Kubra
22-08-2006, 05:30
the Shire measured 40 leagues (222 km, 120 Númenórean miles) from the Far Downs in the west to the Brandywine Bridge in the east, and 50 leagues (278 km, 150 miles) from the northern moors to the marshes in the south. This is confirmed in an essay by Tolkien (on the Languages of Middle-earth) wherein he describes The Shire as having an area of 18,000 square miles (47,000 km²). In order for this figure to be accurate it must be assumed that the Shire was roughly rectangular in shape.
The Brandywine (Baranduin) river bounds the Shire from the east. (Hobbits also live in Buckland, which lies east of the river and west of the Hedge protecting the Shire from invasion from the Old Forest; however, Buckland was not formally recognised as part of The Shire until after the War of the Ring, when it was granted officially to The Shire by Aragorn King Elessar.) From the north and the west The Shire has no topographical borders, but rather is bounded by the ancient south and east roads, and by vague geographical features such as the Tower Hills.
The Shire was originally divided in four Farthings (Northfarthing, Southfarthing, Eastfarthing, and Westfarthing), but Buckland and later the Westmarch were added to it. Within the Farthings there are some smaller, unofficial divisions such as family lands: the Tooks nearly all live in or near Tuckborough in Tookland, for instance. In many cases a Hobbit's last name indicates where their family came from: Samwise Gamgee's last name derives from Gamwich, where the family originated. Outside the Farthings, Buckland itself was named for the Oldbucks (later Brandybucks). See further Regions of the Shire.
The Shire was quite densely populated in parts with many villages and a few towns, but it still was open enough to allow for wide forested areas and marshes.
History
The Shire was settled by Hobbits in the year 1601 of the Third Age (Year 1 in Shire Reckoning). The Hobbits (who originally lived in the vale of Anduin) had migrated west over the perilous Misty Mountains in the decades before that, and before entering The Shire they had lived in Dunland and parts of the depopulated Arnorian splinter-realms Cardolan and Rhudaur. It has been speculated that the Hobbits had originally moved west to escape the evils of Mirkwood, and the trouble caused by the Easterlings.
The Shire was a part of Arthedain, and as such a part of Arnor. The Hobbits got official permission from King Argeleb II at Norbury (Fornost) to settle the lands, which were not populated and seen as the King's hunting grounds. The Hobbits considered themselves as subjects of the King, and sent some support troops to the great battles Arnor fought against Angmar. After the fall of Arnor, the Shire remained a minor but independent, self-governing realm. The chiefs of the Clans elected an official named The Thain to hold the King's powers after the North-Kingdom fell. The first Thains were the heads of the Oldbuck Clan. It later came to be held by the Tooks.
Its small size, relative lack of importance, and brave and resilient Hobbit population made it too modest an objective for conquest. More important was that the Shire was guarded and protected by the Dúnedain Rangers, who watched the borders and kept out intruders. The only strangers to enter the Shire were the Dwarves travelling on the Great Road that ran through the Shire to and from their mines in the Blue Mountains, and the occasional Elves on their way to the Grey Havens.
Government
For all intents and purposes, the Shire might be interpeted as an anarchy, in the original sense of a voluntarily orderly society. The only government offices were a postal service and a police force, the Shiriffs, whose chief duties involved rounding up stray livestock. Nominal officials of the Shire were the Mayor of Michel Delving in the White Downs (by extension seen as the Mayor of the Shire), the Thain from Tuckborough who was the head of the important Took clan, and the Master of Buckland at Bucklebury. While nominally the Thain ruled over the four Farthings, in practice authority was so decentralized that the title was seen as more of a formality. The Mayor's chief duties were serving as Postmaster of the Shire's mail service and presiding at fairs, while the Master controlled Buckland. If the Shire was anarchic, it must be considered a temporary state until such time as a King once again ruled, or issuance came from his steward.
The Brandywine (Baranduin) river bounds the Shire from the east. (Hobbits also live in Buckland, which lies east of the river and west of the Hedge protecting the Shire from invasion from the Old Forest; however, Buckland was not formally recognised as part of The Shire until after the War of the Ring, when it was granted officially to The Shire by Aragorn King Elessar.) From the north and the west The Shire has no topographical borders, but rather is bounded by the ancient south and east roads, and by vague geographical features such as the Tower Hills.
The Shire was originally divided in four Farthings (Northfarthing, Southfarthing, Eastfarthing, and Westfarthing), but Buckland and later the Westmarch were added to it. Within the Farthings there are some smaller, unofficial divisions such as family lands: the Tooks nearly all live in or near Tuckborough in Tookland, for instance. In many cases a Hobbit's last name indicates where their family came from: Samwise Gamgee's last name derives from Gamwich, where the family originated. Outside the Farthings, Buckland itself was named for the Oldbucks (later Brandybucks). See further Regions of the Shire.
The Shire was quite densely populated in parts with many villages and a few towns, but it still was open enough to allow for wide forested areas and marshes.
History
The Shire was settled by Hobbits in the year 1601 of the Third Age (Year 1 in Shire Reckoning). The Hobbits (who originally lived in the vale of Anduin) had migrated west over the perilous Misty Mountains in the decades before that, and before entering The Shire they had lived in Dunland and parts of the depopulated Arnorian splinter-realms Cardolan and Rhudaur. It has been speculated that the Hobbits had originally moved west to escape the evils of Mirkwood, and the trouble caused by the Easterlings.
The Shire was a part of Arthedain, and as such a part of Arnor. The Hobbits got official permission from King Argeleb II at Norbury (Fornost) to settle the lands, which were not populated and seen as the King's hunting grounds. The Hobbits considered themselves as subjects of the King, and sent some support troops to the great battles Arnor fought against Angmar. After the fall of Arnor, the Shire remained a minor but independent, self-governing realm. The chiefs of the Clans elected an official named The Thain to hold the King's powers after the North-Kingdom fell. The first Thains were the heads of the Oldbuck Clan. It later came to be held by the Tooks.
Its small size, relative lack of importance, and brave and resilient Hobbit population made it too modest an objective for conquest. More important was that the Shire was guarded and protected by the Dúnedain Rangers, who watched the borders and kept out intruders. The only strangers to enter the Shire were the Dwarves travelling on the Great Road that ran through the Shire to and from their mines in the Blue Mountains, and the occasional Elves on their way to the Grey Havens.
Government
For all intents and purposes, the Shire might be interpeted as an anarchy, in the original sense of a voluntarily orderly society. The only government offices were a postal service and a police force, the Shiriffs, whose chief duties involved rounding up stray livestock. Nominal officials of the Shire were the Mayor of Michel Delving in the White Downs (by extension seen as the Mayor of the Shire), the Thain from Tuckborough who was the head of the important Took clan, and the Master of Buckland at Bucklebury. While nominally the Thain ruled over the four Farthings, in practice authority was so decentralized that the title was seen as more of a formality. The Mayor's chief duties were serving as Postmaster of the Shire's mail service and presiding at fairs, while the Master controlled Buckland. If the Shire was anarchic, it must be considered a temporary state until such time as a King once again ruled, or issuance came from his steward.