Province of Enedwaith (Arnor-Gondor)
The Province of Enedwaith of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor is a territory directly under the High King of the West. In the first three centuries of the Fourth Age, Gondor has been the actual seat of the High King and the most developed part of the vast realm of the Men of the West.
Enedwaith refers to both a region of Middle-earth between Arnor and Gondor, and the men that inhabit it; the region Enedwaith retained that name even when the Enedwaith people were no more. The name Enedwaith means "(region of the) middle folk": in Sindarin from enedh meaning "middle" and gwaith which means "people".
Contents
Geography
Enedwaith can be defined as the region between Arnor and the northern parts of Gondor, and is nominally shared by both, although it was not settled by the Dúnedain until the Fourth Age.
The boundaries of the Enedwaith are defined in the north by the rivers Gwathló and Glanduin, to the east by the Misty Mountains, and to the west by Belegaer. The southern border is formed by the river Isen. While coasts and vales do have some forested areas, central Enedwaith is mostly grassland. Dunland, a place of many hills and vales, sits in the southeast corner of this region. It is said foul things still inhabit the the dark secret places of the mountains. Although the terrain is hilly, rocky in places near the foothills, and scattered with forests, the overall fertility is quite good.
The region consists of several distinct parts. The coastal regions, and vales of Gwathló and of the Angren/Isen, make up the lowlands, while central and interior territories are more elevated. Middle in both latitude and longitude, Enaid Talathor (meaning "Central Highlands") extends between Emyn Daer and the slopes of the Misty Mountains. The vale of the Dunafonhir, the main tributary of the Gwathló, cuts the highlands and marks the border between the northen Enedwaith and the great plains.
Only three small coastal rivers escape the watersheds of the river Gwathló-Glanduin and the river Angren.
North-South Road
The North-South Road is the major road in the West built by the Númenóreans from the Second Age; it links the northern kingdom of Arnor with the southern kingdom of Gondor. It runs south from Fornost Erain in the far north, southward for hundreds of leagues through Eriador. It then crosses Tharbad on the Gwathló, where it crosses the river to traverse Enedwaith. From then on, the North Road becomes the Old South Road in Dunland and arrives to Pelargir under the name of Great West Road.
History
During the First and early Second Age Enedwaith was deeply forested, but the arrival of the timber-hungry Númenóreans, from the seventh century of the Second Age onwards, devastated the landscape.
The original Enedwaith themselves were forest dwellers, scattered communities without central leadership. The Enedwaith were not ranked as Middle Men, but were among the "people of darkness", enemies and aliens.
The denuded forests of Enedwaith, and much of those to the north in Eriador, were finally destroyed by the War of the Elves and Sauron around S.A. 1700, during which much of what had survived the felling was burnt. Many surviving natives took refuge in the eastern highlands of Enedwaith, the foothills of the Misty Mountains, which ultimately became Dunland.
Enedwaith formed the most northern part of the new Kingdom of Gondor, at least officially. However, following the Great Plague in T.A. 1636 the region fell quickly into decay and wild fenlands. During the Fourth Age the area of Enedwaith has undergone quite some change. With the re-establishment of Arnor, much trade came through Enedwaith and, with it, settlers of the Reunited Kingdom. Even some of the less-hardened Dunlendings moved northward and settled parts of northern Enedwaith.
The Return of the King
In T.A. 3020, Enedwaith was formally annexed directly to the Reunited Kingdom and a thin flow of colonists and settlers penetrated in the central regions. Median decades of the Fo.A. I Century were marked by both a re-colonisation effort, aimed to re-settle at least the most important northern cities and roads, as well as Enedwaith main strong-places (like Tharbad and Isengard) and a series of military campaigns.
With the re-establishment of Arnor, much trade came through Enedwaith and, with it, settlers of the Reunited Kingdom. Even some of the less-hardened Dunlendings moved northward and settled parts of northern Enedwaith.
During the I Century of the Fourth Age, Aragorn II supervised the progressive establishment of colonies filled with veterans of his wars along the route of the North-South Road, especially in Enedwaith between Tharbad and the Fords of Isen. Each of these colonies functions as both settlement of civilised men and potential garrisons ready to stand by. Initially these centres consisted of 3-400 retired soldiers and their families, but by early Fo.A. II Century the number increased. Such military colonies are designed to serve, and have actually served, as a potential reserve of veterans which can be called about during times of emergency. After the founding generation has passed away, the new town or village serves as cultured and civilized place and as local chief settlement.
