Amazon Studios is producing a piece of struck work inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. We want all Spoilerites to have the best viewing experience possible and have the widest knowledge base about the Second Age of Middle-Earth. This is a weekly Let’s Get Nerdy article series highlighting a different piece of Tolkien I think you need to know about!
In past articles I have answered the question:
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- What Are the Rings of Power?
- What is Númenor?
- What is the Second Age?
- Who are the Harfoots?
- Who is Prince Durin IV?
- What is Khazad-dûm?
- Who is Celebrimbor?
- What is the Last Alliance of Men and Elves?
- Who is Elendil?
- New Pics! Who are Bronwyn and Theo?
- What is Rivendell?
- The Rings of Power First Reactions Are In!
- What is Lindon?
- What are the Nine Human Rings?
- Empire Magazine’s The Rings of Power Covers
- New Character Pictures
- Will Wizards Appear in The Rings of Power?
- New Promo for The Rings of Power
- What is Eregion?
- Leaked! Rings of Power Trailer Breakdown
- The Rings of Power Teaser Breakdown
- New EW Rings of Power Pictures
- SDCC Rings of Power Trailer Breakdown
- Who is Isildur?
- The Rings of Power is Here! Read the Reactions
- Who is the Stranger?
- Who is Queen Míriel?
- Who is Ar-Pharazôn?
- What is the broken black blade?
- What is Mordor?
- What is Mithril?
- What are the Silmarils?
- What is Narsil?
- Who founded Númenor?
- Who is Galadriel’s Brother Finrod?
- Rings of Power Adds 15 New Cast Members for Season 2
- Who is Círdan?
- Will Celeborn Appear in The Rings of Power?
- Are Galadriel and Sauron Enemies in Book Canon?
- Who is Narvi?
- Jamie Bisping Cast as Viran
- Will the Harfoots Settle The Shire?
- What to Watch Before The Rings of Power Season 2
- Will We See More Rings in The Rings of Power Season 2?
- Will Lord Belzagar Appear in The Rings of Power Season 2?
- Who is Diarmid?
- Will Ringwraiths appear in The Rings of Power Season 2?
- Will Gil-Galad Lead an Army in The Rings of Power Season 2?
- Is the Balrog Durin’s Bane?
- Who is Isildur’s sister Eärien?
- What is Rhûn Where Nori & The Stranger are Headed?
- Will Galadriel Go Dark in The Rings of Power Season 2?
- Where are the Southlanders Going?
- Is Durin Still a Prince?
- How Eärien will use the Palantir in The Rings of Power Season 2
- Is the Rings of Power close to canon? Will it get closer in Season 2?
- What is The War of the Elves and Sauron?
- Who are the Three New Rings of Power Cast Members? Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear and Tanya Moodie
- Who are the Three Witches Trying to Rescue Sauron?
- Rings of Power season 2 Reportedly Wraps Filming
- Nenya will Appear in The Rings of Power season 2
- Will We see Shelob in The Rings of Power season 2?
- How Celeborn Could Appear in The Rings of Power season 2
- Will The Rings of Power be at San Diego Comic-Con?
- How are Hobbits and Harfoots Different?
- Who is Galadriel?
- What are Noldor Elves?
- Who are “Durin’s Folk”?
- What are the Seven Dwarf-Lord Rings?
- How did Humans come to Middle-Earth?
- Who is High King Gil-Galad?
- What are Sindar Elves?
- What is Hobbit Day?
- Finding all the Lord of the Rings at New York Comic Con
There’s a struck work project surrounding another significant subsection of human beings in Middle-Earth. During this time of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike Studios and the AMPTP are playing hardball and utterly refusing to negotiate in a meaningful way with the Screen Actors Guild. It’s ironic, in light of this, these same Studios and members of the AMPTP are moving back big name project release dates since actors and talent promoting them across social media are a cornerstone of contemporary marketing plans. While this feature will in no way delve into the struck work project or offer any information/theories/et cetera I want to acknowledge, as a member of SAG-AFTRA, the current state of this project while giving context as to why I think the Rohirrim are an important subject to inform you about.
TL;DR the “Rohirrim” are the people of Rohan. The name translates directly to Horse-Lords which, if you are familiar with The Lord of the Rings in any way, shape, or form, make complete and total sense. As with many people or groups of people in Tolkien lore we can’t just stop with two names.
No. No.
The first king who brought these human beings south into the grasslands of Rohan was King Eorl the Young. Thus, the Rohirrim often refer to themselves as Eorlingas as well. In The Two Towers King Théoden uses the name to rally his troops to him:
“Arise now, arise, Riders of Théoden!
Dire deeds awake, dark it is eastward.
Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!
Forth Eorlingas!”
In The Two Towers Tolkien goes on to describe the Rohirrim as follows:
They are proud and wilful, but they are true-hearted, generous in thought and deed; bold but not cruel; wise but unlearned, writing no books but singing many songs, after the manner of the children of Men before the Dark Years.
The Rohirrim are spread over a vast section of geography and there are even different names among subgroups. Those Rohirrim who live in the Westfold (yes, I know exactly the quote playing in your brain right now!), refer to themselves as Helmingas. The last king of the first line of Kings of Rohan was King Helm in the Westfold and they seem themselves as meaningfully descended of him.
Riders of Rohan, Riders of the Mark, and King’s Riders are also names you’ll read tossed around for groups we see prominently throughout The Lord of the Rings and J.R.R. Tolkien’s extended Middle-Earth canon.
While one group of human beings in Middle-Earth undertook an act of bravery and were gifted with
Númenor as their home by the Valar, the group of human beings who didn’t go to Númenor left their Northern home became the people of Rohan we know and love. The land was originally known as Calenardhon and was subsequently renamed Rohan ahead of the events of The Lord of the Rings. They built a few large city, including the capital Edoras, but continued to live a semi-nomadic lifestyle dedicated to their horses and calling small villages their home.
From the time of the establishment of Rohan the Rohirrim remained largely friendly and allied with Gondor. A good chunk of the history of Rohan Tolkien writes about in The Lord of the Rings comes from Faramir, a Gondorian. It is safe to assume the history presented by Faramir, as trustworthy and honest as he is, is oversimplified.
Rohirrim are blonde, tall, blue-eyed and largely Nordic. Given Tolkien’s affinity for Scandanavian folktales (if you’ve slept on his translation of Beowulf what are you even doing with your life!?), it is easy to see the love he has for these people.
