Horsemen of the North

Northmen

The Éothéod

Horsemen of the North (Rohirrim)

A name that originally belonged to the Men of the Éothéod, a culture of horse-riders who dwelt around the sources of Anduin in the north of Middle-earth. The ancestors of this people had historically been friends to Gondor, and when that land came under sustained assault, its Steward Cirion sent a desperate plea for aid to the Horsemen of the North. Their leader Eorl agreed, and led a great Ride southwards to aid the beleaguered South-kingdom. Eorl encountered Gondor's enemies and overcame them at the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. In reward, Cirion granted Eorl and his Horsemen the land that would become known as Rohan. Its people in turn became known as the Rohirrim, but they were still at times called the Horsemen of the North in recognition of their historical roots.