Eriador: Difference between revisions

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| caption="Middle-earth map (1 of 4)" by [[Stephen Raw]]
| caption="Middle-earth map (1 of 4)" by [[Stephen Raw]]
| pronun=
| pronun=
| othernames=Possibly the [[Lone-lands]], almost synonymous with [[Arnor]]
| othernames=The Lone-lands
| location=North-west [[Middle-earth]], between the [[Misty Mountains]] and the [[Blue Mountain|Blue]]
| location=North-west [[Middle-earth]], between the [[Misty Mountains]] and the [[Blue Mountains]]
| type=Region
| type=Region
| description=Large, inhabited region scattered with hills and forests
| description=Large region scattered with hills and forests
| regions=[[Angmar]]<br/>[[Arnor]]<br/>[[Arthedain]]<br/>[[Cardolan]]<br/>[[Eregion]]<br/>[[Rhudaur]]<br/>[[The Shire]]<br/>[[Thorin's Halls]]
| regions=[[Angmar]], [[Arnor]], [[Eregion]]
| towns=[[Hobbiton]], [[Michel Delving]], [[Bree]], [[Annúminas]], [[Fornost Erain]], [[Tharbad]], [[Ost-in-Edhil]], [[Rivendell]]
| towns=[[Annúminas]], [[Belegost]], [[Bree]], [[Fornost Erain]], [[Hobbiton]], [[Lond Daer]], [[Michel Delving]], [[Nogrod]], [[Ost-in-Edhil]], [[Rivendell]], [[Tharbad]], [[Thorin's Hall]]
| inhabitants=[[Dwarves]]<br/>[[Elves]]<br/>[[Hobbits]]<br/>[[Men]]
| inhabitants=''[[#Inhabitants|See below]]''
| created=
| created=
| destroyed=
| destroyed=
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It was inhabited by all the [[Free peoples]] of Middle-earth, being the location of many of the most important events of the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age|Third]] Ages. By the end of the Third Age, its main inhabitants were [[Hobbits]] of [[the Shire]] and [[Men]] of the surrounding lands.
It was inhabited by all the [[Free peoples]] of Middle-earth, being the location of many of the most important events of the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age|Third]] Ages. By the end of the Third Age, its main inhabitants were [[Hobbits]] of [[the Shire]] and [[Men]] of the surrounding lands.


==Boundaries==
==History==
===First Age===
===First Age===
[[Image:Steven White Jr. - North-west of Middle-earth (First Age).png|thumb|left|200px|[[User:Smeagol|Steven White Jr.]] - ''Middle-earth in the First Age'']]
It is known that the Blue Mountains existed during the First Age more formidable and longer than in the latter Ages;<ref name="Silm-map">{{S|Map}}</ref> whereas [[Morgoth|Melkor]] reared the [[Misty Mountains]] before the arrival of the [[Elves]] in order to hinder [[Oromë]]<ref name="Silm-Captive">{{S|Captivity}}</ref>. These ranges surrounded the eastern and western borders of Eriador.
The [[Iron Mountains]] (''Ered Engrin'') stretched across the north of the world in a curve from east to west, standing on the border of the [[Dor Daedeloth|region of everlasting cold]]<ref name="Silm-Bel">{{S|Beleriand}}</ref> and can be considered that they were northern border of Eriador.<ref>It is also seen in [[:File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Ambarkanta Map V.png|this map drawn by Tolkien]]</ref>
It is unclear what the borders of Eriador were to the south; it is unknown whether the [[Greyflood]] or [[Lhûn|Lune]] rivers even existed in the First Age. Presumably the Greyflood followed the same route through Eriador to the lower end of the extended Blue Mountains - before reaching the sea somewhere to the west of the [[White Mountains]].<ref name="Atlas">[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', revised edition, p. 4</ref>
===Second, Third and Fourth Ages===
{{blockquote|Eriador was of old the name of all the lands between the [[Misty Mountains]] and the [[Blue Mountains|Blue]]; in the South it was bounded by the [[Greyflood]] and the [[Glanduin]] that flows into it above [[Tharbad]].|{{App|Eriador}}}}
In the [[Second Age|Second]], [[Third Age|Third]] and [[Fourth Age|Fourth]] ages, the boundaries of the region - listed clock-wise from due north - were as follows:
*to the north, the [[Icebay of Forochel]];
*to the north-east and east, the [[Misty Mountains]] (''Hithaeglir'');
*to the south-east, the river [[Glanduin]];
*to the south, the river [[Greyflood]] (''Gwathló'' or ''Gwathir'');
*to the south-west, the [[Belegaer|Great Sea]] (''Belegaer'');
*and to the west and north-west, the [[Blue Mountains]] (''Ered Luin'' or ''Ered Lindon'').
{{navigation
| title=Region of Eriador
| north-west=[[Blue Mountains]]
| north=[[Icebay of Forochel]], '''[[Forodwaith (lands)|Forodwaith]]'''
| north-east=[[Misty Mountains]], '''[[Forodwaith (lands)|Forodwaith]]'''
| west=[[Blue Mountains]], [[Gulf of Lune|Gulf of Lhûn]], '''[[Lindon]]'''
| east=[[Misty Mountains]], ''' [[Rhovanion]]'''
| south-west=[[Belegaer]]
| south=[[Gwathló]], '''[[Enedwaith]]'''
| south-east=[[Glanduin]], [[Dunland]]
}}
==Geography==
:''See also: [[:Category:Eriador]] and [[:Category:Cities, towns and villages of the Shire]]''
Eriador was a large, inhabited temperate region in the north-west of [[Middle-earth]] which enjoyed warm summers and increasingly cool winters.<ref name="Prologue"/> At its widest extent, it stretched for around 675 miles from east-to-west, around 690 miles from north-to-south, 740 miles from northeast-to-southwest and 750 miles from northwest-to-southeast.<ref name="Distance">Estimates by [[User:Mith]] based on [[:File:Middle-earth map (1 of 4).png|the map from ''The Lord of the Rings'']]</ref>
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Old Man Willow.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Drawing by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] showing the [[Withywindle]]]]
The most important rivers were: the [[Lhûn|Lune]] ([[Sindarin]] ''Lhûn'') which flowed through the Blue Mountains to form the [[Gulf of Lune]]; the [[Baranduin|Brandywine]] (Sindarin ''Baranduin'') which flowed out of [[Lake Evendim|Lake Evendim]] (''Nenuial'') to form the eastern-boundary of [[the Shire]]; and the [[Gwathló|Greyflood]] (''Gwathló'') which formed the southern-border of Eriador. Other rivers include: the [[Glanduin]], which flowed out of [[Eregion|Hollin]] (''Eregion'') and into the Greyflood above [[Tharbad]], forming the [[Swanfleet]] (''Nîn-in-Eilph'') marsh; the [[Bruinen|Loudwater]] (''Bruinen''), passing [[Rivendell]] (''Imladris'') in the [[Ford of Bruinen]]; the [[Hoarwell]] (''Mitheithel'') which flowed out of the [[Ettenmoors]] and over which the [[Last Bridge]] passed; the [[Withywindle]] of the [[Old Forest]]; and [[The Water]], [[Stock-brook]], [[Shirebourn]] and [[Thistle Brook]] which all flowed into the Brandywine from in the Shire.<ref name="Shire-map">{{FR|Part}}</ref><ref name="ME-map">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[:File:Middle-earth map (1 of 4).png|Map 1]]</ref>
Central Eriador was scattered with many groups of hills including the [[Tower Hills]] (''Emyn Beraid''), [[Hills of Evendim]] (''Emyn Uial''), [[Weather Hills]] as well as the [[Far Downs]], [[White Downs]], [[South Downs]], [[North Downs]] and [[Barrow-downs]] (''Tyrn Gorthad''); [[Karen Wynn Fonstad|Fonstad]] noted that the "''longitudinal axes [of the hills] formed concentric rings''".<ref name="Atlas-Eriador">[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', revised edition, p. 72</ref> Despite large deforestation by the [[Númenóreans]] during the [[Second Age]]<ref name="UT-Galadriel" /> some wooded areas remained, such as the [[Old Forest]], [[Woody End]], [[Bindbole Wood]] (sometimes seen as "Bindbale"), [[Chetwood]] around [[Bree-hill]], the [[Trollshaws]], and, largest of all, [[Eryn Vorn]];<ref name="ME-map"/> [[Eregion|Hollin]] was so named due to the large numbers of holly trees which grew there.<ref name="FR-Journey">{{FR|Journey}}</ref> Other geographic features include [[Midgewater Marshes]], [[Rushock Bog]], and [[Overbourn Marshes]].<ref name="Shire-map"/>
The [[East Road|East-West Road]] crossed Eriador from Rivendell in the east to the Grey Havens in the west whilst the [[Greenway]] ran south from [[Fornost Erain|Fornost]], linking [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]];<ref name="FR-Sign">{{FR|Sign}}</ref> the Greenway and the East-West Road met at [[Bree]]. Key [[Elves|Elvish]] settlements included the [[Grey Havens]], [[Ost-in-Edhil]]<ref name="S-Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref> and [[Rivendell]]; for the [[Dúnedain]] there were [[Weathertop]], [[Annúminas]], and [[Fornost Erain]] as well as the [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] ports of [[Tharbad]] and [[Lond Daer]] (earlier known as [[Vinyalondë]]).
==Inhabitants==
===Free Peoples===
The five [[free peoples]] as reckoned by [[Treebeard]], after the inclusion of [[Hobbits]]:-
* [[Dwarves]]:
** Since before the [[First Age]] in both [[Moria]] and in mines and halls within the eastern side of the [[Blue Mountains]].<ref name="Silm-Sindar"/>
* [[Elves]]:
** [[Nandor]] as a wood-land people ([[First Age]]);<ref name="Silm-Sindar"/>
** [[Noldor]] during the [[Second Age]] in [[Eregion]] ({{SA|750}} - {{SA|1697|n}}) and [[Rivendell]] ({{SA|1697}} onwards).<ref name="App-B1"/>
* [[Ents]]:
** The great wood that once spanned the whole of Eriador (largely deforested by [[Númenóreans]] for ship-building) used to be traversed by Ents (until sometime during [[Second Age]]).<ref name="TT-Treebeard">{{TT|Treebeard}}</ref>
* [[Hobbits]]:
** First entered Eriador in around {{TA|1150}};<ref name="App-B2" />
** At [[Bree]] (from c. {{TA|1300}});<ref name="App-B2" />
** In [[the Shire]] and [[Buckland]] ({{TA|1601}} and {{TA|2340}} onwards, respectively);<ref name="App-B2" />
** In the [[Westmarch]] ({{FoA|31}} onwards).<ref name="App-B5" />
* [[Men]]:
** [[Edain]] and [[Easterlings]] during the [[First Age]] - their descendants stay into the [[Fourth Age]], some living at [[Bree]] and [[Eryn Vorn]];<ref name="UT-Wife" />
** [[Númenóreans]] in [[Vinyalondë]] and [[Tharbad]] (from around {{SA|800}});<ref name="UT-Wife" />
** [[Dúnedain]] founding the realm of [[Arnor]] ({{SA|3320}}).<ref name="App-B2" />
===Others===
[[File:John Howe - Wolves.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Wolves'']]
* [[Barrow-wights]]:
** Evil spirits sent by the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] to inhabit the corpses of the [[Dúnedain]]'s ancestors in the [[Barrow-downs]] (circa {{TA|1636}} onwards).<ref name="App-Eriador"/>
* [[Orcs]]:
** Unknown, but inhabited [[Angmar]] (c. {{TA|1300}} - {{TA|1975|n}});<ref name="App-B2" />
** Blocked passes into Eriador across the [[Misty Mountains]] (from {{TA|2480}});<ref name="App-B2" />
** Began invading Eriador (from {{TA|2740}}) including invading the [[Northfarthing]] ({{TA|2747}}).<ref name="App-B2" />
* [[Tom Bombadil]] and [[Goldberry]]:
** Lived in the [[Old Forest]] - of unknown race. Tom had lived there since anyone could remember.<ref name="FR-Council"/>
* [[Trolls]]:
** Lived in the [[Ettenmoors]], to the north-east of Eriador;<ref name="HM-Trolls">{{HM|RC}}, p. 183</ref>
** [[Thorin and Company]] encountered three trolls in the area known as [[Trollshaws]] ({{TA|2941}}).<ref name="Hob-Mutton"/>
* [[Wolves]]:
** [[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain]] [[Aragorn I]] was slain by wolves in Eriador, "''which ever after remained a peril''" ({{TA|2327}}).<ref name="App-Eriador"/><ref name="App-North">{{App|North}}</ref>
** [[White Wolves]] invaded Eriador from the north during the [[Fell Winter (Third Age)|Fell Winter]] ({{TA|2911}}).<ref name="App-B2" />
==History==
===Earlier History===
:''See also: [[Great Journey|Great March]]''
:''See also: [[Great Journey|Great March]]''


