The Complete Tolkien Companion

by J. E. A. Tyler

  He rode with Théoden’s host to the defence of the Westfold Vale and the Battle of the Hornburg, where he and Aragorn fought so fiercely in league that none dared to stand against them. From the Hornburg, he accompanied the King on his last ride down to Gondor; and, when Théoden fell in battle during the great charge of the Rohirrim, Éomer was named King of the Mark. He and his men fought at Aragorn’s side throughout the remainder of the War of the Ring.

  In 3021 Third Age Éomer wedded Lothíriel, daughter of Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth; their son, Elfwine the Fair, succeeded him.

  Éomund – The chief Captain of the Hosts of Éothéod under Eorl the Young. Also the name of the Chief Marshal of the Mark during the early reign of King Théoden of Rohan; the father of Éowyn and Éomer, eighteenth King. Éomund was responsible for the safety of the east marches of Rohan, where Orc-raiders were a constant threat to the prized horses of the Mark. In 3002 Third Age, his rashness and famed hatred of Orcs finally cost him his life, when he unwisely pursued a small raiding party into ambush.

  Eonwë – One of the MAIAR, the Herald of Manwë.

  Éored – The name given in the tongue of the Rohirrim to the standard Rohan military unit: the cavalry squadron. Each of these bodies of mounted Riders was commanded by a noble, or by one of Marshal’s rank; each was recruited and furnished by the lord’s own household and mounted, armed and equipped according to the style of fighting employed by the Rohirrim. These squadrons varied in size, according to the duration of the muster and the size of the household, and were the chief unit of military strength, for the Men of Rohan did not usually fight on their feet. In centuries of living their horse-life they had polished their equestrian skills until they had become the most formidable cavalry anywhere in the west of Middle-earth – and thus of great assistance to the (largely foot-bound) forces of their ally Gondor.

  Their tactics were those of both light and heavy cavalry: reconnaissance, envelopment, attack and pursuit. They were armed with ash-wood spears, swords, and bows for long-distance work, and knew the craft of chain-mail manufacture, so they were not only well-armed and -mounted, but well-armoured also. Their method of attack was, firstly, to thin the enemy ranks with arrow fire, then to surround – or at least outflank – the enemy, and, finally, to charge home in a body, using their lance-points on the first encounters and afterwards drawing swords for the close work. Unless they were greatly outnumbered, or at some other disadvantage, there was no cavalry in the west of Middle-earth which could stand against them. Although the éored was the basic unit, the Rohirrim often fought in larger armies, comprising many squadrons and formed into wings or columns under the command of senior Marshals. Six thousand men of the Mark – a full éoherë or Muster of Rohan – charged behind Théoden at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, but Théoden himself reckoned he might have assembled, if he had chosen, an expeditionary force of 10,000 – in later terms, the equivalent of a cavalry corps.

  Eorl the Young – The last Lord of Éothéod (from 2501–10 Third Age) and the first King of Rohan (2510–45). Eorl was first called ‘the Young’ by his Men because his father Léod died while the son was still a mere stripling; Léod was attempting to tame a wild horse when it threw him and his head struck a rock. Instead of killing the horse, as was expected, Eorl captured him, named him Felaróf and rode him till his life’s end.

  In the year 2510 Eorl’s people received tidings that Gondor was in danger; straightaway he led his Riders to war, and his aid saved Gondor’s Northern Army from defeat at the hands of the Balchoth. In return, Cirion, twelfth Ruling Steward of Gondor, gave to Eorl and his people the wide province of Calenardhon, which Eorl renamed Riddermark, the Mark of the Riders. Cirion in his turn received the Oath of Eorl, pledging the Riders’ continued allegiance to Gondor. Thirty-five years later, Eorl, still almost as fresh-faced and tow-haired as in his youth, was slain by Easterlings in a new assault upon Rohan. His son Brego succeeded him and drove away the enemy. Eorl was laid to rest – together with Felaróf – in the first of many mounds to be built in the Barrowfield at Edoras.

  Eorlingas – ‘The Eorlings’, the Sons of Eorl. An honorific title assumed by the warriors of Rohan.

  Éothain – The second-in-command of the éored of Westfold Vale at the time of the War of the Ring. This éored was led by Éomer, then Third Marshal of the Mark.

