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Tharbad

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"The Ruins of Tharbad" by Rob Alexander
Ford/town
Tharbad
General Information
LocationEriador, on the Gwathló river
TypeFord/town
People and History
InhabitantsMen
GalleryImages of Tharbad

Tharbad was a ford[1] and fortified town[2][3][4] at the river Gwathló on the southern border of Eriador[5].

Geography

Tharbad was located on the southern border of Eriador a few miles downstream from the confluence of the river Hoarwell and the river Glanduin, which formed the river Gwathló.[6] The lower part of the river Glanduin was a fenland called the Swanfleet and the natural state of the upper Gwathló near Tharbad was a slow, wide river that spread into a fenland.[7] Ships with a smaller draught could be sailed or rowed up the Gwathló as far as Tharbad.[8]

The land around Tharbad was later drained, and dykes were built to construct a great port[9] for seagoing ships,[10] a bridge,[7] forts on great earthworks on both sides of the river to guard the bridge[10], and long causeways on both sides of the Gwathló and Mitheithel on which the road ran to the bridge of Tharbad[7].

After its construction by the Númenóreans, the North-South Road crossed the river Gwathló at Tharbad.[6]

History

Second Age

In the early Second Age, the river Glanduin was the southern border of the Noldorin realm of Eregion.[7]

Before the year S.A. 800, Aldarion, the son of King Tar-Meneldur of Númenor, built the haven Vinyalondë – which means "New Haven" in Quenya – at the mouth of the river Gwathló as a point where he could obtain timber and repair his ships in Middle-earth. This was because his father had decreed a curb on the felling of trees in Númenor for the purpose of shipbuilding.[11]

After he took the sceptre in S.A. 883[12], the King of Númenor, Tar-Aldarion traveled up the River Gwathló as far as Tharbad and met Galadriel there.[13] It is not known if Tharbad was just a ford or if somebody already settled at Tharbad at the time of their meeting.

The Númenóreans constructed a small harbour at the river's estuary to exploit the local timber: , 'the New Haven', which was later called Lond Daer[14].

Before S.A. 1695,[15] the Númenóreans had devastated the forests below Tharbad by felling trees to obtain timber to build ships. The local population who had lived in those forests had initially been in awe of the Númenóreans, but had become hostile to them and attacked and ambushed them when the felling of trees became devastating. In return, the Númenóreans treated their attackers as enemies.[16] It is possible that the Númenóreans built the forts at the haven of Lond Daer and along the banks of the river Gwathló, because of those conflicts with the native population. The surviving native population fled from Enedwaith to the Misty Mountains in the east, and from Minhiriath to the dark woods of the cape of Eryn Vorn.[16].

After the invasion of Eriador by Sauron, the exiled native population who had previously lived in the forests along the Gwathló welcomed Sauron and hoped that he would defeat the Númenóreans. Sauron knew that the haven of Lond Daer and its shipyards were important to the Númenóreans. As a consequence, he used the exiled natives as spies and guides for his raiding parties who started fires in the woods and burned the great wood-stores of the Númenóreans.[15]

During the war in Eriador, Sauron did not have enough troops to spare for assaults on the forts of the Númenóreans at the haven of Vinyalondë and along the banks of the river Gwathló.[15] By S.A. 1700, Sauron had destroyed the Elven realm of Eregion and conquered all of Eriador except Rivendell, where he had left strong forces to prevent Elrond to attack him in the rear and had reached the river Lhûn, which was defended by the Elves of the realm of Lindon and by Númenórean forces that had been stationed in Lindon. Additional forces of Sauron approached from the south-east and were in Enedwaith at the crossing of Tharbad, which was only lightly held.[14] It is not known if there were Númenórean forts at the crossing of Tharbad or whether the crossing of Tharbad was lightly held by the Númenóreans or by forces of Sauron.

