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- Updated 20 May 2023
- This entry is complete
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Leader of the ancestors of the Rohirrim
The Éothéod were a people descended from the Northmen, who had at one time dwelt in the lands south of the Carrock, but who later travelled into the far North, and settled in the regions where the Anduin had its sources. Of their Lords, the names of only four are recorded: Frumgar (who led them into the north), Fram (slayer of Scatha), Léod and his son Eorl. Léod was killed while attempting to tame a wild horse (the horse later named Felaróf), and so Eorl became Lord of the Éothéod at the age of just sixteen. For this reason, he became known to history as Eorl the Young.
The distant ancestors of the Éothéod had been allies of the people of Gondor, and soon after he became Lord, Eorl received one Borondir, a desperate messenger of Gondor. Borondir brought messages from Steward Cirion recalling their old alliance, and asking for Eorl's aid against an overwhelming assault. The young Lord led the Men of the Éothéod to answer the summons, and they defeated Gondor's invaders at the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. In reward, Cirion granted Eorl's people the land of Calenardhon to dwell in, and they slowly removed from the North to their new home. Eorl was therefore the last Lord of the Éothéod: after his time, his people became known as the Rohirrim, and his descendants, rather than being Lords of the Éothéod, were known instead as the Kings of Rohan.
| Marhwini |
Ruled from III 1856 until at least III 1899
In III 1856 the armies of the Northmen allied with Gondor to fight an invasion of Wainriders from the east. In the Battle of the Plains that followed, Marhari of the Northmen was lost, and Marhwini his son became lord in his place. In that battle many of the Northmen were slain, and many more captured and enslaved, and so Marhwini led his people northward into the Vales of Anduin, far from the camps of the invaders. He thus established the people known to history as the Éothéod. Many years later, Marhwini had his revenge when he aided Calimehtar of Gondor against a new invasion of the Wainriders, who were driven out of their westerly lands and forced back into the East for a time. |
| Forthwini |
During Forthwini's rule, the Wainriders recovered their strength, and began to raid the Éothéod. Forthwini sent a warning of their return to King Ondoher of Gondor. Beyond this, nothing is recorded of his rule, nor those of his successors (if any) until the time of Frumgar. |
| Frumgar |
Extant III 1977
The descent of Frumgar is uncertain, but he was probably the son or grandson of Forthwini.2 During his time the lands occupied by the Éothéod had become crowded, and the dark power of nearby Dol Guldur was growing. When news came of the fall of Angmar in III 1975, Frumgar resolved to lead his people into the wide and empty lands to the North, and two years later the Éothéod resettled in the lands around the sources of Anduin. |
| Fram |
The son of Frumgar became famous as a Dragon-slayer. He rid the northern lands of Scatha, the last of the great Long-worms in that region, and recovered the Dragon's hoard. This led him into conflict with the Dwarves of the Grey Mountains, who claimed the treasure for themselves (and, according to some accounts, actually slew Fram). The only significant settlement of the Éothéod, Framsburg, was named in honour of this Lord. |
Approximately seventeen
unnamed Lords |
Between the rules of Fram and Léod, about five hundred years passed. We know almost nothing of the history of the Éothéod during this time, and none of its Lords are named. Based on the average reigns of their descendants, the Kings of Rohan, there were probably about seventeen Lords who ruled the Éothéod during this period. |
| Léod |
Lived III 2459 - III 2501
The penultimate Lord of the Éothéod captured a white foal and raised it. When it was fully grown, he attempted to mount it, but it threw Léod and caused his death. He was succeeded by his young son Eorl, then just sixteen years old. |
| Eorl |
Ruled the Éotheod III 2501 - III 2510
Eorl (known as Eorl the Young because he succeeded to the Lordship in his youth) trained the white horse that had slain his father, giving it the name Felaróf, and he rode it until the end of his days. Nine years after his accession, he received a messenger from Steward Cirion of Gondor, seeking the aid of his people. Eorl answered that summons and rode to victory at the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. In reward for his service, Cirion granted him the land of Calenardhon (later called Rohan), and the Men of the Éothéod removed there from the North. Thus Eorl was the last of the Lords of the Éothéod, but also the first of the Kings of Rohan. |
Note that Marhwini and Forthwini were known to be leaders of this people, and presumably ancestors of the later Lords. It is unclear whether they would actually have been known as 'Lord of the Éothéod' in their own time, but they are included in this list as founding members of the line of the Lords.
Notes
1 |
The people known as the Éothéod first emerged after they had migrated into the central regions of the Vales of Anduin, and so their first Lord would have lived in the middle of the nineteenth century of the Third Age. About a hundred years would pass before they moved further northward into the land that came to be known as the Éothéod. Their first Lord in that land was Frumgar, who led his people there in the year III 1977.
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2 |
The lack of dates for the early generations of the Lords makes their relationships hard to untangle. We can be sure that Marhwini was Lord until at least III 1899, so his son Forthwini must have ruled in the early part of the following century. The next definite date we have is III 1977, the year in which Frumgar led his people northwards. Given these dates, it's perfectly possible that Frumgar was Forthwini's son, but it's equally possible that he was Forthwini's grandson or even great-grandson, meaning that one or more unnamed Lords ruled the Éothéod during the twentieth century of the Third Age.
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About this entry:
- Updated 20 May 2023
- This entry is complete
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