Before the [[First Age]], the [[Three Kindreds]] of the [[Elves]] passed through Eriador on their way to [[Beleriand]], to make the trip to [[Valinor]]. First came the [[Vanyar]], following closely by the [[Noldor]], but the third kindred, the [[Teleri]], tarried and were only urged forward at the behest of their lord, [[Elwë Singollo|Elwë]], who was keen to return to [[Valinor]].<ref name="Silm-Captive" />
The [[Three Kindreds]] of the [[Elves]] passed through Eriador on their way to [[Beleriand]], to make the trip to [[Valinor]]. First came the [[Vanyar]], following closely by the [[Noldor]], but the third kindred, the [[Teleri]], tarried and were only urged forward at the behest of their lord, [[Elwë Singollo|Elwë]], who was keen to return to [[Valinor]].<ref name="Silm-Captive" /> Later, some of the [[Nandor]] who remained behind, eventually passed into Eriador, and dwelt there for a time, before [[Denethor (Nando)|Denethor]], gathered as many of the Nandor as possible and removed to [[Ossiriand]] to become the [[Nandor#Lenwë and Denethor|Laiquendi]].<ref name="Silm-Captive" /> <ref name="Silm-Sindar">{{S|Sindar}}</ref>
 
Not all of the Teleri continued on the march as when the host reached the great river [[Anduin]] [[Lenwë]] led some of his people southwards away from the rest of his kin: these people became the [[Nandor]].<ref name="Silm-Captive" /> Some of these people eventually passed into Eriador, and dwelt there for a time, before [[Denethor (Nando)|Denethor]], son of Lenwë, gathered as many of the Nandor as possible and removed to [[Ossiriand]] to become the [[Nandor#Lenwë and Denethor|Laiquendi]].<ref name="Silm-Sindar">{{S|Sindar}}</ref>


Another group that awoke and appeared during this time were the [[Firebeard]] and [[Broadbeam]] Dwarves. After they had awakened beneath Mount Dolmed, they eventually crossed over into Beleriand in {{YT|1250|n}} and encountered the Sindar for the first time.
In {{FA|310}} the first [[Men]], tribes of the [[Edain]] (ancestors of the [[House of Beor]] and [[House of Marach]]) traversed Eriador. Many sub-tribes of both peoples stayed behind, and when the shrinking teams (now led by [[Bëor]] and [[Marach]]) reached [[Beleriand]], those who stayed behind occupied many parts of Eriador.<ref name="WOTJ">{{WJ|West}}, pp. 215 and 226</ref><ref name=DM>{{PM|X}}</ref>
They also built the two great Dwarf cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Ered Luin, which were the chief suppliers of weaponry to the Elves of Beleriand, and as well as home to the world's greatest crafters.


===First Age===
The Bëorians were discovered by [[Finrod|Finrod Felagund]]. These Men quickly made friendship with the [[Eldar]] and entered into their service, but [[Bereg]], great-grandson of [[Bëor]], was discontent and led those of like mind with himself back over the [[Blue Mountains|mountains]] into Eriador.<ref name="Silm-Men">{{S|West}}</ref>
In {{FA|310}} the first [[Men]] of the [[House of Bëor]] entered [[Beleriand]] from Eriador,<ref name="WOTJ">{{WJ|West}}, pp. 215 and 226</ref> and were discovered by [[Finrod|Finrod Felagund]]. These Men quickly made friendship with the [[Eldar]] and entered into their service, but [[Bereg]], great-grandson of [[Bëor]], was discontent and led those of like mind with himself back over the [[Blue Mountains|mountains]] into Eriador.<ref name="Silm-Men">{{S|West}}</ref>


Living in Eriador during the [[First Age]] were also men known as [[Easterlings#Easterlings of the First Age|Easterlings]], or ''Swarthy Men'', who they were led by [[Bór]] and [[Ulfang the Black|Ulfang]]. In {{FA|463}} Bór and Ulfang led many Men into Beleriand, as Men were often drawn westwards, and they met with the Eldar.<ref name="Silm-Fingolfin">{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref> Bór was faithful to the Eldar and his people followed [[Maedhros]] and [[Maglor]], but [[Ulfang the Black|Ulfang]] [[Treachery of Men|betrayed]] the Eldar and [[Edain]] in the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]] - even though he swore an oath of allegiance with [[Caranthir]] - successfully fulfilling the designs of [[Morgoth]] in the process.<ref name="Silm-Fifth">{{S|Fifth}}</ref>
Men were still drawn westwards; living in Eriador during the [[First Age]] were also men known as [[Swarthy Men]], who they were led by [[Bór]] and [[Ulfang the Black|Ulfang]] into Beleriand ({{FA|463}}) as , and they met with the Eldar.<ref name="Silm-Fingolfin">{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>


===Second Age===
===Second Age===
=====Elves and Númenóreans=====
====Elves and Númenóreans====
:''See also: [[Númenóreans#Dominion over the Men of Middle-earth]]''
:''See also: [[Númenóreans#Dominion over the Men of Middle-earth]]''
Following the [[War of Wrath]] - and the destruction of [[Beleriand]] - many [[Elves]] left for [[Aman]] whilst the remnants of the [[Edain]] removed to live on the newly-formed isle of [[Númenor]]. The remaining Elves moved to [[Middle-earth]], and in the year {{SA|750|n}} of the [[Second Age]] the remnants of the [[Noldor]] established the realm of [[Eregion]] in the south-east of Eriador.<ref name="App-B1">{{App|B1}}</ref>
Following the [[War of Wrath]] - and the destruction of [[Beleriand]] - many [[Elves]] left for [[Aman]] whilst the remnants of the [[Edain]] removed to live on the newly-formed isle of [[Númenor]]. The remaining Elves moved to [[Lindon]], and in {{SA|750}} of the [[Second Age]] the remnants of the [[Noldor]] established the realm of [[Eregion]] in the south-east of Eriador.<ref name="App-B1">{{App|B1}}</ref>
 
In the early [[Second Age]], [[Galadriel]] and [[Celeborn]] crossed into Eriador with many [[Noldor]] in their following, together with [[Sindar]] and [[Green-elves]]; and for a while they dwelt in the country about [[Lake Nenuial]] ruling the Eldar in Eriador, including the wandering companies of the native [[Nandor]].<ref name=concerning>{{UT|Concerning}}</ref> Descendants of the Edain also dwelt there, side by side to those Elves. These Men also occupied the [[Weather Hills]] and the [[North Downs]].<ref name=concerning/><ref name="UT-Wife" />


