Rangers of the North
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Rangers of the North, also known as the Dúnedain of the North, were the descendants of the Dúnedain from the lost kingdom of Arnor. Their menfolk ceaselessly patrolled the boundaries of Eriador. They were by necessity skilled with the sword, bow and spear.
The Rangers were grim in life, appearance, and dress. They wore rusty green and brown. The Rangers of the Grey Company (see below) wore dark grey cloaks and openly used a silver brooch shaped like a pointed star during the War of the Ring. These Rangers rode rough-haired, sturdy horses and carried spears.
Like their cousins, the Rangers of Ithilien, the Rangers of the North spoke Sindarin (or some variation of it) as their preferred language as opposed to the Common Speech. They were led by a Chieftain, whose ancestry could be traced back to Elendil and beyond, to the ancient Kings of Númenor.
During the War of the Ring, the Rangers of the North were led by Aragorn, but the northern Dúnedain were a dwindling and presumably widely scattered folk: when Halbarad received a message to gather as many of the Rangers as he could and lead them south to Aragorn’s aid, only thirty men (the Grey Company) were available at short notice for the journey. The 31-strong Company met up with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli near Pelargir and along with the Dead Men of Dunharrow, they captured the ships of Umbar. The Dead Men then departed and the others continued on to fight in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. There, Halbarad was killed.
Chieftains of the Dúnedain
- Aranarth, son of King Arvedui of Arthedain. Chieftain from T.A. 1975–2106
- Arahael Chieftain from 2106–2177
- Aranuir C. 2177–2247
- Aravir C. 2247–2319
- Aragorn I C. 2319–2327
- Araglas C. 2327–2455
- Arahad I C. 2455–2523
- Aragost C. 2523–2588
- Aravorn C. 2588–2654
- Arahad II C. 2654–2719
- Arassuil C. 2719–2784
- Arathorn I C. 2784–2848
- Argonui C. 2848–2912
- Arador C. 2912–2930
- Arathorn II C. ?–2933
- Aragorn II C. 2933–3019
In T.A. 3019 Aragorn II was crowned as King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor.
- Aranarth: The first of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, he would have been King of Arnor at the death of his father in T.A. 1975. He was born in T.A 1938. and was the son of Arvedui, last King of the North Kingdom. His distant descendant, Aragorn, was later crowned as King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. When Aranarth was still a youth by the standards of his people, the Witch-king of Angmar destroyed the Northern Kingdom, overrunning Fornost. Most of the people, including Aranarth, fled to Lindon, but the King Arvedui went north to the Ice-Bay of Forochel. At Aranarth's urging, Círdan sent a ship to rescue Arvedui, but this ship never returned. It was later learned that the ship had sunk with Arvedui on board. By right, this made Aranarth now King of Arnor, but since his Kingdom had been destroyed he did not claim the title. Aranarth rode with the army of Gondor under Eärnur and saw the destruction of Angmar. Aranarth's people became known as the Rangers of the North (or Dúnedain), and he was the first of their Chieftains. In time, their origins were generally forgotten by the common people of Arnor. While the Rangers defended Arnor from the remnants of Angmar's evil, the Wizard Gandalf went to Dol Guldur, and drove out Sauron the Necromancer. Thus began the period known as the Watchful Peace, a time where attacks by the enemy were few and far between. Aranarth's son Arahael was born in Rivendell, and was given a name with the Kingly prefix of Ar(a)-, to signify that by right he would be King of Arnor. Arahael succeeded his father at his death in T.A. 2106.
- Arahael: The second of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, the son of Aranarth, and the grandson of Arvedui, last King of Arnor. Arahael was born in T.A. 2012 and was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father dwelt in the wild, as became the tradition of the Rangers. At his father's death in T.A. 2106 Arahael in turn became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain. During his rule evil lessened, as it was the time of the Watchful Peace, and the Dúnedain slowly recovered. However, Arnor remained mostly unpopulated, and the city of Fornost was not resettled, going to ruin. Arahael died in 2177 and was followed by his son Aranuir.
