An encyclopedia of Middle-earth and Numenor
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An encyclopedia of Middle-earth and Numenor |
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Beorn |
Beorn
by Ted Nasmith
|
Man
who could turn into a bear. Beorn was of the race of Men, but he was a
skinchanger who had the ability to transform into a large black bear. In
his original form as a Man, Beorn was large with strong arms and legs and
he had black hair, bushy eyebrows, and a beard. He was gruff and quick
to anger but he was good at heart and was considered a great person by
Gandalf
the Grey.
Beorn's origins are unknown. He may have been akin to the first Men who lived in Northern Middle-earth. Gandalf speculated that Beorn may once have lived in the Misty Mountains. Beorn was familiar with the tunnels under the mountains and he hated the Orcs who lived there. He vowed that one day the Orcs of the Misty Mountains would perish and he would return.
Beorn lived between Mirkwood and the Anduin, directly east of the Carrock - a great rock in the middle of the river where Beorn had carved paths and stairs. Beorn's home was in a wood of oak trees north of the Old Forest Road. A thorn hedge surrounded his compound and inside were stables, barns, and sheds made of wood. His house was a long, low hall with two wings and a veranda.
Beorn grew flowers and clover and he had hives full of bees. A number of animals lived with him including cows, sheep, horses, ponies, and dogs. Beorn loved animals and he did not kill them for food. He ate mainly bread, honey, cream, and fruit and he had a secret recipe for twice-baked honeycakes.
Beorn kept mainly to himself though he was acquainted with some of the people who lived in the area including Radagast the Brown. In the summer of 2941 of the Third Age, Gandalf came to visit with Bilbo Baggins and thirteen Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. Gandalf told Beorn that they had slain the Great Goblin of the Misty Mountains and had been pursued by Orcs and Wargs.
That night Beorn changed shape and held a meeting of bears from the surrounding area. Then Beorn crossed the Anduin and captured an Orc and a Warg who confirmed Gandalf's story. Beorn learned that the Orcs were still hunting for the Dwarves and were gathering their forces to seek revenge. The next day Beorn gave the Dwarves supplies and advice and lent them ponies to ride to the Forest Gate of Mirkwood.
Later that year, Beorn came to the Battle of the Five Armies in the form of a bear. He came to the aid of Thorin, who was gravely wounded, and carried the Dwarf out of the fray. Then Beorn slew the Orc leader Bolg and the other Orcs began to flee in terror. The Dwarves, Elves, and Men were filled with hope and they rallied and won the battle.
After the battle, Beorn resumed the form of a Man and he returned home accompanied by Gandalf and Bilbo. They celebrated Yuletide together and Beorn invited many Men from miles around to join them for a feast. Beorn became a great chief and his people were called the Beornings. His realm was a wide land in the Vales of the Anduin between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. The Orcs did not dare to enter their land and the Beornings kept the High Pass and the ford across the Anduin open for travelers.
Beorn died sometime before the War of the Ring. He was succeeded by his son Grimbeorn. It was said that his descendants for many generations were skinchangers with the ability to assume bear form.
Names &
Etymology:
Beorn is an Old English word
meaning "man, warrior." It originally meant "bear" and was derived from
the word béo meaning "bee" in reference to a bear's love
of honey.
The name Beorn is also related to the the Old Norse word bjorn meaning "bear." Bjorn - or Bjarni - was a man in the Norse legend "The Saga of Hrolf Kraki" who was cursed to become a bear by day and man by night. Bjorn's son Bothvarr Bjarki was able to send a bear-form into battle. Bjarki means "little bear."
Sources:
The Hobbit:
"Queer Lodgings," passim; "The Return Journey," p. 302, 305-307
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241
The Letters
of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #144
The Annotated
Hobbit by Douglas Anderson: "Queer Lodgings," p. 164 note 4, 165 note
5
J.R.R.
Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey: "The Hobbit - Reinventing
Middle-earth," p. 31-32
Grimbeorn |
Decipher
card of Grimbeorn
|
Leader
of the Beornings during the War of the
Ring. Grimbeorn was the son of Beorn - a Man with
the ability to change into the form of a bear. Beorn's descendants were
said to have this ability for many generations, so Grimbeorn may also have
been a skinchanger.
Grimbeorn ruled many Men who lived in the Vales of the Anduin between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. He and his people were valiant and trustworthy. Orcs and Wargs did not dare to enter their lands. The Beornings kept the High Pass and the fords across the Anduin open for travellers, though they charged high tolls.
Names &
Etymology:
Grimbeorn means "fierce warrior."
The word grim means "fierce" and beorn means "man, warrior"
in Old English. Also called Grimbeorn the Old.
Sources:
The Hobbit:
"The Return Journey," p. 307
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241
Old English
Brodda seized the lands in southeastern Dor-lomin that belonged to Hurin, who had been captured during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Other Easterlings had not settled there because they feared the Elves who lived in the mountains nearby and because they thought Hurin's wife Morwen was a witch in league with the Elves.
