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There was an outlaw called Robin Hood who had been outlawed in Yorkshire and not in Nottingham. He was known as Robin Hood of York. There are many references to him in local court records. However, this figure was not a great archer and he definitely did not steal from the rich and gave it to the poor. In reality, this Robin was outlawed because he owed money to the Church. Another theory is that Robin de Deyville (or De Vile) was the real Robin Hood. He was an adherent of Simon de Montfort, an aristocratic rebel who sought to curb royal power. After Montfort’s defeat at the Battle of Evesham, de Deyville fled to the forests and became a bandit. There are some similarities between this historical figure and the legendary outlaw, and some Early Modern writers believed that he was the historical character upon which the outlaw was based. Another potential candidate to be the ‘real’ Robin Hood is Roger Godberd. He was from the Nottingham area and lived in the 13th century. He was originally a friend of the Sheriff of Nottingham but the two fell out after a local power struggle. Godberd was persecuted by the Sherriff and took to the forests and lived a life outside of the law. After a series of adventures as a bandit and robber, he was eventually pardoned by the King and became a local landowner. However, while there are undoubted similarities between Godberd and the well-known adventures of the Nottingham bandit, there is no evidence to suggest that he was ever known as Robin Hood.
==Robin Hood as a mythological figure==
Since the Tudor era, there have been several scholars who claim claimed that the legendary outlaw was, in reality, a spirit of the forest. This is based on his remarkable fortune and skill with the bow. Some have suggested that the story of Robin Hood, who was very much opposed to the established Church was somehow related to a pagan cult, a survival of the old Celtic religion, that continued to flourish in the dense forests. For example, his traditional color’ green, is often associated with the fairies. Some have even argued that he was the embodiment of one of the spirits of the forest. Many believe that the origin of the outlaw figure was in the Northern European folkloric figure known as Hodekin. He was regularly portrayed with a felt hat and he was seen as a ‘good’ spirit, like the outlaw-hero. Then there are those who claim that Robin was really Puck the well-known goblin <ref> Raglan, Lord. The Hero: A Study in Tradition, Myth, and Drama (London, 1936), p 145</ref>. However, the claims that the famous Bowman was a spirit are now largely discredited.
==Robin Hood- a nickname==
The theory that is now generally accepted that there was no historical figure by that name. The name Robin which is a diminutive of Robert was very common in medieval England. Then the surname Hood was also popular and in the English of the time, it was also a name for the woods <ref> Coghlan, Ronan. The Robin Hood Companion (London, Xiphos Books, 2003), p 13</ref>. There were probably many Robin Hoods and some of them were probably outlaws and went to the forest which was beyond the control of the King and his officials. It seemed that many outlaws and fugitives from the law began to use the name, Robin Hood. In all probability, the name was a nickname given to any who have been outlawed by the Royal authorities, over time. One theory suggests that the name was an alias that was used by thieves and robbers to hide their real identity. The name Robin Hood became associated with the tradition of outlawry. In medieval England, there were many bands of bandits and robbers in the forest such as Sherwood Forest <ref>Coghlan, p 15</ref>. Among the common people, robbers and poachers who defied the Royal agents were often seen as heroes. It seems that these ‘Robin Hoods’ were the subject of ballads and became part of the oral tradition. These were popular and were incorporated into celebrations that marked May Day and other festivities. It seems that even in the official records that the name was used to describe a person who had been outlawed for committing serious crimes such as poaching and murder. Robin Hood was a term that was commonly used for an outlaw. The various balladeers and storytellers began to use the name of Robin Hood as a stock character. So whenever, someone wanted to tell a tale of an outlaw that they simply used the name of the most popular outlaw in Medieval England. There were so many references to the name that people began to assume that he was a historical figure. Many writers later connected the legend to a variety of historical figures. The best-known example of this is the link that some writers made between the story of the outlaw and Robin of Locksley <ref> Wright, Thomas. Essays on Subjects connected with the Literature, Popular Superstitions, and History of England in the Middle Ages (London, 1846), vol. II, pp. 164-211 </ref>. As a result, over time, what started as a story or a nickname came to be regarded as a real-life person. This is something that has regularly happened down the centuries in a variety of cultures.
