The Long Winter began in November of 2758 and lasted five months until March of 2759. The Rohirrim were starving and desperate, besieged in their strongholds. Helm's son Hama died on a sortie from Helm's Deep, and Helm himself froze to death on Helm's Dike.

When spring came, Frealaf led a force from Dunharrow and reclaimed Edoras. Frealaf slew Wulf and the Rohirrim drove the Dunlendings out of Rohan. The melting snow caused flooding around the Mouths of the Entwash, and the invaders from the East withdrew. Gondor was at last able to send aid to Rohan. That same year Beren, the Steward of Gondor, gave the stronghold of Isengard to Saruman, believing that the Wizard's presence would help protect Rohan against invasion in the future.

Frealaf, son of Helm's sister Hild, was the first of the Second Line of Kings of Rohan. Saruman attended his coronation and brought many gifts. Rohan began to slowly recover from the effects of the war and the Long Winter.

Frealaf's son Brytta succeeded him in 2798. Brytta was a popular king and was known as Leofa, the Beloved. He was generous and helpful to those in need. During his reign, Rohan was troubled by Orcs who had fled to the White Mountains from the Misty Mountains after the Battle of Azanulbizar against the Dwarves. When Brytta died in 2842, it was thought that the Orcs had been routed from the White Mountains, but Brytta's son Walda was killed by Orcs near Dunharrow only nine years later in 2851.

Walda was succeeded by Folca, who continued to hunt Orcs in the White Mountains until the last of them were cleared out in 2864. After he completed his task, Folca hunted boar in the Firien Wood. He slew the Great Boar of Everholt but was wounded by its tusks and died.

During the reign of Folca's son Folcwine, Rohan finally recovered its full strength and prosperity. Folcwine reclaimed the west-march between the Rivers Adorn and Isen from the Dunlendings.

Under King Folcwine, Rohan's military forces were reorganized. The full muster of the Rohirrim - called the eohere - was reckoned to consist of 100 companies. Each company - or eored - had at least 120 Riders. Thus the full strength of the eohere was at least 12,000 Riders at this time.

In 2885, Folcwine fulfilled the Oath of Eorl by sending troops to help Gondor fight an invading army of Haradrim. The combined forces of Gondor and Rohan were victorious, but Folcwine's twin sons Folcred and Fastred were killed. They were buried together in a single mound on the shores of the River Poros in Ithilien, and Turin II, the Steward of Gondor, sent gold to Folcwine as a compensation for their sacrifice.

After the decimation of the Northmen, Marhari's son Marhwini led a group of survivors to live along the Anduin between the Gladden River and the Carrock, mainly on the western bank of the river. They called themselves the Eotheod, meaning "Horse-people."

The Eotheod renewed their friendship with Gondor. In 1899, Marhwini and the Eotheod helped King Calimehtar thwart another invasion by the Wainriders. Marhwini also tried to help the Northmen who were still enslaved by the Wainriders free themselves, but the revolt was unsuccessful.

In the next century, the Eotheod were again troubled by the Wainriders, who conducted raids up the Anduin from the south and through Mirkwood from the east. Marhwini's son Forthwini warned King Ondoher of Gondor that the Wainriders were regrouping. When the invasion came, Riders of the Eotheod joined the Gondorians in battle against the Wainriders. King Ondoher was slain, but Earnil defeated the Wainriders in the Battle of the Camp and became King of Gondor.

In 1977, the people of the Eotheod decided to relocate. They needed more room for their growing population of people and horses, and they were troubled by the evil presence in Dol Guldur in Mirkwood where, unknown to them, Sauron dwelled. Frumgar led the Eotheod northward to a new home.

The new land of the Eotheod was at the source of the Anduin. The Langwell and Greylin which fed the Anduin formed the southern border of their land. On the west side were the Misty Mountains and on the east side was the Forest River. Northward were the Grey Mountains. The fortified burg named Framsburg was at the juncture of the Langwell and Greylin.

