headless horseman

headless horseman, fictional character, a legendary spirit that supposedly haunts the community of Sleepy Hollow in Washington Irving’s story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” published in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819–20).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.

Citation Information

Article Title: headless horseman

Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Date Published: 04 December 2024

URL: https://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/headless-horseman

Access Date: February 22, 2025