Теоден (Theoden) — различия между версиями

Версия 13:42, 22 января 2015

Биография

Теоден был Королём Рохана во время Войны за Кольцо. Он пал под влиянием Сарумана, но смог оправиться и начать войну против Айзенгарда. После этого, подобно своему предку Эорлу, Теоден откликнулся на призыв Гондора о помощи и вместе с войском выступил против сил Саурона в Битве на Пеленнорских Полях. Теоден погиб в сражении, но его люди помогли перевернуть ход сражения и победить.

Теоден родился в Гондоре в 2918 году Третьей Эпохи. Его отец Тенгель был женат на Морвен из Лоссарнаха - фьефа Гондора - и их семья жила в Гондоре до тех пор, пока Тенгель не стал Королём Рохана в 2953 году. Теодену было примерно пять лет, когда его семья вернулась в Рохан. У него была одна старшая сестра и трое младших. Самой младшей была Теодвин, которую он очень любил. Они жили в Золотом Зале Медусельда в Эдорасе, столице Рохана.

Теоден женился на Эльфхильд. Он умерла при рождении их единственного сына Теодреда в 2978 году.

В 2980 году Тенгель умер, и Теоден стал Королём Рохана в возрасте двадцати двух лет. Он был любим своим народом. Сначала он был сильным и здоровым правителем. Он выполнял обязанности Первого Маршала Марки и сам командовал Сбором Эдораса. Теоден был умелым всадником и часто выезжал из города со своими рыцарями. Он был вооружён древним мечом Херугримом. Рохан жил в мире, но над ним нависла тень из Мордора и Айзенгарда.

Главным Маршалом Теодена был Эомунд из Истфолда, муж Теодвин. Эомунд был убит во время налёта Орков в 3002 году. После этого Теодвин заболела и вскоре умерла. Теоден забрал их детей, Эомера и Эовин, в Медусельд. Теоден любил племянника и племянницу и вырастил их как собственных детей.

Теоден назначил своего сына Теодреда Вторым Маршалом Марки. Когда Эомер вырос, то стал Третьим Маршалом. Гарнизоном Эдораса и охраной королевского дома командовал Хама.

В начале 3014 года Теоден заболел. Он словно состарился раньше времени. Теодену было 66 лет, но Рохиррим часто доживали до восьмидесяти, да и Теоден до этого выглядел сильным и здоровым. Тогда было неизвестно, что послужило причиной болезни, но позже выяснилось, что Теоден замешан его советник Грима.

В тайне от Теодена и народа Рохана Грима был шпионом Сарумана, желающего захватить Рохан. Саруман использвал Гриму, чтобы ослабить Теодена и получить возможность атаковать Рохан. Болезнь Теодена могла быть частично вызвана естественными причинами, но усугублялась из-за ядов, которыми Грима отравлял Короля.

Но самого большого эффекта Грима добился с помощью своего красноречия. Разум Теодена был затуманен, и он стал зависеть от советов Гримы. Теоден стал редко покидать Медусельд и отдавал приказы через Гриму. Грима надеялся ослабить центральное командование и дискредитировать командиров Короля. Он надеялся на жажду власти у Эомера и его предательство, но Эомер и подчинённые ему командиры остались верными Теодену. Они делали всё возможное, чтобы снизить влияние Гримы и помешать ему, но не хотели идти против своего Короля.

19 сентября 3019 года Гэндальф Серый прибыл в Эдорас, но ему было отказано в аудиенции. На следующий день Теоден принял Гэндальфа. Гэндальф сообщил, что был в плену у Сарумана, и что Саруман готовится атаковать Рохан. Теоден не прислушался к Гэндальфу, но разрешил ему взять любую лошадь. Гэндальф выбрал Тенегрива, одного из породы меарас, потомка Феларофа, коня Эорла. Это разозлило Теодена, потому что на меарас ездили только Короли Рохана и их дети.

После отбытия Гэндальфа Рохан стали тревожить Орки, волчьи всадники и злые Люди, служащие Саруману. Крепость Сарумана Айзенгард находилась у Врат Рохана, и этот проход между Белыми и Туманными горами был закрыт для Рохиррим бдительностью Мага. Саруман объявил свою власть над Роханом, что было равнозначно объявлению войны.

Без какого-либо приказа со стороны Теодена его сын Теодред принял командование войсками Рохана и возглавил оборону. Саруман преследовал Теодреда, мешающего его планам. В феврале 3019 года Маг отправил войско с приказом убить Теодреда. В Первой Битве на Бродах Айзена 25 февраля позиции Теодреда постоянно атаковались, и в итоге он был убит.