Brodda set out to raid Morwen's house but when he saw her he was filled with fear and dread. He left her alone and did not discover that she had a young son Turin. But Brodda stole goods and cattle from Hurin's lands and he enslaved the people. He had his slaves build him a hall north of Morwen's home. The slaves were housed in a crowded stockade.
Brodda forced a kinswoman of Hurin named Aerin to marry him because he hoped to establish himself as a lord in Dor-lomin and father an heir to succeed him. Aerin gave food and aid to the needy including Morwen, and when Brodda found out he beat her.
Morwen sent Turin to Doriath in the autumn of 472, and in 494 she fled from Dor-lomin with her daughter Nienor. After Morwen's departure, Brodda plundered her home.
At the fall of Nargothrond, Glaurung told Turin that Morwen and Nienor were enslaved in Dor-lomin, and Turin chose to go rescue them rather than save the life of Finduilas. In early 496, Turin came to Brodda's hall and asked what had become of his family, but Aerin was afraid to defy Brodda. Turin seized Brodda by the hair and put his sword to his neck, and Aerin told him that Morwen and Nienor were gone.
When Turin realized Glaurung had deceived him, he was enraged. He threw Brodda across the table, breaking Brodda's neck and killing him. Many of Brodda's slaves rose up joined Turin and they slew the other Easterlings in the hall. Turin and most of the surviving servants fled, but Aerin remained behind and burned the hall, presumably with herself inside.
Names &
Etymology:
Also called Brodda the Easterling
and Brodda the Incomer. The name Brodda is probably in the
language of the Easterlings; the meaning is not known.
Sources:
The Silmarillion:
"Of Turin Turambar," p. 198, 215
Unfinished
Tales: "Narn I Hin Hurin," p. 68-69, 104-9
The History
of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies,"
entry for Brodda
At the Battle of Unnumbered Tears in 472 of the First Age, the Easterlings were originally on the side of the Elves and the Edain. But a large number of Eastelings led by the sons of Ulfang were secretly in league with Morgoth, who promised them rich lands in Beleriand. They switched sides on the battlefield, leading to a victory for Morgoth.
After the battle, Morgoth reneged on his promise and instead sent the Easterlings to Hithlum. Ulfang's sons had all been killed in the battle, and Lorgan became the leader of the Easterlings. Lorgan called himself Lord of Hithlum and he claimed the region of Dor-lomin as a fiefdom under Morgoth. His people plundered and enslaved the remnants of Men of Dor-lomin.
A small group of Elves led by Annael lived in hiding in the caves of Androth. With them lived Tuor, whose father Huor had been the brother of Hurin, Lord of Dor-lomin. In 488, the Elves decided to leave Hithlum, but Lorgan had been watching them and he attacked them with an army of Easterlings and Orcs when they left their caves. Most of the Elves escaped but Tuor was captured.
Lorgan made Tuor his slave. He treated Tuor even more cruelly than his other slaves because he enjoyed having a kinsman of the Lords of Dor-lomin under his power and he wanted to break Tuor. But while many of Lorgan's slaves were starving, Lorgan fed Tuor and his other strong young slaves well so they could do hard labor for him.
In 491, Tuor escaped after three years as a slave. He returned to Androth and launched sneak attacks on the Easterlings, killing many of them. Lorgan put a price on his head but Tuor eluded him for four years until he left Hithlum and made his way to Gondolin.
According to one story (HoME XI, p. 256), Lorgan learned of the beauty of Hurin's daughter Nienor and intended to take her by force, prompting Nienor to flee Dor-lomin with her mother Morwen in 494. But by other accounts, Morwen and Nienor left Dor-lomin because there was a brief period of peace which allowed them to travel safely to Doriath.
In 500, Hurin was released from Angband by Morgoth and he was escorted by a company of captains and soldiers to the borders of Hithlum. The Easterlings were afraid to harm him because it seemed as if Morgoth was treating him with honor. Lorgan feared that Hurin would usurp his position, so he summoned his chieftains to defend him when Hurin came to his halls. But Hurin told Lorgan he was leaving Hithlum, and Lorgan let him go even though Hurin insulted him because he realized that Morgoth had further plans for Hurin.
Names &
Etymology:
Lorgan called himself Lord of
Hithlum. His name is probably in the language of the Easterlings; the
meaning is not known.
Sources:
The Silmarillion:
"Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," p. 238
Unfinished
Tales: "Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin," p. 19
The History
of Middle-earth, vol. XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Grey Annals,"
p. 82, 91; "The Wanderings of Hurin," p. 253-54, 256, 260-61, 299 note
10
In 463, Ulfang led a large number Easterlings into Beleriand. It was later believed that Ulfang was already secretly in the service of Morgoth when he arrived. The Elves needed allies to oppose Morgoth's greater numbers and they welcomed the newcomers. Ulfang and his sons swore allegiance to Caranthir, and in 468 they joined the Union of Maedhros. They were armed trained for war against Morgoth and they summoned more of their kinsmen from the East.
