Rhûn

Rhûn, meaning 'East' in the Elvish tongue, is the name given to the vast and mysterious lands that lie beyond the eastern borders of Mordor and the inland Sea of Rhûn. In the Third Age, it is a region of great strategic importance to the Dark Lord Sauron, serving as a primary reservoir of military manpower for his wars against the Free Peoples of the West. The peoples of Rhûn, collectively known as Easterlings, are a diverse and formidable confederation of tribes and kingdoms, whose cultures, languages, and histories are only dimly perceived by the inhabitants of Gondor and Rohan. The narrative of The Lord of the Rings presents Rhûn not as a place of exploration, but as a persistent, ominous presence on the eastern horizon, a source of endless armies that march to swell the ranks of Mordor.

Geography and Extent

The lands of Rhûn are vast and largely uncharted in the lore of the West. They stretch eastward from the shores of the Sea of Rhûn, an inland sea that forms a natural boundary between the known lands and the unknown East. The region is described as encompassing wide plains, forests, and perhaps deserts, and is home to numerous peoples and kingdoms. The Sea of Rhûn itself is a significant geographical feature, its far shores known to the Men of Gondor only through ancient legend and the reports of far-traveling merchants and spies. The extent of Rhûn is such that it is said to contain lands where the stars are strange, a phrase that underscores its remoteness and alien nature from the perspective of the West. The River Running (Celduin) flows from the Lonely Mountain into the Sea of Rhûn, and the lands around its upper reaches, such as Dale and Esgaroth, are the westernmost outposts of civilization before the true East begins.

The Peoples of Rhûn: The Easterlings

The primary inhabitants of Rhûn known to the West are the Easterlings, a term that encompasses a wide variety of peoples, tribes, and kingdoms. They are not a single, unified race but a confederation of different groups, often at war with one another, but capable of uniting under a powerful leader or, more often, under the will of Sauron. The Easterlings are described as fierce, warlike, and hardy, with a culture that values strength and martial prowess. They are often depicted as being shorter and broader than the Men of the West, with dark hair and eyes, and they favor axes and heavy spears in battle. Their armies are vast and seemingly inexhaustible, and they have been a recurring threat to Gondor for centuries, launching major invasions during the Third Age, such as those of the Wainriders and the Balchoth. The Wainriders, a confederation of Easterling tribes, were a particular scourge, using great wains (wagons) as mobile fortresses and chariots in battle, and they nearly destroyed Gondor in the 19th century of the Third Age.

Role in the War of the Ring

During the War of the Ring, the Easterlings of Rhûn are among Sauron's most important allies. They march in great numbers to his banner, swelling the armies that besiege Minas Tirith and fight on the Pelennor Fields. The narrative describes them as being 'strong and war-hardened and asked for no quarter,' fighting with a desperate courage even after the tide of battle turns against them. Their presence is a constant reminder of the vast resources at Sauron's command. Aragorn, after his coronation, makes peace with the peoples of Harad and frees the slaves of Mordor, but he also sends embassies to the East, and it is said that he pardoned the Easterlings that had given themselves up, sending them away free. This act of mercy suggests a desire to end the cycle of war and to integrate these peoples into a new, peaceful order, though the full extent of Rhûn's lands and peoples remains largely unknown and beyond the scope of the tale.

Narrative and Thematic Significance

Rhûn serves a crucial narrative and thematic function in The Lord of the Rings. It represents the vast, unknowable, and threatening 'other' that lies beyond the borders of the known world. The constant threat of invasion from the East is a key driver of the plot, forcing Gondor to maintain a state of perpetual war and draining its resources. Thematically, Rhûn embodies the idea that the struggle against evil is not confined to a single battle or a single enemy, but is a long, drawn-out conflict against a seemingly endless tide of darkness. The Easterlings, while often portrayed as enemies, are also shown to be victims of Sauron's manipulation, and Aragorn's offer of peace at the end of the War hints at a possibility of reconciliation and a new understanding between the East and the West, even if the full story of Rhûn remains untold.