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Places in Middle-earth

West Marches

Type: Forests, Fields, Plains

Region: Rohan

Other Names
the west-march

Location: The farthest western extension of Rohan, an elongated triangular peninsula between the rivers Isen (Angren) on the north and Adorn on the southwest.

Description:

The region between Isen and Adorn was declared to be a part of the realm of Eorl at the time of the Oath of Cirion and Eorl....

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 5, The Battles of the Fords of Isen: Notes, Note 4

[In] the south... all those vales and inlets [of Ered Nimrais] that opened northwards were to belong to the Éothéod, as well as the land south of the Hithaeglir that lay between the rivers Angren and Adorn.

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: Cirion and Eorl

[There] was no way into [that] land from the west except for bold swimmers.

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 5, The Battles of the Fords of Isen: Notes, Note 4

In the year 2754 Helm Hammerhand, King of the Mark, slew with his fist his arrogant vassal Freca, lord of lands on either side of the Adorn....

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 5, The Battles of the Fords of Isen: Notes, Note 4

Freca... claimed descent from King Fréawine, though he had, men said, much Dunlendish blood1.... He grew rich and powerful, having wide lands on either side of the Adorn. Near its source he made himself a stronghold and paid little heed to the king. Helm mistrusted him....

The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: The House of Eorl

Helm then proclaimed Freca's son [Wulf] and near kin the king's enemies; and they fled, for at once Helm sent many men riding to the west marches.

The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: The House of Eorl

[Folcwine (2864-2903)] reconquered the west-march (between Adorn and Isen) that Dunlendings had occupied.

The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: The House of Eorl

Beyond the Gap the land between Isen and Adorn was nominally part of the realm of Rohan; but though Folcwine had reclaimed it, driving out the Dunlendings that had occupied it, the people that remained were largely of mixed blood, and their loyalty to Edoras was weak: the slaying of their lord, Freca, by King Helm was still remembered. Indeed at this time [the War of the Ring] they were more disposed to side with Saruman, and many of their warriors had joined Saruman's forces.... [Author's note.]

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 5, The Battles of the Fords of Isen: Notes, Note 4

The Uruks... were driving [the Riders] towards the now hostile country of the Dunlendish "west-march."

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 5, The Battles of the Fords of Isen


Notes
1[During] the Watchful Peace (from 2063 to 2460) the people of Calenardhon dwindled... those that remained became rustic and far removed from the concerns of Minas Tirith. The garrisons of the forts... were left to the care of local hereditary chieftains whose subjects were of more and more mixed blood.

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 5, The Battles of the Fords of Isen: Appendix

Contributors: Elena Tiriel 2Jan10

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