An encyclopedia of Middle-earth and Numenor

Fell Winter

Sources:
The Fellowship of the Ring: "A Knife in the Dark," p. 189; "The Ring Goes South," p. 301-2
Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 370

Fourth Age

The Hobbits of the Shire, however, had a different system. For the most part they ignored they change of Ages and continued to use their own Shire Reckoning. But in their view, the Fourth Age began in 3022 on 2 Yule, which was the first day of their year. The different methods used in Gondor and the Shire can lead to a discrepancy of one year in calculating Fourth Age dates. (See also the Note on Dates.)

The Fourth Age was characterized by the rise to prominence of the race of Men. The Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor were reunited and Aragorn was crowned as King Elessar. The Reunited Kingdom flourished under his rule. The population of Minas Tirith increased, and the northern cities of Annuminas and Fornost were inhabited once more.

Rohan also prospered at the dawn of the Fourth Age under the rule of King Eomer and his son Elfwine. Dale was an independent realm under the protection of the Reunited Kingdom. The Men of Rhun and Harad were at peace with the Reunited Kingdom, although there were some pockets of unrest which King Elessar and King Eomer subdued.

Although Sauron had been defeated and never returned, evil was not eradicated from the world. There were most likely wars and conflicts among Men during the Fourth Age, and one source (HoME XII, p. 409-21) suggests that dissension arose within the Reunited Kingdom as early as the reign of Elessar's son Eldarion.

King Elessar died in 120. His son Eldarion's reign may have lasted until around 220. It was foretold that Eldarion's realm would be great and that it would endure under the rule of his descendants for a hundred generations of Men. It was also said that his descendants would rule many realms in the future. (HoME XII, p. 218)

But as Men became the dominant race in Middle-earth, other races began to diminsh, most notably the Elves. Many Elves had become weary of life in Middle-earth and yearned for the Undying Lands. Some left before the War of the Ring, and more departed after the destruction of the One Ring caused the Three Rings to lose their power to preserve beauty and slow the decay of time.

The Elves sailed westward in ships from the Grey Havens. Galadriel and Elrond - the bearers of Nenya and Vilya - embarked from the Grey Havens on the last day of the Third Age along with Gandalf - the bearer of Narya - and Bilbo and Frodo Baggins who had borne the One Ring. Many Elves accompanied them, and others followed.

But the Elves did not all leave Middle-earth immediately, and some chose not to leave at all. There were several communities of Elves in Middle-earth in the early part of the Fourth Age. In northern Greenwood - formerly Mirkwood - the Wood-elves led by Thranduil thrived for many years. Thranduil's son Legolas led a group of Elves from Greenwood to Ithilien where they restored the land to its former beauty. After King Elessar's death in 120, Legolas sailed West accompanied by his friend Gimli the Dwarf.

Celeborn stayed in Lothlorien for a while and even expanded the realm across the Anduin, but he left for Rivendell after a short time and the population of Lothlorien dwindled. At Rivendell, a number of High-elves lived along with Elrond's sons Elladan and Elrohir well into the Fourth Age. At some point Celeborn joined Galadriel in the Undying Lands. He was among the last Elves to leave Middle-earth. It was said that Cirdan waited at the Grey Havens to accompany the Last Ship into the West.

Eventually the Elves who remained in Middle-earth began to physically fade until they were no longer wholly visible to mortal eyes. These faded Elves, known as Lingerers, might on rare occasions reveal themselves to the minds of mortals, but for the most part they would "wander houseless in the world, unwilling to leave it and unable to inhabit it, haunting trees or springs or hidden places that once they knew." (HoME X, p. 223) How long this fading process took and whether it occurred during the Fourth Age or afterwards is unclear.

The Dwarves and the Hobbits also had communities that continued into the Fourth Age though they too eventually declined. The Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain continued to prosper, and Dwarves also lived in the Blue Mountains. Gimli led a group of Dwarves to the Glittering Caves in the White Mountains. It was said that in time there was a King named Durin VII who reclaimed Moria and reestablished the great realm of Khazad-dum which endured "until the world grew old and the Dwarves failed and the days of Durin's race were ended." (HoME XII, p. 278)

The Shire was made a Free Land under the protection of the North-kingdom in the year 6 of the Fourth Age and King Elessar decreed that Men could not go there. The Hobbits were not completely removed from the affairs of the outside world, however. In the year 13, the Mayor, the Thain, and the Master of Buckland - at that time Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, and Meriadoc Brandybuck - became Counsellors of the North-kingdom.

