A war between Rohan and Dunland occurred in the late Third Age, during Helm Hammerhand's reign.
History[]
Background[]
After Gondor's former province of Calenardhon was awarded to Eorl the Young by Cirion for his services at the Battle of the Field of Celebrant, the Dunlendings, who had been infiltrating and settling the province from the west, were driven out by the Rohirrim. As a result the Dunlendings developed a deep hostility to the new arrivals for stealing 'their' lands. They frequently raided Rohan and were always a source of trouble to it. However, the Rohirrim and Dunlendings still had to live side by side with one another and apparently intermingled and intermarried and had peace for a time.
In the twenty-eighth century of the Third Age, a man known as Freca, said to have both Rohirrim and Dunlendish blood, grew in power and wealth as lord on both sides of the Isen river. He initially cooperated with Helm, the King of Rohan and was supposed to obey his summons and attend his councils; however, in later years when he sought the throne of Rohan, he grew arrogant and only came when he felt like it.[1]
Prelude[]
In TA 2754, Freca (drunken with pride and ambition) boldly rode into the King's house with a force of men for a meeting. Freca began making demands to Helm that his son Wulf should be wedded to Helm's daughter, which would no doubt give him and his family power. Helm refused and insulted Freca before his men. Humiliated, Freca flew into an angry rage, nearly starting a fight in the hall. Helm finally met him face to face outside of Edoras in a field and, in answer to Freca's earlier threats, struck him down with one blow from his fist, killing Freca; from this fearsome blow was he named Hammerhand. Still furious, Helm proclaimed all of Freca's kin the enemies of Rohan.[1]
War and Siege[]
The Rohirrim facing the Dunlendings and their allies
Led by Wulf, the Dunlendings allied with the Easterlings, the Haradrim and the Corsairs of Umbar, in turn stirred by Sauron against the Rohirrim and Gondorians. Four years later in TA 2758, Dunland came for its revenge at a time when Gondor could not help Rohan. The Rohirrim were overrun from the east over the Undeeps and from Isengard, with the Wildmen reinforced by their Corsair allies who sailed up the rivers Lefnui and Isen. The armies of Rohan were defeated. Edoras was conquered, Helm's son Haleth slain, and Wulf sat in Meduseld as self-styled King of Rohan. The Dunlendings were cruel, taking slaves and forcing the surviving Rohirrim to flee to the dales in the White Mountains. Helm fled to the Súthburg, taking great losses at the Fords of Isen but the worse was yet to come. A long and terrible winter fell upon the north of Middle-earth affecting both sides. Helm and his loyal remnant of Rohirrim endured a long siege throughout the winter, bringing terror to the besiegers, but in time he, his other son Háma, and followers starved, perished in the cold or in battle.
The Battle of Edoras
When the Long Winter was over, Fréaláf Hildeson, Helm's nephew, came down from Dunharrow with a small force and reclaimed Edoras. Wulf was slain and soon all the remaining enemy forces were driven out with the help of Gondor, whose forces led by Beregond were now able to aid their ally.[1] Fréaláf then blockaded Isengard, forcing the Dunlendings within the fortress to eventually surrender.
Afterwards[]
Fréaláf Hildeson now became King of a second line of Kings in Rohan. The Wizard Saruman also came to Rohan proclaiming friendship, wooing King Fréaláf with gifts, and praising the victory over their enemies and for many years appeared on the outside to be Rohan's friend, living peacefully in Orthanc at Isengard, granted to him by Gondor. Helm's body was brought from the Súthburg, renamed the Hornburg in his memory, and buried in the ninth mound of the Kings of Rohan. The Rohirrim wee weakened for many years to come but so were the Dunlendings, who posed no threat during Rohan's sixty four year struggle with Orcs from the White Mountains. Years after, King Folcwine restored the realm to its former strength.[1]
Legacy[]
The defeat of Dunlendings in the war left behind bitter memories in their people, who continued to hate Rohan and its rulers, still coveting the land that they failed to capture for themselves. Hundreds of years later, Isengard became hostile towards Rohan and soon forged an alliance with Dunland; the Dunlendings joined Saruman the White and Sauron the Dark Lord against King Théoden during the War of the Ring.
Translations[]
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Danish | Krigen mellem Rohan og Dysterland |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers, II: The House of Eorl
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Third Age, "Deepening Difficulties"