Battle of Greenfields

From Tolkien Gateway
Battle of Greenfields
File:BandobrasTuk.jpg
Conflict: Series of Orc-invasions in northern Eriador
Date: Third Age 2747
Place: Greenfields, Northfarthing
Outcome: Victory for the Hobbits
Combatants

Hobbits

Orcs of Mount Gram

Commanders

Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took

Golfimbul

Strength

Unknown

Unknown

Casualties

Unknown

Unknown, but severe

The Battle of Greenfields or Battle of the Green Fields[1] was the first battle fought in the Shire, and the only one until the Battle of Bywater.[2]

History

Prelude

The Shire was generally untroubled by any harm for the first 1140 years of its history. Eriador was quiet until Third Age 2740, when Orcs from the Misty Mountains invaded several parts of Eriador.[3]

Battle

Seven years after the start of the unrest, a band of Orcs of Mount Gram, led by their king Golfimbul, entered the Northfarthing.[2] Bandobras Took, who was living in Long Cleeve, crossed the river Norbourn to engage them in the region known as Greenfields, between the Norbourn and the Brandywine.[4] Large enough to ride a horse, Bandobras clove through the ranks of the Orc-band and knocked Golfimbul's head off with his club. The head landed in a rabbit-hole a hundred yards away, inventing, according to Hobbit folklore, the game of golf.[1] The rest of the orcs were routed.[5]

Aftermath

With the route of the orcs and the death of their king, the short uprisings in Eriador ceased.[4] The Shire, and Eriador as a whole, would not suffer from any more invasions until the War of the Ring.[2]

Other versions of the legendarium

In the first phase of The Hobbit, the battle was called the Battle of the Green Fields of Fellin, and the goblin king was called "Fingolfin". In addition to golf, chess was also invented, because the battle was won by "checkmate".[6] The reference to chess was likely removed because it was a philologist's joke that would have gone over too many heads: "checkmate" comes from Persian shah mat, "the King is Dead".[7]

The name "Battle of the Green Fields" first arose in the second phase. The reference to chess was removed at this stage.[8]

Portrayal in Adaptations

2003: Sierra's The Hobbit:

The first Hobbit outside Bag End recounts the story of Bandobras, followed by the accusations that young hobbits do not know enough about their history.[9]

References