After a great fleet commanded by the Númenórean admiral Ciryatur landed with troops from Númenór in S.A. 1700, the forces of Sauron were defeated and driven back to the south-east to the river Baranduin. After another defeat at the Sarn Ford, they were driven back further to the south-east to the river Gwathló, where the forces of Sauron were reinforced by his force at Tharbad. However, Ciryatur had sent a part of his fleet to the haven of Lond Daer and landed a strong Númenórean force there that attacked the forces of Sauron in his rear in the Battle of the Gwathló.[14] It is not known if the forces of Sauron that had approached from the south-east were still on the southern bank of the river Gwathló in Enedwaith at Tharbad, or whether they had already crossed to the northern side of the river. It is also not known if the forces of Sauron that retreated from Sarn Ford had already crossed the river to its southern side at Tharbad and where at the Gwathló the Battle of the Gwathló took place. In the Battle of the Gwathló, the forces of Sauron were utterly routed and Sauron only barely managed to escape with a small force to Calenardhon.[14]

Tharbad is not mentioned in surviving records for more than 1600 years after the Battle of the Gwathló.

Late Second Age and Third Age

It is probable that Tharbad became part of the kingdom of Arnor in S.A. 3320, when the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor were founded. This is because in the earlier centuries of Arnor and Gondor[17][18][19], the region of Enedwaith between the Gwathló and the Isen belonged to neither of those two kingdoms[7], and the Gwathló was the eastern border of Arnor and the Isen was the western border of Gondor[20].

In the early days of the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor, a seaport where seagoing ships could dock was constructed and a fort was built on great earthworks on both sides of the Gwathló at Tharbad to protect the bridge.[10] Both kingdoms together constructed the bridge at Tharbad, and the long causeways on both sides of the Gwathló on which the North-South Road, the main route of transport between the two kingdoms except by sea, ran through the fens in Minhiriath and Enedwaith to the bridge.[7] By the year T.A. 2[21], the North-South-Road from Gondor to Arnor already existed, but Isildur, who was in haste, chose to take the shorter route north from Osgiliath up the Vales of Anduin to the High Pass over the Misty Mountains to return to the Elven refuge of Rivendell, where he had left his wife and his youngest son.[22].

Until the decay of Arnor, both kingdoms shared an interest in Enedwaith, but were mainly concerned with the maintenance of the North-South Road, the bridge at the fortified town of Tharbad, and of the long causeways on which the road ran.[7] There were no permanent settlements of people of Númenórean origin in Enedwaith,[7] except at Tharbad,[17][18][19] where a large garrison of soliders, mariners, engineers[7], and river-wardens were stationed.[17][18][19] In addition, drainage works were built and maintained, and the banks of the rivers Mitheithel and Gwathló were strengthened.[17][18][19]

When the Kingdom of Arnor was divided in T.A. 861,[23] Minhiriath, the region between the river Baranduin and the river Gwathló, became a part of Cardolan, one of the three successor states of Arnor.[24] As a consequence, Tharbad probably became a part of Cardolan.

From about T.A. 1150, the Stoors, a tribe of hobbits, migrated to and settled in[25] the area between Tharbad and the borders of Dunland,[26] but they left around 1630[27].

After the Great Plague spread north-west from Gondor in T.A. 1636,[28] most of the people of Cardolan died, especially in Minhiriath.[29] After that, Minhiriath was almost completely deserted,[30], but some survivors of the Plague continued to live in Tharbad. After the decay and receding of the kingdom of Arnor, which had originally included Minhiriath,[17][18][19] Enedwaith became a part of Gondor during the days of the Kings of Gondor. Like before, Gondor was mainly concerned with the maintenance and patrolling of the North-South-Road.[20] As a consequence, it is possible that the town of Tharbad became a part of Gondor. However, after the Great Plague of T.A. 1636, the region fell quickly into decay and turned back into wild fenlands long before the War of the Ring.[7]

The survivors of the Great Plague remained in Tharbad, and the North-South-Road continued to be an important trade route for hundreds of years. When the days of the kings in Arnor and Gondor ended between T.A. 1975 and 2050 after the fall of Arthedain in 1974 and the vanishing of the last king of Gondor Eärnur at Minas Morgul in T.A. 2050 and the decline of Gondor started, the nearby native Dunlendings, as well as the people left in Tharbad no doubt, ceased in fact to be subjects of Gondor, the North-South-Road was no longer maintained in Enedwaith, the bridge in Tharbad became ruinous so that the Gwathló had to be crossed at a ford at the former location of the bridge.[20]

After the Fell Winter of T.A. 2911[31] in T.A. 2912, Enedwaith and Minhiriath were devastated by great floods and Tharbad was ruined and deserted[32].