In {{SA|600}} the first [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] ships began to visit [[Middle-earth]] and when news of this reached the [[Men]] of Eriador they were amazed and scared. On the [[Tower Hills]] the Númenóreans met with just twelve [[Men]] from Eriador and both sides recognised their ancient kinship: the Númenóreans discovered that these people lived in the hills east of the [[Baranduin]] and were likely the descendants of the people of [[Bëor]] and [[Hador]] who never crossed the [[Blue Mountains]].<ref name="UT-Wife" />
In {{SA|600}} the first [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] ships began to visit [[Middle-earth]] and when news of this reached the [[Men]] of Eriador they were amazed and scared. On the [[Tower Hills]] the Númenóreans met with just twelve [[Men]] from Eriador and both sides recognised their ancient kinship: the Númenóreans discovered that these people lived in the hills east of the [[Baranduin]] and were likely the descendants of the people of [[Bëor]] and [[Hador]] who never crossed the [[Blue Mountains]].<ref name="UT-Wife" />
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In {{SA|725}} [[Tar-Aldarion|Aldarion]] first visits [[Lindon]] and Eriador and begins a long-lasting friendship with [[Gil-galad]]. He made many voyages to Middle-earth and established the haven of [[Vinyalondë]] (later known as [[Lond Daer]]) on the banks of the river [[Gwathir]] - a move which proved crucial in defeating Sauron later in the Second Age.<ref name="UT-Wife">{{UT|Wife}}</ref> As a mariner, Aldarion had a great desire to build ships and in order to this he began deforesting much of the [[Minhiriath]] and [[Enedwaith]]; this angered the native forest-dwelling Men who subsequently fled to the forest of [[Eryn Vorn]].<ref name="UT-Galadriel" />
In {{SA|725}} [[Tar-Aldarion|Aldarion]] first visits [[Lindon]] and Eriador and begins a long-lasting friendship with [[Gil-galad]]. He made many voyages to Middle-earth and established the haven of [[Vinyalondë]] (later known as [[Lond Daer]]) on the banks of the river [[Gwathir]] - a move which proved crucial in defeating Sauron later in the Second Age.<ref name="UT-Wife">{{UT|Wife}}</ref> As a mariner, Aldarion had a great desire to build ships and in order to this he began deforesting much of the [[Minhiriath]] and [[Enedwaith]]; this angered the native forest-dwelling Men who subsequently fled to the forest of [[Eryn Vorn]].<ref name="UT-Galadriel" />


=====War with Sauron=====
====War with Sauron====
:''See also: [[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''
:''See also: [[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''


The Noldor of Eregion grew in unparalleled friendship with the [[Dwarves]] of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]], to the benefit of both peoples, and there was much traffic between the Elven city of [[Ost-in-Edhil]] and the [[Doors of Durin|West-gate]] of Moria. In Eregion the Elven craftsmen became great in knowledge as they were led by [[Celebrimbor]], grandson of [[Fëanor]], the most skilled of the [[Gwaith-i-Mírdain]] ("the People of the Jewel-smiths").<ref name="Silm-Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>  
The Noldor of Eregion grew in unparalleled friendship with the [[Dwarves]] of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]], to the benefit of both peoples, and there was much traffic between the Elven city of [[Ost-in-Edhil]] and the [[Doors of Durin|West-gate]] of Moria. In his attempto to corrupt them, [[Sauron]] taught them how to create  the [[Rings of Power]].<ref name="Silm-Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>  


[[Sauron]] saw that the [[Elves]] of [[Eregion]] were vulnerable and he came to them in the guise of [[Annatar]], "Lord of Gifts", and they welcomed him and he taught them many things of lore and smith-craft. In {{SA|1500}}, when the knowledge and skill of the Elves reached its height, they began the [[Rings of Power#The Creation of the Rings of Power|forging]] of the [[Rings of Power]], but, in {{SA|1600}}, Sauron secretly created [[the One Ring]] to rule over all the other Rings.<ref name="Silm-Rings" />
The Elves realised they had been fooled so they hid their Rings from him; Sauron, however, demanded that all the Rings be given to him as they were created with his help. When the Elves refused Sauron was vengeful and in {{SA|1693}} began the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]] with an invasion of Eriador in {{SA|1695|n}}.<ref name="Silm-Rings" /> [[Elrond]] was sent by [[Gil-galad]] with a force to aid Celebrimbor, but all Elrond could do was to retreat with some survivors northwards.<ref name="Galadriel">{{UT|Concerning}}</ref>
 
When Sauron put on the Ring the Elves realised they had been fooled so they hid all the other Rings from him; Sauron, however, demanded that all the Rings be given to him as they were created with his help. When the Elves refused Sauron was vengeful and in {{SA|1693}} began the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]] with an invasion of Eriador in {{SA|1695|n}}.<ref name="Silm-Rings" /> [[Elrond]] was sent by [[Gil-galad]] with a force to aid Celebrimbor, but not only they were unable to stop Sauron, but they would also be destroyed if it weren't for an attack upon Sauron's force from the rear by [[Dwarves]] from [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]. With some survivors from Eregion, Elrond retreated northwards.<ref name="Galadriel">{{UT|Concerning}}</ref>
[[File:Abe Papakhian - Death of Celebrimbor.jpg|thumb|''Death of Celebrimbor'' by Abe Papakhian]]
[[File:Abe Papakhian - Death of Celebrimbor.jpg|thumb|''Death of Celebrimbor'' by Abe Papakhian]]
In {{SA|1697|n}}, with Celebrimbor's death and Eregion lain waste, [[Elrond]] founded the refuge of [[Rivendell|Imladris]] as a defence against Sauron, and was joined by Men and Elves, swelling his forces; Sauron had taken over all of Eriador by {{SA|1699}}, once he drove the Dwarves back into Khazad-dûm and the gates were shut. While Sauron sent most of his army west to attack [[Lindon]] he had to leave a strong detachment behind to contain Elrond<ref name="Galadriel"/>and [[First Siege of Imladris|besieged Imladris]].<ref name="App-B1" />
In {{SA|1697|n}}, with Eregion lain waste, Elrond founded the refuge of [[Rivendell|Imladris]] as a defence against Sauron, and was joined by Men and Elves, swelling his forces; Sauron had taken over all of Eriador by {{SA|1699}}, once he drove the Dwarves back into Khazad-dûm and the gates were shut. While Sauron sent most of his army west to attack [[Lindon]] he had to leave a strong detachment behind to contain Elrond<ref name="Galadriel"/> and [[First Siege of Imladris|besieged Imladris]].<ref name="App-B1" />


[[Gil-galad]] sent word to [[King of Númenor|King]] [[Tar-Minastir]] of [[Númenor]] calling for aid, but when the ships finally arrived in {{SA|1700}} (landing in Lindon and [[Vinyalondë]]) Sauron was already preparing his invasion of [[Lindon]]. The forces of [[Gil-galad]], [[Elrond]] and [[Ciryatur]] caused heavy losses at [[Sarn Ford]] before Sauron's forces were utterly destroyed at the [[Battle of the Gwathló]], with Sauron barely escaping with his life. However, Eriador lay in ruins as many of the native [[Men]], Elves and Númenóreans had been killed by Sauron and his forces had ravaged the lands and destroyed many of the remaining forests.<ref name="UT-Galadriel">{{UT|Galadriel}}</ref>
[[Gil-galad]] sent word to [[King of Númenor|King]] [[Tar-Minastir]] of [[Númenor]] calling for aid, but when the ships finally arrived in {{SA|1700}} (landing in Lindon and [[Vinyalondë]]) Sauron was already preparing his invasion of [[Lindon]]. The forces of [[Gil-galad]], [[Elrond]] and [[Ciryatur]] caused heavy losses at [[Sarn Ford]] before Sauron's forces were utterly destroyed at the [[Battle of the Gwathló]], with Sauron barely escaping with his life. However, Eriador lay in ruins as many of the native [[Men]], Elves and Númenóreans had been killed by Sauron and his forces had ravaged the lands and destroyed many of the remaining forests.<ref name="UT-Galadriel">{{UT|Galadriel}}</ref>
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The Elven lords decided in a Council that Imladris should become the new Elvish stronghold in eastern Eriador after the destruction of Eregion; Gil-galad also bestowed the ring [[Vilya]] upon Elrond and made him his vice-regent.<ref name="Galadriel"/>
The Elven lords decided in a Council that Imladris should become the new Elvish stronghold in eastern Eriador after the destruction of Eregion; Gil-galad also bestowed the ring [[Vilya]] upon Elrond and made him his vice-regent.<ref name="Galadriel"/>


=====Last Alliance=====
====Last Alliance====
:''See also: [[War of the Last Alliance]]''
:''See also: [[War of the Last Alliance]]''
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Last Alliance.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[War of the Last Alliance]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'']]
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Last Alliance.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[War of the Last Alliance]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'']]
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===Third Age===
===Third Age===
=====Arnor and Division=====
====Arnor and Division====
[[File:John Howe - The One Ring 04.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''[[The One Ring]]'']]
[[File:John Howe - The One Ring 04.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''[[The One Ring]]'']]
:''See also: [[Arnor]]''
:''See also: [[Arnor]]''
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The line of Isildur was maintained with the [[Kings of Arthedain]] all the way through to [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]], but the line of kings in Cardolan and Rhudaur quickly dwindled. By {{TA|1349|n}}, with the rule of [[Argeleb I]], the Kings of Arthedain were once again claiming lordship over all of Arnor and prefixed their names with ''[[Ar|ar-]]'' in recognition of this.<ref name="App-North">{{App|North}}, note 4</ref>
The line of Isildur was maintained with the [[Kings of Arthedain]] all the way through to [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]], but the line of kings in Cardolan and Rhudaur quickly dwindled. By {{TA|1349|n}}, with the rule of [[Argeleb I]], the Kings of Arthedain were once again claiming lordship over all of Arnor and prefixed their names with ''[[Ar|ar-]]'' in recognition of this.<ref name="App-North">{{App|North}}, note 4</ref>