  Éothéod – From 1977–2510 Third Age, the northern homeland of the Horse-lords, before they moved south to the country which became known as Rohan. The lands of Éothéod lay between the Misty Mountains, the Ered Mithrin (Grey Mountains), and northwestern Mirkwood. Prior to their settlement of this region, the Riders had dwelt in the vales of Anduin, between the Great East Road and the Gladden Fields; and before that, in the wide plains of Rhovanion south of Greenwood. But after the final destruction of Angmar, this virile and expanding people, feeling a need for new territory, migrated north.

  Éowyn – In the songs and lays made by minstrels of Rohan concerning the War of the Rings and the part played in it by the Rohirrim, great honour was given to a woman: the ‘Lady of the Shield-arm’, who, defending her fallen Lord, slew the Chief Nazgûl and brought his power to nothing (as had been indeed foretold many years before). This was the Lady Éowyn, sister of Éomer and later the wife of Prince Faramir of Gondor. She was the daughter of Éomund, Marshal of the Mark, and Théodwyn, sister of King Théoden; but after their early deaths, both she and her brother were taken into the King’s House and raised as his son and daughter. Éowyn grew tall and fair, with a graceful step – and a skill with horse and blade to match any Rider of the Mark. As proud and brave as her brother, she found it increasingly difficult merely to wait upon the King in his decline; and she brooded much upon what she saw as the fall of Rohan into mean dishonour. Moreover she fell hopelessly in love with Aragorn of the Dúnedain; a love that, she soon realised, could never be requited.

  Thus Éowyn determined to find honourable death as a ‘shield-maiden’ on the field of battle. Disguised as an ordinary Rider of the Mark, she rode with the King’s host to the Fields of the Pelennor – and to her own supreme act of heroism. Even so, the evil hurt she took from the Nazgûl whom she slew seemed likely to bring her the end she had desired. But Éowyn was eventually cured in the Houses of Healing, where she met Faramir, Steward of the Realm; and at last she renounced all thoughts of battle and death. She and Faramir plighted their troth after the final victory of the West. They later dwelt together in Emyn Arnen where she was known as the ‘White Lady’.

  Epessë ‘After-name’ (Q.) – A secondary or informal name bestowed on one of the Eldar, as opposed to the essë or given name.

  Ephel Dúath – The ‘Dark Outer-fences’ of Mordor, known to Men of Gondor as the Mountains of Shadow. In the Third Age this range of jagged peaks and dolorous vales was the second greatest in Middle-earth. The Ephel Dúath formed an impassable western and southern wall around the land of Mordor. The main range marched southerly from the Black Gate, parallel with the Great River (and in some cases only twenty miles from it), far into the lands of the Harad. Thirty leagues south of the river Poros, it bent abruptly east, stretching for a further two hundred leagues before turning northeast again and dwindling into a low, sullen line of hills.

  Ephel Brandir ‘Brandir’s Fence’ (Sind.) – The name given by the Woodmen of the Forest of Brethil (the Haladin) to the stockaded settlement built by them at the instigation of their chieftain, BRANDIR THE LAME, on the crown of the hill Amon Obel.

  Eradan – From 2080–2116 Third Age, the second Ruling Steward of Gondor.

  Erchamion ‘The Empty-handed’ (Sind.) – See BEREN ERCHAMION.

  Erebor – The Lonely Mountain; the chief ancestral Halls of Durin’s folk in the later Third Age, following their flight from Moria. Erebor was founded in 1999 Third Age by Thráin I, son of Náin I who was slain by the Balrog in Moria.

  As its name implies, the Mountain stood apart from other ranges, and was a notable landmark in the flat plain east o
f Northern Mirkwood. It was easily defended (except against Dragons) and was exceedingly rich in rare ores. Yet shortly after its founding, Erebor was curiously abandoned by the majority of Durin’s folk, who passed into the North and established a second colony amid the Grey Mountains. But this colony eventually came to naught and, in 2590 Thrór son of Dáin I led Durin’s Folk back to the Lonely Mountain, which then began to prosper greatly. However in the year 2770 Smaug the Golden, hearing of the new-forged wealth of Erebor, sacked the Mountain, occupying the Great Hall and driving the Dwarves into exile and (relative) penury. For two centuries the Dragon was unchallenged until, in 2941, the unlikely combination of thirteen Dwarves and one Hobbit led to the unexpected demise of the Worm and the return of the King under the Mountain.

