Quote:
Originally Posted by Elmo
The Dunlendings were the indigenous population of the area and the rightful owners of Calenardhon, they were there long before the Numenorians fell out of the sea onto the land. The Rohirrim were a colonial, interloping, land thieving population 'planted' by Gondor on Dunlending territory for military reasons, similar to what the British Empire did in various times and places in history. The Dunlendings were definitely right to be a bit annoyed about this and can hardly be blamed for their hatred of the horse folk, especially as countless of them were cruelly slain by the Rohan's kings like Helm Hammerhand who brutally murdered many of them like Freca.
|
I'm in agreement with this. And I think it's a brave post because it's not as permissive of Numenorean legacy and will be less popular an idea because of that (possibly).
When I first read LotR and the histories, I simply accepted that Numerean precedent founded on ideas about a 'chosen' people (and Tolkien chose terms like 'fairer' or 'sea grey eyes, fair skin and dark hair'). I've grown to realise that Numenorean imperialism, like any kind, disrupts culture, presumes authority, is ethnocentric and incites hatred.
It's only recently that I've come to accept that grievances over territorial ownership would have stirred great wrath in peoples with claims to lands of greater length of years. I understand the Dunlending position more because of this.
I also understand that Tharbad allied itself with Sauron in SA (or allowed Sauron passage) during the sack of the Mirdain, but this reminds me that Numenor was an imperialist, expansionalist power that claimed sovereignty 'because it could' (ie power- and Arnor/Gondor TA came 'afterwards'). I wonder if Tharbad was suspicious of Eregion and of the wealth and splendour of the Ost In Edhil. Well, in a way, they were correct. After all, the Ring haunted Middle Earth for another 3000 years after this and it was the Noldorin susceptibility to Evil by Saurnonic seduction (Annatar) that brought Sauron to the Ost In Edhil in the first place. Thus, (reasoning 'as though' we were of Tharbad for the time), those Elves cooked up that stupid magic stuff and that Annatar is coming to level them. So be it. We never liked that Celebrimbor anyway. He was rude. So there! His head's on a pike for his Elvish greed.
So, I imagine that Tharbad was wary of the rise of power of the Mirdain and of the somewhat 'off colour' influence of the Elves over this region. Celebrimbor, being Noldorin, a grandson of that spoilt brat Feanor brought memory of the blood feud and a curse to the whole area. Not to mention the broodings in the subtext in tensions between Galadriel, her allies and those of the Feanoreans (Galadriel was more aligned with the Teleri in the kinslaying). On a personal note - I have empathy for Celebrimbor. He tried very hard to repair his family's legacy and he strove to win Galadriel).
I don't see Rohan or Gondor or Arnor as legitimate 'owners' of Cardolan, Calenardhon, Rhun or any other part of the regions. They overreached and took no heed of prior people's presence. So, long-term grievances and wars over territory are expected. The human territorial instinct is strong and especially so when land ownership/access equates to 'survival' needs.