Dunland

2012-08-12T13:05:44Z

98.236.228.46: /* Etymology */

{{location
| image=
| name=Dunland
| othernames=
| etymology=
| type=Region
| location=The west-skirts of the southern [[Misty Mountains]], south of [[Glanduin]], north of [[Isen]]
| inhabitants=[[Men]] For a time - [[Stoors]] and [[Dwarves]]
| realms=Nominally [[Gondor]] Land of the [[Dunlendings]]
| description=Foothills of the [[Misty Mountains]]
| events=
| references=
|}}
'''Dunland''' was a part of [[Enedwaith]] east of the [[North-South Road]], well south of the [[Glanduin]] and north of the [[Isen]]. It was a foothill region that fronted the western slopes of the southern [[Misty Mountains]].<ref>{{UT|Map}}</ref> Far from the centers of population of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]], its inhabitants at times included wandering [[Hobbits]] and [[Dwarves]] but it was mostly known (and named) for the [[Men]] known as [[Dunlendings]].

==History==
===The First Men in Dunland===
In the early [[Second Age]], Dunland first acquired a significant population of [[Men]] when those who had dwelt in the forests of Enedwaith south of the [[Gwathló]] fled from the [[Númenóreans]] after they began to cut down all of the trees.<ref>{{UT|6d}}</ref>

When the kingdoms of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]] were established early in the [[Third Age]] the land of Enedwaith (and the region of Dunland) were largely ignored, although the inhabitants were nominally subjects of Gondor.<ref name="Isen">{{UT|Isen}}, Appendix (ii)</ref>

===The Stoors Stay in Dunland===
About {{TA|1150}} the Hobbit-breed known as the [[Stoors]] left their early homeland in the upper vales of the [[Anduin]] and crossed the [[Redhorn Pass]]. Some settled in the [[Angle (Eriador)|Angle]] and other traveled down the [[Loudwater]] and settled in Dunland. While the Stoors in the Angle vacated that area in {{TA|1356|n}}, those living in Dunland remained until around {{TA|1630|n}} when they migrated to the newly founded [[The Shire|Shire]].<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>

===The Middle Years of the Third Age===
The [[Great Plague]] swept through the northwest of [[Middle-earth]] in the years {{TA|1636}} – {{TA|1637|n}}.<ref name="TA"/> In Dunland the Dunlendings suffered, but to a lesser extent than in other regions due to their self-isolation. After the end of the royal line in Gondor the Dunlendings ceased to be subjects of the realm. During the years of the [[Watchful Peace]] ({{TA|1975|n}} – {{TA|2050|n}}), as the people of [[Calenardhon]] dwindled the Dunlendings began drifting across the [[Isen]].

The expansion of the Dunlendings to the southeast of Dunland was checked when the new realm of [[Rohan]] was established in {{TA|2510|n}}. The second and third Kings, [[Brego]] and [[Aldor]], successfully expelled the Dunlending from western Rohan.<ref name="Isen"/> For many years there was peace, but the Dunlendings began raiding over the Isen during the reign of King [[Déor]], and in {{TA|2710|n}} they occupied [[Isengard]] (then deserted) and could not be dislodged.<ref name="Mark">{{App|Mark}}</ref>

Still, open war was not waged until the reign of [[Helm|Helm Hammerhand]]. During the [[Long Winter]] of {{TA|2758|n}} – {{TA|2759|n}}, the Dunlendings captured [[Edoras]] and besieged the [[Hornburg]]. They were ultimately unsuccessful and were driven back into Dunland by [[Fréaláf]], Helm's sister-son.<ref name="Mark"/>

===The Dwarves in Dunland===
In {{TA|2770}}, [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|Dragon]] destroyed the [[Kingdom Under the Mountain]].<ref name="TA"/> Dwarves fleeing from this disaster settled in Dunland, from where [[Thrór]] departed when he and his companion [[Nár]] journeyed to [[Moria]] in {{TA|2790}}. After the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]], provoked by the [[Orcs]]' brutal slaying of Thrór, [[Thráin II]] and [[Thorin]] led the remnants of their followers back to Dunland but soon left (to eventually settle in the [[Ered Luin]]).<ref>{{App|Durin}}</ref>

===The Later Third Age===
Guarding the [[Gap of Rohan]] was the fortress of [[Isengard]], where a hereditary guard watched for Gondor. However, by the time of the [[Beren (Steward of Gondor)|Beren]], [[Ruling Steward|Steward]] of [[Gondor]], these guards had mixed with Dunlendings, and it had become hostile to Gondor. To remedy this situation, in {{TA|2759}}<ref name="TA"/> Beren gave [[Saruman]] the keys to [[Orthanc]], to guard Isengard for Gondor.<ref>{{UT|Isen}}</ref>

During the [[Battle of the Hornburg]] the enmity of the Dunlendings for the people of Rohan was explained thusly:
{{quote|Not in half a thousand years have they forgotten their grievance that the lords of Gondor gave the Mark to [[Eorl]] the Young and made alliance with him. That old hatred Saruman has inflamed.|[[Gamling]]<ref>{{TT|III7}}</ref>}}

After the battle at [[Helm's Deep]], the Rohirrim allowed the surviving Dunlendings to return to their homes. The Rohirrim required that all hostilities cease, and that the Dunlendings retreat behind the [[Isen]] river again.<ref>{{TT|III8}}</ref>

After the [[War of the Ring]] the four Hobbits, [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], with the company of [[Gandalf]], [[Celeborn]], [[Galadriel]], and others journeyed through Dunland on their way home. While traversing the region they met two beggars, Saruman and [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]].<ref>{{RK|VI6}}</ref>

==Etymology==
Dunland meant "Hill Land" in the language of neighbouring [[Rohan]], whose people named it after arriving in nearby [[Calenardhon]] in the later [[Third Age]]. ''Dunland'' is understood as "Brownland" ([[Old English]] ''dunn'' means "brown, dusky, dull"), referring to its inhabitants being swarthy and dark-haired . The element ''dunn'' had no relation to the [[Elvish]] root ''[[dûn]]'' meaning "west".<ref>{{App|Men}}</ref>

{{navigation
| title=Region of Dunland
| north-west=[[Tharbad]], [[Gwathló]]. '''[[Eriador]]'''
| north=[[Glanduin]], [[Eregion]]
| north-east=[[Moria]], [[Misty Mountains]], [[Lothlórien|Lórien]]
| west=[[Lond Daer]], [[Gwathló]], [[Enedwaith]]
| east=[[Misty Mountains]], [[Fangorn Forest]]
| south-west=[[Enedwaith]], [[Drúwaith Iaur]], [[Isen|River Isen]]
| south=[[Isen|River Isen]]
| south-east=[[Isengard]], [[Gap of Rohan]]. '''[[Rohan]]'''
}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Eriador]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[de:Dunland]]
[[fr:encyclo:geographie:regions:pays_de_dun]]
[[fi:Mustainmaa]]

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Dunland