Éomer Éadig

 / Éomer / Eomer

   Nephew and fosterson of King Théoden; at the time of the War of the Ring Third Marshal of the Mark; after Théoden's death eighteenth King of Rohan; friend of King Elessar.

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   First of the Third Line of the Kings of Rohan.

   The son of Éomund of Eastfold and Théodwyn, the sister of King Théoden. While still a young man of just twenty-six, Éomer the King's nephew was made Third Marshal of Riddermark, and took command of the Riders of Eastfold. The days of his youth were harsh ones for Rohan; its people were imperilled by Orcs out of the north, while a certain Gríma son of Gálmód, later found to be a spy of Saruman, gained influence over the King.

   On 25 February III 3019, Rohan suffered its greatest blow to date; at a skirmish that would become known as the First Battle of the Fords of Isen, Théoden's son and heir Théodred was slain by Saruman's forces, leaving Éomer - who was not at the battle - as the natural heir to Rohan's throne. It was five days later that the tide began to turn in Rohan's favour, when Éomer came across three strangers travelling through the fields of the Mark. These strangers were Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, and from Éomer's wise decision to aid these three came Rohan's ultimate victory.

   Because of this, some days later, Gandalf came to Edoras and healed the King of his malaise. The Rohirrim went to war, and though they were defeated at the Second Battle of the Fords of Isen, they held their own at the Battle of the Hornburg and, with the aid of the Ents of Fangorn Forest, defeated Saruman's armies. Then Éomer rode with his King to the aid of Minas Tirith, where they fought in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. There Théoden met his end, and granted Éomer the Kingship, first of the Third Line of the Kings of Rohan.

   At the time of the great victories of that year, Éomer was still just twenty-eight years old. He would rule the Rohirrim for another sixty-five years, through which he maintained a great friendship with Gondor. Such was the plenty and peace of his reign that he was given the surname Éadig, 'Blessed'. He was succeeded by his son Elfwine.