Rhovanion

Rhovanion, also known as the Wilderland, refers to the vast lands in the Northern part of Endor (Middle-earth). It was originally a small land that lay in the east of Greenwood but its name was later used to refer to the surrounding lands in the Third Age. Greenwood Forest and the Anduin River are both linked to the lands, as the river flowed in it and the borders contain the forest.

Some Eldar of Endor used the routes of Rhovanion during the Great March that occurred in this age. They were followed by the Fathers of Men.

The Woodland Elves established their nations in Rhovanion. The Lords of Lorien (before it was Lorinand) and Northern Greenwood ruled the nations. Thranduil ruled the Woodland Elves of Northern Greenwood and Amdir ruled the Southern Woodland Elves in Lorinand. The rule of Southern Woodland Elves was later continued by Amroth. The Stoor breed of Hobbits dwelled in Anduin valley, and Further south was the fall of Sarn Gebir: beside it was where the watch for Gondor's guards stood. The War that called for the Last Alliance took place in the Southern part of Rhovanion. It was also the place where Sauron's ring fell from Isildur's finger, exposing him to the Orcs that killed him.

Rhovanion flourished in the Third Age and had a great population. In TA 1050, because of the darkness around Dol Guldur, the Harfoots abandoned the Vales of Anduin and started their wandering days. The Fallohides later followed them, but the Stoors waited until TA 1150.

The kingdom of Erebor and the Great Mountains in the north were the homes of a huge community of dwarves. The east and south were the realms of the Men of Rhovanion. Dale and Eotheod were also other kingdoms within Rhovanion.

Regent Minalcar of Gondor (later crowned King Romendacil II) went to war against the Swarthy Men (Easterlings) in 1248 TA. The campaign extended beyond the Sea of Rhûn, so the regent of Gondor allied with Rhovanion's King Vidugavia. The alliance was strengthened by the regent's son, Valacar, working in liaison with the Rhovanion army. It was during Valacar's continued service in Rhovanion after the war that he met Vidumavi, the daughter of Vidugavia. They fell in love, and Valacar and Vidumavi were wed.

Valacar and Vidumavi bore a son named Vinitharya in the Rhovanion language, and Eldacar in Gondor. It was in his reigh as King of Gondor that a civil war erupted. His distant cousin Castamir claimed the crown and drove King Eldacar out of Osgiliath. He fled north and sought refuge in Rhovanion, and ten years later, returned to Gondor and reconquered the kingdom again with aid from the forces of Rhovanion.

The Great Plague [1] of 1636 TA left a mark on Rhovanion; its population was halved in the aftermath of the plague. Rhovanion became vulnerable, and the Easterling Wainriders attacked the lands in the period of their weakness; they slew much of the population and took the survivors as slaves. The subjugation of the Rhovanion endured for almost half of a century before the rpeople of Rhovanion revolted.

Their revolution came in the attack of Gondor's forces on the Wainriding orcs. The slaves found their emancipation but were already incapacitated. Many Rhovanion moved to Gondor and found support with the Gondorian. Gondor also invited the Eotheod's men, and they moved south; they settled in Calenardhon's plains and later moved to Rohan. When Sauron returned in the Third Age as the necromancer, he took his base in the southern part of Greenwood called Dol Guldur. His evil essence overpowered the region and its name became Mirkwood. The dragon, Smaug, sacked the Dwarf population from Erebor and crushed the men's Kingdom of Dale. The dwarves left for Iron Hills and Eriador, but some men remained in the forest regions.

Men of Esgaroth and Beornings did not relocate. Towards the period of the war of the ring, Thorin Oakenshield restored Erebor while Bard the Bowman did the same for his Kingdom of Dale; their restoration was possible with Smaug's death at Lake-town and the relocation of Sauron. The Kingdoms participated in the war and repelled Sauron forces. During War of the Ring, the Easterlings [2] crossed the River Redwater to attack the Dwarves of Lonely Mountain and the Men of Dale. The area of Mirkwood was renamed with Sauron's defeat [3] as it was now free from the evil that once dominated it; it became Eryn Lasgalen. Gondor took control of the lands in the Fourth Age.

The Boundary of Rhovanion to the East was Celduin (Long River also Running River) and the Sea of Rhûn. The western boundary was Hithaeglir (the Misty Mountains). Rhovanion bordered the powerful realm of the Dwarves to the North, the Green Mountains and Iron Hills. It also bordered Dagorlad, River Anduin, Ered Lithui, Emyn Muil, and River Limlight to the south. The most important rivers of Rhovanion were the River Anduin, Celduin, and Carnen that originated from the Dwarves' Iron Hills. The most distinctive properties of Rhovanion were its Greenwood forest, and Lake Esgaroth.

Rhovanion was taken from the base word “rhovan”. The suffix “-ion” is commonly used to represent regions. So, in Sindarin, it means wilderland. Tolkien's usage of Wilderland can be referenced to the word wilderness, bewilder, and wilder (as a verb).

1. ^The Great Plague.
2. ^First Invasion of Gondor by Easterlings.
3. ^Sauron's forces defeated.