Although the Witch-king of Angmar had been defeated in 1975, remnants of his forces still lurked east of the Misty Mountains, and the Eotheod killed them or drove them away. Frumgar's son Fram slew Scatha the Worm in the Grey Mountains, and the land had peace from Dragons for many years afterward. But Fram took the Dragon's treasure, which angered the Dwarves, and there was enmity between the two peoples.

Around 2501, Leod, the leader of the Eotheod, captured a wild horse, but he was killed when he tried to ride it. Leod's son Eorl tamed the horse and named it Felarof. From Felarof were descended the magnificent horses called the mearas which were the steeds of Eorl's descendants.

Eorl was only 16 when he succeeded his father as leader of the Eotheod. By that time, the population of both people and horses had multiplied. The Eotheod needed more land, but they had nowhere to expand or move.

On March 25, 2510, an errand-rider named Borondir arrived bringing a message to Eorl from Cirion, the Steward of Gondor. Cirion asked the Eotheod to come to Gondor's aid against an imminent invasion by a hostile race of Men from Rhun called the Balchoth. Eorl agreed, because he knew that if Gondor fell, all of Middle-earth would soon be conquered.

Eorl summoned his council of Elders and prepared to ride to war. A few hundred soldiers were left to guard the land of the Eotheod and the women, children, and elderly who remained behind. Eorl then assembled a great eohere - or cavalry - of 7,000 fully armed Riders and several hundred mounted archers. They set out on April 6 and began the 500-mile journey southward.

When the eohere passed Dol Guldur where Sauron dwelled, a white mist came from the woods of Lothlorien on the opposite side of the Anduin. The mist drove back the shadow of Dol Guldur and hid the Riders from any enemy forces in the area. Borondir speculated that Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien, was helping the Eotheod.

On April 15, the Riders of the Eotheod arrived at the Field of Celebrant, between Lothlorien and the River Limlight, and found the northern army of Gondor in trouble. The Balchoth had invaded Calenardhon south of the Limlight and the Gondorians had been defeated in the Wold. The Gondorians retreated across the Limlight to the Field of Celebrant, where they were surprised by an army of Orcs from the Misty Mountains.

Eorl and his Riders arrived just in time and turned the tide of the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. They attacked the enemy forces from the rear and drove them back over the Limlight. The Riders of the Eotheod pursued them across the fields of Calenardhon until all were slain or driven out.

After the battle, Eorl met with Cirion on Halifirien, the Hill of Awe, in the Firien Wood on the border between Calenardhon and Gondor. As a reward for their great service, Cirion gave the Eotheod the land of Calenardhon, which had become unpopulated due to Plague, emigration, and war. In return, Eorl swore an oath to remain Gondor's ally and come to their aid in time of need. The Gift of Cirion and the Oath of Eorl were to remain in effect until the return of the King of Gondor.

The people of Rohan were descended from the Northmen. The Northmen in turn were descended from the same ancient race of Men as the Edain. But while the fathers of the Edain moved to Beleriand and later gave rise to the Numenoreans, the Northmen settled in Wilderland. The Northmen lived mainly on the eastern edge of Mirkwood and raised large herds of horses on the wide plain between the forest and the River Running.

After Gondor was founded by the survivors of Numenor in 3320 of the Second Age, the Northmen became their allies, in part because of their distant kinship. Around 1250 of the Third Age, Valacar, the son of King Romendacil II of Gondor married Vidumavi, the daughter of Vidugavia, the most powerful leader of the Northmen. Their son Eldacar became King of Gondor, but some Gondorians objected to his mixed heritage, and the result was the civil war called the Kin-strife. Eldacar was deposed for ten years before he finally regained the throne in 1447 and renewed ties with the Northmen.

In the winter of 1635, the Great Plague came out of the East, and many Northmen and horses died. The Plague spread to Gondor in 1636 and decimated the population. In the part of Gondor called Calenardhon - which later became Rohan - many people died and many others moved away.

Eowyn, the niece of King Theoden of Rohan, was a shieldmaiden of great courage. She spent many years caring for her uncle - who had fallen under Saruman's influence - but she longed to prove herself with deeds of valor. During the War of the Ring, Eowyn rode into battle disguised as a man and confronted Sauron's most dreadful servant, the Witch-king of Angmar.

