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Places in Middle-earth

March of Maedhros

Type: Kingdoms, Realms, Lands

Region: Beleriand & North

Other Names
the east marches

Location: The border of Beleriand east of Dorthonion, protected by the sons of Fëanor; at the southern edge of the plain of Lothlann, extending eastward along the Hills of Maedhros to the Blue Mountains at Mount Rerir.

Description:

[The] sons of Fëanor... went eastward to the countries wide and wild between Himring and Lake Helevorn under Mount Rerir.

The War of the Jewels, HoME Vol 11, Part 1, The Grey Annals

[Maedhros and his brothers] left Mithrim and went eastward beyond Aros to the wide lands about the Hill of Himring. That region was named thereafter the March of Maedhros; for northwards there was little defence of hill or river against assault from Angband. There Maedhros and his brothers kept watch....

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 13, Of the Return of the Noldor

East of Dorthonion the marches of Beleriand were most open to attack, and only hills of no great height guarded the vale of Gelion from the north. In that region, upon the March of Maedhros and in the lands behind, dwelt the sons of Fëanor with many people; and their riders passed often over the vast northern plain, Lothlann the wide and empty, east of Ard-galen, lest Morgoth should attempt any sortie towards East Beleriand. The chief citadel of Maedhros was upon the Hill of Himring, the Ever-cold; and that was... surrounded by many lesser hills. Between Himring and Dorthonion there was a pass..., and that was the Pass of Aglon, and was a gate unto Doriath.... But Celegorm and Curufin fortified Aglon and held it with great strength....

Between the arms 1 of Gelion was the ward of Maglor, and here in one place the hills failed altogether: there it was that the Orcs came into East Beleriand before the Third Battle. Therefore the Noldor held strength of cavalry in the plains at that place; and the people of Caranthir fortified the mountains to the east of Maglor's Gap. There Mount Rerir, and about it many lesser heights, stood out from the main range of Ered Lindon westward....

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms

Now Morgoth... made trial of the strength and watchfulness of his enemies.... [With] little warning... Orcs poured forth across the plain of Ard-galen. Thence they thrust down the Pass of Sirion in the west, and in the east they burst through the land of Maglor, in the gap between the hills of Maedhros and the outliers of the Blue Mountains. But Fingolfin and Maedhros were not sleeping, and... they defeated the servants of Morgoth, and pursuing them across Ard-galen destroyed them utterly..., within sight of Angband's gates.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 13, Of the Return of the Noldor


Notes
1Gelion... rose in two sources and had at first two branches; Little Gelion that came from the Hill of Himring, and Greater Gelion that came from Mount Rerir.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms

Contributors:
Lyllyn 18Jul03
Elena Tiriel 11Dec09

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