraction is Sherwood Forest, which is considered to be the main area of ​​Robin Hood's action. The age of this forest is 800 - 1000 years old, today it is a park area. Also popular among tourists is Wollaton Hill, a Renaissance palace built in the 1580s. Today there is a museum here. The home of the poet Lord Byron and his tomb at Hucknall Church are worth a visit.
Nottingham. Nottingham Castle

All Saints Church in gothic style, the largest medieval church, as well as the Museum of Crimes and Punishments, is definitely worth a visit. And if you have time, pay attention to such places as the City of Caves and the neo-Baroque town hall. If you have the opportunity to go outside the city, then you have a direct road to the limestone Creswell Crag canyon with its caves, which were inhabited 50 - 10 thousand years ago. The canyon is located on the northern edge of Sherwood Forest, as well as Rufford Abbey, founded in 1147.

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• – the journey begins with choosing the best insurance; the service allows you to find the best option according to your requirements;
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Construction of the Nottingham residential complex is planned to begin in the Minsk region in 2011, Alan Clark, a member of the Nottingham city council and executive committee, said today, who arrived in the Belarusian capital as part of a delegation from this British city.

The name was not chosen by chance. Minsk and Nottingham are twin cities. For more than 50 years, the cities have maintained close friendly relations, embodying joint projects. Since the complex will be in the British style, it was decided to give it an appropriate name. Official permission to use the same name of the complex, which will become one of the largest construction projects in Belarus, was given by the head of the Nottingham City Council. The project will be implemented by UnivestStroyInvest JLLC, one of the leading enterprises of the Univest-M group of companies.

“Our delegation is received very warmly in Minsk. Yesterday, we discussed the construction of the Nottingham residential complex in the suburbs of Minsk with representatives of the Univest-M group of companies. And today we visited the site of the future complex,” said Alan Clark.

Answering the question BELTA, in what exactly the British style will be manifested, a member of the Nottingham City Council and Executive Committee noted that the British will share experience in project management, general engineering and design.

“We have seen some drawings and drawings and they already reflect the Nottingham style. Also to come collaboration for the design of residential buildings. We will share our experience in the external decoration of houses,” said the foreign guest and added that the delegation included engineers, planning experts, architects and even a financing specialist. In particular, it is planned to attract several sources to the project, including foreign investments.

The Nottingham residential complex will be located in a picturesque location near the Stiklevo biological reserve of republican significance, two kilometers from the Minsk ring road. This is a large-scale project both in terms of the size of the territory and the planned population. It is planned to build more than 850 thousand square meters of housing on 290 hectares for 21 thousand people. The architecture of Nottingham is based on the traditions of Belarusian and European urban planning. The project selected predominantly low- and mid-rise buildings, as well as several estate zones. The houses form internal courtyards with the possibility of parking. 6 functional zones will be built on the territory: residential, sports, community centers and social service facilities, landscape and recreational, industrial and communal areas, streets and roads. Transport links with Minsk have also been carefully thought out. A new one will be built here soon highway. And the fifteen-minute accessibility of the Mogilevskaya and Uruchye metro stations will allow future residents to short time get to any point in the capital.

According to the plan, the residential complex will have 4 kindergartens, 3 schools with in-depth study in English, clinic, pharmacies, medical centers. The project includes all the necessary functionality for physical education and various types sports: it is planned to build stadiums, skating rinks, swimming pools, tennis courts, a roller ski track and open areas for physical education. Hotels, offices, shops, shopping centers, restaurants and cafes, entertainment facilities will complement the infrastructure of Belarusian Nottingham. A monument to the hero of the English epic Robin Hood, which the British side has expressed its readiness to erect, will fit organically into the development.

Everything that unites these characters - people's love and support. Some became famous for their selfless actions in the fight against foreigners or enemies of the state, while others became famous for their direct and literal service to the people. the site presents seven folk heroes, real and not so real.

Robin Hood

Robin Hood monument in Nottingham

The identity of this person has not been established - whether he actually lived or is only a hero English legends and ballads, it is not known exactly. But its popularity is enormous. There are at least two versions of the origin of this character - according to one, he was a free peasant, according to the other, he was a nobleman who faced some kind of injustice. They say that he could be the Earl of Huntington.

