A temporary ruler of the Rohirrim, selected to rule in the King's stead when he was unable to do so himself. The Underking was normally appointed during time of war, to take charge of domestic affairs when the King himself was leading his troops into battle. An Underking might also be chosen during peacetime, where the true King was too old or sick to fulfil his duties, and in such a case the Underking would usually be the King's natural heir.
The office of Underking was created by Éomer after the War of the Ring, and so there are no officially recorded Underkings in the earlier history of Rohan. The title did not exist in Théoden's time, then, but he did effectively appoint such an official: the Underking's duties were exactly those that he delegated to Éowyn before he rode to war in the east.
Notes
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We have no specific record of an Underking being appointed, but the fact that we're told of the conventions surrounding the position implies that such appointments were indeed made during the Fourth Age. The usual candidate for the role would have been the King's heir, and since we know that King Éomer spent some time away from Rohan campaigning in the East, we might presume that his son Elfwinë would have been made Underking while his father was way from Edoras.
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- Updated 5 March 2022
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