Robin Hood is the famous English outlaw traditionally portrayed in medieval ballads as a skilled archer and opponent of unjust authority.
The earliest surviving literary references to Robin Hood appear in the fourteenth century, including William Langland’s Piers Plowman around 1377. Later ballads developed his familiar companions, such as Little John, Will Scarlet, and Much the Miller’s Son. The character’s stories changed substantially over time.
Robin Hood is often described as “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor,” but that exact slogan is a later popular formulation rather than the central wording of the earliest surviving tales. Medieval versions focus more on outlawry, archery, forest life, loyalty, and conflict with officials such as the sheriff.
The tradition also links Robin with King Richard and Prince John, though these royal connections became stronger in later retellings. No single historical person has been proven to be the original Robin Hood. He belongs to the folklore of medieval England rather than a securely documented knightly biography.