Ulfang made a pact with Morgoth to betray the Elves in exchange for the promise of rich lands in Beleriand for his people. According to one source (HoME V, p. 403), Ulfang may have died in 470 before the fighting began, but Uldor carried out his father's plans with the help of his brothers.
At the Battle of Unnumbered Tears in 472, Uldor, Ulfast, and Ulwarth were with the eastern army under the command of Maedhros. The eastern army was supposed to draw out Morgoth's forces onto Anfauglith while the western army was to remain hidden until they received the signal to attack and trap the enemy between the two armies. But Uldor delayed the eastern army by falsely claiming that an assault from Angband was imminent, and the western army was prematurely drawn out of hiding.
When the army of Maedhros finally joined the battle, the tide turned briefly in their favor. But then Uldor, Ulfast, and Ulwarth switched sides to join Morgoth's forces and attacked the eastern army from the rear, driving through the ranks toward the standard of Maedhros. Reinforcements under Uldor's command joined the the attack so that the eastern army was embattled on three sides.
Uldor was killed by Maglor. Ulfast and Ulwarth were slain by the sons of Bor - another Easterling who remained faithful to the Elves. But the treachery of the sons of Ulfang was a key factor in Morgoth's victory in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, and it caused the Elves to distrust Men apart from the Edain. After the battle, Morgoth reneged on his promise to give rich lands to the Easterlings who had served him and instead he forced them to live in Hithlum.
Names &
Etymology:
In the Etymologies,
it is said that Ulfang, Uldor, Ulfast, and Ulwarth were Sindarin
names given to them by the Elves based on the root ulug meaning
"hideous, horrible." The ending fang means "beard"; dor is
a form of taur denoting "ruler"; fast means "shaggy hair";
and warth is from gwarth meaning "betrayer." However, other
sources suggest that these names are in the language of the Easterlings.
Ulfang was called Ulfang the Black. Uldor was called Uldor the Accursed.
Sources:
The Silmarillion:
"Of the Ruin of Beleriand," p. 157; "Of the Fifth Battle," p. 189-90, 193
Unfinished
Tales: "Narn I Hin Hurin," p. 89-90
The History
of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Lhammas,"
p. 179; "The Etymologies," entries for PHAS, SPANAG, TA, ULUG, WAR;
"Appendix - The Genealogies," p. 403
The History
of Middle-earth, vol. XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Grey Annals,"
p. 61, 64, 70, 72, 74-75, 127
Names &
Etymology:
Appledore means "apple tree."
It is a botanical name as was common among the Men of Bree.
Sources:
The Return
of the King: "Homeward Bound," p. 271
"Nomenclature
of The Lord of the Rings," entry for Appledore
Barliman Butterbur |
David
Weatherley as Barliman from the New
Line film
|
Man
of Bree. Barliman Butterbur was the proprietor
of the Prancing Pony, a famous
inn at the crossroads of the Greenway
and the Great East Road that had
been in his family for generations. As innkeeper, Barliman was considered
an important man. Both Tom Bombadil
and Gandalf described him as "worthy," but Barliman's
greatest failing was his poor memory.
On Mid-year's day in 3018 of the Third Age, Gandalf passed through Bree and gave Barliman an urgent letter to be delivered to Frodo Baggins. Gandalf had learned that the Nazgul were abroad in the guise of Black Riders and warned Frodo to leave the Shire at once. But Barliman had no one available to send the letter and soon forgot about it entirely. As a result, by the time Frodo left the Shire three months later the Nazgul were already on his trail.
Barliman was very apologetic and agreed to do what he could to help hide Frodo and speed him on his way. The innkeeper was honest as well, for when it was discovered the next morning that the inn had been attacked and the Hobbits' ponies set loose, he bought Bill the Pony for twelve silver pennies and gave Merry an additional eighteen pence, though that was quite a lot of money for him to lose.
Barliman was suspicious of Rangers in general and of Strider in particular. When Gandalf returned to Bree shortly after the Hobbits' departure, Barliman was terrified to tell him of the forgotten letter and of the fact that the Hobbits had gone off with Strider. Gandalf, however, was overjoyed by the news and put the innkeeper's beer under "an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years." (FotR, p. 277)
When trouble reached Bree during the War of the Ring and several people were killed by ruffians, Barliman changed his opinion on Rangers. "I don't think we've rightly understood till now what they did for us," he said. (RotK, p. 272) Still, he was amazed to hear that Strider had become King and even more so to learn that the King had a high opinion of his beer.
Names &
Etymology:
Barliman is meant to recall
"barley," from which ale is made. Butterbur is the name of a plant,
as were most names in Bree. But butter was also meant to imply "fat"
or "thick" as a reference to the innkeeper's rotund figure.
