Hillmen

From Tolkien Gateway
Hillmen
People
Jan Pospíšil - Hillmen and Wolfdogs.jpg
"Hillmen and Wolfdogs" by Jan Pospíšil
General Information
LocationsRhudaur
AffiliationAngmar
RivalriesDúnedain of Arnor
LanguagesMannish language
Physical Description
Lifespanshorter than Númenórean

The Hillmen were a race of Men who in the Third Age were found in Eriador and became subjects of Arnor.

Origins[edit | edit source]

Almost nothing can be said about the origin of that people, except that they were some of the Men of Eriador.

Some of these Men of Eriador were Pre-Númenóreans historically descended from the tribes of the White Mountains, who spread northward during the Second Age. The Dunlendings and the Men of Bree were of this stock.[1][2]

It is also possible that they descended from the people of Bór or other Swarthy Men of the First Age who came from Beleriand.[3]

Third Age[edit | edit source]

During the Third Age the Hillmen were to be found near the Angle of Eriador or the Ettenmoors[4] and were subjects of Arnor. From the 14th century the hills were occupied by their dark fortresses[5] and they learned sorcery,[6] perhaps from Angmar.

In the Angmar War, Hillmen from Rhudaur secretly allied themselves with the Witch-king and one of their evil lords usurped the throne of Rhudaur, slowly sending the Dúnedain of Arnor fleeing to Cardolan and Arthedain, and then fighting with Angmar against them until all the kingdom was occupied by evil men.[7] The kingdom allied with Angmar against the other two kingdoms.

The war brought the North-kingdom to an end; all evil Men of Rhudaur were killed but a shadow remained in the land. During the War of the Ring, Rhudaur was completely uninhabited.[8]

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

2007-: The Lord of the Rings Online:

In the game's version of Middle-earth, many tribes of Hillmen still roam the land in the late Third Age. These include the Corcur of the Trollshaws and the Misty Mountains (descendants of the Men of Rhudaur), the Créoth of the Lone-lands, and the Trév Duvardain of Angmar. A second tribe of Angmar, the Trév Gállorg, are shown to be friendly towards the Free Peoples. These tribal names are original to the game and do not exist in the works of Tolkien.

References