The Sheriff of Nottingham

To use the title “Sheriff of Nottingham” in the legends of Robin Hood is unusual because the office of Sheriff never existed. The first official sheriff of Nottingham was appointed in 1449. However, there was a Sheriff of the shire of Nottingham, although he would also have been the Sheriff of Derbyshire. But the idea that this was the sheriff that Robin so despised has a problem as well. Robin did not reside in Sherwood Forest outside of Nottingham. He lived in Barnsdale Forest and operated out of Yorkshire. The Sheriff of Yorkshire from 1176 to 1189 was Ranulf de Glanvill. He worked with King Henry II extensively and became
his right-hand man. He was removed from power in 1189 by Richard I
however, and was forced to pay 15,000 for his freedom. Theoretically, he
could have been the sheriff of Robin Hood, but it does not seem likely.
Even the dates of Robin’s birth and death are speculative at best. The
sheriff we know from the early ballads is not wholly evil. Impolite, rude,
and foolish no doubt, but he does not tax the people unfairly and he does
not seem to be a wicked man. But a good story must have a villain, and
this is most likely why the Sheriff’s evil persona was created. He became
a paradigm of all things immoral and corrupt, while Robin became devout and
honest. These two personalities are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and
you would be hard-pressed to find two people that have such consistent
conduct.

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