Sources:
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "Fog on the Barrow-downs," p. 159; "At the Sign of the
Prancing Pony," passim; "Strider," 178-81; "A Knife in the Dark," p. 189-92;
"The Council of Elrond," p. 276-77
The Return
of the King: "Homeward Bound," p. 269-74
"Nomenclature
of The Lord of the Rings," entry for Butterbur
Bill Ferny |
Bill
Ferny in the New Line film
|
Man
of Bree. Bill Ferny gave news of the Hobbits'
activities in the Prancing Pony
to the Nazgul and later became one of the leaders
of the ruffians who occupied the Shire.
Bill Ferny had an evil reputation in Bree. His main interests were making money and making mischief. Ferny was in league with the Southerners who had come up the Greenway to Bree. One of these Southerners was a squint-eyed Southerner who was an agent Saruman, but he had been waylaid by the Lord of the Nazgul and forced into the service of Mordor.
When Frodo Baggins and his companions entered the Common Room of the Prancing Pony on the evening of September 29, 3018 of the Third Age, Bill Ferny was there with the squint-eyed Southerner. Frodo tried to distract the crowd from Pippin Took's foolish chatter with a song, but the Ring slipped onto his finger and he disappeared. Bill Ferny left the inn, giving the Hobbits a knowing look, and the Southerner followed him.
Merry Brandybuck was taking a stroll down the Great East Road near the South-gate of Bree when he saw a strange figure creeping along the road. Merry followed the figure to the last house on the road and he heard two voices whispering behind a hedge before he was overcome with the Black Breath. The strange figure was a Nazgul and the house belonged to Bill Ferny, who gave the Nazgul news of Frodo's arrival and his strange disappearance.
The Prancing Pony was attacked in the night, and the room where the Hobbits were meant to be staying was ransacked, but Strider had kept the Hobbits safe. The next morning, Merry's ponies had been set loose from the stables. Bill Ferny, seeking to increase his profits, sold them the underfed and abused Bill the Pony for twelve silver pennies. When Strider led the Hobbits past Bill Ferny's house they saw that the squint-eyed Southerner was hiding there. Ferny mocked them as they passed and Sam hit him in the nose with an apple.
Early in the New Year of 3019, fighting broke out between the Southerners and the Bree-folk. Bill Ferny and Harry Goatleaf, the gatekeeper, sided with the Southerners and may have let them into the town. When the Bree-folk expelled the Southerners, Ferny went with them.
Bill Ferny went to the Shire, where he became known as the Chief's Big Man. He was at the gate on the Brandywine Bridge on October 30, 3019, when the four Hobbits returned home. Merry ordered Bill Ferny to open the gate and leave the Shire. Ferny fled - receiving a kick from Bill the Pony as he went - and was never heard from again.
Sources:
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony," p. 172; "Strider,"
p. 177, 185-86; "A Knife in the Dark," p. 191-93
The Return
of the King: "Homeward Bound," p. 271; "The Scouring of the Shire,"
p. 278
Unfinished
Tales: "The Hunt for the Ring," p. 341
Harry Goatleaf |
Martyn
Sanderson as Harry Goatleaf from the New
Line film
|
Man
of Bree. Harry Goatleaf was the gatekeeper
at the West-gate of Bree. On Monday, September 26, 3018 of the Third Age,
Harry Goatleaf was approached by two Nazgul,
who spoke to Harry and left him shaking with fear. On September 29, Harry
was at the West-gate when Frodo Baggins and his
companions arrived in Bree. Harry was interested to learn that the Hobbits
came from the Shire and he asked them their names
and business, but Merry Brandybuck evaded his
questions.
Later Harry was in the Common Room of the Prancing Pony and he witnessed Frodo's disappearance when the Ring slipped onto his finger. Harry left the Common Room after Bill Ferny and a squint-eyed Southerner. Aragorn later told Frodo that he suspected that the Nazgul might use Bill Ferny and Harry Goatleaf and others for evil work. Later that night the inn was attacked and the Hobbits' empty room was ransacked.
Early in the New Year of 3019, fighting broke out between the Southerners and the Bree-folk. Harry Goatleaf and Bill Ferny sided with the Southerners and may have let them into the town. Harry went with the Southerners when they were expelled from Bree. His ultimate fate is unknown.
Note:
In the 2004 edition of The
Lord of the Rings, Harry's presence in the Common Room of the
Prancing Pony was deleted based on notes left by Tolkien.
Names &
Etymology:
Goatleaf is a botanical name
like many names of Bree. It is another name for honeysuckle or woodbine.