Eowyn was born in 2995. Her mother Theodwyn was the sister of King Theoden and her father Eomund was the chief Marshal of the Mark. In 3002, Eomund was slain by Orcs on the eastern marches. Theodwyn fell ill and died soon afterwards.

When they were orphaned, Eowyn was only about 7 years old and her older brother Eomer was about 11 years old. Their uncle Theoden brought them to Meduseld to live with him and his son Theodred. Theoden became like a father to his niece and nephew.

Eowyn grew to be a tall and beautiful woman. She had long blonde hair and grey eyes. Eowyn learned to ride a horse and wield a sword. She was well loved by the people of Rohan for she was strong and fearless, and she had a pride and grace that she inherited from her grandmother, Morwen of Lossarnach.

In 3014, Theoden became ill. He appeared to age prematurely and his judgment became clouded. Unknown to the people of Rohan, Theoden's counsellor Grima was an agent of the Wizard Saruman, who wanted to weaken Rohan. Grima may have administered poisons to hasten the King's decline and he preyed on Theoden's weakness. Grima desired Eowyn and he watched her and followed her. She may even have been promised to Grima by Saruman as a reward for his service.

The duty of caring for Theoden fell to Eowyn. For five years she watched her beloved uncle grow more frail and she felt helpless and useless. Eowyn's concern for Theoden was mingled with frustration at being forced to remain home while Eomer and Theodred defended Rohan's borders against growing threats. Grima used cunning words to heighten her despair, and she began to believe that both she and the royal house of Rohan had lost their honor. Eowyn's demeanor became increasingly cold and remote, as if she were a beautiful flower that was touched by frost.

Theodred was slain at the First Battle of the Fords of Isen on February 25, 3019. It was later learned that Saruman had initiated the battle for the purpose of killing the King's only son and heir.

Windfola:
Steed of Eowyn:

  The land of Rohan was mainly open grassland, ideal for raising horses. The land stretched about 300 miles from north to south and 300 miles from east to west. The River Limlight was the northern border of Rohan, and the White Mountains were along the southern border. The Anduin formed the eastern border to the Emyn Muil, where the cliff called the East Wall of Rohan rose. The border then curved southwestward along the Mouths of the Entwash and the Mering Stream. This was the border between Rohan and Gondor.

  On the western border of Rohan lay Fangorn Forest and the Gap of Rohan at the end of the Misty Mountains. Isengard stood on the northern side of the Gap, and Helm's Deep guarded the southern side.

  A part of Rohan extended west of the Gap of Rohan, bordered by the Rivers Isen and Adorn. This region was called the west-march. During much of Rohan's history, the west-march was occupied by Men of Dunland - a land west of the Misty Mountains - or people of mixed blood who were akin to them.

  The River Entwash flowed from Fangorn Forest to the Anduin and divided Rohan into two great plains called the Eastemnet and the Westemnet. Large herds of horses roamed these grassy plains, cared for by herdsmen who camped in tents year round. In the Westemnet near the Entwash there were marshes and pools, and in places the grass grew as tall as a mounted horseman's knees. The ground in the Eastemnet was firmer, and the main northward road ran through it. In the northern part of the Eastemnet there were downs. North of the downs was the rolling upland region called the Wold.

   Most of the population of Rohan lived in southern Rohan, in the wooded eaves and deep valleys of the White Mountains. The capital city of Edoras, where the King lived in the Golden Hall of Meduseld, stood on a hill at the entrance to the valley of Harrowdale. In Harrowdale were two small villages called Underharrow and Upbourn. The stronghold of Dunharrow was high up on the eastern side of the valley. In the mountains behind Dunharrow was the entrance to the Paths of the Dead. The River Snowbourn flowed out of Harrowdale and joined the Entwash.

   West of the Snowbourn was the region called the Westfold, where there were numerous homesteads. The stronghold of Helm's Deep was located in the Westfold in the valley called the Deeping-coomb near the Gap of Rohan. Few people visited the northern part of the Westfold near Isengard and Fangorn.

