Which Names Were Worth "1,000 Mail-Clad Knights?

[Mithalwen]

I think Imrahil might qualify because he seems incorruptable and unafraid. i
In all things that we see of him provides an example of the leadership and indeep with regard to Faramir the paternal care Denethor is unable to give because of his despair. He has no inclination to seize power for himself but acknowledges seemingly instinctively Aragorn for who he is and acts accordingly. He is his own man and yet maintains respect for the appointed order. You cannot imagine him aver agreeing to be suzerain of a thrall state as per the offfer made at the parley.

He has wisdom and wit and maybe, as in some more than others of the same lineage the blood of Numenor ran truer, maybe he has more than his entitlement of Elvish longsight.

[Forlong the Fat]

Thanks for the comments and the warm welcome.

I have my doubts whether Sauron would consider any "mere" man (someone without at least some elvish or Numenorean blood) as a real threat. So I'm not convinced that Eomer or even possibly Boromir (in whom Gandalf noted the blood of Numenor did not run true as in Faramir) would catch his attention.

As for his knowledge of Glorfindel, I suspect that Sauron would be well aware of him. Recall that Saruman seemed to know all about even Gimli. Whether that knowledge came from the Palantir or some other method is not clear, but I would assume that Sauron had at least as much knowledge of the denizens of ME, particularly those few who could present a real threat to him.

[Boromir88]

Hello Forlong, welcome to the 'Downs. You've actually drawn me out of my Books' forum hibernation and have me thinking about your ideas in this thread.

One thing to remember, is I don't think the only measure of who Sauron would view as "worth more than 1,000 mail-clad knights" is a person's "power." I'll use Saruman as an example. Simply because Saruman would have been more powerful than Eomer, or Aragorn, does not mean Sauron would have viewed Saruman as a bigger threat to him. For Sauron knew Saruman was much like him:

Sauron had, in fact, been very like Saruman, and so still understood him quickly and could guess what he would be likely to think and do, even without the aid of palantiri or of spies; whereas Gandalf eluded and puzzled him~HoME X: Morgoth's Ring; Myths Transformed

Sauron knew and understood Saruman well, because Saruman, in fact becomes more like a cheap knock off, or a "Sauron lite" if you will. Where Gandalf, he could never figure out, suggesting he had more reason and cause to fear Gandalf. Similar to how Aragorn revealing himself to be Isildur's heir in the palantir, surprises and causes Sauron to doubt his plans. Doubt enough that leads to him launching his attack against Gondor sooner than planned.

"Over confidence" (at least Sauron as he is in Lord of the Rings) really isn't one of his vices. He was pragmatic, and rational, preferring order, coordination, knowing how best to employ his resources and not waste them. A very different Dark Lord/villain from Morgoth. He was perfectly fine with ruling and dominating the wills of people, I would even say he preferred it to spending resources to destroy people. An ultimate control freak.

So, I would add Gimli (and in general the dwarves) to the list. Dwarves were a resilient race, who were impossible for Sauron to tame. Gimli and Gloin go to Rivendell to report messengers have come from Sauron demanding information, but also a bribe to stay out of Sauron's business, and don't get involved. The Dwarves might have been a withdrawn race, but Sauron certainly remembered Durin's House always stood against him. And Sauron feared their involvement enough to try to bribe them into staying in their mountains.

I would not rule out a person's power as one of the criteria, but it wouldn't be the only one, and I don't even know if it would be the most important one, because of how Sauron conducted his business. He was more concerned about powerful individuals whose minds he did not know (Gandalf), or people who, in a sense, were beyond his ability to corrupt/manipulate into subjugation (Aragorn, Imrahil, the Elves, Durin's House...I can see an argument for Eomer, but not Rohan on it's own. I think the main fear Sauron had with Rohan was allying and bringing troops to Gondor's aid - and hence, why he was still leaving Saruman in Isengard.). Because if he couldn't manipulate subjugation that meant he had to spend resources to force subjugation, and Sauron did not like being wasteful unless necessary.

[Morthoron]

Lobelia Sackville-Baggins was one dangerous broad. I can see her now, wielding her bumbershoot, crying "Get off my lawn!" as she despatched Orcs until they lay in great heaps in a circle about her.

[Forlong the Fat]

The dwarves are interesting. They would never submit to him, and that would certainly bother him very much. Even if he regained his ring he could not have brought them within his dominion, and probably would have to resort to genocide. On the other hand, they probably weren't a direct threat to him. They could not have meaningfully assaulted him, and were unlikely to even try. This makes them very different from Aragorn or Glorfindel, say, who could presumably even challenge him in single combat, as Elendil and Gil-Galad did.

[Uruk's Bane]

I'm asking you guys about this one, because it is a somewhat special case. Obviously, the Rangers of the North were as not well known among the people of Middle Earth as the men from Gondor or others (except for the mysterious wanderer reputation, of course). With that said, however, these were kinsman of Aragon, descendants of the same linage. Like Aragorn, it seems implied in the books that they were skilled fighters and trackers. Halbarad, the leader, seems to be greatly loved by Aragorn. The coming of the Rangers also seems to greatly relieve Aragorn. The Rangers of the Grey Company must have been valiant warriors, because although they were few, they made a great impact both psychologically and physically on the battle of Pelennor Fields. After all, the Rangers were the only men Aragorn actually took with him on the corsair ships to Minas Tirith. The dead stayed behind.

So, would the kinsman of Aragorn (at least some of them, like Halbarad) be considered names worth "1,000 Mail-Clad Knights"?

[Inziladun]

Welcome to the Downs, Uruk's Bane!

Aside from Aragorn, known to Sauron as a claimed Heir of Elendil, I honestly wouldn't think the rest of the Northern Dúnedain would have been thought a serious threat to him.
Their numbers were so greatly diminished that, skilled as they were, they were no real impediment. After all, they had been unable to even prevent the Nazgûl from entering the Shire earlier.
No doubt Sauron would have taken pleasure in utterly destroying the Dúnedain from North and South when they were gathered right in front of his gates, but I doubt he had thoughts for any of the remnant of the Men of Arnor by name except Aragorn.