Roger Godberd

Roger Godberd was a medieval outlaw who has been suggested as a possible historical basis for the legend of Robin Hood.[1] Some have suggested his life was the inspiration for the story of Robin Hood but there is no solid proof to back this claim up. Roger Godberd’s criminal history is used as a comparison against Robin Hood with small details that align with the famous story. He lived during the 13th century in England around the Leicestershire area and traveled throughout England as an outlaw committing crimes with a group of bandits. Roger lived in a time when there was criticism towards King Henry III and King Edward I for leaving the royal finances in disarray and taxing the towns people which made many unhappy.[2] King Henry III's reign has been associated with stories of outlawry and is seen as a more plausible time for the ballads of Robin Hood.[3] King Henry III's reign led to the seize of power by Simon de Montfort, a baron that Roger Godberd served under until Simon was killed in battle in 1265.

Roger Godberd has been thought to be Robin Hood for various reasons including the similarities the two share in the battles they fought in and in the ways they committed their crimes. There is no definite proof that Roger Godberd is the original Robin Hood but evidence has been connected to dig deeper into Roger Godberd and Robin Hood lives and how they were similar. The nick name or surname 'Robinhood' appeared before the end of the 13th century resulting in the name 'Hood' to be common and combined with names like Robert Hood.[4] The stories of Robin Hood themselves provide little detail to connect with real life people or events. This does not mean that the stories were not based on a real person, rather that whoever was the real Robin Hood was not a person of standing in the public eye.[5]

Life

Personal Life

Roger Godberd was born in the beginning of the 1230s and died in the early 1290s at around 60 years of age.[6] He had at least two brothers named William and Geoffrey but not much is recorded about the two.[6] His father died early in his life and his mother remarried after his death to a man named Anketil de Swaninton.[6] Roger Godberd was a tenant of Robert de Ferrers, who had held land at Swannington, in north-west Leicestershire.[6] His stepfather and mother took possession over the family's holdings and in the 1250's cut down all 60 oak trees on their property to make money.[6] Roger was unhappy with the decision and felt his family had wasted his inheritance leading him to stand up for himself against his parental figures but nothing was done. Roger was thought to have been married but his wife's name is unknown, although there is some speculation that he married a woman from the neighboring Thringstone family.[6] He had at least two children, one son named Roger and one daughter named Diva.[6]

Later Life and The Crimes he Committed  

In 1260 Roger was involved in another dispute regarding land, he had leased Swannington manor to a Jordan le Fleming for ten years but within 12 months had forcibly removed him from the property.[6] Roger was supposed to appear in court for this incident and to respond to Jordan's complaints but did not.[6] He was prepared to act illegally and recruit others in order to resort to violence to solve the complaints brought by Jordan.[6] The reason behind him leasing his land is still unknown but some have suggested that it was because he became a member of the garrison of Nottingham Castle sometime in the late 1250s to early 1260’s and that his new military responsibilities kept him from running the property properly, so he leased it to Jordan le Fleming while he was away.[6] Because of Roger's association with the garrison, he received protection for his family that allowed Roger to go back to his lands until Easter with the condition that he would stand trial in the King's court if anyone were to claim he trespassed.[6] It was thought that this was because of his dispute with Jordan le Fleming but others suggest it was because of his association with the Battle of Lewes that took place in 1264.[6]

Roger Godberd's life was spent living under the rule of King Henry III and eventually King Edward I. When King Edward I was ruling over England, there was temporary harmony that brought the king and his people together, but it did not integrate both sides together.[7] This eventually led to the decay of feudal rights and saw an increase unhappiness with the people living under the king. Godberd served under Simon de Montfort, the 6th Earl of Leicester, as well as two other barons. Simon de Montfort had captured King Henry III but soon was faced with trouble when Simon's young followers began to form rifts due to disputes over ransoms of captured people.[8] Simon de Montfort was later killed in the Battle of Evesham on 4 August 1265, by Edward I for going against the King of England.[9] Later in 1265, Godberd was outlawed for fighting against King Henry III in the Battle of Evesham.[10] Nearly two centuries later, in about 1446, Walter Bowerclaimed that Robin Hood also became an outlaw as a result of this battle. This has led some to the thought that there may have been a connection between Robin Hood and Roger Godberd at this time with both participating in this battle.