  East of the Snowbourn was a small region called the Folde. The Folde was considered the center of the kingdom of Rohan because the King and the members of the royal house lived there. Edoras was in the Folde, and Aldburg was another household in the Folde where the King's kinsmen dwelled.

  The Eastfold lay between the Folde and the Fenmarch. The Fenmarch was a marshy region along the Mering Stream on the border between Rohan and Gondor. Part of the Firien Wood extended across the Mering Stream into Rohan. The rest of the forest was technically in Gondor, but over time the whole Firien Wood came to be considered part of Rohan.

  The Great West Road ran westward along the White Mountains from Gondor to the Gap of Rohan, where it connected with the North-South Road leading to Eriador. The road passed over the Snowbourn in front of the gates of Edoras.

  For military purposes, Rohan was divided into the the West-mark and the East-mark. The Rivers Entwash and Snowbourn formed the boundary between the two. There were three Marshals of the Mark commanding Rohan's military forces. The First Marshal commanded the Muster of Edoras and the surrounding lands including Harrowdale. The Second Marshal commanded either the East-mark or the West-mark, depending on where the threat was the greatest. The Third Marshal commanded the remaining region. After the War of the Ring, King Eomer eliminated these ranks and replaced them with two Marshals of equal rank: the Marshal of the East-mark and the Marshal of the West-mark.

 

Merry sounded the Horn to rally the Hobbits before the Battle of Bywater. It became a tradition in Buckland to sound the Horn every November 2 at sundown, on the anniversary of the first time its call was heard in the Shire. Afterwards there would be bonfires and feasting.

Morgul-knife:

The Lord of the Nazgul stabbed Frodo Baggins with the Morgul-knife during the attack on Weathertop on October 6, 3018. The point of the blade broke off in Frodo's left shoulder and began working its way toward his heart. Frodo became gravely ill; his shoulder and arm became cold and numb, and his vision was clouded. In time, Frodo would have become a wraith under the dominion of Sauron.

The sliver remained in Frodo's body for seventeen days, until Elrond was able to remove it on October 23. Frodo recovered to a certain extent, but the wound continued to trouble him for as long as he remained in Middle-earth, especially each year on the anniversary of the attack. Gandalf noticed a hint of transparency about Frodo, particulary in the arm that had been wounded.

The blade of the Morgul-knife disintegrated in the morning light the day after Frodo was wounded. Aragorn chanted over the hilt in a strange language and brought it to Rivendell. The sliver that was removed from Frodo's shoulder was melted.

Learning to Write Elvish
Learn to Write Your Name:

2. Shift the vowels up and to the left, so they are above the letters they follow.

3. Substitute the letters using the alphabet provided above. Notice there are two forms for the letter R. One is for the R sound as in RED. The other is for the R sound as in CAR. The name ROBERT starts with the R-as-in-RED sound and near its end it has the R-as-in-CAR sound.

4. Here's the text notation. I find it useful to use a plain text representation of the characters when I'm explaining things via email. The underscores at the beginning and end show where the baseline is.

   O E
 _ R B R T _

5. All the examples on this page are use the Quenya style, but here's the text notation for Sindarin (not shown in calligraphy) so you can see how the vowel positions shift to the right.

     O E
 _ R B R T _

Elu Thingol = Melian
            |
            |
            |      House of Bëor
            |         :
            |         :
          LÚTHIEN = Beren
                  |
                  |
             Dior Eluchíl = Nimloth
                          |
                  ________|________
                 |        |        |
                 |        |        |
   Eärendil = Elwing   Eluréd   Elurín
            |
        ____|____
       |         |
       |         |
     Elrond    Elros

After the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the leaders met to discuss their next move. Gandalf advised them that victory could not be achieved by arms and that their best course was to try to distract Sauron's attention to give the Ring-bearer time to complete his task.