Sources:
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony," p. 163-64, 172; "Strider,"
p. 186
The Return
of the King: "Homeward Bound," p. 269, 271
The Lord
of the Rings, 50th Anniversary edition: "At the Sign of the Prancing
Pony," p. 160
"Nomenclature
of The Lord of the Rings," entry for Goatleaf
The Lord
of the Rings: A Reader's Companion by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina
Scull: "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony," p. 157-58
Names &
Etymology:
Heathertoes is listed among
the botanical names common among the Men of Bree (FotR,
p. 167) and Mat Heathertoes was clearly a Man. (RotK,
p. 271) However, in etymological notes Tolkien implies that Heathertoes
was a Hobbit name: "Presumably a joke of the Big Folk, meaning that the
Little Folk, wandering unshod, collected heather, twigs and leaves between
their toes." (Nomenclature) In addition, the
name Mat is said to be short for the common Hobbit name Matta.
(App.
F, p. 414)
Sources:
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony," p. 167
The Return
of the King: "Homeward Bound," p. 271
Appendix
F of The Lord of the Rings: "The Languages and Peoples of the Third
Age," p. 414
"Nomenclature
of The Lord of the Rings," entry for Heathertoes
Source:
The Return
of the King: "Homeward Bound," p. 271
Source:
Appendix
B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 371
Bard the Bowman |
Bard
by Angelo Montanini
|
Slayer
of Smaug; King of Dale.
Bard was descended from Lord Girion of Dale, whose
wife and child had escaped to Lake-town
when Smaug ruined Dale and took the Lonely
Mountain in 2770 of the Third Age. In 2941, when Smaug emerged from
the Lonely Mountain and attacked Lake-town, Bard led the defense of the
town. He had the bridges cut and organized a company of archers to fight
the Dragon.
Bard himself fired many arrows with his great yew bow. He was down to his last arrow when a thrush came and perched on his shoulder. Because Bard was of the race of Dale, he was able to understand the thrush's words. The bird told him of the weak spot in Smaug's armor that Bilbo Baggins had discovered. Bard fired his Black Arrow and struck the hollow by Smaug's left breast and the Dragon fell from the sky, landing on Lake-town and destroying it.
Bard escaped into the lake and swam ashore. The people wanted him to be their King, but he said he would continue to serve the Master of Lake-town for the time being. Bard took charge of organizing shelter and aid for the refugees and sent messages to King Thranduil of Mirkwood asking for help. Then Bard and Thranduil led their armies to the Lonely Mountain, seeking a share of the treasure.
When they arrived at the Lonely Mountain, they were surprised to find Thorin Oakenshield and his company of Dwarves still alive. Bard sought reparations from Thorin on the grounds that it was he who had slain Smaug and that part of the Dragon's treasure had once belonged to Dale and that the people of Lake-town were suffering and needed aid. Thorin said that the destruction of Lake-town was not his responsibility and he refused to parley with armies camped outside the mountain. Bard sent a messenger several hours later asking for one-twelfth of the treasure, but again Thorin refused.
Bilbo Baggins thought that Bard's claims were reasonable, so one night he went secretly to the camp of the Lake-men and Elves. The Hobbit had found the Arkenstone - the treasure that Thorin most desired - and he offered it to Bard and Thranduil to use to negotiate. He also told them that an army of 500 Dwarves led by Dain was coming from the Iron Hills.
The next day, Bard asked Thorin for a portion of the treasure in exchange for the Arkenstone. Thorin was enraged, but he reluctantly agreed to give up Bilbo's one-fourteenth share. Dain's army arrived the next day, and Bard tried to prevent them from entering the Lonely Mountain until the exchange for the Arkenstone had been made. A battle seemed imminent, but then Gandalf told them that an army of Orcs and Wargs was approaching. Bard, Thranduil, and Dain took council together and they joined forces to fight their common enemy in the Battle of the Five Armies.
During the battle, Thorin had emerged from mountain and had rallied Dwarves, Elves, and Men to the attack, but he was mortally wounded. Bard laid the Arkenstone upon Thorin's breast when he was buried under the mountain, and Dain agreed to pay the one-fourteenth share of the treasure as promised. Bard gave the emeralds of Girion to Thranduil and Bilbo agreed to take a small chest of gold and one of silver. Bard also contributed gold for the aid of Lake-town, and although the Master of Lake-town absconded with much of it, Lake-town was rebuilt and its people became prosperous.
Bard went to his ancestral home of Dale at the foot of the Lonely Mountain. He rebuilt the ruined town and in 2944 he became King of Dale. Bard maintained good relations with the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain and trade flowed freely up and down the River Running. People came to settle in Dale from miles around and the land that had been withered by Smaug became bountiful once more.
Bard died in 2977. He was succeeded as King of Dale by his son Bain.
Names &
Etymology:
Also called Bard the Bowman.
The
name Bard may be derived from the Old Norse name
Bárðr,
which contains the element
böð meaning "battle."
