South Gondor: Difference between revisions

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m (Based on the Map of Rohan, Gondor and Mordor the river Harnen was probably also part of the eastern border of Harondor)
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==Geography==
==Geography==
Harondor's borders were probably the river [[Poros]] in the north,<ref name=VT>{{VT|42a}}, pp. 17 paragraph about the element arn-</ref> possibly the river [[Harnen]] in the south,<ref>{{TT|Herbs}}, "in those days our bounds were away south beyond the mouths of Anduin"</ref> the [[Ephel Dúath]] in the east and the river [[Anduin]] and the [[Bay of Belfalas]] in the west.<ref name="West"/> It was described on maps from the time of the [[War of the Ring]] as a "desert land".<ref name="West" /> However, it is possible that this meant that it was a land that was deserted by its inhabitants because of the wars between [[Gondor]] and the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] and the [[Haradrim]].<ref group=note>South Gondor is labelled as a "verlassenes Land" (i.e. a deserted land or abandoned land) on the [[The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age|map of the West of Middle-earth]] in the German translation of ''The Lord of the Rings''.</ref> It is possible that Harondor had a climate that was fluctuating between mild winters and very hot and dry summers.<ref>{{HM|AME}}, pp. 183, 185</ref><ref group=note>J.R.R. Tolkien wrote on [[General Map of Middle-earth|his son's map of Middle-earth]] for [[Pauline Baynes]] that Umbar is approximately at the latitude of Cyprus and that Minas Tirith is approximately at the latitude of Ravenna, but more to the east near Belgrade. He wrote that these references are so that Pauline Baynes can roughly judge the climate and the fauna and flora for her [[A Map of Middle-earth|map of Middle-earth]]. In addition, he wrote in a [[Letter 294|letter to Charlotte and Denis Plimmer]] that the city of Pelargir is approximately at the latitude of ancient Troy. J.R.R. Tolkiens mentions that Ithilien was open to the moist winds from the sea and sheltered from the east by the Ephel Dúath in the context of the vegetation in Ithilien in The Lord of the Rings. Those two factors probably also apply to Harondor.</ref>
Harondor's borders were probably the river [[Poros]] in the north,<ref name=VT>{{VT|42a}}, pp. 17 paragraph about the element arn-</ref> possibly the river [[Harnen]] in the south,<ref>{{TT|Herbs}}, "in those days our bounds were away south beyond the mouths of Anduin"</ref> the [[Ephel Dúath]] and the river Harnen in the east and the river [[Anduin]] and the [[Bay of Belfalas]] in the west. It was described as a "desert land" at the time of the [[War of the Ring]].<ref name="West" /> However, it is possible that this meant that it was a land that was deserted by its inhabitants because of the wars between [[Gondor]] and the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] and the [[Haradrim]].<ref group=note>South Gondor is labelled as a "verlassenes Land" (i.e. a deserted land or abandoned land) on the [[The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age|map of the West of Middle-earth]] in the German translation of ''The Lord of the Rings''.</ref> It is possible that Harondor had a climate that was fluctuating between mild winters and very hot and dry summers.<ref>{{HM|AME}}, pp. 183, 185</ref><ref group=note>J.R.R. Tolkien wrote on [[General Map of Middle-earth|his son's map of Middle-earth]] for [[Pauline Baynes]] that Umbar is approximately at the latitude of Cyprus and that Minas Tirith is approximately at the latitude of Ravenna, but more to the east near Belgrade. He wrote that these references are so that Pauline Baynes can roughly judge the climate and the fauna and flora for her [[A Map of Middle-earth|map of Middle-earth]]. In addition, he wrote in a [[Letter 294|letter to Charlotte and Denis Plimmer]] that the city of Pelargir is approximately at the latitude of ancient Troy. J.R.R. Tolkiens mentions that Ithilien was open to the moist winds from the sea and sheltered from the east by the Ephel Dúath in the context of the vegetation in Ithilien in The Lord of the Rings. Those two factors probably also apply to Harondor.</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 10:30, 27 December 2020

"Who told you, and who sent you?" — Gandalf
This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made.
Map of Harondor and neighbouring regions

South Gondor, known in Sindarin as Harondor, was a region south of Ithilien.[1]

Geography

Harondor's borders were probably the river Poros in the north,[2] possibly the river Harnen in the south,[3] the Ephel Dúath and the river Harnen in the east and the river Anduin and the Bay of Belfalas in the west. It was described as a "desert land" at the time of the War of the Ring.[1] However, it is possible that this meant that it was a land that was deserted by its inhabitants because of the wars between Gondor and the Corsairs of Umbar and the Haradrim.[note 1] It is possible that Harondor had a climate that was fluctuating between mild winters and very hot and dry summers.[4][note 2]

History

Harondor was absorbed by Gondor during the height of its power, probably the expansions of Tarannon Falastur, who extended the sway of Gondor along the coasts west and south of the Mouths of Anduin.[5][6]

Harondor was part of Gondor until the Kin-strife when it became a debatable land between the Corsairs of Umbar and the Kings of Gondor.[7]

During the days of Steward Túrin II, the Haradrim occupied Harondor and there was much fighting along the Poros. When they started invading Ithilien, many Rohirrim came to the support of Gondor and won (T.A. 2885).[8]

Etymology

The Sindarin word Harondor seems[who?] to contain har- (as in Harad, meaning "south")[9] and Gondor.[source?]

Portrayal in adaptations

1996: Middle-earth Role Playing:

Several settlements and sites in Harondor, its history, geography, flora and fauna, inhabitants, politics and power and warcraft are mentioned in the MERP module Southern Gondor: The Land.

Notes

  1. South Gondor is labelled as a "verlassenes Land" (i.e. a deserted land or abandoned land) on the map of the West of Middle-earth in the German translation of The Lord of the Rings.
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien wrote on his son's map of Middle-earth for Pauline Baynes that Umbar is approximately at the latitude of Cyprus and that Minas Tirith is approximately at the latitude of Ravenna, but more to the east near Belgrade. He wrote that these references are so that Pauline Baynes can roughly judge the climate and the fauna and flora for her map of Middle-earth. In addition, he wrote in a letter to Charlotte and Denis Plimmer that the city of Pelargir is approximately at the latitude of ancient Troy. J.R.R. Tolkiens mentions that Ithilien was open to the moist winds from the sea and sheltered from the east by the Ephel Dúath in the context of the vegetation in Ithilien in The Lord of the Rings. Those two factors probably also apply to Harondor.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 42, July 2001, pp. 17 paragraph about the element arn-
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit", "in those days our bounds were away south beyond the mouths of Anduin"
  4. Karen Wynn Fonstad (1991), The Atlas of Middle-earth, pp. 183, 185
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", entry for king Tarannon
  6. Karen Wynn Fonstad (1991), The Atlas of Middle-earth, "The Third Age - Kingdoms of the Dunedain", p. 55
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", entry for king Eldacar
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", "The Stewards", entry for steward Túrin II
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix E, "Pronunciation of Words and Names", "Consonants"