"We must walk open-eyed into that trap, with courage, but small hope for ourselves. For, my lords, it may well prove that we ourselves shall perish utterly in a black battle far from the living lands; so that even if Barad-dur be thrown down, we shall not live to see a new age. But this, I deem, is our duty. And better so than to perish nonetheless - as we surely shall, if we sit here - and know as we die that no new age shall be."
The Return of the King: "The Last Debate," p. 156

Gandalf summoned Gwaihir and his kin and went to rescue Frodo and Sam from the ruin of Mordor. He was at the Hobbits' bedside when they awoke. Aragorn requested that Gandalf be the one to crown him King, for he said the Wizard had been "the mover of all that has been accomplished, and this is his victory." (RotK, p. 246)

Gandalf accompanied the Hobbits much of the way home. He sensed that Frodo was in pain, but when Frodo wondered where he might find rest Gandalf did not answer. Gandalf parted from the Hobbits at Bree to go visit Tom Bombadil. He told them that trouble awaited them in the Shire but that they must deal with it alone.

"You must settle its affairs yourselves; that is what you have been trained for. Do you not yet understand? My time is over: it is no longer my task to set things to rights, nor to help folk to do so. And as for you, my dear friends, you will need no help. You are grown up now. Grown indeed very high; among the great you are, and I have no longer any fear at all for any of you."
The Return of the King: "Homeward Bound," p. 275

Frodo was also there, for he had been given a place on the ship into the West where he might find healing from his wounds and memories. It is thought that Gandalf, as an emissary of the Valar, may have granted this favor at the request of Arwen. Gandalf had arranged for Merry and Pippin to come and see their friend off, and Sam was there as well. As the Ring-bearers boarded the ship, Gandalf said:

"Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the Sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."
The Return of the King: "The Grey Havens," p. 310

"You have ever been a herald of woe. Troubles follow you like crows, and ever the oftener the worse ... Here you come again! And with you come evils worse than before, as might be expected. Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow? Tell me that."
The Two Towers: "The King of the Golden Hall," p. 117

Gandalf and Erkenbrand arrived at the Battle of Helm's Deep at dawn on March 4 leading 1,000 men. As the White Rider led the charge, the wild men surrendered and the Orcs fled into the forest of Huorns that arisen in the night and were never seen again.

The next day, Gandalf and Theoden went to Orthanc to parley with Saruman. Saruman tried to use his voice to persuade those gathered that he was being unjustly treated, but they were not fooled. Gandalf revealed that he was now Gandalf the White, and he broke Saruman's staff and cast him out of the order of Wizards and the White Council. Then Grima threw the palantirdown from Orthanc and Pippin picked it up, but Gandalf snatched it away from the Hobbit.

Later that night while they camped at Dol Baran, Pippin took the palantir from Gandalf as the Wizard slept. The young Hobbit looked into the palantir and was confronted by Sauron, who demanded to know who he was. Gandalf awoke when Pippin cried out and he revived the Hobbit from a trance. When Pippin explained what he had seen, Gandalf realized that Sauron thought that the Ring-bearer was Saruman's prisoner. Then a Winged Nazgul flew overhead, and Gandalf took Pippin up on Shadowfax and rode with all speed to Minas Tirith.

Gandalf and Pippin arrived in Minas Tirith on March 9 and had an audience with Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. Denethor questioned Pippin closely about the death of his son Boromir. Gandalf discerned that Denethor was especially interested in the Fellowship's mission and the fact that a Man of higher rank than his son had led the company from Moria.

The next day, Denethor's surviving son Faramir returned to Minas Tirith pursued by five Winged Nazgul. Gandalf rode out to meet him and drove off the Nazgul with a flash of light from his staff. Faramir explained that he had seen Frodo and Sam and that they were heading for the Pass of Cirith Ungol guided by Gollum. Gandalf was troubled and afraid, but he also felt a faint hope that the Ring-bearer still had a chance to succeed, especially since Sauron's attention was now turned to Gondor. And though he feared treachery from Gollum, he sensed that the creature had an important role to play in Frodo's quest.

