Charting the Shire lines - Page 3
© Michael Martinez
Whatever the problems in Rhudaur, we know that the Hobbits migrated west in the year 1300, and that many settled at Bree. Bree was probably then much larger than at the end of the Third Age, and may have boasted a population of several thousand Men. But why would it be so attractive to the Hobbits? Undoubtedly because of the hill. Hobbits liked hills. More importantly, Hobbit chieftains would want to live in hills, even if their followers had to live out in the open.
The Weather Hills were a contested frontier. It would not be safe for the Hobbits to dwell there. The North Downs and the South Downs (in Cardolan) were apparently still held in force by the Dunedain themselves, or other Men. But Bree itself was located near other hills, such as the hills of Tyrn Gorthad. Hobbits may well have settled in both Arthedain and Cardolan, along with many Men from Rhudaur.
From 1300 to 1600 the fortunes of Arthedain rose and fell. In 1349 Argeleb I claimed lordship over both Rhudaur and Cardolan, because no more heirs of Isildur lived in either of those lands. The lords of Cardolan apparently accepted the claim, but Rhudaur had by now fallen into the hands of a lord of the hill-folk. So war broke out and Argeleb I was slain in battle in 1356. Arveleg rallied his people with help from Lindon and Cardolan and set up a frontier. There is no mention of Hobbits in these wars and they must not have played much part. In fact, it could be that the Hobbits didn't have a large population at the time.
Let us suppose that the Harfoots, who were the largest group, first migrated west from the Vales of Anduin because of war in their former lands. They had been accustomed to living with Edainic Men who, in exchange for food and trade, helped to defend them. The population may have suffered a decline. Then, when Rhudaur came under attack 250 years later, the Harfoots may have suffered great losses again. Although Rhudaur was not overrun, the sudden Hobbit migration out of Rhudaur seems rather alarming. The departure of the Harfoots and Fallohides may imply they suffered grievous losses in the initial war with Angmar.
The Stoors remained in the Angle until the year 1356. Their continued presence implies they felt relatively safe until the next war erupted. The Stoors either fled back east to the Vales of Anduin or south to Dunland. Why would any of them want to return to the Vales of Anduin, unless they felt they were in grave danger in Rhudaur? Apparently the influence of Angmar was very real and palpable. Suddenly the Stoors found themselves living under the rule of a hill-lord who was not as benevolent and friendly as the Dunadan kings had been, and he was allied with the Witch-king of the north.
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