The real existence of Robin Hood is unknown to this day.

When the prototype of this hero lived is also not entirely clear. According to the artistic version of Walter Scott, a contemporary of Robin Hood was Richard the Lionheart (that is, we're talking about about the 12th century). However, according to other sources, the hero of the English folk ballads However, he lived later - at the beginning of the 14th century, during the reign of King Edward II. The habitat of this noble robber called Sherwood Forest, which is located near Nottingham. Well, everyone knows what Robin Hood became famous for since childhood - with his forest gang he robbed the rich and gave what he got to the poor.

William Tell

Monument to William Tell in Altdorf

The cruel “Black Duke” Adolf of Nassau, after coming to power in Germany, established special orders in the lands subordinate to the empire, which few people liked. Among the dissatisfied were residents of the canton of Uri, a mountainous region of Switzerland, who have always been distinguished by their freedom-loving disposition. To check whether a rebellion was brewing, the Emperor's viceroy, Gesler, hung a ducal hat on Altdorf Square and ordered everyone to bow to it every time they passed by. Only the young peasant William Tell disobeyed.

Archer Tell shot at an apple placed on his son's head and hit

He was given a test: he had to use a bow to knock an apple off his own son's head. By the way, folk hero he succeeded, but then he admitted that if he had missed, he would have killed the governor with another arrow. Later, according to legend, he still shot Gesler, when the canton’s struggle against the invaders had already become completely open. As in the case of Robin Hood, the reality of the character is questioned, this is due to the lack of documentary references to Tell's name and the fact that only his feat is known in detail. But archer heroes are favorite characters in myths and legends of various nations.

Joan of Arc

Monument to Joan of Arc in Paris

The national heroine of France was born in 1412 at the height of the Hundred Years' War on the border of Champagne and Lorraine. At the age of 13, the girl first heard the voices of the Archangel Michael and Saint Catherine of Alexandria - in one of her visions she was destined to liberate Orleans and expel the invaders from the country. In 1429, 16-year-old Jeanne actually lifted the siege of the city, but, unfortunately, a year later she was captured by the Burgundians, who sold her to the British. In 1431, the Inquisition tried the Maid of Orleans, accusing her of heresy, and then burned her at the stake. A few years after her death, Joan of Arc was rehabilitated and then canonized.

Ivan Susanin

Monument to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich and peasant Ivan Susanin in Kostroma

Little is known about the life of Ivan Susanin - he was a serf of the Shestov nobles. It was in their possessions that the young Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich took refuge, who at the beginning of 1612 Zemsky Sobor elected to the kingdom. Susanin, according to some sources, was the Shestovs' clerk in Domnina or the patrimonial headman. Therefore, the Poles, who were looking for Mikhail Romanov in order to deal with him, turned to this already venerable man.

For hiding the Tsar, Ivan Susanin was chopped up by the Poles “into small pieces”

However, Susanin sent his son-in-law Bogdan Sabinin to warn the tsar and his mother (they were in Domnina), and he himself led the killers further away - towards the village of Isupov, past the Clean Swamp. Mikhail Fedorovich took refuge in the Kostroma Ipatiev Monastery, and the Poles, who learned about the deception, subjected Susanin brutal torture and chopped “into small pieces.” Naturally, he was revered in tsarist times, and it is just as natural that in Soviet monument Susanina was destroyed. The “rehabilitation” of the “servant of the Tsar” took place in 1938, when the heroic defenders of the Motherland were again held in high esteem.

Miguel Hidalgo

Monument to Miguel Hidalgo in front of his church in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato state

Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla spoke to the people on September 15, 1808, when a political crisis was brewing in Mexico. Hidalgo's "Cry of Dolores" marked the beginning of the War of Independence against Spanish rule. Despite the successful actions of the rebels, Hidalgo was captured - the tribunal found him guilty of treason. The leader of the Mexican Revolution was shot on July 30, 1811, but the struggle did not end there - and in 1821 Mexico gained independence.

