Meriadoc Brandybuck (aka "
Merry"), son of
Saradoc, was a
hobbit that lived late in the
Third Age. He was born in
the Shire (year 2982) and was a member of the
Fellowship of the Ring. Merry stayed with
Frodo (
ringbearer) until the
Breaking of the Fellowship at
Parth Galen, when Frodo and
Samwise Gamgee departed south.
Merry and his friend,
Peregrin Took ("Pippin"), were assaulted
1 and captured by a party of
orcs during/soon after Frodo's departure. The force, dominated by
Uruk-Hai under
Saruman, was returning to
Isengard when surrounded and annihilated by
rohirrim soldiers under
Éomer Éadig. Merry and Pippin escaped destruction, however, and made their way into
Fangorn Forest. Here they met
Treebeard and began the events that would lead to the annihilation of Saruman's
fortress.
Merry spent much time with the rohirrim. He befriended king
Théoden and rode to the
Battle of Pelennor Fields with (literally - upon the same horse as)
Éowyn (incognito at the time). At the battle he delivered the fatal blow to the
Lord of the Nazgul and was wounded in the process. Weak and confused, he made his way into
Minas Tirith where he was healed by
Elessar.
Merry returned to the Shire after the
War of the Ring and played a major role in expelling the evils that had rooted themselves there. He lived into the fourth age, married
Estella Bolger, but did not have any children. When 102 years old, King
Éomer summoned Merry to
Rohan. He left the
Shire with Pippin, and they visited the king before his death. The remaining years Meriadoc passed, with Pippin, in
Gondor. Dying, they were buried among heroes of men in
Rath Dinen.
J.R.R. Tolkien Node
1Boromir, son of Denethor II (Steward of Gondor), was there - he defended the hobbits until slain by many orc arrows.