Sources:
The Hobbit:
"Fire and Water," passim; "The Gathering of the Clouds," p. 275-77; "A
Thief in the Night," p. 282-84; "The Clouds Burst," passim; "The Return
Journey," p. 303-304
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241
Appendix
B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 370, 371
Old
Norse Men's Names and Their Meanings
Bard sent an ambassador to the coronation of Aragorn, King Elessar, on May 1, 3019. Bard maintained friendly relations with the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor, and Dale remained an independent realm under its protection.
Names &
Etymology:
Bard was named after his great-grandfather
Bard
the Bowman who slew Smaug. Since
he was the second King of that name he was styled Bard II.
Source:
Appendix
B of The Lord of the Rings: "The
Tale of Years," p. 376
Brand |
Decipher
card of Brand
|
King
of Dale during the War
of the Ring. Brand was the son of Bain and the
grandson of Bard the Bowman, who slew the Dragon
Smaug.
Brand became King of Dale in 3007 of the Third Age. He maintained good
relations with the Dwarves of the Lonely
Mountain and his realm extended far south and east of Lake-town.
In the year leading up to the War of the Ring, messengers from Mordor came to Dale seeking news of Bilbo Baggins and the Ring that he bore. King Brand did not answer their questions but he feared that Dale would be attacked from the East.
The attack came in March of 3019. Easterlings crossed the Redwater and Brand retreated to Dale. The Men of Dale led by Brand and the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain led by Dain Ironfoot fought side by side for three days in the Battle of Dale. On March 17, King Brand was killed and Dain stood over his body wielding his axe until he too was slain. The Men and Dwarves took refuge in the Lonely Mountain until news of the victory in the South reached them and they came forth to drive away their attackers. Brand's son Bard II succeeded him as King of Dale.
Names &
Etymology:
The name Brand is from the
Old Norse Brandr meaning "sword" or "fire."
Sources:
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "Many Meetings," p. 241; "The Council of Elrond," p. 255
Appendix
B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," 371, 375-76
Old
Norse Men's Names and Their Meanings
In 2770 of the Third Age, Smaug the Dragon descended upon the Lonely Mountain without warning. The town of Dale was destroyed and many of its treasures were taken by Smaug as part of his hoard. Girion was slain but his wife and child escaped down the River Running to Lake-town.
It was one of Girion's descendants, Bard the Bowman, who finally slew Smaug in 2941. Bard rebuilt Dale and became King. The Emeralds of Girion were recovered from Smaug's hoard and Bard gave them to King Thranduil of Mirkwood.
Sources:
The Hobbit:
"An Unexpected Party," p. 31-32; "Inside Information," p. 238, 243; "Fire
and Water," p. 261, 263; "The Gathering of the Clouds," p. 276-77; "The
Return Journey," p. 304
Freca lived west of the Gap of Rohan. He owned land on both sides of the Adorn and had a stronghold near the source of the river. Dunland was to the north of Freca's lands. Freca was a wealthy and powerful man and he was a lord to his people, many of whom were also of mixed blood. He mostly ignored King Helm of Rohan.
But in 2754 of the Third Age, Freca attended one of the King's council meetings because he wanted his son Wulf to marry Helm's daughter. Helm scoffed at the idea of the marriage and insinuated that Freca had become too self-important. Freca was enraged and replied, "Old kings that refuse a proffered staff may fall on their knees," implying that Helm would regret rejecting an alliance with him.
After the meeting, Helm took Freca outside and sent their supporters away. He said: "Freca, your folly has grown with your belly. You talk of a staff! If Helm dislikes a crooked staff that is thrust on him, he breaks it. So!" Helm killed Freca with one blow of his fist, and afterwards he was known as Helm Hammerhand.
Freca's son Wulf was declared an enemy of Rohan and he fled back through the Gap. Four years later in 2758, Wulf invaded Rohan with an army of Dunlendings. They occupied Rohan throughout the Long Winter of 2758-59. Helm and his sons died in the siege. In the spring of 2759, Helm's nephew Frealaf killed Wulf and the Dunlendings were driven from Rohan but they remained enemies of the Rohirrim.
Names &
Etymology:
The name Freca means "warrior,
hero" in Old English but it also contains the word frec meaning
"greedy."
Sources:
Appendix
A of The Lord of the Rings: "The House of Eorl," p. 346-47
Unfinished
Tales: "The Battles of the Fords of Isen," p. 364-65 note 4
Old English
He travelled to the Shire to conduct business for Saruman. He and other agents bought pipe-weed and other supplies for Saruman from Hobbits of the Bracegirdle and Sackville-Baggins families. Saruman's agents also gathered information from these Hobbits about the Shire which they relayed to Saruman. Saruman was suspicious of Gandalf's interest in Hobbits and he thought that they might have some connection to the One Ring.
In September 3018 of the Third Age, the squint-eyed Southerner was on his way to the Shire with special instructions to learn if any Hobbits had recently left. He was waylaid by the Lord of the Nazgul who was seeking the Shire and a Hobbit named Baggins. The squint-eyed Southerner, fearing for his life, told him the location of the Shire and that a Baggins could be found in Hobbiton.