Denethor was angered that his son seemed to heed Gandalf's counsel more than his own, and he sent Faramir out once more to defend the river crossing. But Sauron's forces were too great and they were led by the Lord of the Nazgul who struck terror in the hearts of the defenders. Faramir was forced to retreat. Gandalf rode out to his aid, but Faramir chose to remain with the rear-guard. The next day, Gandalf accompanied the sortie that rode to the aid of the retreating forces and Faramir was brought back to Minas Tirith wounded and sickened by the Black Breath.

Denethor despaired and remained at his son's sickbed while the city was besieged and Gandalf took charge of the defense of Minas Tirith. The enemy forces smashed the city gates. The Lord of the Nazgul tried to enter and the defenders fled before him, but Gandalf remained and denied entrance to the fell king. At that moment a cock crowed as dawn came and horns sounded in the distance. The Rohirrim had come to Gondor's aid, and the Lord of the Nazgul turned and left to lead his forces into battle.

Then Pippin told Gandalf that Denethor was building a funeral pyre for his son though Faramir still lived. Gandalf was forced to choose between pursuing the Lord of the Nazgul and saving Faramir. He followed Pippin to Rath Dinen and leapt onto the pyre and carried the unconscious Faramir to safety. But he could not save Denethor from despair, for the Steward had looked into his palantir and had seen the doom of Gondor in the images Sauron had shown him. Denethor set the pyre ablaze and killed himself. The Lord of the Nazgul was vanquished by Eowyn and Merry, but Gandalf was saddened that many, including King Theoden, might have died needlessly because he had been distracted by Denethor's madness.

"'Yes, I am white now," said Gandalf. "Indeed I am Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been."
The Two Towers: "The White Rider," p. 98

"Fly, you fools!" Gandalf fell into shadow as his friends looked on helplessly.

  The abyss was deep and Gandalf fell a long way with the Balrog, burned by his fire, until they landed in a subterranean lake. The Balrog's fire was quenched but still he fought Gandalf in the caverns deep under the roots of the mountains. Then they climbed the Endless Stair to the pinnacle of the Silvertine where they fought the Battle of the Peak, until at last Gandalf smote the Balrog down upon the mountainside.

Gandalf passed into darkness out of thought and time. As Gandalf the Grey, he died. But because Gandalf had willingly sacrificed himself and in so doing had placed his fate in the hands of a higher power, Eru sent him back to Middle-earth to complete his task. He became Gandalf the White, greater in wisdom and power.

Gandalf awoke lying naked on the peak of the Silvertine. Once again Gwaihir came to his aid and bore him to Lothlorien, where he was clothed in white by Galadriel.

Gandalf sensed Frodo's struggle to resist revealing himself to the Eye of Sauron on the Seat of Seeing. The Wizard vied with the Dark Lord until Frodo was able to master himself and take off the Ring. Weary from his confrontation with Sauron, Gandalf wandered long deep in thought.

On March 1 he was reunited with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli at the edge of Fangorn Forest. He reassured the Three Hunters that Merry and Pippin were safe with Treebeard and told them that they must now turn their attention to Saruman's plan to attack Rohan. Gandalf summoned Shadowfax and they rode to Meduseld, the hall of King Theoden.

Theoden was deeply under the influence of his counselor Grima Wormtongue, who was an agent of Saruman. Gandalf confronted Grima and revealed himself as Gandalf the White. He urged Theoden to free himself from treachery and despair and Theoden responded, taking up his sword and the rule of his land once more.

Theoden accepted Gandalf's counsel that they should ride to war against Saruman immediately. On the way to Isengard they met a scout who told them that Saruman's army had crossed the Isen. Gandalf told Theoden to lead the Rohirrim to Helm's Deep and that he would meet them there.

Gandalf rode swiftly away. He gathered the survivors of the Battles of the Fords of Isen. He sent some of the men to join Erkenbrand and others he told to bury the dead and then follow Elfhelm to Edoras. Gandalf then rode on to Isengard where the Ents had imprisoned Saruman. Pippin was amazed to see his old friend, but Gandalf was in a hurry because 10,000 Orcs were closing in on Helm's Deep. Gandalf learned from Treebeard that many Huorns were already in pursuit of Saruman's army, and Treebeard agreed to send more to help. Gandalf then departed in search of Erkenbrand.