RoS History

RoS Timeline

Allen W. Wright's RoS timeline

Better just forget about dates and enjoy the show!

Frank Shailes' RoS timeline

Some musings on Guy of Gisburne's birth:

Was Guy of Gisburn born after 1189? According to Lady Margaret Gisburn's confession in The Cross of St Ciricus, Edmond of Gisburne, disgusted with his and Lady Margaret's inability to conceive children, became cruel and violent. Eventually he went with "King" Richard to the Holy Land, where he was apparently killed. Lady Margaret then married her lover, David of Huntingdon, in secret. She hoped that David's father, the Earl (died 1152 in real history), would one day accept their marriage. But Edmond actually survived and returned home to find Lady Margaret pregnant with Guy. Shortly after Guy was born, David inherited the Earldom of Huntingdon (1152 in real history!), and marries another woman (in real history, David married Maud(e) de Kevilioc or De Kerlioc, daughter of the Earl of Chester, in 1190); Margaret then felt it is too late to tell him that he gave her a son. After enduring years of cruelty, Guy is eventually told of his illegitimacy by Edmond. Guy then alienates his mother.

Lady Margaret cannot refer to the Third Crusade which began after King Richard's coronation (1189), which Guy says he attended. Either Guy or his mother is misinformed! Setting RoS around 1209, as in the final novelisation, would make Guy around 20 when the series finished, and solve many of these problems; however, King Richard is clearly alive and well in The King's Fool, having just returned from the short captivity in Austria following the Crusade (relaying Saladin's words to Nasir; the King's ransom is also mentioned). This occurred in 1194 in real history, but Guy is no five-year-old child there but a full-fledged Knight.

The only way to reconcile Lady Gisburn's confession is to assume that she is delirious with pain and shock and misremembering the exact circumstances of Edmond's absence. He may indeed have Crusaded later, but Guy must've been born around 1170-1175. Probably the wars in which Edmond went missing/ presumed-dead were earlier wars with the King-to-be, Richard, when he was a young prince and fighting in Europe. David of Huntingdon was born around 1144, so a dalliance at the age of 28 (around 1172) would not be unreasonable. Gisburn may have rejected his mother as early as age 7 (circa 1178) after David married; in the RoS universe David's father, the old Earl, must have lived longer than the 1152 in our universe - it seems wrong for David to impregnate someone before age 8! It took some years for Edmond to tell Guy he was illegitimate: Margaret kept quiet about the father's identity when David married (before 1179 in RoS universe, going by Robert/Robin's age).

RoS Timeline - Part I - Michael Praed Episodes

c.1170?: Edmond of Gisburne supposedly killed in Palestine, although The Cross of St. Ciricus says Edmond fought in "King" Richard's (i.e. Third) wars, which if this refers to the Crusades which happened after King Richard's coronation, which Guy attended...! Edmond actually survives and returns home to find Lady Margaret pregnant with Guy. Probably these were earlier wars with "King" Richard (Lady Gisburn uses his latest title) when he was a young prince and fighting in Europe. It's likely then that it was c.1170 when Edmond of Gisburne was reported dead.
c.1171: Guy of Gisburne born (ten years before The Pretender he was not a knight, so under 21 - the lowest age for knighthood - in c.1194. Knighted by 1193 when he takes up service with Abbot Hugo as "Guy the Gamekeeper").
c.1173: Robin of Loxley born (Legend sleeve notes put him at 20 in Series One, i.e. about 5 at the start of the 1178/1180 sequence of the first episode).
c.1176: Marion of Leaford born (Legend sleeve notes put her at 17 in Series One).
1178: Village of Loxley destroyed, Ailric killed. (Date 1180 shown on screen, but possibly occured in 1178. See The King's Fool below.) Robin is apparently 20 by 1194/5 (Legend sleeve notes) so must be 5 or so here.
c.1179: Robert of Huntingdon born (younger than his half-brother Guy of Gisburne, and based on the actor's age at filming - what was the gap for Lady Gisburne between having Guy, and her husband returning? Guy was old enough to ask questions... I think she was pregnant when he returned, but then some years would be required before David, Earl of Huntingdon, married his eventual wife and fathered Robert).
3 September 1189: King Richard I's coronation. (Historical event mentioned in The Children of Israel. Sir Guy said that he was at the coronation with his father. Sheriff thought he'd be too young to remember it. So, he is supposedly a child at this point, but is aged about 17/18; but anything under 21 may have been considered a child in noble circles (Knights no younger than 21)). Third Crusade begins.
c.1192: Guy of Gisburne knighted and leaves the Earl of Gloucester's service to work for Abbot Hugo. Before 1194: Gisburne serves as "the worst page that ever dropped a cup of wine" to the Earl of Gloucester. (Ten years before The Pretender.)