=====Rise of Angmar=====
====Rise of Angmar====
[[File:Rob Alexander - The Witch King of Angmar.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The [[Witch-king|Witch King]] of [[Angmar]] by [[Rob Alexander]]]]
[[File:Rob Alexander - The Witch King of Angmar.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The [[Witch-king|Witch King]] of [[Angmar]] by [[Rob Alexander]]]]
In the year {{TA|1300}}<ref name="App-B2" /> evil things begin to return to the world with the [[Witch-king]] founding the evil realm of [[Angmar]] beyond the [[Ettenmoors]] in the far north-east of Eriador, hoping to utterly destroy the [[Dúnedain]] of the North, seeing hope in the fragmentation of [[Arnor]].<ref name="App-Eriador" />  
In the year {{TA|1300}}<ref name="App-B2" /> evil things begin to return to the world with the [[Witch-king]] founding the evil realm of [[Angmar]] beyond the [[Ettenmoors]] in the far north-east of Eriador, hoping to utterly destroy the [[Dúnedain]] of the North, seeing hope in the fragmentation of [[Arnor]].<ref name="App-Eriador" />  
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In league with [[Lindon]] and [[Cardolan]], [[Kings of Arthedain|King]] [[Arveleg I]] of [[Arthedain]] successfully fortified the [[Weather Hills]] against [[Angmar]] whilst [[Rivendell]] was being besieged. However, in {{TA|1409}} a great force came out of Angmar, surrounding [[Weathertop]], defeating the [[Dúnedain]], slaying Arveleg and the last prince of Cardolan whilst destroying the tower of Amon Sûl. The ''[[Amon Sûl-stone|palantír]]'' was saved in retreat to [[Fornost Erain|Fornost]] but Cardolan was ravaged and [[Rhudaur]] became a vassal-state of Angmar; in response, [[Elrond]] brought [[Elves]] from [[Lothlórien]] and [[Círdan]] sent aid from [[Lindon]] to repel Angmar from the [[North Downs]] and Fornost - for a time, Angmar was subdued.<ref name="App-Eriador" />
In league with [[Lindon]] and [[Cardolan]], [[Kings of Arthedain|King]] [[Arveleg I]] of [[Arthedain]] successfully fortified the [[Weather Hills]] against [[Angmar]] whilst [[Rivendell]] was being besieged. However, in {{TA|1409}} a great force came out of Angmar, surrounding [[Weathertop]], defeating the [[Dúnedain]], slaying Arveleg and the last prince of Cardolan whilst destroying the tower of Amon Sûl. The ''[[Amon Sûl-stone|palantír]]'' was saved in retreat to [[Fornost Erain|Fornost]] but Cardolan was ravaged and [[Rhudaur]] became a vassal-state of Angmar; in response, [[Elrond]] brought [[Elves]] from [[Lothlórien]] and [[Círdan]] sent aid from [[Lindon]] to repel Angmar from the [[North Downs]] and Fornost - for a time, Angmar was subdued.<ref name="App-Eriador" />


In {{TA|1636}} the [[Great Plague]] came up from the south with many in Cardolan (especially in [[Minhiriath]]) and [[the Shire]] perishing; as Cardolan was deserted, the [[Witch-king]] sent evil spirits to dwell in the revered [[Barrow-downs]].<ref name="App-Eriador" />
During the [[Angmar War]], the weather and climate in Eriador became unfriendly, and all these circumstances forced the [[Stoors]] to leave the [[Angle of Eriador]]. In {{TA|1636}} the [[Great Plague]] came up from the south-east with many in Cardolan (especially in [[Minhiriath]]) and [[the Shire]] perishing; as Cardolan was deserted, the [[Witch-king]] sent evil spirits to dwell in the revered [[Barrow-downs]].<ref name="App-Eriador" /> The Plague marked the beginning of the desolation of [[Eriador]], that continued being depopulated from [[Men]] for the rest of the [[Age]].<ref>{{PM|XNotes}}, #59</ref>


=====Destruction of Arnor=====
====Destruction of Arnor====
:''See also: [[Arnor#The_Fall of Arthedain]] and [[Arvedui#Life as King]]''
:''See also: [[Arnor#The_Fall of Arthedain]] and [[Arvedui#Life as King]]''


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Despite the utter destruction of Angmar, [[Arthedain]] was also over. Arvedui's son, [[Aranarth]], took the title "[[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]]" and the heirlooms of [[Arnor]] were given into the keeping of [[Elrond]].<ref name="App-B2" /> The Dúnedain continued as a secretive and wandering people, fighting with the sons of Elrond to protect their former lands: they mostly lived out their full lives (save for [[Aragorn I]] who was slain by [[wolves]]) until the days of [[Arassuil]] when evil things began to multiply again.<ref name="App-Eriador" />
Despite the utter destruction of Angmar, [[Arthedain]] was also over. Arvedui's son, [[Aranarth]], took the title "[[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]]" and the heirlooms of [[Arnor]] were given into the keeping of [[Elrond]].<ref name="App-B2" /> The Dúnedain continued as a secretive and wandering people, fighting with the sons of Elrond to protect their former lands: they mostly lived out their full lives (save for [[Aragorn I]] who was slain by [[wolves]]) until the days of [[Arassuil]] when evil things began to multiply again.<ref name="App-Eriador" />


=====Foundation of the Shire=====
====Foundation of the Shire====
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - The Shire.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[The Shire]] as seen in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'']]
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - The Shire.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[The Shire]] as seen in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'']]
:''See also: [[The Shire#History]]''
:''See also: [[The Shire#History]]''
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For the next thousand years Hobbits were little-affected by the dangers of the world around them as they grew large in both number and wealth.<ref name="Prologue"/> Despite the end of the [[Watchful Peace]] in {{TA|2460}} - with the passes across the [[Misty Mountains]] being barred by [[Sauron]]'s creatures - Eriador not was attacked by [[orcs]] until {{TA|2740|n}}.<ref name="App-B2" /> Seven years later [[Bandobras Took]] led a group of hobbits in successfully defending the Shire against marauding orcs from [[Mount Gram]] led by [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref> Hobbits faced further hardship in {{TA|2758}} in the shape of the [[Long Winter]] which killed thousands of hobbits and resulted in a [[Days of Dearth|dreadful famine]]; in {{TA|2911}} the [[Fell Winter (Third Age)|Fell Winter]] began, freezing the rivers and bringing [[White Wolves|white wolves]] from the north (in the floods which followed the city of [[Tharbad]] was destroyed).<ref name="App-B2" />
For the next thousand years Hobbits were little-affected by the dangers of the world around them as they grew large in both number and wealth.<ref name="Prologue"/> Despite the end of the [[Watchful Peace]] in {{TA|2460}} - with the passes across the [[Misty Mountains]] being barred by [[Sauron]]'s creatures - Eriador not was attacked by [[orcs]] until {{TA|2740|n}}.<ref name="App-B2" /> Seven years later [[Bandobras Took]] led a group of hobbits in successfully defending the Shire against marauding orcs from [[Mount Gram]] led by [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref> Hobbits faced further hardship in {{TA|2758}} in the shape of the [[Long Winter]] which killed thousands of hobbits and resulted in a [[Days of Dearth|dreadful famine]]; in {{TA|2911}} the [[Fell Winter (Third Age)|Fell Winter]] began, freezing the rivers and bringing [[White Wolves|white wolves]] from the north (in the floods which followed the city of [[Tharbad]] was destroyed).<ref name="App-B2" />


=====War of the Ring=====
====War of the Ring====
:''See also:'' ''[[The Hobbit]]'', ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[War of the Ring]]''
:''See also:'' ''[[The Hobbit]]'', ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' and ''[[War of the Ring]]''


On [[14 March|March 14]], {{TA|2941}},<ref name="App-Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> a chance encounter between the [[wizards|wizard]] [[Gandalf]] and [[Kings of Durin's Folk|King]] [[Thorin II Oakenshield|Thorin Oakenshield]] in [[Bree]] set in motion a series of events which led to the downfall of [[Sauron]] the establishment of the [[Reunited Kingdom]]. Thorin was seeking to regain his [[Thráin|father]]'s [[Lonely Mountain|kingdom]] and [[Arkenstone|wealth]] was seeking assistance; Gandalf - worried about the threat of the [[dragons|dragon]] [[Smaug]] - agreed to assist, and forcibly enlisted the help of [[Bilbo Baggins]].<ref name="UT-Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref> As the [[Thorin and Company|Company]] of fifteen (thirteen [[dwarves]] with Gandalf and Bilbo) travelled towards [[Rivendell]] they [[Roast Mutton|encountered three trolls]] - thanks to Gandalf they avoided death whilst managing to gain the two [[Elves|Elvish]] swords [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], and the dagger [[Sting]]. Out of this quest Bilbo obtained [[Gollum]]'s [[The One Ring|magic ring]].<ref name="H-Riddles">{{H|Riddles}}</ref>
On [[14 March|March 14]], {{TA|2941}},<ref name="App-Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> a chance encounter between the [[wizards|wizard]] [[Gandalf]] and [[Kings of Durin's Folk|King]] [[Thorin II Oakenshield|Thorin Oakenshield]] in [[Bree]] set in motion a series of events which led to the downfall of [[Sauron]] and the establishment of the [[Reunited Kingdom]]. Thorin was seeking to regain his [[Thráin|father]]'s [[Lonely Mountain|kingdom]] and [[Arkenstone|wealth]] was seeking assistance; Gandalf - worried about the threat of the [[dragons|dragon]] [[Smaug]] - agreed to assist, and forcibly enlisted the help of [[Bilbo Baggins]].<ref name="UT-Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref> As the [[Thorin and Company|Company]] of fifteen (thirteen [[dwarves]] with Gandalf and Bilbo) travelled towards [[Rivendell]] they [[Roast Mutton|encountered three trolls]] - thanks to Gandalf they avoided death whilst managing to gain the two [[Elves|Elvish]] swords [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], and the dagger [[Sting]]. Out of this quest Bilbo obtained [[Gollum]]'s [[The One Ring|magic ring]].<ref name="H-Riddles">{{H|Riddles}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Storming the Bank.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Storming the Bank'']]
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Storming the Bank.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Storming the Bank'']]
Following [[Bilbo's Farewell Party|Bilbo's disappearance]] in {{TA|3001}}, Bilbo's "nephew", [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], inherited all of Bilbo's possessions, including Bilbo's ring.<ref name="FR-Party">{{FR|Party}}</ref> Bilbo travelled through Eriador, eventually staying with [[Elrond]] in Rivendell, whilst Frodo continued to live in [[Bag End]]. However, by {{TA|3018}}, Frodo, with [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], is forced to set out from [[the Shire]] to head towards Bree in order to deliver what is now known to be [[the One Ring]]; on the way, the [[Hobbits]] encounter the [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]] and [[Barrow-wights]], as well as [[Farmer Maggot]], [[Gildor|Gildor Inglorion]] and [[Tom Bombadil]]. In [[Bree]], the [[Travellers]] met a man called "[[Aragorn|Strider]]", who had been sent to safely escort the hobbits to Rivendell;<ref name="FR-Strider">{{FR|Strider}}</ref> despite being attacked by Black Riders on [[Weathertop]] and again confronted by them at the [[Ford of Bruinen]], they all eventually make it safely to Rivendell. At Rivendell, a [[Council of Elrond|Council]] decides that [[Fellowship of the Ring|a group of nine people]] should go on a quest to destroy the Ring.<ref name="FR-Council" />
Following [[Bilbo's Farewell Party|Bilbo's disappearance]] in {{TA|3001}}, Bilbo's "nephew", [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], inherited all of Bilbo's possessions, including Bilbo's ring.<ref name="FR-Party">{{FR|Party}}</ref> Bilbo travelled through Eriador, eventually staying with [[Elrond]] in Rivendell, whilst Frodo continued to live in [[Bag End]]. However, by {{TA|3018}}, Frodo, with [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], is forced to set out from [[the Shire]] to head towards Bree in order to deliver what is now known to be [[the One Ring]]; on the way, the [[Hobbits]] encounter the [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]] and [[Barrow-wights]], as well as [[Farmer Maggot]], [[Gildor|Gildor Inglorion]] and [[Tom Bombadil]]. In [[Bree]], the [[Travellers]] met a man called "[[Aragorn|Strider]]", who had been sent to safely escort the hobbits to Rivendell;<ref name="FR-Strider">{{FR|Strider}}</ref> despite being attacked by Black Riders on [[Weathertop]] and again confronted by them at the [[Ford of Bruinen]], they all eventually make it safely to Rivendell. At Rivendell, a [[Council of Elrond|Council]] decides that [[Fellowship of the Ring|a group of nine people]] should go on a quest to destroy the Ring.<ref name="FR-Council" />
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===Fourth Age===
===Fourth Age===
In the year {{SR|1422|n}} of [[Shire Calendar|Shire-reckoning]] the [[Fourth Age]] began following the departure of the [[Ring-bearers]], the defeat of [[Sauron]] and re-establishment of [[Arnor]] in the north and [[Gondor]] in the south. In {{FoA|6}} [[Kings of Arnor|King]] [[Aragorn|Elessar]] of [[Arnor]] makes [[the Shire]] a [[Free Land]] under the protection of the [[Sceptre of Annúminas|Northern Sceptre]] and declares that no [[Men|man]] should ever enter the Shire.<ref name="App-B5">{{App|Later}}</ref> In {{FoA|15}} Elessar stays at [[Lake Evendim]], meeting his friends at [[Brandywine Bridge]]; in {{FoA|31}} he gives the [[Westmarch]] - the area between the [[Far Downs]] and [[Tower Hills]] - to the Shire as well as officially adding [[Buckland]] to the Shire.<ref name="Prologue"/> In {{FoA|61}} [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] eventually passed over [[Belegaer|the sea]] and in {{FoA|63}} [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] leave the Shire and travel south to [[Rohan]] and [[Gondor]].<ref name="App-B5"/>
In the year {{SR|1422|n}} of [[Shire Calendar|Shire-reckoning]] the [[Fourth Age]] began following the departure of the [[Ring-bearers]], the defeat of [[Sauron]] and re-establishment of [[Arnor]] in the north and [[Gondor]] in the south. In {{FoA|6}} [[Kings of Arnor|King]] [[Aragorn|Elessar]] of [[Arnor]] makes [[the Shire]] a [[Free Land]] under the protection of the [[Sceptre of Annúminas|Northern Sceptre]] and declares that no [[Men|man]] should ever enter the Shire.<ref name="App-B5">{{App|Later}}</ref>  
 
