Wainrider/Balchoth War

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This article describes a concept which is mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's works, but was never given a definite name.
"...It is a long tale..." — Aragorn
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Previous war: War of the Last Alliance
Next war: War of the Ring
Wainrider/Balchoth War
File:Jonatan Alvarsson - Middle-earth.jpg
Beginning: T.A. 1851End: T.A. 2510
Place: Calenardhon, Rhovanion, Dagorlad, Ithilien, both banks of River Anduin
Outcome: Decisive victory for Gondor and the Éothéod
Major battles: Battle of the Plains, Second Battle of Dagorlad, Battle of the Camp, Battle of the Field of Celebrant
Combatants

Gondor, the Éothéod

Easterling forces: Wainriders and Balchoth, Northern Orcs

Commanders

File:ME-GondorKing.png Tarostar Rómendacil I
File:ME-GondorKing.png Turambar
File:ME-GondorKing.png Narmacil II
File:ME-GondorKing.png Calimehtar
File:ME-GondorKing.png Ondoher
File:ME-GondorKing.png Earnil II
File:ME-Gondor.png Cirion
File:ME-Rohan.png Eorl
File:ME-Gondor.png Ecthelion II

File:Sauron cold eye icon.jpg Sauron
File:ME-Easterlings.png Unknown Easterling commanders
File:ME-Orcs.png Unknown Orc commanders

The Wainrider/Balchoth War was a long series of battles spread over the first, second and third millennia of the Third Age. The first of these attacks occurred several centuries after the founding of Gondor. During this period, Gondor was under assault from the east by a number of eastern tribes variously referred as Wainriders, Easterlings, and Balchoth. After some serious setbacks for Gondor, they were at last decisively defeated.

Historical Background

Early in the Third Age, c. T.A. 490, Easterling tribes began a series of attacks against the southern Númenórean exile kingdom of Gondor. This first occurred during the reign of King Ostoher, who also rebuilt Minas Anor, in c. 490 T.A. His successor, Rómendacil I, defeated an Easterling invasion in T.A. 500, but was slain in a fresh assault by them in T.A. 541. His son, Turambar, once again defeated them, and captured a large area eastwards south of the Sea of Rhûn. Gondor was not troubled by Easterling attacks for centuries afterwards, and by the reign of Ciryaher Hyarmendacil (c. 1050), Gondor was at the height of its power, controlling wide areas to the south and east. Template:Ref

Minalcar, Regent and later King of Gondor, gave the Northmen extensive lands east of Anduin and south of the forest of Greenwood the Great.

The Éothéod were a small group of Northmen in the Vales of Anduin during the middle Third Age. They first came to Gondor's notice during the reign of King Calimehtar of Gondor. Template:Ref

Fall of Ondoher

Easterling by Olanda Fong-Surdenas

Cirion and Eorl

Aftermath

References

  1. Template:Note The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B.
  2. Template:Note The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A.
  3. Template:Note Unfinished Tales, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan.
  4. Template:Note The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B.