Ivanhoe is a novel written by Sir Walter Scott in 1819 and set in 12th century medieval England. The book derives its name from the protagonist, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a Saxon in conflict with his father because of Wilfred's loyalty to the Norman king Richard I, and because of his romantic interest in his father's ward, the Lady Rowena. It portrays the conflict between the Norman lords who ruled England and the Anglo-Saxon peasants who suffered under their rule.
Robin Hood, a Saxon outlawed for hunting on land once owned by his family before the Norman Conquest of England, but now belonging to the king, also appears in the novel, along with his band of "merry men". Scott's portrayal of Robin Hood contributed to the modern view of Robin Hood as a heroic outlaw.
Sir Arthur Sullivan based an opera on the novel.