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi in Nice

People's Hero of Italy for a long time spent outside his homeland - for participation in the Mazzini rebellion he was sentenced to death in absentia. In 1848, Garibaldi returned to Italy, where an uprising broke out against Austrian rule - however, after successful actions against the occupiers, the revolutionary forces were defeated. After another long emigration, Garibaldi returned to Italy and sided with Victor Emmanuel - starting in 1860, he participated in various campaigns against the interventionists aimed at unifying the country. Garibaldi died in 1882, an honorary "pensioner" with an annuity of 100 thousand lire.

Ulysses Simpson Grant was also a president, but became famous as a military leader

Ulysses Grant

Ulysses Simpson Grant, mid-1870s

In general, Grant was at one time and American President, but researchers assess this period rather reservedly. He became much more famous as a commander, becoming a real American national hero. He was born into a poor family, received a military education, but soon became a farmer, and later helped his father with a tannery.

During the Civil War, a detachment of volunteers was formed in Galena, Illinois, and installed Grant as its commander. Soon all volunteer units in northern Missouri came under his command, and Grant received the rank of brigadier general. He sought incredible success in the campaign at an incredible price. Having relied on the exhaustion of the enemy, he did not spare the strength of his units. The famous General William Sherman wrote that best quality Grant was completely unwilling to take into account what the enemy could do to him. In 1865, the result of bloody battles led by Grant was the surrender of General Lee. This was the end of the Civil War.

Where it was found out that despite the many ballads with his life story, which were previously performed (and composed) by wandering glimen musicians, scientists were never able to determine which historical figure hid under the name of Robin Hood and did good deeds, robbing the rich and distributing the loot to the poor. Moreover, it is not even clear what Robin Hood looked like. We really want to think that he was a handsome, athletic guy (blonde or brown-haired - tastes may vary here), and in some ballads there is information about him... that Robin Hood was quite prone to being overweight. Well, it’s good that this fact has not been proven. But everyone, without exception, knows for sure that Robin Hood lived in Nottingham, his enemies (in particular the Sheriff) lived in Nottingham Castle, and Robin Hood and his friends and assistants (i.e., robbers) were forced to hide from them in Sherwood Forest.

The chronicler talks about it this way: “Among people deprived of property, Robin Hood was then famous, whom the common people so love to present as the hero of their games and comedies, and whose history, sung by minstrels, occupies the Saxons more than all other stories.”
That's all that is known about Robin Hood, but his popularity was so great that for centuries, residents of cities and villages annually (usually on one of May days) held a festival in honor of their favorite hero. ceremonial games- a holiday of spring and forest. On this day, all of England postponed their business and activities, “churches and workshops were empty; neither the saint nor the preachers could win victory over the people’s favorite on this day.” Residents from all over the country dressed up in green caftans and went to the forest, where they held archery competitions and acted out scenes from the life of Robin Hood and his friends. This day was celebrated for almost 400 years, and the English Bishop Latimer, who lived back in the 16th century, complained that the church small town near London turned out to be empty when he wanted to preach a sermon in it. Some man said, “Sir, we cannot listen to your sermon today because we are celebrating Robin Hood Day. All our parishioners are in the forest, and you would wait in vain for them.”
Centuries have passed since then, but in his native place - in Nottingham, festivals in honor of Robin Hood continue to be held there.

Robin Hood Festival

Every August, Sherwood Forest turns into an arena for Robin Hood games. Fans of the free shooter and just tourists come, as well as hundreds of actors and enthusiasts who appear before the audience in the roles of robbers, knights, beautiful ladies, jesters, monks, artisans. All together they recreate the extraordinary atmosphere of the Middle Ages here, introducing the history and life of medieval England.
But tourists from all over the world come not only during the festival, but simply to see places associated with their favorite hero.
For modern Nottingham, the image of Robin Hood plays a key role. Reminders of Robin Hood are everywhere - on the streets of the city, in the ancient castle, in Sherwood Forest, in the village of Edwinstowe.

Nottingham City Center

Nottingham is a city and unitary area of ​​the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire in central England. It is located on the banks of the River Trent 175 km north-west of London.
According to researchers, the first settlement here appeared before the arrival of the Romans. After the end of the Roman occupation, several independent British kingdoms were created in Britain. From the second half of the 5th to the beginning of the 7th century AD. The local lands were part of the kingdom of Elmet, and in the Anglo-Saxon period, around 600 AD, they belonged to Mercia. At this time the city was known as Tigguo Kobauk, which meant "land of cave dwellings." These dwellings were artificial grottoes carved out of sandstone rock near Trent.

