Gamling

**Gamling**, sometimes referred to as "**Gamling the Old**", was a Man of Rohan, and may have been Erkenbrand's lieutenant.

## Biography

Gamling was from the Westfold, and understood the language of Dunland.
Gamling is first positioned as a subordinate to Hama and the two appear to share a close friendship. He attempts to intervene in the brawl between Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Grima Wormtongue and Grima's underlings, but is stopped by Hama, who seems to sense Gandalf's intention. He and Hama later scout for the column of Edoras refugees, and asks his superior what he senses, to which Hama says he is unsure. The two are ambushed by a Warg Rider scout and both Hama and his horse are killed. Gamling is enraged and grief-stricken by Hama's death and attempts to exact his vengeance, but is unable to defeat the Orc until Legolas intervenes and slays both Orc and Warg. He fights in the assault against Sharku's riders and survives the skirmish, and later attends the king, fulfilling the role Hama left vacant. He communicated the King's orders to leave the dead.

At Helm's Deep, Gamling served as Théoden's primary bodyguard and attendant. He garbs Théoden in his armour and offers what counsel he can to his troubled King, but his words provide little comfort. He does not fight on the Deeping Wall or in the Glittering Caves, but rather remains by the King's side issuing commands to open fire and later fighting by the King's side at the gate. He wrestles his injured King to safety when Théoden is wounded by a pikeman, and manages to retreat to the Keep. During the last, desperate attempt to defend the entrance to the caves, Gamling tends to his King's wounds. Théoden is despondent, but Gamling hesitantly volunteers the information about the mountain passage to Aragorn, who orders Gamling to muster the women and children to flee and barricade the entrance behind them.

At the final hour, Théoden and Aragorn ride out to meet the Uruk-hai head-on in a final sacrifice, and Gamling goes with them, bearing the king's banner. He is saved from this final stand by the arrival of Gandalf, Éomer and a large force of reinforcements, who break the Uruk-hai's morale and drive them from the fortress.

Gamling again appears in *The Return of the King*. He is seated next to Aragorn during the feast at Edoras and drinks deeply to the victorious dead. His proximity to Aragorn in the feast, and his later doubts at the thought of Aragorn abandoning the host, indicate that Gamling (and many other Rohirrim) revered Aragorn as a hero of Helm's Deep. Théoden is aware of this and sadly admits to Éowyn that he was found wanting in the final stand.

When Gondor calls for aid, Théoden dispatches Gamling as one of his messengers to gather men to Dunharrow. At Dunharrow, Gamling shares a meal with Éomer and enjoys Éomer's jabs at Meriadoc Brandybuck's desire to fight in the Battle of Pelennor Fields. He is vocally despondent when Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli depart for the lair of the Army of the Dead, but is silenced by Théoden, who declares that the Rohirrim will ride into battle no matter their prospects of success.

Gamling is present at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, leading his company down the centre behind the King's Banner. He takes the military position of Éomer from the books, but replaces Elfhelm among the king's commanders, with Éomer taking Elfhelm's position down the left flank. He blows the King's great horn and signals the charge. He survives the charge and goes on to fight the Mumakil. He fires arrows into the belly of one Mumak before Éomer brings down the beast with a throwing spear. He also acquires a bow and fires arrows at the Mumak's eyes at Éomer's and Théoden's orders.