In {{FoA|15}} Elessar stays at [[Lake Evendim]], meeting his friends at [[Brandywine Bridge]]; in {{FoA|31}} he gives the [[Westmarch]] - the area between the [[Far Downs]] and [[Tower Hills]] - to the Shire as well as officially adding [[Buckland]] to the Shire.<ref name="Prologue"/> In {{FoA|61}} [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] eventually passed over [[Belegaer|the sea]] and in {{FoA|63}} [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] leave the Shire and travel south to [[Rohan]] and [[Gondor]].<ref name="App-B5"/>


It is unknown how many, if any, [[Elves]] were left in Eriador during the Fourth Age; presumably very few [[Noldor]], at least.<ref name="RK-Havens"/>
It is unknown how many, if any, [[Elves]] were left in Eriador during the Fourth Age; presumably very few [[Noldor]], at least.<ref name="RK-Havens"/>
==Geography==
===Physical Characteristics===
:''See also: [[:Category:Eriador]] and [[:Category:Cities, towns and villages of the Shire]]''
Eriador was a large, inhabited temperate region in the north-west of [[Middle-earth]] which enjoyed warm summers and increasingly cool winters.<ref name="Prologue"/> At its widest extent, it stretched for around 675 miles from east-to-west, around 690 miles from north-to-south, 740 miles from northeast-to-southwest and 750 miles from northwest-to-southeast.<ref name="Distance">Estimates by [[User:Mith]] based on [[:File:Middle-earth map (1 of 4).png|the map from ''The Lord of the Rings'']]</ref>
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Old Man Willow.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Drawing by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] showing the [[Withywindle]]]]
The most important rivers were: the [[Lhûn|Lune]] ([[Sindarin]] ''Lhûn'') which flowed through the Blue Mountains to form the [[Gulf of Lune]]; the [[Baranduin|Brandywine]] (Sindarin ''Baranduin'') which flowed out of [[Lake Evendim|Lake Evendim]] (''Nenuial'') to form the eastern-boundary of [[the Shire]]; and the [[Gwathló|Greyflood]] (''Gwathló'') which formed the southern-border of Eriador. Other rivers include: the [[Glanduin]], which flowed out of [[Eregion|Hollin]] (''Eregion'') and into the Greyflood above [[Tharbad]], forming the [[Swanfleet]] (''Nîn-in-Eilph'') marsh; the [[Bruinen|Loudwater]] (''Bruinen''), passing [[Rivendell]] (''Imladris'') in the [[Ford of Bruinen]]; the [[Hoarwell]] (''Mitheithel'') which flowed out of the [[Ettenmoors]] and over which the [[Last Bridge]] passed; the [[Withywindle]] of the [[Old Forest]]; and [[The Water]], [[Stock-brook]], [[Shirebourn]] and [[Thistle Brook]] which all flowed into the Brandywine from in the Shire.<ref name="Shire-map">{{FR|Part}}</ref><ref name="ME-map">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[:File:Middle-earth map (1 of 4).png|Map 1]]</ref>
Central Eriador was scattered with many groups of hills including the [[Tower Hills]] (''Emyn Beraid''), [[Hills of Evendim]] (''Emyn Uial''), [[Weather Hills]] as well as the [[Far Downs]], [[White Downs]], [[South Downs]], [[North Downs]] and [[Barrow-downs]] (''Tyrn Gorthad''); [[Karen Wynn Fonstad|Fonstad]] noted that the "''longitudinal axes [of the hills] formed concentric rings''".<ref name="Atlas-Eriador">[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', revised edition, p. 72</ref> Despite large deforestation by the [[Númenóreans]] during the [[Second Age]]<ref name="UT-Galadriel" /> some wooded areas remained, such as the [[Old Forest]], [[Woody End]], [[Bindbole Wood]] (sometimes seen as "Bindbale"), [[Chetwood]] around [[Bree-hill]], the [[Trollshaws]], and, largest of all, [[Eryn Vorn]];<ref name="ME-map"/> [[Eregion|Hollin]] was so named due to the large numbers of holly trees which grew there.<ref name="FR-Journey">{{FR|Journey}}</ref> Other geographic features include [[Midgewater Marshes]], [[Rushock Bog]], and [[Overbourn Marshes]].<ref name="Shire-map"/>
The [[East Road|East-West Road]] crossed Eriador from Rivendell in the east to the Grey Havens in the west whilst the [[Greenway]] ran south from [[Fornost Erain|Fornost]], linking [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]];<ref name="FR-Sign">{{FR|Sign}}</ref> the Greenway and the East-West Road met at [[Bree]]. Key [[Elves|Elvish]] settlements included the [[Grey Havens]], [[Ost-in-Edhil]]<ref name="S-Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref> and [[Rivendell]]; for the [[Dúnedain]] there were [[Weathertop]], [[Annúminas]], and [[Fornost Erain]] as well as the [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] ports of [[Tharbad]] and [[Lond Daer]] (earlier known as [[Vinyalondë]]).
===Boundaries===
====First Age====
[[Image:Steven White Jr. - North-west of Middle-earth (First Age).png|thumb|left|200px|[[User:Smeagol|Steven White Jr.]] - ''Middle-earth in the First Age'']]
It is known that the Blue Mountains existed during the First Age more formidable and longer than in the latter Ages;<ref name="Silm-map">{{S|Map}}</ref> whereas [[Morgoth|Melkor]] reared the [[Misty Mountains]] before the arrival of the [[Elves]] in order to hinder [[Oromë]]<ref name="Silm-Captive">{{S|Captivity}}</ref>. These ranges surrounded the eastern and western borders of Eriador.
The [[Iron Mountains]] (''Ered Engrin'') stretched across the north of the world in a curve from east to west, standing on the border of the [[Dor Daedeloth|region of everlasting cold]]<ref name="Silm-Bel">{{S|Beleriand}}</ref> and can be considered that they were northern border of Eriador.<ref>It is also seen in [[:File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Ambarkanta Map V.png|this map drawn by Tolkien]]</ref>
It is unclear what the borders of Eriador were to the south; it is unknown whether the [[Greyflood]] or [[Lhûn|Lune]] rivers even existed in the First Age. Presumably the Greyflood followed the same route through Eriador to the lower end of the extended Blue Mountains - before reaching the sea somewhere to the west of the [[White Mountains]].<ref name="Atlas">[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', revised edition, p. 4</ref>
====Later History====
{{blockquote|Eriador was of old the name of all the lands between the [[Misty Mountains]] and the [[Blue Mountains|Blue]]; in the South it was bounded by the [[Greyflood]] and the [[Glanduin]] that flows into it above [[Tharbad]].|{{App|Eriador}}}}
In the [[Second Age|Second]], [[Third Age|Third]] and [[Fourth Age|Fourth]] ages, the boundaries of the region - listed clock-wise from due north - were as follows:
*to the north, the [[Icebay of Forochel]];
*to the north-east and east, the [[Misty Mountains]] (''Hithaeglir'');
*to the south-east, the river [[Glanduin]];
*to the south, the river [[Greyflood]] (''Gwathló'' or ''Gwathir'');
*to the south-west, the [[Belegaer|Great Sea]] (''Belegaer'');
*and to the west and north-west, the [[Blue Mountains]] (''Ered Luin'' or ''Ered Lindon'').
{{navigation
| title=Region of Eriador
| north-west=[[Blue Mountains]]
| north=[[Icebay of Forochel]], '''[[Forodwaith (lands)|Forodwaith]]'''
| north-east=[[Misty Mountains]], '''[[Forodwaith (lands)|Forodwaith]]'''
| west=[[Blue Mountains]], [[Gulf of Lune|Gulf of Lhûn]], '''[[Lindon]]'''
| east=[[Misty Mountains]], ''' [[Rhovanion]]'''
| south-west=[[Belegaer]]
| south=[[Gwathló]], '''[[Enedwaith]]'''
| south-east=[[Glanduin]], [[Dunland]]
}}
==Inhabitants==
===Free Peoples===
The five [[free peoples]] as reckoned by [[Treebeard]], after the inclusion of [[Hobbits]]:-
* [[Dwarves]]:
** Dwarves dwelt in the east side of the Blue Mountains, especially in the parts south of the [[Gulf of Lhun]] where they have mines that are still in use.<ref name="Eriador">{{App|Eriador}}</ref>
* [[Elves]]:
** [[Nandor]] as a wood-land people ([[First Age]]).<ref name="Silm-Sindar"/>
** [[Noldor]] during the [[Second Age]] in [[Eregion]] ({{SA|750}} - {{SA|1697|n}}) and [[Rivendell]] ({{SA|1697}} onwards).<ref name="App-B1"/>
* [[Ents]]:
** The great wood that once spanned the whole of Eriador (largely deforested by [[Númenóreans]] for ship-building) used to be traversed by Ents (until sometime during [[Second Age]]).<ref name="TT-Treebeard">{{TT|Treebeard}}</ref>
* [[Hobbits]]:
** First entered Eriador in around {{TA|1150}}.<ref name="App-B2" />
** At [[Bree]] (from c. {{TA|1300}}).<ref name="App-B2" />
** In [[the Shire]] and [[Buckland]] ({{TA|1601}} and {{TA|2340}} onwards, respectively).<ref name="App-B2" />
** In the [[Westmarch]] ({{FoA|31}} onwards).<ref name="App-B5" />
* [[Men]]:
** [[Edain]] and [[Swarthy Men]] during the [[First Age]] - their descendants, known as [[Middle Men]], stay into the [[Fourth Age]]; the [[Men of Bree]] occupy the surrounding [[Bree-land|area]].<ref name="UT-Wife" />
** [[Númenóreans]] in [[Vinyalondë]] and [[Tharbad]] (from around {{SA|800}}).<ref name="UT-Wife" />
** [[Dúnedain]] founding the realm of [[Arnor]] ({{SA|3320}}).<ref name="App-B2" />
** A small population of native [[Middle Men]] maintained a hunter-gatherer culture in the remaining woods of [[Minhiriath]].<ref>{{UT|6d}}</ref>
===Others===
[[File:John Howe - Wolves.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[John Howe]] - ''Wolves'']]
* [[Barrow-wights]]:
** Evil spirits sent by the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] to inhabit the corpses of the [[Dúnedain]]'s ancestors in the [[Barrow-downs]] (circa {{TA|1636}} onwards).<ref name="App-Eriador"/>
* [[Orcs]]:
** Unknown, but inhabited [[Angmar]] (c. {{TA|1300}} - {{TA|1975|n}});<ref name="App-B2" />
** Blocked passes into Eriador across the [[Misty Mountains]] (from {{TA|2480}});<ref name="App-B2" />
** Began invading Eriador (from {{TA|2740}}) including invading the [[Northfarthing]] ({{TA|2747}}).<ref name="App-B2" />
* [[Tom Bombadil]] and [[Goldberry]]:
** Lived in the [[Old Forest]] - of unknown race. Tom had lived there since anyone could remember.<ref name="FR-Council"/>
* [[Trolls]]:
** Lived in the [[Ettenmoors]], to the north-east of Eriador;<ref name="HM-Trolls">{{HM|RC}}, p. 183</ref>
** [[Thorin and Company]] encountered three trolls in the area known as [[Trollshaws]] ({{TA|2941}}).<ref name="Hob-Mutton"/>
* [[Wolves]]:
** [[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain]] [[Aragorn I]] was slain by wolves in Eriador, "''which ever after remained a peril''" ({{TA|2327}}).<ref name="App-Eriador"/><ref name="App-North">{{App|North}}</ref>
** [[White Wolves]] invaded Eriador from the north during the [[Fell Winter (Third Age)|Fell Winter]] ({{TA|2911}}).<ref name="App-B2" />