The Lord of the Nazgul sent the squint-eyed Southerner to Bree to spy for him. The squint-eyed Southerner joined up with a disreputable Man of Bree named Bill Ferny. At the Prancing Pony on September 29, the two of them saw Frodo Baggins vanish into thin air. They reported this information to the Nazgul. That night the inn was attacked, but Frodo and his companions were kept safe by Aragorn. The next morning, the squint-eyed Southerner was at Bill Ferny's house when Aragorn and the Hobbits passed by on their way out of Bree.
In 3019, many of Saruman's agents occupied the Shire and oppressed the Hobbits. It is not known whether the squint-eyed Southerner was among them, but many of the Men resembled him. The Men were driven out of the Shire in the Battle of Bywater on November 3.
Sources:
The Fellowship
of the Ring: "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony," p. 168, 172; "Strider,"
p. 186; "A Knife in the Dark," p. 192-93
The Two
Towers: "Flotsam and Jetsam," p. 171
The Return
of the King: "The Scouring of the Shire," p. 283
Unfinished
Tales: "The Hunt for the Ring," p. 347-48
Freca wanted Wulf to marry the daughter of King Helm of Rohan. In 2754 of the Third Age, Freca proposed the match to Helm and then insulted the King when he refused. Helm responded by killing Freca with one blow of his fist. Wulf was declared an enemy of Rohan and he fled to Dunland.
Four years later in 2758, Wulf invaded Rohan with an army of Dunlendings. He took advantage of the fact that Rohan's eastern borders were under attack by Easterlings while at the same time Rohan's ally Gondor was threatened by three fleets of Corsairs. Some of the Corsairs even joined Wulf's invasion force.
Helm tried to stop Wulf at the Fords of Isen but Rohan's forces were defeated. Many Rohirrim were killed or enslaved, and the survivors led by Helm retreated to the Hornburg. Wulf pressed on to Edoras where Helm's son Haleth was slain defending the doors of Meduseld. Helm's nephew Frealaf led the remaining defenders to Dunharrow. Wulf declared himself King of Rohan.
During the Long Winter of 2758-59, both the Rohirrim and the Dunlendings suffered from cold and hunger. Helm and his son Hama both perished. In the spring of 2759, Frealaf and a force from Dunharrow recaptured Edoras. Wulf was taken by surprise in Meduseld and he was slain by Frealaf, who became the next King of Rohan. The Dunlendings were driven out but they remained enemies of Rohan.
Names &
Etymology:
The name Wulf means "wolf,
wolfish person, devil."
Sources:
Appendix
A of The Lord of the Rings: "The House of Eorl," p. 346-48
Old English
In 1634 of the Third Age, Angamaite and Sangahyando learned from their spies that King Minardil was at Pelargir. They led a fleet of Corsairs up the Anduin to attack the port city and Minardil was killed. The Corsairs sacked Pelargir and raided the coast of Gondor and then escaped with the booty they had seized.
Names &
Etymology:
The name Angamaitë means
"iron-handed" in Quenya from anga meaning "iron" and maitë
meaning
"handed" from má - "hand." The name Sangahyando means
"throng cleaver" where throng refers to a closely formed body of
soldiers. The word
sanga means "press, throng" and hyando
means "cleaver" from
hyarin meaning "cleave."
Sources:
Appendix
A of The Lord of the Rings: "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," p. 328
Appendix
B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 367
The History
of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies,"
entries for ANGA, MA3, SYAD
The History
of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Heirs
of Elendil," p. 199-200
The Silmarillion:
"Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names," entries for anga
and thang
The Letters
of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #347 (meanings of names)
Ghân-buri-Ghân |
Chieftain
of the Druedain during the War of the Ring.
Ghan-buri-Ghan lived in the
Druadan Forest
in Gondor. His people were among the last remnants
of the race of Men who called themselves the Drughu. By outsiders they
were known as Druedain or the Wild Men; the Rohirrim called them the Woses.
Like others of his kind, Ghan-buri-Ghan was short and broad with a flat face and dark eyes. He had a wispy beard and wore only a grass skirt. Ghan-buri-Ghan had a deep voice and was able to speak the Common Speech in addition to his own language.
On March 13, 3019 of the Third Age, Ghan-buri-Ghan met with King Theoden of Rohan in the Druadan Forest. Ghan-buri-Ghan told the King that Minas Tirith was besieged and that Enemy forces held the Great West Road. He offered to show the Rohirrim a secret way through the Stonewain Valley to the Pelennor Fields. All he asked in return was that the Rohirrim leave his people alone and no longer hunt them like animals.
Ghan-buri-Ghan walked beside the King as he and his guides led the Rohirrim safely through the woods. They came to the Grey Wood on the eastern side of the Druadan Forest on the afternoon of March 14. Ghan-buri-Ghan's scouts reported that the Rammas Echor - the wall surrounding the Pelennor Fields - had been knocked down and that the approach was lightly guarded. Ghan-buri-Ghan then bowed to King Theoden and touched his head to the ground.