- Aranuir: The third of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Aranuir was born in T.A. 2084 and was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Arahael dwelt in the wild. At his father's death in 2177 Aranuir in turn became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain. Aranuir died in 2247 and was followed by his son Aravir.
- Aravir: The fourth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. He was born in T.A. 2156 and was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Aranuir dwelt in the wild. At his father's death in 2247 Aravir in turn became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain. During his rule the Watchful Peace slowly came to an end as Sauron returned to the north-west of Middle-earth, although his presence remained unknown. Aravir died in 2319 and was followed by his son Aragorn I.
- Aragorn I: The fifth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Aragorn was born in T.A. 2227 and was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Aravir dwelt in the wild. After his father's death in T.A. 2319, Aragorn in turn became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain. He ruled for the brief period of just eight years, as he was killed by a pack of wild wolves in 2327. Wolves remained a threat to Eriador ever after, and the Rangers of the North had to fight them off many times. After his death he was succeeded by his son Araglas. Aragorn II, who would later become King Elessar, was his descendant and was named after him.
- Araglas: The sixth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. He was born in T.A. 2296 and was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Aragorn I dwelt in the wild. Aragorn was killed by a pack of wild wolves in 2327, and Araglas became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain while still very young by the reckoning of his people. He died in 2455, and was followed by his son Arahad I.
- Arahad I: The seventh of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. He was born in T.A. 2365 and, like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Araglas dwelt in the wild. He became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in 2455 at the death of his father. During his rule it was confirmed that Sauron had returned to Dol Guldur, and the Watchful Peace came to an end. In Rivendell the White Council was formed, of which he became a member, together with the Wizards and many Elf-lords. Some time later the Misty Mountains were once again invaded by the Orcs. Elrond's wife Celebrían was taken by Orcs and tortured. She later left Middle-earth for Valinor. Arahad died in 2523, and was followed by his son Aragost.
- Aragost: The eighth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. He was born in T.A. 2431 and, like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Arahad I dwelt in the wild. He became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in 2523 at the death of his father. His rule was an uneventful one, as the attention of the enemy was focussed on Gondor, where the Éothéod had settled the new realm of Rohan. He died in 2588, and was followed by his son Aravorn.
- Aravorn: The ninth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Aragost dwelt in the wild. Aravorn became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in 2588 at the death of his father. During his rule Orc- and wolf-attacks continued, as the strength of Sauron slowly began to increase. He died in 2654, and was followed by his son Arahad II.
- Arahad II: The tenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Aravorn dwelt in the wild. Arahad was named for his great grandfather, Arahad I, and became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in 2654 at the death of his father. During his rule the Hobbits of the Shire prospered under the protection by the Rangers, and the first pipe-weed was planted in the Shire's South Farthing. In the Shire, Isengrim II became the Thain and begun digging the Great Smials. Arahad died in 2719, and was followed by his son Arassuil.
- Arassuil: The eleventh of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Arahad II dwelt in the wild. Arassuil became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in 2719 at the death of his father. During his rule the Orcs of the Misty Mountains became more bold, daring to invade Eriador. The Rangers fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party of Orcs managed to reach the Shire, where they were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took. Also during his rule, in 2758, the Long Winter arrived. Many lives were lost, and Gandalf and the Rangers had to help the Hobbits of the Shire survive. Arassuil died in 2784, and was followed by his son Arathorn I.