Over a century later in T.A. 3018,[33] the North-South Road no longer existed except for the crumbling remains of the causeways on both sides of the river, and the river was crossed by Boromir on a ford that was formed by the ruins of the bridge.[14] The ford was so dangerous[14] that Boromir lost his horse when he crossed the river at the ford.[34]

Before 22 September T.A. 3018, the Ringwraiths cross the Greyflood on their way to the Shire.[35]

On 27 September T.A. 3018 Gandalf crossed the Greyflood[36] with his horse Shadowfax at Tharbad.[37] Others occasionally crossed the ruined bridge - at their peril - including the Ringwraiths, servants and spies of Saruman, as well as the Rangers of the North who sought Aragorn in Rohan in 3019.

After the War of the Ring at the end of the Third Age, the North-kingdom of Arnor was reestablished by Aragorn II.[38] It is probable that the town of Tharbad and its bridge were rebuilt. Gandalf announced that the Greenway would be opened again, and that there would be people and fields where there was wilderness before and that there would be room enough for people between the Isen and the Greyflood.[39]

Etymology

Tharbad is a Sindarin name. It means "road-crossing".[4] It is composed of the elements thar ("across", "over") and pad ("walk", "step").[40] Its original meaning is said to have been "the Stepping Stones". Tharbad was originally a ford over which one could walk.[41] The name Tharbad was already used for the ford before the town was established.[1]

Portrayal in adaptations

Tharbad in The Lord of the Rings Online

2022: The Lord of the Rings Online:

First built by the Númenóreans as a ford and settlement, Tharbad has been rebuilt over the many centuries of its existence. Its position upon the river Gwathló marks the boundary between the Cardolan and Swanfleet regions: thus making it a landmark in both regions. It is also the dividing point between the Greenway and the Old South Road. The ruins are currently occupied by Orcs. An expedition of hopeful settlers from Bree-land camp nearby on the Cardolan side.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entry S pat-, p. 34
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "X. Of Dwarves and Men", "Notes", note 76
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Ring Goes South", p. 274
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, entry Tharbad, p. 15
  5. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", first paragraph, p. 1039
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer", discussion of the name Glanduin
  8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer", discussion of the name Gwathló, first paragraph
  9. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer", discussion of the name Gwathló, fifth paragraph
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer" discussion of the name Glanduin, Author's note
  11. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife"
  12. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "Notes", Chronology, second paragraph
  13. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", The Further Course of the Narrative, fourth paragraph
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn"
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer", discussion of the name Gwathló, fourth paragraph
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer", discussion of the name Gwathló, third paragraph
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Three. The World, its Lands, and its Inhabitants: XXII. The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor", p. 378
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 650
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 42, July 2001
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Battles of the Fords of Isen", "Appendix (ii)", note to the text, first paragraph
  21. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2, p. 1085
  22. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields", "Notes", note 6, p. 360
  23. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 861, p. 1085
  24. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain, first paragraph, p. 1039
  25. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 1150, p. 1085
  26. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "Prologue", "Concerning Hobbits", p. 3
  27. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year c. 1630, p. 1085
  28. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 1636, p. 1086
  29. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain, entry for king Argeleb II, p. 1041
  30. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer", discussion of the name Gwathló, second paragraph
  31. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2911, p. 1089
  32. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2912, p. 1089
  33. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3018, 4 July and 24 October
  34. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Farewell to Lórien", p. 374
  35. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3018, 22 September, the reach the Sarn Ford on that day, p. 1091
  36. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3018, 27 September, p. 1091
  37. ↑ Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 552 citing from The Hunt for the Ring, Marquette manuscript 4/2/33
  38. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur", p. 1042
  39. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Homeward Bound", p. 993
  40. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entries S thar- and S pad-, p. 34
  41. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entry S thar-, p. 34
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