Thain
Encyclopedia
In J. R. R. Tolkien
's fiction
al universe of Middle-earth
, the Thain was the traditional military leader of the Hobbit
s of the Shire
. The Hobbits first chose a Thain to "hold the authority of the king" when Arvedui
, last King of Arnor
, was lost and the kingship in the North discontinued. The Thainship was originally held by the Oldbuck Clan. In 1740 SR, it passed to the Tooks
, and has remained a hereditary position in their clan ever since. Though a viceregal position, the Thain never wielded significant political authority, as the Shire remained a very loosely organized society and rarely faced military threats from outside.
Other offices in the Shire include the Master of Buckland, the Mayor of Michel Delving
in the White Downs, and (in the Fourth Age) the Warden of Westmarch created by King Elessar
.
The line of Thains continued in the Fourth Age of Arda
until the end of the Shire
.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al universe of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
, the Thain was the traditional military leader of the Hobbit
Hobbit
Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.Hobbits first appeared in the novel The Hobbit, in which the main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is the titular hobbit...
s of the Shire
Shire (Middle-earth)
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in...
. The Hobbits first chose a Thain to "hold the authority of the king" when Arvedui
Arvedui
Arvedui is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.Arvedui was the son of King Araphant of Arthedain. He was born in T.A. 1864 and came to the throne in 1964 at the death of his father...
, last King of Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
, was lost and the kingship in the North discontinued. The Thainship was originally held by the Oldbuck Clan. In 1740 SR, it passed to the Tooks
Took clan
In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, the Took clan was one of the most famous Hobbit families.The first recorded Took was an Isumbras Took, who became the 13th Thain of the Shire after Gorhendad Oldbuck crossed into Buckland, becoming Master there.After Isumbras, the Thain position...
, and has remained a hereditary position in their clan ever since. Though a viceregal position, the Thain never wielded significant political authority, as the Shire remained a very loosely organized society and rarely faced military threats from outside.
Other offices in the Shire include the Master of Buckland, the Mayor of Michel Delving
Mayor of the Shire
In the literary works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Mayor of the Shire, is the sole elected office of the Shire at the time of the War of the Ring. The mayor lives in Michel Delving, which is at this time The Shire's largest town and de facto capital....
in the White Downs, and (in the Fourth Age) the Warden of Westmarch created by King Elessar
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
.
Third Age
- Bucca of the Marish (first Thain, elected in T.A.Third AgeThe Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
1979 after Arvedui of Arnor died) - Eleven additional Thains of the Oldbuck clan (the clan was probably named for Bucca)
- Gorhendad Oldbuck (possibly the 12th Thain), crossed over the Brandywine and became the first Master of Buckland
- Isumbras Took I (became 13th Thain and first of the TookTook clanIn J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, the Took clan was one of the most famous Hobbit families.The first recorded Took was an Isumbras Took, who became the 13th Thain of the Shire after Gorhendad Oldbuck crossed into Buckland, becoming Master there.After Isumbras, the Thain position...
line in 2340) - Eight Took Thains (including Isengrim I, Isumbras II, Ferumbras I, and Paladin I)
- Isengrim Took II (22nd Thain and 10th of the Took line. Died 2672)
- Isumbras Took III (23rd Thain in 2672)
- Ferumbras Took II (24th Thain); older brother of Bullroarer Took.
- Fortinbras Took I (25th Thain)
- Gerontius Took, the Old Took (26th Thain in 2848)
- Isengrim Took III (27th Thain)
- Isumbras Took IV (28th Thain)
- Fortinbras Took II (29th Thain)
- Ferumbras III Took (30th Thain, died childless in 3015)
- Paladin II Took (31st Thain in 3015); cousin of Ferumbras III
Fourth Age
- Peregrin "Pippin" TookPeregrin TookPeregrin Took, more commonly known as Pippin, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. Pippin is introduced as a Hobbit who plays a major role as one of the companions of Frodo Baggins, in his quest to destroy the One Ring.Peregrin was the only son of...
I (became 32nd Thain in 13 F.A.Fourth AgeIn the fictional world of middle earth "'the fourth age'" and the ages that preceded it, are time periods from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth, described in his fantasy writings...
, abdicated 63) - Faramir Took I (became 33rd Thain after his father left for GondorGondorGondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
in 63 F.A.)
The line of Thains continued in the Fourth Age of Arda
Arda
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Arda is the name given to the Earth in a period of prehistory, wherein the places mentioned in The Lord of the Rings and related material once existed...
until the end of the Shire
Shire (Middle-earth)
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in...
.