Rhudaur
| Rhudaur | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | North-eastern Eriador |
| People | |
| Population | Men, Hobbits, Trolls, people from Angmar |
| Language | Westron |
| Governance | King of Rhudaur |
| History | |
| Preceded by | Arnor |
| Dissolution of Arnor | T.A. 861 |
| Taken by Angmar | T.A. 1409 |
| Gallery | Images 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 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 the region, specifically the Angle around 1150.
By around T.A. 1349 a lord of the Hill-men had seized power and had secretly allied with Angmar; few Dúnedain remained in Rhudaur and the only remaining descendant of the House of Isildur was the King of Arthedain Argeleb I. As Heir of Isildur Argeleb claimed the lordship of all former Arnor which the lord of Rhudaur resisted. In 1356 Rhudaur and Angmar attacked the Weather Hills, and Argeleb was killed. It was because of this hostile nature of Rhudaur that the Stoors fled, with some of them moving west to Arthedain, and others moving back to Rhovanion.[1][2]
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").[3] 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
- ↑ 1.0 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"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ 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
