Rohan is the green land just north of the
White Mountains1. It was given to the
Éothéod under
Eorl by
Cirion (
Steward of Gondor) late in the
Third Age of
Arda. The Éothéod, later known as the
Rohirrim, or
Riders of the Mark for their love of horses, have their origins in the far north (they have slight resemblances to the
Beornings), and it was during the wars of
Gondor that Cirion called upon them to ride to his aid. This they did willingly, because they were becoming a populous people and were running out of room in their limited territories in the north.
With the help of these
Northmen, Gondor was victorious, and as a reward, Cirion gave them the province of
Calenardhon to dwell in; renaming it Rohan
2. With this came a pact of friendship between Rohan and Gondor, one that would last into the fourth age.
The kings of Rohan dwelt in the
Golden Hall of Meduseld in their chief city and capital,
Edoras. They were at war often, with their sworn enemies, the
Dunlendings, as well as with all servants of
Sauron (specifically,
Orcs in the nearby White Mountains). It was in the
War of the Ring that one of their most trusted neighbors,
Saruman turned against them and broke the
Second Line of Kings, killing
Théodred, son of
Théoden.
Saruman, however, was vanquished when unforeseen powers
3 came to the aid of Rohan; his forces were defeated at the
Battle of the Hornburg, and the walls of
Isengard were torn down. Finally,
Rohan answered the
Red Arrow, and, when the
Lord of the Nazgûl stood at the gates of
Minas Tirith, they arrived at the
Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
"You cannot enter here," said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. "Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!"
The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.
"Old fool!" he said. "Old Fool! This is my hour. Do you not know death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade.
Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind the same courtyard of the City, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, reckoning nothing of wizardry or war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn.
And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.
(The Return of the King)
J.R.R. Tolkien Node
1Rohan is bordered by the Entwash on the east, the Gap of Rohan on the west, the Misty Mountains and Fangorn Forest on the North, and the White Mountains in the south. The Rohirrim used the Snowbourn River to divide their land into "folds;" the lands to the west of the Snowbourn called the Westfold, and the lands to the east the Eastfold.
2Rohan is derived from the Elvish Rochand, 'horse-land' - so named for its wide fields, ideal for the raising of horses.
3See: Ents/Huorns; Mithrandir