Théoden

Théoden was the king of Rohan when the War of the Rings took place. People called him the king of the Mark also, which was the title of the 19 recorded lords. This period was the time from the start of the twenty-sixth century and the ending of Elfwine. Théoden was the last and the seventeenth King of Rohan, and he ruled from TA 2980 to TA 3019. His other names were Horsemaster and father of the Horse-men. He lived up to 15 Mar 3019 as the last king of the second line of the royal House of Erol. He had a son named Theodred, but he could not become the king of Rohan. Before that, he was killed at the Battle of Fords of Isen. After the death of Theoden, Eomer, the eldest son of his sister, became the king of Rohan. Theoden was one of the important kings of Rohan. In Chapter 5 of the Rohirrim in Return of the King, [1] the writer composed a poem about him. The poem is about encouraging and morale booster for the people of Rohan. He reminds the greatness of the Theoden king. The people need to prepare their arms and be ready to take on the fight for the Gondor. Perhaps, the poem is made about the time when Theoden was preparing war with Gondor.​

King of Rohan Thengel ruled from TA 2953 to TA 2980 as the sixteenth king of Rohan. After his death, his only son Theoden took the throne of the Rohan kingdom. His mother was Morwen Steelsheen from Lossarnach. He was the only son of five children of Thengel and Morwen, the other four being his sisters. He grew up at his mother's place Gondor and had a good time in the mountains of vales. His mother tongue was Rohirric, but he spoke Westron and Sindarin often. His wife died during the childbirth of his only son Theodred. When he became young, he took part in the Battle of Fords of Isen, and he was killed in the Battle. Out of his four sisters, one sister Theodwyn lived with Theoden at Edoras. She had two sons named Eowyn and Eomer. When she and her husband expired, Theoden adopted their two sons.​

When Theoden was the king, he believed his chief advisor Grima too much. He used to make all the decisions with his consultation. But, in reality, Grima was involved in anti-national activities and was a mole of Saruman. It was believed that he used to get favor from the White Saruman. In exchange for the support, he used to advise king Theoden in the wrong manner and prompted him to make the wrong decision. Grima was making the king more and more dependent on him. The king had already ruled for about forty years, and his age was taking a toll on his health.

Taking advantage of the situation, Grima gradually took the stronghold of the kingdom. In the last few years, when the War of the Ring took place, the real control of the empire slipped from Theoden to Grima. During the time of Saruman ruling Isengard, the trouble for the Rohan kingdom started. They had to face the fights with Dunlendings, Orcs, and the new fighter Uruk-hai. The presence of Grima and his increasing control of the power in the kingdom of Rohan made the job of Saruman easier. He openly started skirmishes in the Rohan with the help of Orcs and Uruk-hai. In one of such conflicts, the prince Theodred was killed at the Battle of Isen. The king Theoden was in complete grip of Grima and was ignoring the danger posed by Saruman.

Later, when the White Gandalf advised him to be wary of the risk of Saruman, he realized his mistake. Then he ordered Hama to get his nephew rescued and bring him to the Rohan. By that time, King Theoden was entirely off from the Grima effect, he conceded the advice from the White Gandalf. With his guidance, he agreed to withdraw his army from the direct confrontation of Saruman's army at the fortress of Homburg, where it was impossible to defend. But, soon after, he agreed to face Saruman's army at the Battle of Homburg in a tough fight. After the win at the Battle, a complete transformation took place in his personality. People were happy to see him as a free and independent king who was now wholly free from Grima. This was a kind gesture for the people, and they started calling the king as Theoden Ednew, a Renewed king. There was no fear of Saruman or the advice of Grima.