Before he departed, Ghan-buri-Ghan announced that he sensed a change in the air. When the Rohirrim rode onto the Pelennnor Fields on March 15, a fresh wind came from the Sea and the Darkness of the Enemy lifted; that same wind brought Aragorn in the Corsairs' ships up the Anduin to Minas Tirith.
After the War of the Ring on July 22, Aragorn, King Elessar decreed that the Druadan Forest would thereafter belong to Ghan-buri-Ghan and his people and that no man could enter it without their permission.
Names &
Etymology:
Ghân-buri-Ghân is
a name of unknown meaning in the language of the Druedain. He was also
called simply Ghân.
Sources:
The Return
of the King: "The Ride of the Rohirrim," p. 105-109; "Many Partings,"
p. 254
Unfinished
Tales: "The Druedain," p. 382-85
Names &
Etymology:
The name Herumor means "black
lord" in Quenya from heru meaning "lord" and morë meaning
"black." The name Fuinur is derived from fuinë meaning
"shadow."
Sources:
The Silmarillion:
"Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," p. 293; "Appendix - Elements
in Quenya and Sindarin Names," entries for fuin, heru, and mor
The History
of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies,"
entry for PHUY
Quenya-English
Wordlist
Mouth of Sauron |
Bruce
Spence as the Mouth of Sauron
in the New Line film |
Emissary
of Sauron. The Mouth of Sauron was a living Man
who spoke on behalf of Sauron. His true name is not known, and even he
did not remember it. His rank was Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dur.
The Mouth of Sauron was tall and wore black robes and a high black helm
and he rode a monstrous-looking horse.
The Mouth of Sauron was of the race of Black Numenoreans - Men of Numenor who were corrupted by Sauron in the Second Age. It is said that the Mouth of Sauron "entered the service of the Dark Tower when it first rose again" (RotK, p. 164), but there is some question as to what this means.
Some say this refers to Sauron's return to Barad-dur in 3320 of the Second Age after the fall of Numenor. This would mean that the Mouth of Sauron was over 3,000 years old at the time of the War of the Ring, and that he had somehow prolonged his life by unnatural means.
Others believe that the Mouth of Sauron was a descendant of the original Black Numenoreans, and that he entered Sauron's service when the Dark Lord rebuilt Barad-dur in 2951 of the Third Age - 68 years before the War of the Ring.
The Mouth of Sauron was cruel and cunning. He learned sorcery from Sauron and he became familiar with the Dark Lord's mind. He rose through the ranks and became one of Sauron's most trusted servants. If Sauron had won the War of the Ring, the Mouth of Sauron would have been given Isengard and from there he would have subjugated Gondor and Rohan as part of Sauron's domain.
On March 25, 3019, the Captains of the West came to the Black Gate, and the Mouth of Sauron came forth to meet them. He laughed and spoke scornfully to Aragorn, yet when Aragorn looked into his eyes, the Mouth of Sauron was afraid. The Mouth of Sauron then showed them three items that had been taken from Frodo Baggins while he was imprisoned in the Tower of Cirith Ungol: Frodo's mithril shirt and his Elven cloak and Sam's sword of Westernesse.
"Dwarf-coat, elf-cloak, blade of the downfallen West, and spy from the little rat-land of the Shire - nay, do not start! We know it well - here are the marks of a conspiracy. Now, maybe he that bore these things was a creature that you would not grieve to lose, and maybe otherwise: one dear to you, perhaps? If so, take swift counsel with what little wit is left to you. For Sauron does not love spies, and what his fate shall be depends now on your choice."The Mouth of Sauron laughed at the Captains' dismay and he said that the prisoner would endure years of torment unless they surrendered and agreed to Sauron's terms: That all lands east of the Anduin would be Sauron's realm and that Gondor and Rohan would be subject to the rule of Mordor. Gandalf demanded to see Frodo, and the Mouth of Sauron hesistated before refusing. Then Gandalf took the tokens from the Mouth of Sauron and utterly rejected the terms of surrender.
The Return of the King: "The Black Gate Opens," p. 166
The Mouth of Sauron was amazed and angered, but looking at the faces of the Captains of the West he became terrified, and he fled back through the Black Gate. His minions sounded their horns in a prearranged signal, and Sauron's forces emerged from the Black Gate. The Battle of the Morannon was fought until the Ring was destroyed and Sauron was defeated. It is not known what became of the Mouth of Sauron; he may have perished in the fighting or in the ruin of Mordor, or he may have fled far away.
Names &
Etymology:
Also called the Lieutenant of
the Tower of Barad-dur and the Messenger of Mordor. He was called
the Mouth of Sauron because he spoke on Sauron's behalf.
Sources:
The Return
of the King: "The Black Gate Opens," p. 164-67
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