Roger eventually evaded getting captured but continued to behave in a lawless manner. Although Godberd was still committing crimes, he along with five other men were summoned to court and granted safe conduct if they came within the next eight days, this was on 14 November. This was to ‘treat of peace for themselves and those in their company’.[6] Most of the men appeared in the court besides Godberd who was given an extension of a grace period for him to go into court.[6] His grace period was extended to 30 November with his original date being 14 November. It is unknown whether Godberd was hesitant to submit or if he was kept away by other circumstances, his reasoning for not showing up on his grace period is still a mystery. Eventually on 10 December, Godberd and his brother William were finally pardoned.[6] However, Godberd’s pardon did not come without a price. Roger Godberd was given back his land, but his financial status would take some time to repair.[6]

Roger disappeared for a few years after the year of 1266 and not much is known about what he did in those years. It was thought that he had been laying low and farming to pay off the past debts that he owed. One peculiar detail though is the fact that he had a group of Nottinghamshire rebels who had been resisting authorities were found staying in his backyard.[6] There has been some speculation that he settled in Sherwood forest where he lived and continued to defy authorities and commit crimes.[10] Notable is the fact that he settled in Sherwood forest, the forest that the infamous Robin Hood tales have been based on location wise.[11][12] Reginald de Grey was the Sheriff of Nottingham at this time. Godberd was captured in the grounds of Rufford Abbey, and from there taken to Nottingham Castle, but managed to escape. A prominent local knight named Richard Foliot helped Godberd and his fellow fugitives, and protected them from the Sheriff.

In the 1270’s Godberd was leading a band of outlaws through many counties into Wiltshire causing all sorts of commotion. Some of the crimes that he and his group of outlaws were accused of committing were burglaries, murders, arson, and robberies.[6] Roger Godberd’s most violent crime was an attack on Stanley Abbey in which he had stolen a large amount of money and killed one of the monks that lived there.[6] Roger proclaimed his innocence and argued that he had been loyal to his King since he had been previously pardoned in December of 1266. The allegations presented against Roger would have led to the outcome of the death penalty resulting in him denying the claims to avoid punishment.  

Later in 1270, Foliot's Castle Fenwick was besieged by royal troops under the command of Reginald de Grey, who intended to capture Godberd and his companions, but the outlaws managed to flee before the Sheriff's arrival. In 1272, Foliot was accused for his protection of Godberd, and had to surrender Fenwick. This knight resembles the figure of Richard at the Lee in the ballads of the Robin Hood story.[13]

Godberd was eventually captured and sent to jail. He was kept in three different prisons over three years while awaiting his trial, which took place at the Tower of London and at which he was pardoned upon the return of Edward I from the Ninth Crusade. He returned to his farm, and lived there until his death. However, according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Godberd died in Newgate Prison in 1276.[13]

Further reading
  • "Robin Hood in Sherwood Stood: The Real Story" by Brian Benison (2015)

References
  1. Maurice Hugh Keen The Outlaws of Medieval Legend, 1987, Routledge
  2.   Harding, Alan. England in the Thirteenth Century. Cambridge University Press, 1993.
  3. Hilton, R. H. "The Origins of Robin Hood." Past & Present, no. 14, 1958, pp. 30–44, JSTOR 650091. Accessed 3 May 2022.
  4.   Holt, J. C. Robin Hood. Thames and Hudson, 1982.
  5. Keen, Maurice (2013). The Outlaws of Medieval Legend. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 978-1-135-12881-4. OCLC 829461874.
  6. Baldwin, David (2010). The English outlaw unmasked. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84868-378-5. OCLC 852014165.
  7. Wilkinson, B. "The ‘Political Revolution’ of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries in England." Speculum, vol. 24, no. 4, 1949, pp. 502–09, doi:10.2307/2854635. Accessed 3 May 2022.
  8.   Harding, Alan. England in the Thirteenth Century. Cambridge University Press, 1993, pg 293.
  9. Harding, Alan (1993). England In The Thirteenth Century. Cambridge University Press.
  10. http://home.att.net/~sylveastan/mayday/indextimeline.htm
  11. Prideaux, W.F. Who was Robin Hood?.
  12. Knight, Stephen (1999). Robin Hood. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer. ISBN 0859915255.
  13. Holt, J. C. "Hood, Robin". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 27 (online ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 928
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