The Shire continued to be a place of peace and prosperity for many years. The Westmarch was added to the Shire in the year 31. The land became even more rich and fertile after Sam made use of the soil from Lothlorien given to him by Galadriel. Many strong and healthy Hobbit children had been born just before the end of the Third Age in 3020, the Great Year of Plenty.

At some point, however, despite the edict of King Elessar, the Shire was absorbed into the realm of Men just as the rest of the world was. Hobbits continued to live in the region but they avoided contact with Men and were seldom seen. It is not known whether this happened during the Fourth Age or at a later time.

The length of the Fourth Age is unknown. The Second and Third Ages were both over 3,000 years long. In Letter #211, Tolkien speculated that subsequent Ages may have been increasingly shorter. He suggested that the gap between the end of the Third Age and the present day was about 6,000 years and that the current Age is either the end of the Sixth or the early Seventh.

The First, Second, and Third Ages all ended with wars that had a profound impact on Middle-earth. Whether the Fourth Age also ended with a war or other cataclysmic event is not known. One source says that the realm of Eldarion's descendants would last "until a new age brought in again new things." (HoME XII, p. 245) This could indicate that the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor ceased to exist at the end of the Fourth Age. And since the Kingdom supposedly lasted 100 generations, that would correspond with the Fourth Age being between 2,000 and 3,000 years long.

Names & Etymology:
Also called the New Age. The Fourth Age was the beginning of the Younger Days. The Elder Days were the period before Morgoth's defeat at the end of the First Age, while the Second and Third Ages were referred to as the Middle Days.

Sources:
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Prologue," p. 10-11, 23-25; "The Shadow of the Past," p. 52, 54; "The Council of Elrond," p. 272; "The Mirror of Galadriel," p. 380
The Return of the King: "The Last Debate," p. 156; "The Steward and the King," p. 246-47, 249; "Many Partings," p. 258; "The Grey Havens," p. 309
Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings: "The House of Eorl," p. 351-52; "Durin's Folk," p. 360, 362
Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 363, 365, 375, 377-78
Appendix D of The Lord of the Rings: "The Calendars," p. 390
Appendix F of The Lord of the Rings: "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age," p. 415-16
The Silmarillion: "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," p. 303-4
The History of Middle-earth, vol. X, Morgoth's Ring: "Laws and Customs among the Eldar," p. 223-25; "Myths Transformed," p. 427
The History of Middle-earth, vol. IX, Sauron Defeated: "The Epilogue," p. 124
The History of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Heirs of Elendil," p. 218; "The Tale of Years of the Third Age," p. 244-45; "The Making of Appendix A," p. 278; "The New Shadow," p. 409-21
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letters #131, #144, #211, #244, #338

Great Year of Plenty

Sam Gamgee had planted saplings to replace felled trees and had spread the Lady Galadriel's gift of soil from her garden throughout the Shire. In the spring of 1420, the trees began to grow and the mallorn seed Sam had planted in the Party Field sprouted and bloomed with golden flowers. Harvests of fruits and grains were rich and plentiful. The barley crop in the Northfarthing yielded the finest beer any Hobbit had ever tasted. Pipe-weed, which had all but disappeared from the Shire during the War, was reaped in great quantities.

The weather was fine with a perfect measure of sun and rain. There was little illness and much happiness.

Many children were born and begotten during the Great Year of Plenty. They were fair and strong and many had golden hair, which had been rare among Hobbits. One of the fairest was Elanor the Fair, conceived shortly after the marriage of Sam Gamgee and Rose Cotton in May of 1420 and born on the anniversary of Sauron's downfall on March 25, 1421.

Sources:
The Return of the King: "The Grey Havens," p. 303-304
Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 377

Long Winter

Rohan was already under siege by invaders from the East and by the Dunlendings led by Wulf. Wulf took over Edoras and King Helm of Rohan took refuge with many of his people in the Hornburg and the ravine behind, which became known as Helm's Deep. Then winter came and snow covered the land for five months.