  In the War of the Ring, Erebor was again attacked, by Easter-lings of Sauron’s rule, but the combined forces of Dwarves of Erebor and Men of Dale successfully withstood a siege there until news came north of Sauron’s overthrow. The heartened defenders, led by Thorin II Stonehelm and Bard II of Dale, sallied forth and drove away the enemy. Ever after the Kingdom under the Mountain was in alliance with and under the protection of Gondor.

  Erech – See STONE OF ERECH.

  Ered Engrin – The IRON MOUNTAINS.

  Ered Gorgoroth – The MOUNTAINS OF TERROR.

  Ered Lindon – A name given by some of the High-elves to the Ered Luin, the Blue Mountains. This was of course because they first espied these mountains from the land of Lindon, then in eastern Beleriand.

  Ered Lithui – The ‘Ashy Mountains’ which provided Mordor with a northern rampart. The range ran east from the Morannon (parallel with the southern range of the Ephel Dúath) into the wide and desolate lands of southern Rhûn. Upon a south-westerly spur projecting from the inner wall stood the Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower.

  Ered Lómin – The ECHOING MOUNTAINS.

  Ered Luin – The BLUE MOUNTAINS.

  Ered Mithrin – The ‘Grey Mountains’, which ran eastwards from Gundabad (in the Misty Mountains) to the Withered Heath.

  Ered Nimrais – The ‘White Mountains’ of Gondor. Unlike other mountain-chains of Middle-earth, the Ered Nimrais did not form a single range; instead, from a central massif or knot, great spurs projected north, south, east and west, as far as Cape Andrast and the Sea. Upon the knees of the most easterly of these mountains, Mindolluin, the Men of Númenor built the white city of Minas Anor (later Minas Tirith).

  Ered Wethrin – The ‘Shadowy Mountains’ which formed the eastern boundary-wall of the lands of Hithlum, Mithrim and Dor-lómin, in the north of Beleriand.

  Eregion ‘Land-of-Holly’ (Sind.) – The land of the Noldorin Elvensmiths, in Eriador, west of the Misty Mountains, whose chief city was Ost-in-Edhil. It was settled by the Noldor in 750 Second Age and destroyed by Sauron less than nine hundred years later. The Elves of Eregion were master craftsmen of the House of Fëanor, led by Celebrimbor, Fëanor’s descendant. They migrated to eastern Eriador after hearing of the discovery of a great mithril-lode under the Dwarf-realm of Moria, and founded their colony at Moria’s western gate to trade with the Dwarves for this metal. The Dwarves were happy enough with this arrangement, and both races worked together for many years in friendship and prosperity. In time the skill of the High-Elves of Eregion grew, and under the tutelage of Sauron of Mordor, it reached a pinnacle with the forging of the Rings of Power, the greatest work of Elven-craft since the creation of the Silmarils. But Sauron betrayed the Elven-smiths and himself forged the Ruling Ring in Secret. Learning of this, the Noldor then hid the Three Elven-rings – the others had by now been distributed – but war was launched upon them by Sauron, and in the year 1697 Eregion was overrun and ravaged. The Dwarves of Moria were safe behind their impregnable mountain-walls but the Noldor were driven out or destroyed. So ended the brief flowering of Eregion.

  The token of the Noldorin smiths was holly, which they planted freely and used to indicate the borders of their realm. Many of these ancient trees survived in Eregion when all other living things had passed away, and still stood in later Ages. For this reason Eregion was known simply as Hollin to Men of Eriador during the Third Age.

  Ereinion ‘Scion-of-Kings’ (Sind.) – See GIL-GALAD.

  Erelas – A beacon-hill which stood on the north wall of the White Mountains, overlooking the vale of Anórien, fourth in the chain of beacons stretching between Gondor and Rohan.

  Erellont – The name of one of the three valiant mariners who were companions of Eärendil on his last voyage. See also AERANDIR.

  Erendis – The wife of King Tar-Aldarion of Númenor. She was descended from the First House of the Edain and was of great beauty; but her marriage to Aldarion was unhappy, since his real devotion was to the sea and his fleets of ships. She felt otherwise and there was conflict between them. She bore him only one child, a daughter (later Queen Tar-Ancalimë) and withdrew from his life entirely. In old age she wished once more to become reconciled to her husband – who was then, as ever, at sea – and in the year 985 Second Age journeyed to Rómenna in the east of Númenor to greet his return, but is reported to have ‘perished in water’.

  Note: see ‘Aldarion and Erendis’ in Unfinished Tales, 223–80.

