Good Night, Good Rhudaur

So what made Rhudaur so important that Elendil sent people to colonize the region? Furthermore, why were the Dunedain never able to fully integrate with the local population? It must be that the hill-folk were neither friendly nor hostile to the Elves, but their lands were deemed strategically important to Gil-galad's realm. That is, prior to the founding of Arnor, Gil-galad's authority extended all the way to the Vales of Anduin. Gil-galad couldn't have simply ruled just the Elves of Eriador; he must also have been ruling the Men of Eriador. And that means he must have either been ruling the Men of Rhudaur, or he was preventing Men from settling there. When Isildur and Anarion founded Gondor, they probably used Pelargir as a base of operations. The city was an ancient royal haven of Numenor and most likely had a large population. But the Numenoreans had already spread out from Pelargir to colonize lands along the Anduin river. Isildur and Anarion built the city of Osgiliath upon a vast bridge farther up the river. The bridge itself had to connect roads, but there is no indication of where the roads led prior to the founding of the two cities of Minas Anor and Minas Ithil. Most likely there was a road leading north along Anduin's eastern bank from Pelargir which crossed the river at Osgiliath's location. This road then led through Anorien to Calenardhon and Cair Andros. There were probably scattered Numenorean settlements along the river. Isildur must have chosen to build Minas Ithil in the Ephel Duath to prevent incursions from Mordor. Sauron had left Middle-earth, but his creatures had not. And Anarion built Minas Anor against Mindolluin to defend Gondor against raids from the Men of Ered Nimrais. As Gondor felt threatened by its neighbors in the south, so Arnor may have felt threatened by its neighbors in the north. Isildur and Anarion built the fortresses of Angrenost (Isengard) and Aglarond (the Glittering Caves) to control the Gap of Calenardhon. These fortresses presented no strategic threat to armies invading Gondor from the east, but they could repel or at least delay forces advancing from Enedwaith down into Gondor, or forces attempting to march around the western end of the Ered Nimrais into Calenardhon. Arnor would rely upon Tharbad to contain the Gwathuirim of Enedwaith. Lond Daer Ened might have served a similar though less useful strategic purpose. Standing upon the southern shore of

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic