http://www.benturner.com/robinhood/

           _Robin Hood (2nd ed.)_ by J.C. Holt
             London: Thames and Hudson, 1989.

            Reviewed by Dr. Frederick Walker.

   When Lees produced his Robert of Kime theory in 1987,
leading Robin Hood scholar J.C. Holt was not idle.  He
prepared another edition of his own classic book, at least
in part to refute Lees.  Holt's own theory is very strong
indeed.

   Holt's attack on Lees is made entirely on the basis of
geneology.  By outlining alleged mistakes in Lees' methods,
Holt purports to show that Robert of Kime may not even have
existed, and that, even if he did, "the Kime family had
nothing to do with the earls of Huntingdon."  I don't have the
expertise to say who's right here.  But Holt's book gives a
wealth of information on 13th century England and the history
of Robin Hood scholarship.  In addition to citing almost every
ancient source referring to our hero, Holt's main contributions
are twofold.

1) An attempt to identify the Sheriff of Nottingham.  3 choices:
Philip Mark, sheriff of Nottingham 1209-24; Brian de Lisle,
sheriff of York 1233-34; and Eustace of Lowdham, sheriff of
York 1225-26 and sheriff of Nottingham 1232-33.  Holt favours
Eustace, seeing it as significant that he kept the peace in
both the Sherwood and Barnsdale regions.  I tend to favour
Philip Mark, for reasons I'll save for another article.

2) Tracing the name "Robin Hood" as a criminal alias.  Fatal to
the Wakefield theory (which demands a 14th century hero), Holt
proves through old court records that outlaws and thieves were
generically called "robinhoods" as early as the 1260s.  The
original hero must have lived at least a generation earlier.
Holt proposes one "Robert Hode, fugitive" sought by authorities
in York, 1225.  Holt makes much (perhaps too much) of the fact
that in paying his fine, Hode would have met Eustace.

   In calling Robin Hood a commoner and petty thief of 13th
century York, Holt will make few friends amongst movie buffs.
He may have to settle for being right.