From the Battle of Homburg, he received the correct advice from the White Gandalf. When the battle was over, he, along with the white Gandalf, visited the ruins of Isengard. There he took a deep interest in listening to Merry about the Shire and the Hobbit lore. The massive win at the Battle of Homburg restored his confidence, and he started to think beyond his kingdom. A chieftain in the Southrons bearing was creating trouble in the area. He has the support of the Black Serpent and believed himself to be a great warrior. But Theoden and the Legions of Sauron combinedly defeated him at the Battle of Pelennor Fields. According to the poem of Tolkiens, he was dangerous, like fire in the Battle. It seemed fire flew through his veins instead of blood. He had appeared back as the king of the old glory of the empire.​

When King Theoden fought at the Witch-king of the Nine Ringwraiths, his horse got attacked by the beast, and it fell. The horse fell on Theoden, and he was severely wounded in the Battle. Hi, son Eowyn and Merry were following secretly in the war. When he was unconscious, both of them rescued him and took him to Plains for Pelennor. But he was critically wounded and succumbed to his injuries on 15 March 3019 in the Pelennor region. During the period of the Battle, they preserved his body in the Hallows of Minas Tirith Minas. When Eomer returned to Rohan, the Theoden burial took place at Edoras. When Theoden died, he was 71 years old and has ruled for more than forty years. The entire kingdom had great respect for him. On his death, Rohirrim Gleowine made a local language song depicting the King and the soldiers.​

The People of Rohan felt that the king had come out of the darkness of defeat. The day's victory is the symbol of hope and respect for the people. He has shown the power of his sword, and it is shining more than the sun. He was an old man by then, but he was like a death for the enemies. He was for the people of Rohan and saved their life and self-respect from the enemies till the last days of his life.​

The original word from the Old Norse word "bjoonan" means the people’s leader. This person is the king. The word Theoden is picked up from the Anglo-Saxon text Beoden which means the Lord or the leader or the king. The name of all the sixteen earlier kinds has also been in the same pattern with different names.​

According to one story of the Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, he had a son and a daughter. The son was killed at the Battle of Isner. The daughter's name was Idis. She used to accompany him with his son Eowyn but never put her in chase of the kingdom. Perhaps, she was aware the would-be king is only Eowyn. So, there was no rivalry for the throne. Tolkien had conceptualized this story, but there was no other evidence to verify the account. Theoden adopted his nephew, Eowyn, when his parents died. After the death of Theodred, it was sure that the king would be the Eowyn.​

Theoden received great respect and praise for his ruling the kingdom. The entire country was happy, and after his death, Eowyn, his adopted son, took the throne. The writers enacted various quotes about their life whose meanings are as follows:​

Bernard Hill played the character of King Theoden in the Film Peter Jackson. Theoden is a person of great courage and strength. He loved his people and wished to die for them so that they could remember him as a brave man. He was actually gripped in the hands of his chief advisor Grima and lost the confidence of his people. Grima made him realize that Saruman could not be defeated by any means. He had no confidence that his men will win, but he wanted to make them at least recognize that if they lose also, it will be their glory, and in the future, they could win too. But soon after the advice of the White Gandalf, he ruled and fought with a new character. When Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn, the king Theoden, got hold of his chief advisor, alleged to be a spy of Saruman, and executed him. By that time, the king's son dies at a battle with Isner. But this could not divert his determination this time.​

According to the story of the Two Towers, the king was not sure of defeating Saruman at the Battle of Homburg. In fact, he rode on his horse and charged the attack on Saruman, for him, it seemed like a suicide mission. But he was happy to have died while fighting instead of a defeat by Saruman. When the White Gandalf reached the Battle, he saved him and took him to a safe place. But, by that time the Saruman had already lost to the Rohans. This win was the total transformation in the personality of King Theoden. After that, king Theoden rose to a new level of self-confidence. He promised the people of Gondor that Rohan will save them from any external attack. He raised an army of 6000 fighters and attacked Mordor's army and liberated Gondor.​

In this battle, Theodor's soldiers were about to win. Suddenly, there was a witch-king attack on the king. The king fell under the horse and was severely injured. The witch again attacked Theoden to eat him, but his son Eowyn saved him. His niece killed the witch king, and after seeing that, the king succumbed to his wounds. Theoden indicated several times that after his death, the adopted son will heir to his throne. Accordingly, his son Eomer took the throne of Rohan Kingdom in March 3019 after the end of king Theoden.​