The Rohirrim sufferred from cold and starvation. King Helm's son Hama led an expedition from the Hornburg and perished in the snow. Helm himself left the Hornburg many times clad in white and slew his enemies in their camps, but one day he did not return. His frozen body was found standing on the Dike. When the winter ended, Helm's nephew Frealaf took Edoras back from Wulf and expelled the Dunlendings. The spring floods turned the vale of the Entwash into a fen, and the Eastern invaders died or retreated.

In the Shire, many thousands of Hobbits died during the harsh winter and the resulting famine that lasted until 2760. Gandalf came to the aid of the Hobbits and it was during this time that the Wizard's fondness for the Shire-folk grew. He was impressed by their courage and their pity for one another in the face of great hardship. Gandalf recalled these qualities when he decided to bring the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins along on the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug in 2941.

Sources:
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Prologue: Concerning Hobbits," p. 14
Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings: "The House of Eorl," p. 347-48
Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 369
The Annotated Hobbit: "Appendix A: The Quest of Erebor," p. 370

Months of the Year

Afteryule

Names & Etymology:
Afteryule was so-called because it began after the Yule holiday. In Bree and in the Eastfarthing, the month was called Frery, from the Old English fréorig meaning "freezing, cold."

The Quenya name for the first month of the year was Narvinyë; the Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Narwain. The Elvish names mean "new sun." The word nar or naur means "fire," used in the name for the Sun - Anar (Quenya) or Anor (Sindarin). The word vinyë means "new" in Quenya; the Sindarin equivalent is gwain.
 

Solmath

Names & Etymology:
Solmath was sometimes written as Somath and was usually pronounced that way. The name Solmath is derived from Solmonað - the Old English name for February. Solmonað means "mud month" from sol meaning "mud" and monað meaning "month." This is most likely a reference to the month's tendency to muddy weather. The name was the same in Bree.

The Quenya name for the month - also used in the Common Speech - was Nénimë and the Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Nínui. These names both mean "watery." Again, this is most likely a reference to the month's weather.
 

Rethe

Names & Etymology:
The name Rethe is derived from the Old English name for March, which was Hreðe or Hreðmonað, apparently after the goddess Hreða to whom the early Anglo-Saxons performed sacrifices during this month. The name Rethe was also used in Bree.

The Quenya name - used in the Common Speech - was Súlimë, and the Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Gwaeron. The Elvish names are derived from the words meaning "wind" - sûl in Quenya and gwaew in Sindarin - and are most likely a reference to the month's windy weather.
 

Astron

The sixth day of Astron became a holiday in the Shire in the Fourth Age. Hobbits in the Westfarthing, particularly those living around Hobbiton Hill, celebrated and danced in the Party Field on 6 Astron. This custom may have developed because 6 Astron was Sam Gamgee's birthday, or because it was the first day of the Elves' New Year, or because the mallorn tree in the Party Field first blossomed on that day in 1420 - or possibly for all these reasons.

In the New Reckoning developed in Gondor in the Fourth Age, April became the first month of the year, but the Hobbits did not adopt the new calendar and thus it remained the fourth month in Shire Reckoning.

Names & Etymology:
The name Astron is derived from the Old English name for April, which was Eostermonað. The month was named for the goddess Eostre, who was honored with feasts during this month. The word Easter is also derived from this name.

In Bree and in the Eastfarthing, April was called Chithing. The meaning of this name is uncertain, but it may be related to the Old English cíþ meaning "seed, germ, shoot" in reference to the growth of new plants in the month of April.

The meanings of the Elvish names are also uncertain. The Quenya name was Víressë, also used in the Common Speech, and the Sindarin name was Gwirith, also used by the Dunedain. These names appear to be derived from the root wiri, which is undefined. It has been speculated that it may mean "budding" but this definition is unverified. An earlier alternate Quenya name for April was Ertuilë, which means "first spring."
 

Thrimidge

Names & Etymology:
Thrimidge was also written as Thrimich or, archaically, as Thrimilch. The name Thrimidge is derived from Ðrimeolce or Ðrimilcemonað - the Old English name for May. The name means "month of three milkings" because at this time of year cows produced abundant milk and had to be milked three times a day. The month was also called Thrimidge in Bree.