  Eressëa ‘Lonely’ (Q.) – Shortened form of Tol Eressëa, ‘the Lonely Isle’; the name given by the Calaquendi to the great ship-shaped isle which had once been rooted in the waters of Middle-earth, but was set adrift by the agency of the Valar and used to enable the Three Kindreds of the Eldar to complete the Great Journey and so come to the far West.

  It is said in the traditions of the Elves that it was the Sea-Maia Ossë who begged the Teleri – the last of the Kindreds to travel by this marvellous means – to stay their voyage while they were still some distance from the strands of Aman; for he loved the Teleri, and did not wish to be parted from them; and they, loving him, did as he asked; the Isle was grounded in the Bay of Eldamar and stood there ever after. Tol Eressëa then became its name. For an age or more the Teleri continued to dwell there, but many still yearned to complete the Journey and so come to the source of the Light which lit the western horizon; and so, at their request, Ossë sadly taught them how to build ships, and the Teleri sailed away from Eressëa, to Aman. But, after years the lonely Isle was re-peopled with Grey-elves and returning Noldorin Exiles, who built anew the city of Avallónë; nearest of all cities to the Blessed Realm, and visible (to the Farsighted) from the summit of Meneltarma in Númenor. From Eressëa these Elves would, from time to time, sail to Númenor, there to enrich the culture of the High Men who then dwelled in that now-vanished country. But at the Drowning of Númenor, the shape and nature of the World were altered, and both Eressëa and Aman were removed for ever from the seas of the earth.

  Erestor – One of the Noldor of Rivendell: Chief of the Counsellors of Elrond’s house.

  Eriador – ‘Eriador was of old the name of all the lands between the Misty Mountains and the Blue; in the South it was bounded by the Greyflood and the Glanduin that flows into it above Tharbad.’9 In the North lay the great ice-waste of Forochel and the bitter colds of the realm of Morgoth. But after centuries of war, famine and plague had depopulated the region, the various settlements of Men, Elves and Hobbits became increasingly isolated from each other, and eventually only the great ruins of Eriador were left to testify to its former glories.

  Erkenbrand – A Lord of Rohan and, at the time of the War of the Ring, the Master of Westfold Vale. He took command of the West-fold forces after Théodred, Théoden’s son, fell in battle with the armies of Saruman, early in the year 3019 Third Age. Though it was at first feared that Erkenbrand, too, had fallen, he organised a well-ordered retreat and was able to bring the battered but unbroken Westfold Riders to the aid of the King at the Battle of the Hornburg.

  Erma ‘[Physical] matter’ (Q.).

  Ernil i Periannath ‘Prince of the Halflings’ (Sind.) – An honorific title awarded to Peregrin Took by the people of Gondor, who believed he bore the ra
nk with which their natural courtesy endowed him.

  ‘Errantry’ – A lengthy Hobbit-poem found in the Red Book of Westmarch; almost certainly composed by Bilbo, since it shows kinship with the later work (‘Eärendil Was A Mariner’) recited by him in the Hall of Fire in Rivendell prior to the Council of Elrond.10 With his head full of Elvish influence – though not, at that time, Elvish skill – Bilbo probably wrote ‘Errantry’ shortly after his return from Erebor, long before he came to know the Elves better. The references to Elvish ‘lore’ and ‘names’ (such as Aerie, Belmarie) would seem to show that the Hobbit was not at the time fully conversant with Elvish tongues or history. As has been remarked, these words are ‘mere inventions in the Elvish style, and are not in fact Elvish at all.’

  The poem is cyclical, and may be recited therefore endlessly. Its subject, though whimsically treated, is obviously influenced by various older tales that Bilbo may have unconsciously absorbed during his earlier stay in Rivendell. Later in his life, of course, the worthy Hobbit returned to Elrond’s house and studied Elven-legends in greater detail. In a desire to make use of the metrical devices he had invented years before, Bilbo then rewrote ‘Errantry’ in the form in which it appears in the Red Book.

  Eru ‘The One’ (Sind., from Q. Ilúvatar, ‘Father-of-All’) – God.

  Eruhantalë ‘Thanksgiving to Eru’ (Q.) – The autumn Festival in Númenor.

  Erui – One of the Seven Rivers of Gondor, flowing from its source high in the vale of Lossarnach to its confluence with the Anduin thirty leagues above Pelargir.

  Erukyermë ‘Prayer to Eru’ (Q.) – The Spring Festival in Númenor.