Towards the end of the Fo.A. I Century, Dúnedain and other Men were encouraged to settle in the ancient cities of the North Kingdom. Some stopped and built their farms and small villages in Enedwaith and in Minhiriath, where towns were nearly non-existent and a man could do as he pleased with little or no oversight from authorities.
After some unrest and due the lack of interest of Rohirrim elite to integrate Dunlending peoples, Dunland was transferred from Rohan to the Reunited Kingdom in Fo.A. 112 as autonomous province. The following year, it was was added to Enedwaith.
The Great Dunland Revolt
In Fo.A. 132, a vast revolt erupted in Dunland. Dunlending tribes and clans had been resisting to the flow of other middlemen immigrants from Gondor and to Rohirrim slow erosion of their lands. The revolt was also due to the traditional resentment against Dúnadan rule and Dúnedain at large. When the Reunited Kingdom moved its troops south after a major Haradrim incursion, Dunlendings came out of their homelands and seized that which they had always coveted since the downfall of Saruman and the breaking of Isengard - the rich lands of Nan Curunír holding the Treegarth of Orthanc. The initial wave of the revolt swept away Dúnadan outposts and the few, reduced military garrisons left in the region. High King Eldarion was on a joint Rohan-West prolonged campaign in the East with most of garrison forces, and therefore by late Fo.A. 133, rebels not only controlled Dunland, but also conquered the Gap of Rohan and laid siege to Isengard.
In early Fo.A. 134, Eldarion staged his counter-offensive. At the Battle of the Fords of Isen, a large infantry force defeated Dunlending hordes, thus clearing the Gap of Rohan; few days later, a robust force broke through the Dunlending fortifications and invaded Dunland from the East. At the same time Gondorian forces crossed the Isen at Wulfcert. The two forces met at Galtrev. By the end of Fo.A 134, southern regions was subjugated again. In spring of Fo.A. 135 a Dunlending force coming from the north was defeated at some costs, but this marked the end of Dunlending reserves. In summer Fo.A. 135, a force from Tharbad invaded northern Dunland and, in a few months, reconquered most of the rebellious territory. By early Fo.A. 137, the revolt was quelled down.
Being wise and wisely advised, Eldarion choose to not punish rebels too severely. Main rebek chieftains were executed, and most of castles and tribal fortresses were demolished, but the main consequence of the revolt was the establishment of several fortified colonies at Dunland's borders.
Population
Enedwaith is mainly populated by Men inferior to Middle Men. Until the Fourth Age, two groups survived in Enedwaith: the Dunlendings in the far east, and a the Algraig, a fairly numerous but barbarous fisher-folk, on the coast. During the early centuries of the Fourth Age, both Dunlendings and Algraig stabilised their wanderings, influenced by the expanding civilisation of Gondor.
Starting from the return of the King and the establishment of the Reunited Kingdom, Enedwaith was reclaimed and some colonies and permanent garrisons were formed along the North-South Road, being populated by soldiers, as well as discharged soldiers and Men of Gondor, whose people has multiplied exceedingly since the end of the War of the Ring.
Although Tharbad belongs to Minhiriath in the Kingdom of Arnor, it is a reference point for the northern Enedwaith. The city and its surroundings (even those lands belonging to Enedwaith) have developed over the centuries of the Fourth Age a merchant culture, similar to its ancient attitude before the flooding of T.A. 2912. Due to the mixture of ancient and fresh waves of population, a "regional" identity has not yet developed.
Government
The Province of Enedwaith is governed according a peculiar system: the Lord Lieutenant o Enedwaith is the representative of the sole High King of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor (conceptually separated from the Kings of Gondor and of Arnor); he is always a military officer, holding also the title of District Commander of the military district of Enedwaith. Therefore, the task of mustering, supplying and handling Enedwaith forces falls over one man. In his capacity of district commander, he is subordinated to the Host Leader of the Annúminas Host (Dagarim Annúminas).
The Lord Lieutenant is also assisted by three civilian senior officials: the chief judge (Badhor) for justice-related matters, the Chartulary for civil government affairs and the treasurer (Maenor) for the limited fiscal matters. Each of these officials, is in charge of the relevant bureaucracies.
