Fortinbras Took II

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Fortinbras Took II
Hobbit
Biographical Information
LocationGreat Smials
BirthS.R. 1278
DeathS.R. 1380
Family
ParentageIsumbras IV
Physical Description
GenderMale

Fortinbras Took II was the grandson of Gerontius, the Old Took, who inherited the title of Thain from his father, Isumbras IV, on his death in S.R. 1339.

Before he became Thain, at 36-years-old he married Lalia Clayhanger in 1314 - who was to become a famous matriarch of the Took clan, and known as Lalia the Great - and had one son, Ferumbras Took III who was born in 1316.

He became Thain, just two years before Bilbo Baggins left Hobbiton for his adventures in The Wild, in 1339. Fortinbras was Thain for 41 years, and after his death in 1380 at the age of 102 he was succeeded as Thain by his son Ferumbras; however, in accordance with Took tradition, Lalia continued to be head of the family until her death in 1402.

Genealogy

The Old Took
1190 - 1320
 
Adamanta Chubb
unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isengrim III
1232 - 1330
 
Isumbras IV
1238 - 1339
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FORTINBRAS II
1278 - 1380
 
Lalia Clayhanger
1283 - 1402
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ferumbras III
1316 - 1415
 
 

Etymology

Fortinbras is of French, and ultimately Latin, origin - as are the names of other Thains - and means "strong-armed". It comes from the French fort and Latin fortis meaning "strong", and the French bras, from the Latin brachium, meaning "arm". It has also been suggested that fortin may come the Germanic root fard- meaning "journey"

"Fortinbras" is also the name of two characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, which is most likely where Tolkien got the name from. Within the legendarium, it might be that Fortinbras is named after his great-grandfather, Fortinbras Took I.

Titles

Preceded by:
Isumbras Took IV
29th Thain of The Shire
S.R. 1339 - 1380
Followed by:
Ferumbras Took III