Horsed archers were warriors armed with bows that shot riding on horses. They existed throughout the history of Middle-earth among different peoples and cultures.
History
First Age
The Noldor used horsed archers during the First Age. Fingon, the prince of Hithlum, rode against the young dragon Glaurung with a company of horse archers and forced him to flee back to Angband.[1] Later horsed archers of Fingon pursued orcs, that had been defeated in the battle in Hithlum, into the Iron Mountains.[2] Celegorm and Curufin also had many horsed archers. They were defeated in the battle of the Pass of Aglon,[3] but the hosts of Morgoth suffered great casualties in that battle.[2]
Second Age
The Númenóreans shot bows from horseback as a sport and pastime during the Second Age,[4] but they did not ride on horses to war. However, units of light-armed horsed archers (often of non-Númenórean origin) existed within Númenórean armies.[5]
During the same time period Northmen, who were skilled and fearless riders, well-armed due to a close alliance with Dwarves, used great forces of horsed archers to fight against Orc raids.[6]
Third Age
In the Third Age horsed archers were used by the Éotheod and by their descendants, the Rohirrim. The great éoherë led by Eorl to the battle of the Field of Celebrant included several hundreds of horsed archers. After the battle some companies of horsed archers remained in Calenardhon to deal with bands of enemies that might still lurk there.[7] During the First battle of the Fords of Isen Théodred had at least one company of horsed archers.[8] Some riders of Éomer's éored were skilled at shooting from a running horse. They were able to shoot many Orcs during the pursuit of Uglúk's company.[9]
During the War of the Ring, Frodo saw a vision from Amon Hen of horsed archers among the armies of the Easterlings.[10]
References
- ↑ S QS.13.033Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion", "Of the Return of the Noldor", Paragraph 33
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 S QS.18.028Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion", "Of the Ruin of Beleriand", Paragraph 28
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals": §145-148
- ↑ UT 2.01.015Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Unfinished Tales, Pt. 2, Ch. 1, Paragraph 15
- ↑ UT 3.01Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Unfinished Tales, Pt. 3, Ch. 1
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "Of Dwarves and Men"
- ↑ UT 3.02.03Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Unfinished Tales, Pt. 3, Ch. 2, Section 3
- ↑ UT 3.05.005Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Unfinished Tales, Pt. 3, Ch. 5, Paragraph 5
- ↑ LR 3.03.091Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Lord of the Rings, "The Two Towers", "The Uruk-hai", Paragraph 91
- ↑ LR 2.10.055Digital Tolkien Project Citation Systems, The Lord of the Rings, "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Breaking of the Fellowship", Paragraph 55