Post a story about "Robin Hood" of your country

[Mikula]

Ondráš the Bandit

In the first half of 18th century were hilly Carpathian regions of Moravia, Silesia and Upper Hungary (today Slovakia) known for activities of the bandits. The bandit (zbojník, zbujník) was armored mainly by the pistols and by the axe with a long haft (shepherd's axe) called valaška. The bandits were recruited mostly from poor peasants and from military deserters. The bandits assaulted mainly the rich merchants, noblers, clergymen and clerks. Legends says that they were kind to poor people and often gave the looted money to poor peasants. Although the Robin Hood-like legends seems to be too much romantic to be real, it is possible that some of the legends came from real events. The bandit was an outlaw, he needed food, shelter and information from the peasants. To give a part of the looted money and things to the poor village people was a pragmatic way how to survive. At last but not least, the rewards for the catching the bandits was quiet high and therefore bandits paid to their allied peasants not to be treated for the reward, by them.
Ondráš (Ondřej, i.e. Andreas, Andrew) Fuciman was born at Janovice (nearby Frýdek) on 13 November 1680 as a first son of the fojt (head of the village, something like mayor). His surname is not sure, because in the birth record was not written. In the early vital registers was quiet often that somewhen was written only occupation (fojt, miller, blacksmith) instead of the surname, there. It is supposed that the fojt of Janovice in the time had a surname Šebesta but another researches thought that the fojt was called Fuciman.
With his band Ondráš controlled forests in Beskydy hills with the highest mountain Lysá hora (means Bald Mountain) and somewhere was nicknamed as Master of Lysá hora.
It is interesting that although Ondráš was the firstborn son of fojt, in land records of Janovice is written his father gave the farm to the property of 2nd son Jan. It is possible that in the time was Ondráš outlaw, and wanted as a bandit already.
Legends says also about names and of bandits led by Ondráš: Jura Jurášek (called Juráš) from Malenovice, Jan Bajtek and Jakub Dvořák from Raškovice, Jura Břuzek from Skalice, Jan and Ondra Chlopčík from Malenovice, Bartek Pavlosek from Sedliště, Jura Pilenda called Polenda, Josef Šobišovský, Jan Stania, Tesař from Krásná, Jura Vojtek from Staré Město (nearby Frýdek), Jakub Žabčak from Turzovka, etc.

Ondráš was killed on 1 April 1715 at Sviadnov. Ondráš and his comrades enjoyed together in the pub at Sviadnov, the house received later a nr. 45.
When Ondráš left his weapons on the table and started to dance with his girlfriend, bandit Juráš, his cousin and best friend, struck him to head with valaška (shepherd's axe) and Ondráš died. Juráš killed him for the reward and also for his own personal amnesty. Legend says that Ondráš had a special magic and therefore cannot be killed – just by his own weapon.

From Janovice to Sviadnov (map)

Lysá hora at the map

[blondbeast]

I wonder if Magnolia knows this story.

[Kazimiera]

Scotty Smith



Scotty Smith, who claimed to have been born in Perth, Scotland, in 1845 as George St. Leger Gordon Lennox, gained notoriety for his escapades as a horse thief and cattle rustler in South Africa. Although his claim to kinship with the well-known Gordon Lennox family has been difficult to verify, he always maintained that he was the eldest son of the wealthy Perthshire landowner. Smith arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in 1877 as a member of the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police, but deserted his post and subsequently began his illustrious career as an outlaw, robbing from the rich and aiding those who were struggling financially. Smith apparently had a particular soft spot for poor widows and defenseless women who offered their hospitality to him (without knowing of his true identity). Numerous stories persist of Smith providing funds to women to pay off debts or bonds on their properties after they had previously given him shelter. But women were not the only benefactors of his good deeds; he provided medical care for a man dying of tuberculosis and took care of his funeral expenses. He was also revered for repeatedly managing to outwit the police—by eluding capture or escaping from prison. According to one account, he even offered to turn himself over to the police so that his friend could collect the reward money, only to escape after the payment had been made.

[Mikula]

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[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

José do Telhado, also known as Zé do Telhado (1818-1875) was a Portuguese bandit. He served in the 2nd Lancers Regiment of the Portuguese Army, where he took part in July 1837 in a failed attempt to restore the Constitutional Charter of 1826. After this failed attempt, he took refuge in Spain. He returned to Portugal when a popular revolt grew against the anticlerical government of Costa Cabral, resulting in the 23 March 1846 Revolution of Maria da Fonte, which he joined. He placed himself at the orders of General Sá da Bandeira. For his bravery in action he was awarded a knight of the Order of the Tower and Sword. However his faction lost, he collected debts of taxes he could not pay, and was expelled from the army. Soon after he became a notorious bandit.

It is thought to have formed a group, such as Robin Hood in England, with which he practiced robberies in the homes of the richer lords of the vicinity.

It is said that in all the Valley of the Tâmega and even some regions of the Douro, few were the lord houses that did not receive the "visit" of the gang of Zé do Telhado.

There is, however, an interesting fact in its history: it seems that Zé do Telhado, in addition to always treating the owners of the houses with great respect, did not usually keep everything for himself, distributed it to the poor families of their neighbors. It is from there that he is attributed the legend of "robbing the rich to give to the poor".

He was eventually captured in 31 March 1859, and presented to court in Porto 9 December 1859. He was sentenced to exile to the Portuguese colony of Angola where he lived for the remainder of his life. He is regarded as a Portuguese equivalent of Robin Hood.

[Hexachordia]

Tuolong(1901-1925)驼龙, was a brave woman bandit leader during 1910s in northwestern China, she leaded a force of 2 thousand men armed with guns and machetes, her gang only targeted rich people, but she ordered not to murder as much as possible, if the victim does not resist with weapon, safety will be ensured. She was respected by common people and continued to lead the bandit for 6 years untill her organization was too powerful that government worried about her revolt, so decided to remove her. She was caught in war against her and excuted by firing squad, which was very humane at that time as death penalty.