Теоден получил весть о гибели сына 27 февраля. Она пришла от Эркенбранда из Вестфолда, который просил выслать на сражение с Саруманом Эомера и всех свободных Всадников. Но Грима сказал Теодену, что его войска должны оставаться в Эдорасе. Погруженный в собственное горе Теоден не возражал.

Эомер узнал, что отряд Орков вторгся в Рохан с Востока. Он опасался союза между Саруманом и Сауроном. Он попросил разрешения преследовать их, но по совету Гримы Теоден отказал. Эомер угрожал Гриме, которого подозревал в измене. Вопреки приказу Короля, он увёл свой эоред в погоню. Когда Эомер вернулся, его арестовали за нарушение приказа.

2 марта Гэндальф прибыл в Медусельд в сопровождении Арагорна, Леголаса и Гимли. Гэндальф открыл, что ныне он стал Гэндальфом Белым, и с помощью своей силы исцелил Теодена. Теоден вышел на открытый воздух. Он выпрямился без помощи палки и сказал, что чувствует себя обновлённым: "Темны были мои последние грёзы, но сейчас я словно вновь проснулся".

Затем к Королю привели Эомера, который отдал ему свой меч. Когда Теоден взялся за рукоять, силы вернулись в его руки. По совету Гэндальфа Теоден согласился вести Рохиррим на войну с Саруманом. Но когда Гэндальф посоветовал Теодену укрыться в Дунхарроу, Теоден отказался, сказав, что сам поведёт армию в бой:

"Нет, Гэндальф! Ты сам не ведаешь своего целительского мастерства. Всё будет не так. Я сам пойду на войну, чтобы пасть в сражении в первых рядах, если тому суждено случиться. Так я буду спать крепче".

The King called for every man and strong lad to arm themselves and make ready to depart. He named Eomer his heir and made him his first in command. Those who could not fight he left in the care of his niece Eowyn, who was to lead them to the refuge of Dunharrow. Theoden gave Grima the choice to either accompany the Rohirrim into battle or leave Edoras immediately. Grima spat at the King's feet and fled. Theoden gave Shadowfax to Gandalf in gratitude for freeing him from Grima's evil counsel. To Gimli he gave the shield he had used as a boy.

A force of over 1,000 Rohirrim set out from Edoras at two o'clock that afternoon. Theoden led them mounted on his horse Snowmane. The next day they encountered an errand-rider named Ceorl who told them that Erkenbrand had been defeated in the Second Battle of the Fords of Isen and was retreating with his men to Helm's Deep. Gandalf advised Theoden to lead his forces to Helm's Deep as well, while the Wizard rode toward Isengard on an unnamed errand.

As they rode through the Deeping-coomb, Theoden noted that Saruman's forces were approaching, burning the land and homesteads at they came. At Helm's Deep, Theoden learned that Erkenbrand had not yet arrived. He ordered all their forces behind the wall. Theoden and the men of his household entered the Hornburg while Eomer set up the defenses on the Deeping-wall.

The Battle of Helm's Deep began on the night of March 3. Saruman's forces assaulted the wall long into the night and at last they breached the wall using an explosive device. The Rohirrim retreated to the Hornburg where Theoden stood watching the battle.

Theoden did not want to remain trapped in the Hornburg. At dawn on March 4, he rode forth with Aragorn and his men. They charged down the Causeway and drove through Saruman's forces. Their enemies retreated before the King's charge, and in the Deeping-coomb they found a new forest of strange trees - Huorns of Fangorn Forest sent by Treebeard. Then Gandalf arrived with Erkenbrand and his men and the Orcs fled into the forest and were never seen again.

Hama, the Captain of Theoden's Household, had been slain defending the gate. Theoden cast the first earth on his grave.

Theoden sent word for a full muster of Rohan's forces to gather at Dunharrow, and then he rode with Gandalf to parley with Saruman at Isengard. As they passed through the forest of Huorns, Theoden saw Ents for the first time.

At Isengard, Theoden encountered another race he had heard of only in legend. The Hobbits Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took greeted the King at the gate. When Theoden expressed interest in the pipe that Merry was smoking, the Hobbit began to tell the King the history of pipe-weed, but there was not enough time.

Saruman tried to persuade Theoden to join with him by speaking flattering words in his enthralling voice. For a moment it seemed as if Theoden would be won over, but then he roused himself from the spell of the Wizard's voice and rejected his offer of peace.