- Arathorn I: The twelfth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Arassuil dwelt in the wild. Arathorn became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in 2784 at the death of his father. His rule was largely an uneventful one, as the Dúnedain and other peoples of Eriador were recovering from the Long Winter. At the southern fringes of his realm great events occurred: the Dwarven King Thrór was slain by Azog, an Orc of Moria. From 2793–2799 the War of the Dwarves and Orcs was fought all through the Misty Mountains, as Dwarves from all Seven Houses gathered to avenge Thrór, the Heir of Durin. After the War ended in 2799 at the Battle of Nanduhirion Eriador was safe from Orcs for many years, which meant that the Rangers of the North had a relatively safe period, asides from fighting the occasional Orc refugee. Most Orcs fled south to Rohan, trying to settle the White Mountains. Arathorn died in 2848 when he was attacked by wolves, and he was followed by his son Argonui.
- Argonui: The thirteenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Arathorn I dwelt in the wild. He became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in T.A. 2848 when his father was killed by wolves. During his rule, Gandalf entered Dol Guldur and discovered that it was Sauron who ruled there as he long had feared, and not the Witch-king of Angmar his servant. Thráin II the Dwarf died after giving Gandalf a map and a key. The White Council met in 2850, where Gandalf urged an attack on Dol Guldur to drive Sauron out, but Saruman overruled him. In 2890 Bilbo Baggins was born in the Shire, son of Bungo of the respectable Baggins family, and Belladonna, daughter of the Old Took. At the end of Argonui's rule in 2911 the Fell Winter began and White Wolves invaded Eriador from the North, some of them crossing the frozen river Baranduin into the Shire. Argonui died in 2912, possibly as a result of the Fell Winter, and was followed by his son Arador.
- Arador: The fourteenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. Like his forefathers, he was raised by Elrond in Rivendell while his father Argonui dwelt in the wild. Arador became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain in T.A. 2912 at the death of his father. This was after the Fell Winter, and great floods devastated Enedwaith and Minhiriath. The city of Tharbad at the southern end of the former realm of Arnor was ruined and deserted. Arador died in 2930, when he was captured by Hill-Trolls north of Rivendell. He was followed by his young son Arathorn II.
- Arathorn II: The fifteenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, and the father of Aragorn II, one of the major characters in The Lord of the Rings. Arathorn, a direct descendant of the Gondorian kings Elendil and Isildur, was raised in Rivendell by the Elves while his father Arador lived in the wilderness with the Dúnedain. He married Gilraen, a descendant of Aranarth, though her father Dírhael initially opposed the union as he foresaw that Arathorn would have a short life. The couple had one son, Aragorn (born T.A. 2931). Arathorn became the Chieftain of the Dúnedain after his father's death in 2930 but was killed by Orcs three years later at the age of 60. His young son Aragorn was subsequently brought to Rivendell to be cared for by the Elves, and later succeeded his father as the Chieftain of the Dúnedain when he reached adulthood.
- Aragorn II: The sixteenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, and one of the major characters in The Lord of the Rings. Aragorn (the second chieftain of that name), was a direct descendant of the Gondorian kings Elendil and Isildur. He was raised in Rivendell by the Elves while his father Arathorn II lived in the wilderness with the Dúnedain. His father was killed when he was two. He came of age in T.A. 2951, and assumed lordship of the Dúnedain of Arnor. He was a member of the Company of the Ring and fought in the War of the Ring. In T.A. 3019 he was crowned as King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. The same year he married Arwen, daughter of Elrond. Their son, Eldarion, succeeded him as king.
Portrayal in adaptations
The Rangers of the North are virtually omitted in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, save for a few mentions in the extended cuts. Here they are called "Dúnedain Rangers", possibly to distinguish them from the Rangers of Ithilien. However, Tolkien calls both groups Dúnedain (men of the west).
The terminology and distinction made in Jackson's films have made its way into some of its merchandise, like the computer and video games by Electronic Arts. In one of these, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, there is an original Ranger character called Elegost. In another, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, "Dúnedain Rangers" are playable units, but they are like the Ithilien Rangers. Halbarad is featured in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game and, together with his fellow Rangers, in The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game.
See also
- Rangers
- Dúnedain
- Rangers of Ithilien
External links