Rhudaur

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Rhudaur
Ted Nasmith - View of Rhudaur.jpg
General information
LocationNorth-eastern Eriador
People
PopulationMen, Hobbits, Trolls, people from Angmar
LanguageWestron
GovernanceKing of Rhudaur
History
Preceded byArnor
Dissolution of ArnorT.A. 861
Taken by AngmarT.A. 1409
GalleryImages of Rhudaur

Rhudaur was the smallest of the kingdoms that originated from the break-up of Arnor (T.A. 861). The other kingdoms were Arthedain and Cardolan.

Location

Rhudaur formed the eastern part of Arnor, and stretched from the Weather Hills with Amon Sûl to the river Bruinen. It reached to the Ettenmoors. It shared a long border with Cardolan along the Great East Road, and with Arthedain along the line of the Weather Hills.

The land between the rivers Mitheithel and Bruinen, forming the The Angle, was also considered part of Rhudaur.[1]

History

From the start of its existence, Rhudaur was unfriendly towards the two other successor states, and took part in a bitter conflict with Cardolan over the tower of Amon Sûl and the Palantír associated with the tower.

The first Stoor Hobbits came into Eriador around 1150. However, due to the increasing hostility of Angmar these Stoors fled the region around 1356, with some of them moving west to Arthedain, and others moving back to the Vales of Anduin.

The last Kings of Rhudaur were not of Númenórean blood, but were descended of Hill-men; by the time of Argeleb I of Arnor, Rhudaur was ruled by an evil lord who secretly was in league with Angmar, and thus enemies of Cardolan and Arthedain. Argeleb died fighting Rhudaur and Angmar.[1]

Angmar annexed and terminated the kingdom in 1409. By this time the Númenóreans were gone from the region, as well as most of the other inhabitants.[1]

There is evidence that after the fall of Angmar at the Battle of Fornost the Angle became home to the remainder of the Dúnedain, and the Rangers of the North established several villages there,[source?] where their people lived until the resurrection of the northern Kingdom under King Elessar at the end of the Third Age.

Etymology

The name Rhudaur is translated by Tolkien as "Troll shaw" (rhû "evil, wicked" and taur, "forest").[2] It is unknown whether it is intended to be the same as Trollshaws.

Portrayal in adaptations

2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

Galadriel mentions the High Fells of Rhudaur as the place where the Witch-king was buried following the fall of Angmar.

2013: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug:

Gandalf and Radagast travel to the High Fells to examine the whereabouts of Nazgûl, only to discover that they have all escaped.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  2. 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), pp. 115, 170