1193(1195?)-1200: The First Two Series:

April - 1 May 1193: Robin Hood and the Sorceror (1 & 2). The band gets together. (1180 + 15 years. But really, the first episode probably happened in 1193, because that was before King Richard's return.)

May 1993: The Witch of Elsdon (3). 10 May, Janet of Elsdon is pardoned (date on the pardon, but the year there says '1206'!!). James and Martin join the Merries.

1193: Seven Poor Knights from Acre (4). James (TV) / Martin (book) is slain.

1193?: Alan a Dale (5). Not certain if this precedes The King's Fool or follows it (choose to taste); but as Martin (TV) / James (book) is still in the Merries, must precede Season Two.
March 1194: The King's Fool (6). King Richard returns from captivity, seiges Nottingham, goes hunting in Sherwood, holds a great council in Nottingham on March 30th, etc. (The actual historical date of the real events that inspired The King's Fool.) End of Season One.

The Children of Israel (8).
Lord of the Trees (9). Bertrand de Nivelle notes Guy's fire/fight-scars, new since The King's Fool?
The Swords of Wayland (11 & 12). Marion still thinks her father is dead.

After 6 April 1199, before 27 May 1199: The Prophecy (7). King Richard dies from an arrow wound (well, more from the botched surgery) and John is crowned king on 27 May 1199 in Westminster Abbey.

Early Summer (May?) c.1200: The Enchantment (10) (shortly before The Greatest Enemy: Herne's comments "Soon will he face the greatest of enemies and find himself in the white flame of his power" to Marion in The Enchantment and "Who is the greatest enemy? Always with you, sometimes at your shoulder?" to Robin in The Greatest Enemy). "The Day of Mercury".

c. May 1200: The Greatest Enemy (13). Robin of Loxley dies. End of Series Two.

RoS Timeline - Part II - Jason Connery Episodes

1199: King John divorces Hawise/Hadwisa (also called Isabella) of Gloucester. Marriage dissolved on grounds of consanguinity (both share the same great-grandfather, Henry I). Hadwisa is never actually crowned Queen.
1200: Sir Richard of Leaford returns from France following King Richard's death at Chalus, buying his way back into King John's favour and a pardon for Marion. The Merries argue, and part company.
24 August 1200: King John marries the 12-year-old Isabella of Angoulême (historical events referred to in The Pretender).
1 Aug 1202-3 Apr(?) 1203: Arthur of Brittany, son of Richard's brother Geoffrey, captured by King John at Mirebeau-en-Poitou... and possibly murdered by John at some point (traditionally 3 Apr 1203). (Historical events referred to in The Pretender.) Arthur of Brittany was was born on 29 Mar 1187 and he is rumoured to have been murdered in Rouen or Cherbourg over sixteen years later. He had been recognised as heir presumptive in 1190, brought up by Phillip II of France from 1996, promised his French lands (angered Eleanor of Aquitaine) and betrothed to Philip's daughter.

1201-1211 The Third Series.

c. March - 1 April 1201?: Herne's Son (1&2). Just under a year since The Greatest Enemy (comments throughout). N.B. According to the Robin Hood: The Hooded Man novelization, the events of Herne's Son took place in 1209, one year after Robin of Loxley's death. This doesn't really fit with the amount of adventures for each Robin. However, Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon's first son, (who in history died young) must have been born after 1190 (Earl's marriage). This makes him at least 12 years younger than Marion!! Clearly the Huntingdon offspring do not follow their historical timeline (Robert is still alive as an adult, not dead in childhood, and should have baby/toddler sisters by 1209!!). Ends at "the end of this month", shortly after "The Feast of Arianrhod".

c. April 1201: The Power of Albion (3). Robert of Huntingdon becomes the new Robin Hood. After a week or two, word spreads that Robin Hood has returned (Sir Richard of Leaford's words). Gisburne's sprained ankle has healed.

After Easter 1202: The Betrayal (8): the "new" Robin has stolen Michaelmas and Easter taxes (1201 and 1202). Wars in France going badly. Little John's wig! King John has not met Robert/Robin and needs a description? An early Huntingdon story, despite the playful kiss: the Merries tease Robert about his father, Marion mistrusts him for a while (and wears her Power of Albion costume), Will recalls the quarrels with Loxley: "All right: one leader".