Having come under the rule of the Saxon leader Snot, the settlement received a new name - Snottingham (Snotta inga ham - settlement of the Snot tribe). In 867, Snottingham was captured by the Vikings, and in 920, English troops managed to recapture the city. So the Anglo-Saxon settlement became the English city of Nottingham.

A charter granted to Nottingham in 1449 gave citizens the right to choose local governments. In the same year, the first sheriff of Nottingham, or rather sheriffs, began to perform his duties - initially, the duties of sheriff were simultaneously performed by two townspeople.
IN late XVII centuries, the elegant appearance of Nottingham with brick walls and tiled roofs delighted visitors to the city. IN early XVIII century, Daniel Defoe called Nottingham one of the most beautiful English cities.

Nottingham currently has approximately 292,400 residents and welcomes approximately 300,000 annually foreign tourists. Major tourist attractions include Sherwood Forest and Nottingham Castle, which are closely associated with the legend of Robin Hood.

Nottingham Castle.

In 1067, by order of William the Conqueror, Nottingham Castle was built on the banks of the Trent; in the next century, the castle was rebuilt from stone. Over time, the fortress did not lose its strategic function - control of the crossing of the Trent River, but in addition it became a favorite vacation spot for the English kings, and in the nearby Royal Forests - Sherwood and Barnsdale - the kings hunted deer.
In 1600, the castle lost its status as a royal residence, and was practically destroyed during civil war. In 1651, after the end of the war, Parliament ordered the demolition of Nottingham Castle. Two decades later, the Duke of Newcastle became the owner of the site; in 1979, a manor house was built here (this complex of buildings is currently called Nottingham Castle).

After reconstruction, a museum and art gallery were located here.
Nottingham Castle today is not frozen stone, but a living museum and gallery housing an extensive collection of silver, glass, fine and decorative arts. Exhibitions of the best are regularly held here works of art both UK and overseas.

Rebuilt many times, Nottingham Castle has nothing in common with the medieval world that Robin Hood knew. And yet, there are many things here that remind you of the past, such as the Robin Hood statue.

In 1952, a monument to Robin Hood was erected in one of the squares in Nottingham.

The famous English sculptor D. Woodforth depicted the hero with a drawn bow, which Robin Hood points towards Nottingham Castle, but then it was moved to the castle courtyard because of souvenir hunters who stole the hero's bow and arrows. This is how Robin Hood ended up in a place where during his lifetime he never thought of seeking refuge.

Around the monument and in medallions on the castle wall - compositions from the life of Little John and other friends of Robin Hood

Nottingham Castle is built on a high hill, inside the soft sandstone of which many caves, kilometers of different tunnels and underground halls. Entering any hotel or historic pub English city Nottingham, many tourists do not even suspect that every building here has an invisible part: in the form of an endless labyrinth of tunnels and caves.
For example, the oldest hotel in England: "Ye Oldi, Journey to Jerusalem", built back in 1189, is adjacent to the hill and is connected by a 300-meter underground passage to Nottingham Castle.

There are approximately 500 caves in Nottingham, of which only 76 have currently been explored, but this number is amazing. According to local residents, in many caves the ghosts of innocently murdered people from the past constantly hover, because in England there were harsh morals and people were executed in the thousands without trial: during the reign of Henry VIII Tudor alone, about 72 thousand Englishmen were executed. By the way, the tyrant and fat man Henry VIII Tudor also visited here and walked along numerous passages.

It is said that Robin Hood used the caves as access to the castle. And one day, when the Sheriff caught him, he was placed in a dungeon, and he calmly jumped out before dawn through the tunnel network where the beer was stored, of course thanks to his friends.

Until the 20th century, Nottingham caves housed tanneries, cesspools, torture chambers, prison cells and other “splendor”. But during the Second World War, when the Nazis bombed Nottingham (munitions were produced here), the caves were used as an air-raid shelter. Now the pubs are well located.

Nearby is Sherwood Forest, famous for its huge oak trees. And, of course, also by the fact that it was in it that Robin Hood was hiding.