==Etymology==
==Etymology==
Line 219: Line 219:
In earlier sketches of the [[maps]] of [[Middle-earth]] Eriador is originally called "Forodwaith" - the name which is now applied to the [[Forodwaith (lands)|very cold region]] to the north of [[Middle-earth]].<ref name="Treason">{{TI|MII}}, pp. 305-306</ref>
In earlier sketches of the [[maps]] of [[Middle-earth]] Eriador is originally called "Forodwaith" - the name which is now applied to the [[Forodwaith (lands)|very cold region]] to the north of [[Middle-earth]].<ref name="Treason">{{TI|MII}}, pp. 305-306</ref>


==See Also==
==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Eriador|Images of Eriador]]
*[[:Category:Images of Eriador|Images of Eriador]]
*[[:Category:Maps of Eriador|Maps of Eriador]]
*[[:Category:Maps of Eriador|Maps of Eriador]]

Revision as of 21:58, 15 June 2020

Eriador
Region
Stephen Raw - Middle-earth map (1 of 4).png
"Middle-earth map (1 of 4)" by Stephen Raw
General Information
Other namesThe Lone-lands
LocationNorth-west Middle-earth, between the Misty Mountains and the Blue Mountains
TypeRegion
DescriptionLarge region scattered with hills and forests
RegionsAngmar, Arnor, Eregion
People and History
InhabitantsSee below
EventsFoundation of Arnor
Forging of the Rings
War of the Elves and Sauron
Arrival of Hobbits
The Great Plague
The Fell Winter
Battle of Bywater
GalleryImages of Eriador

Eriador was the large region in the north-west of Middle-earth, defined between Lindon and the Blue Mountains to the west and Rhovanion and the Misty Mountains to the east.

It was inhabited by all the Free peoples of Middle-earth, being the location of many of the most important events of the Second and Third Ages. By the end of the Third Age, its main inhabitants were Hobbits of the Shire and Men of the surrounding lands.

History

First Age

See also: Great March

The Three Kindreds of the Elves passed through Eriador on their way to Beleriand, to make the trip to Valinor. First came the Vanyar, following closely by the Noldor, but the third kindred, the Teleri, tarried and were only urged forward at the behest of their lord, Elwë, who was keen to return to Valinor.[1] Later, some of the Nandor who remained behind, eventually passed into Eriador, and dwelt there for a time, before Denethor, gathered as many of the Nandor as possible and removed to Ossiriand to become the Laiquendi.[1] [2]

In F.A. 310 the first Men, tribes of the Edain (ancestors of the House of Beor and House of Marach) traversed Eriador. Many sub-tribes of both peoples stayed behind, and when the shrinking teams (now led by Bëor and Marach) reached Beleriand, those who stayed behind occupied many parts of Eriador.[3][4]

The Bëorians were discovered by Finrod Felagund. These Men quickly made friendship with the Eldar and entered into their service, but Bereg, great-grandson of Bëor, was discontent and led those of like mind with himself back over the mountains into Eriador.[5]

Men were still drawn westwards; living in Eriador during the First Age were also men known as Swarthy Men, who they were led by Bór and Ulfang into Beleriand (F.A. 463) as , and they met with the Eldar.[6]

Second Age

Elves and Númenóreans

See also: Númenóreans#Dominion over the Men of Middle-earth

Following the War of Wrath - and the destruction of Beleriand - many Elves left for Aman whilst the remnants of the Edain removed to live on the newly-formed isle of Númenor. The remaining Elves moved to Lindon, and in S.A. 750 of the Second Age the remnants of the Noldor established the realm of Eregion in the south-east of Eriador.[7]

In the early Second Age, Galadriel and Celeborn crossed into Eriador with many Noldor in their following, together with Sindar and Green-elves; and for a while they dwelt in the country about Lake Nenuial ruling the Eldar in Eriador, including the wandering companies of the native Nandor.[8] Descendants of the Edain also dwelt there, side by side to those Elves. These Men also occupied the Weather Hills and the North Downs.[8][9]

In S.A. 600 the first Númenórean ships began to visit Middle-earth and when news of this reached the Men of Eriador they were amazed and scared. On the Tower Hills the Númenóreans met with just twelve Men from Eriador and both sides recognised their ancient kinship: the Númenóreans discovered that these people lived in the hills east of the Baranduin and were likely the descendants of the people of Bëor and Hador who never crossed the Blue Mountains.[9]

In S.A. 725 Aldarion first visits Lindon and Eriador and begins a long-lasting friendship with Gil-galad. He made many voyages to Middle-earth and established the haven of Vinyalondë (later known as Lond Daer) on the banks of the river Gwathir - a move which proved crucial in defeating Sauron later in the Second Age.[9] As a mariner, Aldarion had a great desire to build ships and in order to this he began deforesting much of the Minhiriath and Enedwaith; this angered the native forest-dwelling Men who subsequently fled to the forest of Eryn Vorn.[10]

War with Sauron

See also: Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age

The Noldor of Eregion grew in unparalleled friendship with the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, to the benefit of both peoples, and there was much traffic between the Elven city of Ost-in-Edhil and the West-gate of Moria. In his attempto to corrupt them, Sauron taught them how to create the Rings of Power.[11]

The Elves realised they had been fooled so they hid their Rings from him; Sauron, however, demanded that all the Rings be given to him as they were created with his help. When the Elves refused Sauron was vengeful and in S.A. 1693 began the War of the Elves and Sauron with an invasion of Eriador in 1695.[11] Elrond was sent by Gil-galad with a force to aid Celebrimbor, but all Elrond could do was to retreat with some survivors northwards.[12]