"We will have peace. Yes, we will have peace, we will have peace when you and all your works have perished -- and the works of your dark master to whom you would deliver us. You are a liar, Saruman, and a corrupter of men's hearts. You hold out your hand to me, and I perceive only a finger of the claw of Mordor. Cruel and cold! Even if your war on me was just as it was not, for were you ten times as wise you would have no right to rule me and mine for your own profit as you desired -- even so, what will you say of your torches in Westfold and the children that lie dead there? And they hewed Hama's body before the gates of the Hornburg, after he was dead. When you hang from a gibbet at your window for the sport of your own crows, I will have peace with you and Orthanc. So much for the House of Eorl. A lesser son of great sires am I, but I do not need to lick your fingers. Turn elsewhither. But I fear your voice has lost its charm." The Two Towers: "The Voice of Saruman," p. 185-86 Gandalf broke Saruman's staff and cast him from the Order of Wizards, and he was left imprisoned in Orthanc. Theoden led his men back to Helm's Deep. There he made Merry Brandybuck his esquire, and Merry laid his sword on the King's lap and swore fealty to him. Gandalf and Pippin had ridden to Minas Tirith and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli chose to take the Paths of the Dead. Theoden invited Merry to ride beside him to Dunharrow and he gave his sword-thain a pony named Stybba.

At Dunharrow, a messenger named Hirgon gave Theoden the Red Arrow - a signal that Gondor needed the aid of the Rohirrim. Theoden oversaw the muster of Rohan the next morning. He left some of his forces to guard the strongholds of Rohan, and he set out for Gondor at the head of a force of 6,000 Riders.

Theoden left Eowyn in charge of those of his people who remained behind, and he released Merry from his service. But Eowyn and Merry were determined to ride into battle and they accompanied the Riders in secret.

In the Druadan Forest, Theoden met with Ghan-buri-Ghan, the leader of the Druedain. Ghan-buri-Ghan told the King that the road was watched and he agreed to lead the Rohirrim by a secret way to the Rammas Echor surrounding Minas Tirith. When they reached the outer wall, Theoden addressed his men.

"Now is the hour come, Riders of the Mark, sons of Eorl! Foes and fire are before you, and your homes far behind. Yet, though you fight upon an alien field, the glory that you reap there shall be your own for ever. Oaths ye have taken: now fulfil them all, to lord and land and league of friendship!" The Return of the King: "The Ride of the Rohirrim," p. 110 The Rohirrim charged onto the Pelennor Fields at dawn on March 15, and Theoden rode before them all. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Orome the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and the darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City. The Return of the King: "The Ride of the Rohirrim," p. 112-13 Theoden charged the main force of the Haradrim. He slew their chieftain with his spear and he hewed the standard-bearer with his sword and the Haradrim fled. Suddenly, the Lord of the Nazgul descended onto the field mounted on a Fell Beast. Theoden tried to stand his ground, but Snowmane was overcome with terror. The horse reared and was struck by a dart. Snowmane fell to the ground, crushing his master beneath him. The Fell Beast dug its claws into Snowmane, but Eowyn came to the defense of the fallen King. She slew the Fell Beast and then she and the King's esquire Merry Brandybuck vanquished the Lord of the Nazgul.

Merry went to the King's side and found that he still lived. Theoden told Merry to think of him whenever he smoked his pipe. He regretted that he could not see Eowyn one last time, not realizing that she lay gravely injured nearby. Then Eomer came, and Theoden passed his banner onto him, and with his dying words he said: "Hail, King of the Mark! Ride now to victory! Bid Eowyn farewell!" (RotK, p. 119)

Theoden was borne with honor into Minas Tirith and he was laid in state before the dais in the Hall of the Tower of Ecthelion. Twelve torches stood around him and he was guarded by twelve men of Rohan and of Gondor. His bed was draped in green and white and his body was covered with a cloth of gold. His sword lay on his breast and his shield was at his feet and he seemed at peace.

Theoden's body was later taken to a tomb in the Hallows, where he lay until after the downfall of Sauron. Aragorn told Eomer that Theoden could remain entombed with honor in Minas Tirith, but Eomer chose to bring his uncle home to be buried.

Theoden's funeral procession left Minas Tirth accompanied by his kin and the Fellowship as well as Queen Arwen, Faramir, Prince Imrahil, Galadriel, Celeborn, and Elrond and his sons. The King's body was laid on a golden bier and his esquire Merry rode with him bearing the King's arms. Theoden's funeral was on August 10. His burial mound was the eighth in the line on the eastern side of the Barrowfield. The King's minstrel Gleowine composed a song in Theoden's honor, and it was sung by the Riders of the King's House as they rode around the barrow.

