Robin Unhooded

And the Death of a King

Peter Staveley

• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Year: 2024
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781035835751
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

Two great mysteries of English history – who was the real Robin Hood and who killed William II, 'Rufus', in the New Forest, in 1100? ROBIN unHOODed presents new evidence in solving these unanswered questions of our history. Perhaps the most in-depth, innovative study of these mysteries for decades, Peter Staveley's ground breaking book provides totally fresh and startling hypotheses - once the hood is off. The search for Robin's true identity has led to a plethora of books over many years and the dust-covers of these volumes might lead one to believe that the mystery was indeed solved. However, not one of the various suggestions put forward have ever seemed truly convincing as fitting the life and character of the man depicted in the original ballads…until now. ROBIN UnHOODed uncovers not only a totally fresh candidate for the man behind the myth but also the identity of many of the other well-known protagonists. This detailed study reveals a man whose life and times would have mirrored precisely those depicted in the original ballads. Placing Robin in an era a full century prior to that timeline of Prince John and King Richard I, so loved by Hollywood directors, Robin is implicated in the death of King William II, Rufus. Startling new evidence regarding the plot to kill the king and a CSI style investigation of the death, reveals previously unseen elements to explain those mysterious events in the New Forest in August 1100 that changed our history. The final tragic dénouement of Robin Hood's death is revisited in refreshing new detail. Actual personages are identified for the treacherous prioress and Roger, her lover, and a totally new location for the whole débâcle is revealed. This new work of historical detection will shatter many of the myths surrounding the legend of Robin Hood and reveals the real man under the hood.

Table of contents

• Robin Unhooded
• About the Author
• Dedication
• Copyright Information ©
• List of Illustrations
• Preface
• Part I
• Chapter 1 Birth of a Legend
• Chapter 2 What’s in a Name?
• Chapter 3 An Earlier Man
• Chapter 4 Unhooding the Legend
• Chapter 5 Treachery and Downfall
• Chapter 6 The Making of…an Outlawed Noble or Noble Outlaw?
• Chapter 7 Forest Life and Friends
• Chapter 8 The Poor Man’s Hero
• Chapter 9 The Nemeses
• Part II The Death of a King
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 A New King
• Chapter 2 A Possible Plot
• Chapter 3 Henry’s Inner Circle
• Chapter 4 The Other Suspects
• Chapter 5 Omens and Portents and Doom—Oh My!
• Chapter 6 The Deathly Forest
• Chapter 7 The Not-so-Deathly Hunt
• Chapter 8 The Red King Falls
• Chapter 9 The Next Hours
• Chapter 10 The Next Days
• Chapter 11 The Next Years—and the ‘Clare Benefit’
• Chapter 12 The Nun, the Princess, the Son, the Shrine and the Letter…
• Chapter 13 The Death of Robin: A Treacherous Nun and Red Roger
• Chapter 14 Conclusions
• Appendices
• Appendix 1
• Appendix 2.1 (Part 1)
• Appendix 2.1 (Part 2)
• Appendix 2.2
• Appendix 3
• Appendix 4
• Appendix 5
• Appendix 6
• Appendix 7
• Appendix 8
• Appendix 9
• Appendix 9a
• Appendix 10
• Appendix 11
• Appendix 12
• Bibliography and Primary Resources