Death of Celebrimbor by Abe Papakhian

In 1697, with Eregion lain waste, Elrond founded the refuge of Imladris as a defence against Sauron, and was joined by Men and Elves, swelling his forces; Sauron had taken over all of Eriador by S.A. 1699, once he drove the Dwarves back into Khazad-dûm and the gates were shut. While Sauron sent most of his army west to attack Lindon he had to leave a strong detachment behind to contain Elrond[12] and besieged Imladris.[7]

Gil-galad sent word to King Tar-Minastir of Númenor calling for aid, but when the ships finally arrived in S.A. 1700 (landing in Lindon and Vinyalondë) Sauron was already preparing his invasion of Lindon. The forces of Gil-galad, Elrond and Ciryatur caused heavy losses at Sarn Ford before Sauron's forces were utterly destroyed at the Battle of the Gwathló, with Sauron barely escaping with his life. However, Eriador lay in ruins as many of the native Men, Elves and Númenóreans had been killed by Sauron and his forces had ravaged the lands and destroyed many of the remaining forests.[10]

The Elven lords decided in a Council that Imladris should become the new Elvish stronghold in eastern Eriador after the destruction of Eregion; Gil-galad also bestowed the ring Vilya upon Elrond and made him his vice-regent.[12]

Last Alliance

See also: War of the Last Alliance

Throughout the Second Age the Númenóreans gradually increased their power in Middle-earth by creating coastal dominions; they eventually have the strength to confront Sauron and take him prisoner to Númenor. Whilst there, Sauron seduced the King - and most of the people - and persuades Ar-Pharazôn to break the Ban of the Valar causing Ilúvatar to change the shape of the World, destroying Númenor in the process.[13] The Faithful - those Númenóreans who remained true to the Valar and friendly with the Elves - were spared and in S.A. 3320 Elendil establishes the two Realms in Exile: Gondor in the south and Arnor in Eriador.[7]

Sauron - who is now unable to take fair form[14] - returned to Mordor and in S.A. 3429 attacked Minas Ithil and burning White Tree.[7] Isildur - son of Elendil - fled north to join his father in Arnor who took counsel with Gil-galad, for both foresaw the need to triumph over Sauron before his power grew unstoppable: in S.A. 3430 they formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. In S.A. 3431 Elendil and Gil-galad marched east to Imladris; the host was the fairest and most splendid in arms ever seen in Middle-earth and the greatest ever assembled since the Host of the Valar.[11]

Third Age

Arnor and Division

See also: Arnor

Following Sauron's defeat during the War of the Last Alliance, Isildur took the One Ring for himself as a weregild for his father, but, during the Disaster of the Gladden Fields the Ring betrayed him to his death; the Ring was lost and not found again for 2,500 years.[15] The kingship of Arnor passed to Isildur's only surviving son, Valandil whose reign begins an uneventful 800 years in the North-kingdom.[16]

The unity of Arnor was broken, however, when, in Third Age 861, following the death of the tenth king, Eärendur, the dissension amongst his three sons led to the division of Arnor into three kingdoms: Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur. There was often strife between the kingdoms, especially over ownership of the Weather Hills and the chief Palantír of the North at Amon Sûl, and this quickened the waning of the Dúnedain.[17]

Arthedain was in the North-west and included the land between Brandywine and Lune, and also the land north of the Great Road as far as the Weather Hills. Rhudaur was in the North-east and lay between the Ettenmoors, the Weather Hills, and the Misty Mountains, but included also the Angle between the Hoarwell and the Loudwater. Cardolan was in the South, its bounds being the Brandywine, the Greyflood, and the Great Road.
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"

The line of Isildur was maintained with the Kings of Arthedain all the way through to Aragorn II, but the line of kings in Cardolan and Rhudaur quickly dwindled. By 1349, with the rule of Argeleb I, the Kings of Arthedain were once again claiming lordship over all of Arnor and prefixed their names with ar- in recognition of this.[18]

Rise of Angmar

In the year T.A. 1300[16] evil things begin to return to the world with the Witch-king founding the evil realm of Angmar beyond the Ettenmoors in the far north-east of Eriador, hoping to utterly destroy the Dúnedain of the North, seeing hope in the fragmentation of Arnor.[17]

In league with Lindon and Cardolan, King Arveleg I of Arthedain successfully fortified the Weather Hills against Angmar whilst Rivendell was being besieged. However, in T.A. 1409 a great force came out of Angmar, surrounding Weathertop, defeating the Dúnedain, slaying Arveleg and the last prince of Cardolan whilst destroying the tower of Amon Sûl. The palantír was saved in retreat to Fornost but Cardolan was ravaged and Rhudaur became a vassal-state of Angmar; in response, Elrond brought Elves from Lothlórien and Círdan sent aid from Lindon to repel Angmar from the North Downs and Fornost - for a time, Angmar was subdued.[17]

During the Angmar War, the weather and climate in Eriador became unfriendly, and all these circumstances forced the Stoors to leave the Angle of Eriador. In T.A. 1636 the Great Plague came up from the south-east with many in Cardolan (especially in Minhiriath) and the Shire perishing; as Cardolan was deserted, the Witch-king sent evil spirits to dwell in the revered Barrow-downs.[17] The Plague marked the beginning of the desolation of Eriador, that continued being depopulated from Men for the rest of the Age.[19]

Destruction of Arnor

See also: Arnor#The_Fall of Arthedain and Arvedui#Life as King

After many years of silence, King Araphant of Arthedain and King Ondoher of Gondor renewed communications between the two realms as they perceived that there was a single power directing the enemies or both Arnor and Gondor,[20] as such in T.A. 1940 Araphant's son Arvedui married Ondoher's daughter Fíriel.[16] Despite the marriage, neither kingdom was able to send aid to the other as Angmar continued to attack Athedain while the Wainriders attacked Gondor; in the Battle of the Camp of T.A. 1944 Ondoher was killed.

On the death of Ondoher and his sons, Arvedui of the North-kingdom claimed the crown of Gondor, as the direct descendent of Isildur, and as the husband of Fíriel, only surviving child of Ondoher. The claim was rejected. In this Pelendur, the Steward of King Ondoher, played the chief part.

The Council of Gondor answer: "The crown and royalty of Gondor belongs solely with the heirs of Meneldil, son of Anárion, to whom Isildur relinquished this realm. In Gondor this heritage is reckoned through the sons only; and we have not heard that the law is otherwise in Arnor."
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"

Instead, a distant relative, Eärnil, was chosen as King. Arvedui did not press his claim, but nor did the Dúnedain of the North forget it, for their kingdom diminished as foretold by Malbeth the Seer: in T.A. 1974 Angmar returned with renewed vigour, attacking the Dúnedain, capturing Fornost and destroying Arnor. After holding out for a while on the North Downs, Arvedui was forced to flee to the mountains where he stayed in some old dwarf mines; out of hunger, he and his men travelled north and spent the winter with the Lossoth on the Icebay of Forochel. Arvedui perished and two palantíri were lost.[17]

Eärnil had told Arvedui, "I do not forget the royalty of Arnor, nor deny our kinship, nor wish that the realms of Elendil be estranged. I will send to your aid when you have need, so long as I am able."[20] In T.A. 1973 he received a request for aid and sent his son, Eärnur, north with a great host: they arrived at the Grey Havens too late. However, in T.A. 1975 Círdan and Eärnur amassed a great army and met the forces of Angmar on the plain by Lake Nenuial in the Battle of Fornost: the force was too strong for the Witch-king and his army fled but his retreat was cut off by Gondor's cavalry and a host of Elves led by Glorfindel who had come north from Rivendell.[16]

Despite the utter destruction of Angmar, Arthedain was also over. Arvedui's son, Aranarth, took the title "Chieftain of the Dúnedain" and the heirlooms of Arnor were given into the keeping of Elrond.[16] The Dúnedain continued as a secretive and wandering people, fighting with the sons of Elrond to protect their former lands: they mostly lived out their full lives (save for Aragorn I who was slain by wolves) until the days of Arassuil when evil things began to multiply again.[17]

Foundation of the Shire

See also: The Shire#History

Hobbits (or Periannath in Sindarin) first entered Eriador in T.A. 1050 when Harfoots came over the Misty Mountains from the Vales of Anduin in order to move away from the shadow which had fallen over Greenwood the Great. In around T.A. 1150 they were joined by the Fallohides whilst the Stoors came over the Redhorn Pass and moved to Dunland and the Angle. With the rise of Angmar some Hobbits migrate westward and settle in Bree; in T.A. 1356 the Stoors leave the Angle, some of whom returned to Rhovanion[16] to become a people of fisher-folk.[17]

In T.A. 1601, led by Marcho and Blanco, Hobbits obtained permission from King Argeleb II to settle in the region beyond the Brandywine River on the proviso that they maintain the Bridge of Stonebows and other bridges and roads, whilst acknowledging Argeleb's lordship. With the foundation of the Shire, the year Third Age 1601 became the year 1 in Shire-reckoning.[21] On the war with with Angmar the following is recorded:

The Shire-folk survived, though war swept over them and most fled into hiding. To the help of the king they sent some archers who never returned; and others went also to the battle in which Angmar was overthrown [...] Afterwards in the peace that followed the Shire-folk ruled themselves and prospered. They chose a Thain to take the place of the King [...] The first Shire-thain was one Bucca of the Marish, from whom the Oldbucks claimed descent. He became Thain in 379
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"

For the next thousand years Hobbits were little-affected by the dangers of the world around them as they grew large in both number and wealth.[21] Despite the end of the Watchful Peace in T.A. 2460 - with the passes across the Misty Mountains being barred by Sauron's creatures - Eriador not was attacked by orcs until 2740.[16] Seven years later Bandobras Took led a group of hobbits in successfully defending the Shire against marauding orcs from Mount Gram led by Golfimbul in the Battle of Greenfields.[22] Hobbits faced further hardship in T.A. 2758 in the shape of the Long Winter which killed thousands of hobbits and resulted in a dreadful famine; in T.A. 2911 the Fell Winter began, freezing the rivers and bringing white wolves from the north (in the floods which followed the city of Tharbad was destroyed).[16]

War of the Ring

See also: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and War of the Ring

