Are the Robin Hood and Arthurian Legends connected ....?
It might not seem so obvious, but on closer Scrutiny it looks like they are. Arthur obviously goes back to ancient times, sometimes pre-Christian and often at the same time the Romans withdrew from Britain. Indeed, some believe he was part-Roman. But why did later Kings and Queens hark back to him, and why was this concurrent with when the famous Robin Hood Stories were set?
In the Search for a real Robin Hood or King Arthur there are many Candidates as we have seen via the myriad Books, Documentaries and Academic Researchers over the years. Some are quite valid, and a few probably very real - but it's not just about who they might have been, it's also what they represent, and that's far more important.
Historical Figures appear in Timelines and Biographies since History began after all, but do they represent anything?
The Arthurian Legend in its more recognisable Form appeared in the 12th Century when Chretien - under the Patronage of Eleanor of Aquitaine - wrote his Stories on the Subject.
This was a time when Britain was in tumult. Henry 2nd was at war with his own Sons, who were at war with each other, while Eleanor even endured imprisonment at their Hands. The Country needed someone to unify it.
This wasn't that long after a Civil War called "The Anarchy" wracked the Country - when King David of Scotland supported Matilda's Claim to the Throne against the usurperous King Stephen. In what looks like a throwback to another Age her Claim was like that of a Celtic Queen, a latter Day Boudicca or anglo-celtic Maeve, legitimate regardless of Gender, unlike Stephens Patrimony. And that was the Problem, her Lineage, although far more representative, with Malcolm of Scotland and Margaret of Wessex in the Mix, was matrilineal. Matilda doing Girl Power 1000 years before the Spice Girls. Stephens Claim might have ticked all the Patrilineal Boxes, but none of his Ancestors were from this Side of the English Channel.
She prevailed in the end, Stephen died and her Son became Henry 2nd, the first Plantagenet King, but one from her Bloodline.
So who better to be a "once and future King" than a Descendant of both the Norman Angevin Plantagenets and the Britons, Scots and Saxons? What's even better was how he was called Arthur, Son of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Margaret of Huntingdon's Daughter - Constance, also descended from Alfred. While Richard was next in line after the deposed King Henry the younger, I suspect Eleanor thought her Son wouldn't last very long as he spent more time on the Battlefield than at Court. And very little time in Britain.
Thus, the next in line from him was Arthur, and what better way to promote him than to have the Courtly Poet of the Day write epic Stories about him!
The problem was that while he was the legal Heir should anything happen to Richard, he was also very young when his Uncle was killed at Chalus, being only 12. We are told the King reluctantly chose John as his Heir for that reason.
John immediately imprisoned his Nephew and In the Chaos that ensued during his Reign Arthur must have looked increasingly like a Threat. Someone who might bring unity to the Realm that he obviously couldn't. Arthur had the stronger Claim via his Mother's very anglo-british/scottish Lineage, and John had him murdered, although it's felt he did the dirty deed himself. Arthur effectively disappeared.
The thing was, Arthur being the Great Grandson of Henry of Scotland meant John had killed someone who was also a Cousin or Nephew of an Earl of Huntingdon.
Sound familiar?
Myths and Legends aside there are several instances where actual History supports the Story .....
The 1194 Siege of Nottingham.
David Earl of Huntingdon, with Ranulph of Chester (his future Brother in Law) and William Marshal were joined by the Armies of King Richard during the Siege of Nottingham Castle. Supporters of John were holed up there and after several days brutal Fighting finally surrendered. It was said Richard went hunting in Sherwood and met a certain Robin Hood. Could he and the Earl be one and the same?
After the King died and John took the Throne David's position became a difficult one. He was even said to have been outlawed for Debts and had huge Tracts of his English Estates seized by King John. In 1212 he was accused of a Plot to assassinate the King, and while this was never proved one of those who was was Robert Fitzwalter, Father of his Wife Matilda (who Anthony Mundy turned into Marion). He was also obliged to side with his Nephew King Alexander of Scotland during the Barons War that would lead to Magna Carta. So did Llewelyn of Gwynedd.
While David might have supported Johns Coronation in 1199 - probably to stave off any anticipated backlash against his Actions years before - all this happened anyway, and as it continued and facts became known about the fate of his Cousin/Nephew Arthur at Johns Hands the Legend starts taking root as maybe there was retribution somewhere in his Motives.
Quite a lot of very real historical Reasons why he would be regarded as an Outlaw fighting a Prince who became King John.
Bolstered by how Arthur might have been a better King instead of the Misery, Chaos and Disaster of John's Reign. Arthur might have been close to the Capetian Kings in France, but this might have prevented the disastrous Wars John had fought with them.
Then, of course David was also the Ancestor of a certain Robert Earl of Annandale - who we all know as Robert the Bruce.
But all that was a long way off, and in the interim we had the second Barons War and the appearance of Simon De Montfort.