Winter 1202-Spring 1203: Adam Bell (9). Must come before Sheriff of Nottingham (Much's comments about the Sheriff intending him a hanging). Second Robin's fame has spread. Little John's wig returns to normal hair, spring moves on by end. Edward de Rainault left his son Martin (conceived before dying on the 3rd Crusade, i.e. before 1192) to his brother the Sheriff -- 11th birthday during this story (so, 1204 at latest, probably earlier). Martin has been at the castle for 2 years (since 1200/01 gap when the outlaws were believed defeated).

Early 1203?: The Pretender (10): Arthur I of Brittany was born 29 Mar 1187. His impostor is well past puberty in this episode, so it's set after 1201 at least. King John's 12-year-old bride (since 24 Aug 1200) is now at least 3 years older, and Hadwisa of Gloucester (and her father) have had time to arrange the plot. Since Guy was a page ten years before, and the real Arthur is dead ("King John murdered him."), this is probably after Easter 1203 but before 1204. The Queen is still called "new" and "young", "some blame her for our losses in France" (King John caused a war there when he married her, during which he captured Arthur). Marion wear her purple robes still and seems to not yet be in love with Robert (the Arthur/Robert fight and aftermath).

Summer 1203: The Sheriff of Nottingham (5). It's said (in The Sheriff of Nottingham) that the outlaws have been in the forest for two years, this works if you take it to mean Huntingdon. Two sessions' taxes stolen (1 year), putting "the Betrayal" a year or more earlier. The "old prisoner" thinks he's been in the dungeon for 27 years (since 1176, so the Sheriff was in power at least 2 years before he killed Ailric of Loxley. By Time of the Wolf De Rainault's visiting mother must be about 75 or more!).

1205 or 1206?: The Cross of St Ciricus (6). 1205 or 1206? Robin's success is famous and news of his justice widespread.

1208?: Cromm Cruac (7). Tuck's been away from the abbey for how long? He was there from age 17 to 28 (after 11 years the Abbot procured him appointment as Chaplain to the Sheriff of Nottingham), so must be in his early 40s by now! Marion admits to the Abbot that she loves Robin, so must come after The Cross of St. Ciricus when she is unsure. Gulnar to Robin: "Long have I awaited you!"

1209?: The Inheritance (4). Midsummer. 1209? Crusades 17 years earlier would be a good fit for Raven and Skulley's ages (mid-late 30s). Robin seems reconciled to his father, so may follow Rutterkin; however Carpenter's novelisation has the events of Time of the Wolf following soon after Rutterkin (the King flees there from the Nottingham riots, to be with his anti-Llewellyn army). Marion is not averse to spending her life alone with Robin in Caerleon, and holds his hand on the 3-day walk home. Ah, romance!

c.1211: Rutterkin (11). Attempt on King John's life. Earl David of Huntingdon is among those accused. (Historical event that possibly inspired Rutterkin.) Robin seems to know Guy is his brother (after The Cross of St Ciricus, then?). He asks his father to use his influence to curb King John's excesses, perhaps leading into the 1214-15 Baronial revolt. The Earl seems a little infirm (struggling with Edgar) not surprising if he's about 67 years old! Marion seems very close to Robin, "oh yes you will!" re: pig- gathering. Almost like a wife ;o)

1211: The Time of the Wolf (12 & 13). (date mentioned on screen). King John was planning campaign against the Welsh in 1212: the Merries saving of the grain must have delayed John's invasion plans!

Using the evidence, history, and some guesses, the best-fit episode order could be:
1-2: Robin Hood and the Sorceror (1 & 2). April - 1 May 1193.
3: The Witch of Elsdon (3). May 1993.
4: Seven Poor Knights from Acre (4). 1193.
5: Alan a Dale (5). 1193?
6: The King's Fool (6). March 1194.
7-8: The Swords of Wayland (11 & 12). Early Summer - 1196?
9: The Children of Israel (8). 1197?
10: Lord of the Trees (9). 1198?
11: The Prophecy (7). After 6 April 1199, before 27 May 1199.
12: The Enchantment (10). Early Summer c. 1200.
13: The Greatest Enemy (13). c. May 1200.

1-2: Herne's Son (1&2). c. April 1201.
3: The Power of Albion (3). c. April/May 1201.
4: The Betrayal (8). After Easter 1202.
5: Adam Bell (9). Winter 1202-Spring 1203.
6: The Pretender (10). Early 1203?
7: The Sheriff of Nottingham (5). Summer 1203.
8: The Cross of St Ciricus (6). Summer c. 1205 or 1206?
9: Cromm Cruac (7). End-October c. 1208?
10: The Inheritance (4). Midsummer. 1209?
11: Rutterkin (11). c. 1211.
12-13: The Time of the Wolf (12 & 13). 1211.

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