On March 14, T.A. 2941,[23] a chance encounter between the wizard Gandalf and King Thorin Oakenshield in Bree set in motion a series of events which led to the downfall of Sauron and the establishment of the Reunited Kingdom. Thorin was seeking to regain his father's kingdom and wealth was seeking assistance; Gandalf - worried about the threat of the dragon Smaug - agreed to assist, and forcibly enlisted the help of Bilbo Baggins.[24] As the Company of fifteen (thirteen dwarves with Gandalf and Bilbo) travelled towards Rivendell they encountered three trolls - thanks to Gandalf they avoided death whilst managing to gain the two Elvish swords Glamdring and Orcrist, and the dagger Sting. Out of this quest Bilbo obtained Gollum's magic ring.[25]

Ted Nasmith - Storming the Bank

Following Bilbo's disappearance in T.A. 3001, Bilbo's "nephew", Frodo, inherited all of Bilbo's possessions, including Bilbo's ring.[26] Bilbo travelled through Eriador, eventually staying with Elrond in Rivendell, whilst Frodo continued to live in Bag End. However, by T.A. 3018, Frodo, with Sam, Merry and Pippin, is forced to set out from the Shire to head towards Bree in order to deliver what is now known to be the One Ring; on the way, the Hobbits encounter the Black Riders and Barrow-wights, as well as Farmer Maggot, Gildor Inglorion and Tom Bombadil. In Bree, the Travellers met a man called "Strider", who had been sent to safely escort the hobbits to Rivendell;[27] despite being attacked by Black Riders on Weathertop and again confronted by them at the Ford of Bruinen, they all eventually make it safely to Rivendell. At Rivendell, a Council decides that a group of nine people should go on a quest to destroy the Ring.[15]

After destroying the the One Ring, witnessing the downfall of Sauron and the coronation of "Strider" as King Elessar of Gondor, the four hobbits and Gandalf returned to Eriador.[28] Gandalf left the hobbits at the Old Forest - deciding to visit Tom Bombadil - but when they arrived at the Brandywine Bridge they saw that the Shire had been badly affected by Saruman via his puppet "Chief" and the use of ruffians. After breaking many of the new "rules", the four hobbits were escorted to Hobbiton by a troop of Shirriffs (including Robin Smallburrow) where the four hobbits began a rebellion in the form of the successful Battle of Bywater: the ruffians were killed (as was Gríma Wormtongue) or captured and the Shire-folk were liberated (at the cost of 19 lives).[29]

Following the Battle of Bywater and the end of the War of the Ring, Frodo temporarily took the position of Deputy Mayor whilst Sam used his gift from Galadriel to replenish the Shire of its lost flora (bringing a Mallorn tree to the Party Field).[30] On September 21, T.A. 3021, Frodo and Sam set out from the Shire to meet the Last Riding of the Three Keepers: on September 29 they reached the Grey Havens where Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, Galadriel and Elrond departed Middle-earth; the Red Book of Westmarch was left with Sam.[31]

Fourth Age

In the year 1422 of Shire-reckoning the Fourth Age began following the departure of the Ring-bearers, the defeat of Sauron and re-establishment of Arnor in the north and Gondor in the south. In Fo.A. 6 King Elessar of Arnor makes the Shire a Free Land under the protection of the Northern Sceptre and declares that no man should ever enter the Shire.[32]

In Fo.A. 15 Elessar stays at Lake Evendim, meeting his friends at Brandywine Bridge; in Fo.A. 31 he gives the Westmarch - the area between the Far Downs and Tower Hills - to the Shire as well as officially adding Buckland to the Shire.[21] In Fo.A. 61 Sam eventually passed over the sea and in Fo.A. 63 Merry and Pippin leave the Shire and travel south to Rohan and Gondor.[32]

It is unknown how many, if any, Elves were left in Eriador during the Fourth Age; presumably very few Noldor, at least.[30]

Geography

Physical Characteristics

See also: Category:Eriador and Category:Cities, towns and villages of the Shire

Eriador was a large, inhabited temperate region in the north-west of Middle-earth which enjoyed warm summers and increasingly cool winters.[21] At its widest extent, it stretched for around 675 miles from east-to-west, around 690 miles from north-to-south, 740 miles from northeast-to-southwest and 750 miles from northwest-to-southeast.[33]

Drawing by J.R.R. Tolkien showing the Withywindle

The most important rivers were: the Lune (Sindarin Lhûn) which flowed through the Blue Mountains to form the Gulf of Lune; the Brandywine (Sindarin Baranduin) which flowed out of Lake Evendim (Nenuial) to form the eastern-boundary of the Shire; and the Greyflood (Gwathló) which formed the southern-border of Eriador. Other rivers include: the Glanduin, which flowed out of Hollin (Eregion) and into the Greyflood above Tharbad, forming the Swanfleet (Nîn-in-Eilph) marsh; the Loudwater (Bruinen), passing Rivendell (Imladris) in the Ford of Bruinen; the Hoarwell (Mitheithel) which flowed out of the Ettenmoors and over which the Last Bridge passed; the Withywindle of the Old Forest; and The Water, Stock-brook, Shirebourn and Thistle Brook which all flowed into the Brandywine from in the Shire.[34][35]

Central Eriador was scattered with many groups of hills including the Tower Hills (Emyn Beraid), Hills of Evendim (Emyn Uial), Weather Hills as well as the Far Downs, White Downs, South Downs, North Downs and Barrow-downs (Tyrn Gorthad); Fonstad noted that the "longitudinal axes [of the hills] formed concentric rings".[36] Despite large deforestation by the Númenóreans during the Second Age[10] some wooded areas remained, such as the Old Forest, Woody End, Bindbole Wood (sometimes seen as "Bindbale"), Chetwood around Bree-hill, the Trollshaws, and, largest of all, Eryn Vorn;[35] Hollin was so named due to the large numbers of holly trees which grew there.[37] Other geographic features include Midgewater Marshes, Rushock Bog, and Overbourn Marshes.[34]

The East-West Road crossed Eriador from Rivendell in the east to the Grey Havens in the west whilst the Greenway ran south from Fornost, linking Arnor and Gondor;[38] the Greenway and the East-West Road met at Bree. Key Elvish settlements included the Grey Havens, Ost-in-Edhil[39] and Rivendell; for the Dúnedain there were Weathertop, Annúminas, and Fornost Erain as well as the Númenórean ports of Tharbad and Lond Daer (earlier known as Vinyalondë).

Boundaries

First Age

Steven White Jr. - Middle-earth in the First Age

It is known that the Blue Mountains existed during the First Age more formidable and longer than in the latter Ages;[40] whereas Melkor reared the Misty Mountains before the arrival of the Elves in order to hinder Oromë[1]. These ranges surrounded the eastern and western borders of Eriador.

The Iron Mountains (Ered Engrin) stretched across the north of the world in a curve from east to west, standing on the border of the region of everlasting cold[41] and can be considered that they were northern border of Eriador.[42]

It is unclear what the borders of Eriador were to the south; it is unknown whether the Greyflood or Lune rivers even existed in the First Age. Presumably the Greyflood followed the same route through Eriador to the lower end of the extended Blue Mountains - before reaching the sea somewhere to the west of the White Mountains.[43]

Later History

Eriador was of old the name of all the lands between the Misty Mountains and the Blue; in the South it was bounded by the Greyflood and the Glanduin that flows into it above Tharbad.
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"

In the Second, Third and Fourth ages, the boundaries of the region - listed clock-wise from due north - were as follows:

Region of Eriador
Blue Mountains Icebay of Forochel, Forodwaith Misty Mountains, Forodwaith
Blue Mountains, Gulf of Lhûn, Lindon WindRose3.pngMisty Mountains, Rhovanion
Belegaer Gwathló, Enedwaith Glanduin, Dunland


Inhabitants

Free Peoples

The five free peoples as reckoned by Treebeard, after the inclusion of Hobbits:-

Others

John Howe - Wolves

Etymology

Eriador
Tengwar, Sindarin mode

There are at least two, slightly different, versions of the etymology of Eriador:

  1. Eriador as Sindarin (derived from Noldorin), whose derivation is quoted by Carl F. Hostetter from an unnamed note dated 1949-53. This explains that Eriador is derived from eryā, "isolated, lonely" and dor, "land", thereby translating Eriador as "wilderness".[49]
  2. In another manuscript, Tolkien stated that Eriador was a Silvan Elvish name, meaning "Lonely land" (deriving from *eryā, S eir, air).[50]

Both translations are noticeably similar to the "Lone-lands" mentioned in The Hobbit;[48] it is unknown whether they are the same or simply coincidental.

In Other Versions of the Legendarium

In earlier sketches of the maps of Middle-earth Eriador is originally called "Forodwaith" - the name which is now applied to the very cold region to the north of Middle-earth.[51]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sindar"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Two. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of Men into the West (Chapter 14)", pp. 215 and 226
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "Of Dwarves and Men"
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of Men into the West"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age"
  8. 8.0 8.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn"
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn"
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Númenor"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Council of Elrond"
  16. 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 17.8 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  18. 18.0 18.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Northern Line: Heirs of Isildur", note 4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "App-North" defined multiple times with different content
  19. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "X. Of Dwarves and Men", "Notes", #59
  20. 20.0 20.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "Prologue", "Concerning Hobbits"
  22. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "An Unexpected Party"
  23. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Durin's Folk"
  24. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Quest of Erebor"
  25. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark"
  26. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Long-expected Party"
  27. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Strider"
  28. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Homeward Bound"
  29. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Scouring of the Shire"
  30. 30.0 30.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Grey Havens"
  31. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Chief Days from the Fall of Barad-dûr to the End of the Third Age"
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "Later Events Concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring"
  33. Estimates by User:Mith based on the map from The Lord of the Rings
  34. 34.0 34.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Part of the Shire" map
  35. 35.0 35.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Map 1
  36. Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, revised edition, p. 72
  37. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Journey in the Dark"
  38. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"
  39. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
  40. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
  41. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
  42. It is also seen in this map drawn by Tolkien
  43. Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, revised edition, p. 4
  44. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  45. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Treebeard"
  46. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer"
  47. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 183
  48. 48.0 48.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Roast Mutton"
  49. "Letters to VT" in Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), Vinyar Tengwar, vol. 42, July 2001, p. 4
  50. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 28
  51. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "Map II", pp. 305-306