The feast in Theoden's honor was the greatest ever held in Meduseld, and the people rejoiced in his memory, "for Theoden had lived to full years and ended in honour no less than the greatest of his sires." (RotK, p. 255)

Important Dates:

Third Age:

2948 Birth of Theoden in Gondor.

2953 Theoden's father Thengel becomes King of Rohan and they return to Rohan.

2963 Birth of Theoden's sister Theodwyn.

2978 Birth of Theoden's son Theodred and death of his wife Elfhild.

2980 Theoden becomes King of Rohan on his father's death.

2989 Theoden's sister Theodwyn marries Eomund of Eastfold.

2991 Birth of Theoden's nephew Eomer.

2995 Birth of Theoden's niece Eowyn.

3002 Death of Eomund. Theodwyn dies shortly after. Theoden brings Eomer and Eowyn to live with him.

3014 Theoden begins to fall under the influence of Saruman.

3018 September 19: Gandalf comes to Edoras and is refused admittance. September 20: Theoden grants Gandalf an audience but refuses to listen to his warnings about Saruman. He tells Gandalf to take any horse and go. After Gandalf's visit, Rohan begins to be troubled by Orcs and Men in the service of Saruman. September 21: Gandalf chooses Shadowfax, the King's most precious steed. September 23: Gandalf succeeds in taming Shadowfax and leaves Rohan.

3019 February 23: Shadowfax returns alone but will permit no one to ride him. February 25: Theoden's son Theodred slain at the First Battle of the Fords of Isen by Saruman's forces. February 27: Theoden learns of Theodred's death. Erkenbrand sends a request for reinforcements but Grima advises against it and Theoden follows his advice. Eomer leads his eored in pursuit of a band of Orcs against the King's orders. February 28: Eomer's eored overtakes the Orcs near Fangorn. February 29: Eomer's eored attacks and defeats the Orcs at sunrise. February 30: Eomer meets Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli and decides to aid them. On his return to Edoras, Eomer is arrested (date uncertain).

March 2: Gandalf arrives at Meduseld and heals Theoden. Theoden decides to ride to war against Saruman. He makes Eomer his heir and entrusts his people to Eowyn. The Rohirrim set forth at two o'clock in the afternoon. Second Battle of the Fords of Isen. March 3: Theoden learns of the defeat at the Second Battle of the Fords of Isen. He leads the Rohirrim to Helm's Deep. The Battle of Helm's Deep begins. March 4: Theoden leads a charge from Helm's Deep at dawn. The Battle of Helm's Deep ends. Theoden sets out for Isengard. March 5: Theoden arrives at Isengard and meets Merry Brandybuck. Parley with Saruman; Theoden rejects Saruman's offer to join with him. March 6: Theoden makes Merry his esquire. They set out from Helm's Deep to Dunharrow. March 9: Theoden arrives at Dunharrow. He receives the Red Arrow from a messenger of Gondor. March 10: Theoden oversees the Muster of Rohan and sets out for Gondor. March 13: The Rohirrim reach the Druadan Forest. Theoden meets with Ghan-buri-Ghan. March 14: The Rohirrim are led by the Druedain to the Grey Wood. March 15: Theoden leads the charge of the Rohirrim onto the Pelennor Fields at dawn. He slays a chieftain of the Haradrim. Theoden is slain in a confrontation with the Lord of the Nazgul, who is in turn vanquished by Eowyn and Merry. Eomer becomes King of Rohan. March 25: The Ring is destroyed and the realm of Sauron falls.

July 22: The funeral procession of King Theoden leaves Minas Tirith.

August 7: Theoden's funeral procession arrives in Edoras. August 10: Funeral of King Theoden.

Names & Titles:

Théoden: The name Théoden means "chief, leader, king" from the Old English ðeoden. The word ðeod means "nation, people." Bright's Old English Glossary

Thengling: Theoden was referred to as Thengling meaning "son of Thengel." The Return of the King: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields," p. 124

King of Rohan: Theoden became King of Rohan upon the death of his father in 2980. He was referred to as both King Theoden and Theoden King. He was also called King of the Mark - another name for Rohan - or Lord of the Mark.

First Marshal of the Mark: Theoden did not name a First Marshal of the Mark but acted in that capacity himself. Unfinished Tales: "The Battles of the Fords of Isen - Appendix," p. 367

Théoden the Renowned: Aragorn called him Theoden the Renowned after he led his people into battle and died on the Pelennor Fields. The Return of the King: "The Steward and the King," p. 247

Théoden Ednew: Theoden was called Theoden Ednew meaning "Renewed" because he came out from under Saruman's influence to lead his people during the War of the Ring. The word ednew is from the Old English ed-nîwe (-nêowe) meaning "renewed, restored." Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings: "The House of Eorl," p. 350 Bright's Old English Glossary