Sheriff of Nottingham

Uncommon card · No. 90789

The Sheriff of Nottingham is the main antagonist in the legend of Robin Hood. He is generally depicted as an unjust tyrant who mistreats the people of Nottinghamshire, subjecting them to unaffordable taxes. Robin Hood fights against him, stealing from the rich, and the Sheriff, in order to give to the poor; it is this characteristic for which Robin Hood is best known. The Sheriff is considered the archenemy of Robin Hood, as he is the most recurring enemy of the well-known outlaw. The Sheriff appears in some of the earliest texts featuring Robin Hood, such as the fifteenth-century ballad A Gest of Robyn Hode. It is not known upon whom this character is based. The legend of Robin Hood (which is at least as old as the 14th century) traditionally referred to the Sheriff of Nottingham only by his title. The post of Sheriff of Nottingham only came into existence in 1449. However, there has from very early Norman times been a High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests...

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