Rohirrim Printable version

The Rohirrim were a race of men who belonged to the kingdom of Rohan and were famous as skilled horsemen. Their lifestyle and culture mainly revolved around their horses.

History

The Dúnedain believed that they are remotely connected to the Rohirrim (through Atanatári [footfrom the First Age). Because of this, the Dúnedain of Gondor [1] referred to the Rohirrim as “middlemen.” This meant that they were inferior to the Númenóreans but superior to the men of darkness, who were known to serve and worship Sauron. But the truth is that the Rohirrim are descendants of the Éothéod from the north.

They were the descendants of the Edain from the First Age. Their race lived in the valley of the Great River Anduin who eventually moved to Calenardhon. Calenardhon was a plains area that was granted to them by Cirion, the Ruling Steward of Gondor, for their assistance during the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. [2] Because the land was given to them in perpetuity, Rohan and Gondor were lifelong allies bound by the Oath of Eorl. Calenardhon was later renamed to Rohan by the Steward Halls.

Rohan meant “horse land,” and the name was chosen because of their many horses. Among the Rohirrim, they call Rohan “The Mark.” The Riders of Rohan, also known as the Riders of the Mark, refers to the skilled mounted soldiers of Rohan. The King’s Riders referred to the horsemen who served as the king’s bodyguard. Throughout history, the Rohirrim had contacts with the elves. They knew of Eru, but just like the Dúnedain, they dd not worship him. However, they seem to value Oromë the Hunter. The Rohirrim were ruled by the descendants of Eorl the Young. [3]

Characteristics and Culture

The Rohirrim were mostly tall people with blue eyes and blonde hair. The men were primarily big, muscular, and handsome. The women were known for their exquisite beauty. The Rohirrim as a whole was known to be fiercely independent, strong-willed, noble, and brave. The Rohirrim were considered to be unlearned but wise. They were unable to write books, but they had a lot of songs. They were known to be bold but never cruel. The Rohirrim were known to be people who were true-hearted in whatever they do.

Rohirrim and their Horses

The Rohirrim depended a lot on their horses, whether for warfare or for their everyday routine. In fact, the entire culture of the Rohirrim lies on the breeding and trading of horses. Rohan barely had cities in it. People prefer to live in villages on the plains so that their horses can graze. They were known to breed the Mearas, a famous breed of horses known for their speed and beauty. Gandalf’s horse, Shadowfax, is considered to be the greatest Meara that roamed Middle-earth. The army of Rohan was mostly cavalry as they had a lot of skilled horsemen. The military was divided into units they call “éoreds.” The foot soldiers of Rohan were actually small in number. Even the king’s bodyguards were skilled horsemen.

Etymology

Rohirrim means “people of the horse-lords” or simply “horse-lords” in Sindarin. The term “Rohirrim” is mostly what outsiders call the people of Rohan. The name that they had among themselves was “Eorlingas,” derived from their first king, Eorl the Young.

Influence

It is noticeable how much the Rohirrim resembled the Anglo-Saxons. The Anglo-Saxons are a Germanic people that consists of three tribes: The Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. The Anglo-Saxons are known in history as invaders who conquered Britain during the fifth century. It is noted that Tolkien is a distinguished professor of Old English, the Anglo-Saxon language.

The Rohirrim looked similar to the Anglo-Saxons with their blond hair and being fair-skinned. Their culture is also similar. They have great respect for the sword and views it as an important weapon - one that deserves a title and is to be passed down by its owner from one generation to the next. The Rohirrim’s armor is also similar to that of the Anglo-Saxons. They use chain and scale mail. They are also known to apply the shield-wall in their military tactics.

This is a strategy that the Anglo-Saxons often use as well. Even the names of the people of Rohan resemble Old English names. For example, Éomer is a name that is also found in Beowulf, an epic that greatly influenced Tolkien’s writings. In Old English, Éomer means “horse famous.” One aspect that does not have an Anglo-Saxon influence with the Rohirrim is their love for horses. The Anglo-Saxon tribes were mostly foot soldiers.

Notable Rohirrim

• King Théoden - King Théoden, the seventeenth King of Rohan and was the ruling king during the War of the Ring. Théoden and the Rohirrim played a significant part in the Battle of Helm’s Deep. They aided Gondor in the Battle of Minas Tirith.
• Éowyn - Éowyn is known as the Lady of Rohan and the White Lady of Rohan. She is the niece of King Théoden. She is known as the one who killed the Witch-king of Angband, with the help of the hobbit, Merry. After the battle, she was given the title “Lady of the Shield-arm” in honor of her triumph.
• Éomer - Éomer is the sister of Éowyn. He became the Third Marshal of the Riddermark in the east under King Théoden’s reign. He was also a great leader of the Riders of Rohan. He later became the eighteenth King of Rohan, after the death of King Théoden.
• Grima Wormtongue - Grima is the chief advisor of King Théoden. He was enticed to spy for Saruman, who promised that Grima would have Éowyn. In return, he poisoned the king and misled him. Grima’s sorcery was lifted when Gandalf arrived in Rohan.
• Erkenbrand - Erkenrbrand is the Lord of the Westfold. Erkenbrand led some of the Rohirrim during the Battle of the Hornburg. He was then assigned to guard Rohan while the rest marched on to Minas Tirith. After the battle, King Éomer gave him the title Marshal of the West-mark.
• Elfhelm - Elfhelm was the marshall assigned to lead the Riders and other armed soldiers to fight by the right side of King Théoden during the War of the Ring. After the Battle of Pelennor Fields, Elfhelm led the Rohirrim to the Drúadan Forest to pursue the orcs and Easterlings that fled from the battle. After the war, King Éomer gave him the title Marshal of the East-mark of Rohan.

References

1. ^Men of the West.
2. ^Battle of the Field of Celebrant.
3. ^The house of the Lords of Rohan.