At first the years after John seemed comparatively peaceful and Magna Carta was re-established. It finally looked like the Tumult had ended. Unfortunately Henry 3rd wanted to install his own Network of feudal Rulers and either own Britain's Castles himself or planttate loyal Barons in them. This effectively undid the Agreement made with the Charter at Runnymede and it's revised and updated version a few years later.
The 1258 Provisions of Oxford attempted to establish monarchial Accountability with the Barons which Henry reneged on, prompting the War, which De Montfort won in 1264. This was when we began seeing the emergence of a certain Edward Longshanks - who would be Edward 1st.
Prince Edward finally defeated De Montfort at the Battle of Evesham, rescuing his Father from Captivity and De Montfort was drawn and quartered, his Remains sent to supporters as a warning. Some of these retreated into the Forests and became Outlaws, one of whom was a Yeoman called Roger Godberd.
There was another Character called Robert who was Friends with a Sheriff of Nottingham called Reginald De Grey until they fell out and he had to go into hiding as another Outlaw. And on it went, with John and his Henchmen from the Story being replaced by Edward and his.
Until the Scottish War of Independence, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.... hence the occasionally Scottish Claims to a Robin Hood, reinforced by some Welsh, due to their Battles with the very plantagenet Edwards. The Earls of Huntingdon being Kings and Princes of Scotland after all.
Then there were the Tudors .. or Tewdwrs!
These People really could claim British Kingship through their very British Ancestry, going back to the Prince's of Gwynedd and Deheubarth. Even after Edwards conquest of Wales they remained very aware of their Welsh Heritage. Owen Tudor - the progenator of the Line - had Family who fought for Owain Glyndwr. He became a Courtier and finally married Catherine of Valois, Henry Vths Widow. With her he had a Son called Edmund and he had a Son called Henry. More of him in a Moment.
There was a time when Owen went into outlawry after Catherine died and he lost the Protection of the Dowager Queen. He was pardoned by King Henry Vl, reinstated with a Pension and Position in Court and given the Job of running an Estate in Denbigh. Another familiar Robin Hood Theme, the Outlaw pardoned by a King and given Title and Position.
The War of the Roses and the arrival of Henry Tudor.
He was the Son of Edmund Tudor who was Henry Vl half Brother, so a blood Relative of the King. Being a Descendant of John of Gaunt via his Mother made him part of the House of Lancaster who fought a brutal and bloody War with the House of York for nothing less than the Throne of England and Scotland.
This culminated in the Battle of Bosworth and the defeat of King Richard 3rd. Henry became King
The War was terrible, engulfing the whole Country and forcing Nobles to take sides. It left the Country in a very parlous State with deep Scars in its Psyche.
Henry was very aware of this and rather like Eleanor two Centuries earlier wanted a Successor who would unify the Country and particularly the Houses of Lancaster and York.
Thus, his oldest Son, through his Wife Elizabeth of York was born. His name? Arthur. Because of his very Welsh Ancestry the young Prince had a better Claim to the Title Prince of Wales than Edward 2nd had - and a more legitimate Claim to the Throne.
Unfortunately, despite a healthy, happy and promising early Life with his Wife Catherine of Aragon he was struck down and died of Tuberculosis at Ludlow, Shropshire in 1502. He left no Heir so his younger Brother Henry would become Henry 8th.
The many Wives and contested Children of King Henry are common Knowledge, so is how he raised the most hated Queen of the Realm and most beloved. But before that there was his very own King Joffrey.... Edward Vl .... who like the young King in "Game of Thrones" was a Tyrant drunk on Power and wasn't really fit to rule.
Mary 1 - despite fanfare and being an end to the terrible but brief Reign of her half Brother - rapidly became even worse and earned the Epitaph "Bloody Mary". People were certainly glad to see the Back of her and her half Sister appeared as a very welcome Change as Elizabeth became 1st of her name.
Unfortunately, North of the Border another Mary wasn't having any of it and conspired with Spain to remove her. Mary Stuart, in a fit of Pique, also banned the Robin Hood Plays, so when she was finally thwarted the Stage was set for Anthony Munday to immortalise Robin as the Earl of Huntingdon - harking back to earlier Battles against Tyranny - and the great Bard himself mentioning him in his Shakespearean Plays.
So when you read the Robin Hood Stories, examine the Era they took place, and see that a common Thread wends its way through them all - you begin to realise that there is indeed a Connection between our two most famous Legends - Robin Hood and King Arthur.
The most popular Theme of all is how Robin the Outlaw fights for the legitimate King, or Queen, against any who would usurp him or her.
Something we have seen many times in our History, from David's support of Matilda in the 12th Century, his Grandsons support of the Lionheart, the attempts to install a couple of Arthur's to the Throne and bring Peace to the Realm, and maybe even those who worked to support and protect Queen Elizabeth 1st.
No comments:
Post a Comment