The Quenya name - also used in the Common Speech - was Lótessë, and the Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Lothron. These names are derived from the word lótë or loth meaning "flower" in reference to the many blossoming flowers in May.
 

Forelithe

Between the months of Forelithe and Afterlithe was the three-day Midsummer holiday called Lithe. In leap years, Lithe was four days long. These Lithedays were not part of either month.

Names & Etymology:
Forelithe was so called because it was before the holiday of Lithe. The name Lithe is derived from the Old English líða, which may have been the name for Midsummer. The word lithe means "mild, balmy" in relation to the weather. The Old English name for June was ærra Líða, or "before Litha."

In Bree, the month was called simply Lithe. In Quenya - also used in the Common Speech - it was Nárië, and in Sindarin - used by the Dunedain - it was Nórui. The Elvish names mean "sunny" from Anar (Quenya) or Anor (Sindarin) meaning the Sun.
 

Afterlithe

Afterlithe began after the Midsummer holiday called Lithe. The three Lithedays (four in leap years) fell between Forelithe and Afterlithe and were not considered part of either month.

Names & Etymology:
Afterlithe was named for its occurrence after the holiday of Lithe. (See Forelithe above.) The name corresponds to the Old English name for July, æftera Líða, or "after Litha." The name in Bree was Mede, meaning "meadow" from the Old English Maedmonað, or "meadow month" - an alternate name for July.

The Quenya name - used in the Common Speech - was Cermië, and the Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Cerveth. The meanings of these names are unknown.
 

Wedmath

Names & Etymology:
The name Wedmath is derived from the Old English Weodmonað, meaning "weed month," referring to the proliferation of weeds or grasses in this month. The same name was used in Bree.

Urimë was the Quenya name (used in the Common Speech) and Urui was the Sindarin name (used by the Dunedain). The root ur means "hot."
 

Halimath

Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins were both born on 22 Halimath - Bilbo in 2890 and Frodo in 2968. In the Fourth Age, Frodo's birthday was celebrated as a holiday named Ringday, or Cormare. On the adjusted calendar of the New Reckoning - used in the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor - this holiday fell on the 30th day of the month, which was called Yavannie in the Common Speech. The extra day of leap year came after Ringday in the New Reckoning.

The Hobbits did not adopt the calendar of the New Reckoning, nor is there any record of celebrations in the Shire on 22 Halimath.

Names & Etymology:
The name Halimath is derived from the Old English Haligmonað, meaning "holy month." This may be a reference to harvest rituals performed in this month. The name of the month in Bree was Harvestmath, meaning "harvest month."

The Quenya name - used in the Common Speech - was Yavannië, and the Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Ivanneth. These names refer to Yavanna, the Vala of growing things, whose name means "giver of fruits."
 

Winterfilth

Like all months on the Shire calendar, Winterfilth had 30 days.

Names & Etymology:
Winterfilth means "winter filling," the filling or completion of the year before winter. This dates back to the time when Winterfilth was the last month of the Hobbits' year. The month was called Wintring in Bree.

The Quenya equivalent was Narquelië, which was also used in the Common Speech. The Sindarin name was Narbeleth and was used by the Dunedain. Both names mean "sun waning." The word nar means "fire" and Anar is the name of the Sun. The Quenya word quellë and the Sindarin equivalent beleth mean "fading, waning."
 

Blotmath

Names & Etymology:
Blotmath was pronounced like "Blodmath" or "Blommath." The name Blotmath is derived from blodmonað (or blodmonath), the Old English name for November, meaning "sacrifice month." The name was apparently a reference to the sacrifices of cattle that were performed during this month in Anglo-Saxon times. (Note that there is no indication anywhere that Hobbits ever performed similar sacrifices!) Blotmath was called Blooting in Bree.

The Quenya equivalent was Hísimë, which was also used in the Common Speech. The Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Hithui. The Elvish names mean "misty" possibly in reference to the weather of that month.
 

