Kingdom of Rhovanion: Difference between revisions

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#REDIRECT [[Rhovanion]]
{{kingdom| image=| name=Kingdom of Rhovanion| pronun=| othernames=[[Rhovanion]]| location=Between [[Mirkwood]] and the [[River Running]]<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref>| capital=| towns=| regions=| population=[[Northmen]]| language=Northern tongue akin to [[Dalish]] and [[Rohirric]]| govern1=[[King of Rhovanion]]| govern2=| govern3=| currency=| holiday=| precededby=| event1=Founded| event1date=c. [[T.A. 1240]]<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref>| event2=Abandoned| event2date={{TA|1856}}<ref>{{App|Eorl}}</ref>| event3=| event3date=| event4=| event4date=| event5=| event5date=| followedby=[[Éothéod |Lordship of the Éothéod ]]}}
The Mannish Kingdom of Rhovanion came to prominence in the mid-13th century of the [[Third Age]], when [[Minalcar]] of [[Gondor]] served as Regent for his uncle, [[Atanatar II|King Atanatar II]] of Gondor.  About this time [[Vidugavia]], "the most powerful of the northern princes"<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref> called himself "[[King of Rhovanion]]", though the land he governed lay only between [[Mirkwood]] and the [[River Running]].<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref> The Regent led a great expedition into Rhovanion in {{TA|1248}} and utterly defeated the [[Easterlings]], with substantial help from the [[Northmen]] and from Vidugavia in particular.
 
Vidugavia became Gondor's strong ally, and in {{TA|1250}} the Regent sent his son [[Valacar]] as ambassador to Vidugavia.  But Valacar, much taken with the culture of the North, "far exceeded his father's design"<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref> by marrying Vidugavia's daughter [[Vidumavi]], and their son [[Vinitharya]] was raised among the Northmen. When Minalcar acceded to the throne of Gondor as Rómendacil II, Valacar became the heir to the throne. The mixed ancestry of Valacar's son (known as [[Eldacar]] in Gondor) became a matter of contention: many were not prepared to allow as king a man whose [[Númenórean]] blood was mingled with that of a "lesser" race, and many feared that he would prove to be short-lived (as his mother's people were, compared with the ruling line of Gondor).  This led to the [[Kin-strife]] in Gondor, a bloody civil war that decimated the ruling families.<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref>
 
Tolkien makes little further reference to the "Kingdom of Rhovanion".  It is clear from his discussion of the early history of the [[Éothéod]] in ''Unfinished Tales''<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> that the Northmen in this area were defeated by the [[Wainriders]].  The [[Battle of the Plains]] (in {{TA|1851}}) was fought by Gondor and the Northmen against the Wainriders; [[Narmacil II|King Narmacil II]] of Gondor and the Northman [[Marhari]] (a descendant of Vidugavia)<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> were both killed in this battle. Tolkien does not, however, call Marhari "king"; however, there was a lasting kingship until their realm was destroyed by the Wainrider invasions.<ref group=note>The [[Lord of the Eotheod|Lords of the Eotheod]] claimed descent from the '...kings of Rhovanion, whose realm lay beyond Mirkwood before the invasions of the Wainriders...' according to Appendix II to ''The Lord of the Rings''. This implies that the kingdom lasted until the Wainrider invasions which occured around {{TA|1851}}.</ref>
 
Refugees from this defeat were reorganized as the Éothéod on the other side of Mirkwood in the lower [[Vales of Anduin]], under the leadership of [[Marhwini]], son of Marhari.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> many of the Northmen remained in their old lands as a subject people of the Wainriders. Others fled north, with some mingling with the [[Men of Dale|people of Dale]].
 
==Notes==
{{References}}

Revision as of 21:57, 11 August 2018

General information
Other namesRhovanion
LocationBetween Mirkwood and the River Running[1]
People
PopulationNorthmen
LanguageNorthern tongue akin to Dalish and Rohirric
GovernanceKing of Rhovanion
History
Foundedc. T.A. 1240[2]
AbandonedT.A. 1856[3]
Followed byLordship of the Éothéod

The Mannish Kingdom of Rhovanion came to prominence in the mid-13th century of the Third Age, when Minalcar of Gondor served as Regent for his uncle, King Atanatar II of Gondor. About this time Vidugavia, "the most powerful of the northern princes"[4] called himself "King of Rhovanion", though the land he governed lay only between Mirkwood and the River Running.[5] The Regent led a great expedition into Rhovanion in T.A. 1248 and utterly defeated the Easterlings, with substantial help from the Northmen and from Vidugavia in particular.

Vidugavia became Gondor's strong ally, and in T.A. 1250 the Regent sent his son Valacar as ambassador to Vidugavia. But Valacar, much taken with the culture of the North, "far exceeded his father's design"[6] by marrying Vidugavia's daughter Vidumavi, and their son Vinitharya was raised among the Northmen. When Minalcar acceded to the throne of Gondor as Rómendacil II, Valacar became the heir to the throne. The mixed ancestry of Valacar's son (known as Eldacar in Gondor) became a matter of contention: many were not prepared to allow as king a man whose Númenórean blood was mingled with that of a "lesser" race, and many feared that he would prove to be short-lived (as his mother's people were, compared with the ruling line of Gondor). This led to the Kin-strife in Gondor, a bloody civil war that decimated the ruling families.[7]

Tolkien makes little further reference to the "Kingdom of Rhovanion". It is clear from his discussion of the early history of the Éothéod in Unfinished Tales[8] that the Northmen in this area were defeated by the Wainriders. The Battle of the Plains (in T.A. 1851) was fought by Gondor and the Northmen against the Wainriders; King Narmacil II of Gondor and the Northman Marhari (a descendant of Vidugavia)[9] were both killed in this battle. Tolkien does not, however, call Marhari "king"; however, there was a lasting kingship until their realm was destroyed by the Wainrider invasions.[note 1]

Refugees from this defeat were reorganized as the Éothéod on the other side of Mirkwood in the lower Vales of Anduin, under the leadership of Marhwini, son of Marhari.[10] many of the Northmen remained in their old lands as a subject people of the Wainriders. Others fled north, with some mingling with the people of Dale.

Notes

  1. The Lords of the Eotheod claimed descent from the '...kings of Rhovanion, whose realm lay beyond Mirkwood before the invasions of the Wainriders...' according to Appendix II to The Lord of the Rings. This implies that the kingdom lasted until the Wainrider invasions which occured around T.A. 1851.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The House of Eorl"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"