Further to the red/green issue, in the Icelandic sagas, roughly contemporary with Chaucer, young warriors returning from abroad are often described as swanning about in fancy red foreign duds.

As to the crusades issue, I for one have always known that Robin Hood was loyally defending Lionheart's realm from John's misrule while Lionheart was off on a crusade. Also, serfs were bound to the land, which was not fair. I believe I picked up these notions around the age of seven in one of those books which came with a sheet of gummed stamps bound in. After Dad had read you the day's chapter you got to tear out the associated stamp (glowering King John, gloomy peasant with gloomy ox), lick its delicious glue, and paste in in the blank space provided. Then prayers, tuck-in, and so to sleep.