Foreyule

The Midwinter holiday of Yule came after the month of Foreyule. The two main Yuledays were not part of the month of Foreyule nor of the following month of Afteryule. The first Yuleday was the last day of the year. There was an extended holiday period called Yuletide which included the last two days of Foreyule and the first two days of Afteryule.

Names & Etymology:
Foreyule was so called because it was before the Yule holiday. This corresponds to the Old English name ærra Geola, or "before Yule." The name in Bree and the Eastfarthing was Yulemath or "Yule month."

The Quenya name - used in the Common Speech - was Ringarë, and the Sindarin name - used by the Dunedain - was Girithron. The Quenya word ring means "cold" and the Sindarin word girith means "shuddering."
 

Sources (for all months):
Appendix D of The Lord of the Rings: "The Calendars," p. 384 (Shire Calendar), 385-88, 390
The Silmarillion: "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names," entries for girith, hith, nar, ring, yave
The History of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," entries for KWEL, LOT(H), NAR, UR
The History of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Calendars," p. 134-35, 139
Archives of the Tolkien Language discussion group
Hiswelókë's Sindarin Dictionary
The Anglo-Saxon Year
Old English Made Easy

Tweens

When Frodo Baggins was in his tweens he was adopted by his cousin Bilbo. Pippin Took was still in his tweens at age 28 when he accompanied Frodo on his quest.

Names & Etymology:
The word tweens is derived from between and is a play on the word teens.

Sources:
The Fellowship of the Ring: "A Long-Expected Party," p. 29; "The Shadow of the Past," p. 52

Wandering Days

Around the year 1050 of the Third Age, the Harfoot branch of Hobbits crossed the Misty Mountains into Eriador and came as far west as Weathertop. In 1150, the Fallohides crossed into Eriador north of Rivendell and came down the River Hoarwell. The Stoors also came to Eriador around this time, travelling down the Loudwater to the Angle or farther south to Dunland.

The Lord of the Nazgul came to Eriador around 1300 and established the realm of Angmar at the foot of the Misty Mountains. As evil things multiplied, the Hobbits moved farther west into Eriador and began to settle in ordered communities. The most important of these was at Bree.

The Stoors left the Angle around 1356 and some crossed back over the Misty Mountains to settle near the Anduin in Wilderland. It was from this group that Deagol and Smeagol were descended.

In 1601, a large group of Hobbits led by Marcho and Blanco left Bree and relocated west of the Brandywine River. They were granted permission to settle the lands beyond as far as the Far Downs by King Argeleb II. The Stoors from Dunland joined them in 1630. This land was called the Shire and it became the permanent homeland of the Hobbits for the rest of the Third Age and beyond.

Sources:
The Fellowship of the Ring: "Prologue - Concerning Hobbits," p. 11-13
Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 366-67
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #214

Watchful Peace

During the Watchful Peace, Gondor was free from attacks by Sauron's minions. The Nazgul remained quiet in Minas Morgul. The Dunedain of the North also had peace for a time.

Over the course of four centuries, Gondor's defenses began to relax. The forts along the Anduin guarding Gondor's eastern front were neglected. In the west, garrisons were no longer maintained at Isengard and Aglarond - two strongholds guarding the Gap between the Misty Mountains and the White Mountains.

Sauron returned to Dol Guldur in 2460 and the Watchful Peace ended. Evil creatures had already begun to trouble the north, while attacks on Gondor resumed soon afterwards. In 2475, Ithilien was invaded by Uruks from Mordor. Around 2480, Orcs repopulated Moria and other strongholds in the Misty Mountains. In 2510, Men from Rhun called the Balchoth took advantage of the lightly guarded forts along the Anduin and crossed the river en masse. Only the coming of the Eotheod led by Eorl helped Gondor defeat the Balchoth in the Battle of the Field of Celebrant.

Despite that victory, Gondor remained under constant threat from the end of the Watchful Peace until Sauron was finally defeated in 3019.

Names & Etymology:
Although this period was called the Watchful Peace, it seems that Gondor's watchfulness actually declined during this time.

Sources:
Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings: "The North-kingdom and the Dunedain," p. 323; "The Stewards," p. 333
Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings: "The Tale of Years," p. 368
Unfinished Tales: "Cirion and Eorl," p. 296; "The Battles of the Fords of Isen," p. 370-71

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