Who were the Men of the Vales of Anduin?

[vgunn]

Trying to figure out this question. Who were the Men of the Vales of Anduin?


Peoples at the Vales Of Anduin

"They were descended from the Edain of the First Age, or from their close kin. Therefore they were more related to the Dúnedain than others.
The Men of the Vales of Anduin acknowledged Gondor’s authority."

-- ROTK (Appendices)

Not much more I have managed to find on them. However it does appear they are a separate people.

 

[baragund]

There is a more extensive description of these Men in Unfinished Tales. But basically, they have common ancestry with the people of Haleth (hence the blonde hair) and they are the ancestors of the Rohirrim.

I don't have my books with me at the moment but if you'd like, I'd be happy to pull them out and provide some excerpts.

 

[vgunn]

Baragund,

Yes that would be great. It seems that they are a separate people from the Northmen, from what I can remember.

 

[GuardianRanger]

The Encylopedia of Arda has pretty much exactly what Baragund wrote.

 

[Ardamir the Blessed]

The Men of the Vale of Anduin were a remnant of (or descended from) the Northmen (or Men of the North), who were descended from peoples of which especially the Folk of Hador were descended from. The Men of the Vale of Anduin were not descended directly from the Folk of Hador. In the Second Age, only some Men of Eriador could have been so (if they were descended from those of the Folk of Hador who chose not to enter Beleriand). Some quotes to back this up:

'Cirion and Eorl':

These Northmen were descendants of the same race of Men as those who in the First Age passed into the West of Middle-earth and became the allies of the Eldar in their wars with Morgoth.

'Of Dwarves and Men':

With regard to Middle Men Faramir spoke mainly of the Rohirrim [(who were descended from the Northmen)], the only people of this sort well-known in Gondor in his time, and attributed to them actual direct descent from the Folk of Hador in the First Age. This was a general belief in Gondor at that time

A note by Tolkien to this passage reads (see Note 61):

It may have been actually true of those Men in Middle-earth whom the returning Númenóreans first met (see below) [see Note 3 to 'Aldarion and Erendis']; but other Men of the North resembling them in features and temper can only have been akin as descending from peoples of which the Atani had been the vanguard.