The Shire

**The Shire** was one of the realms in Middle-earth. It was homeland to mostly hobbits. The most notable ones were of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, Pippin Took and several others. After joining the kingdom, Arnor, the Shire became its own settlement and became hidden ffrom the rest of the world. Nearby places were notably the Blue Mountains and Bree.

## History

Hobbits or Halflings originally dwelled in the Gladden Fields, alongside the Northsmen from which they were descended. The threat of Angmar caused the majority of them (apart from some Stoor Riverfolk) to migrate South and West. Some settled temporarily in Dunland, while others dwelled in Eriador before they reached Breeland.

The Hobbits got official permission from King Argeleb II at Norbury (Fornost) to settle the lands, which were once the royal hunting grounds. This was finally done in Third Age 1601 (Year 1 in Shire Reckoning) by Hobbits from Bree, led by the brothers Marcho and Blanco. However there were three conditions: the hobbits acknowledge his lordship, they maintain the roads in the Shire and they should aid his messengers. They considered themselves under the king's rule. However, this did not last long as Arthedain had fallen and the hobbits became the lords of their own realm.

Thains became the rulers, starting with the Oldbucks and later the Tooks. At some point, the Dúnedain Rangers, a remnant of the people of Arnor, started to secretly protect the Shire's borders. Dwarves traveling to and from the Blue Mountains across the Great East Road (which passed through the Shire) were allowed to pass through, as were Elves. Dwarves came to the Shire one day looking for the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo was gone for a year and returned with the One Ring. There-on-out, the Shire's peace ended when they were visited by Ring-wraiths of the Shire.

Because of the King of Gondor's return and friendship with hobbits, Frodo, Sam , Merry and Pippin, he declared no full-sized Men could enter the Shire and it as well became one of the United Kingdom's realms.

## Government

At first, the Hobbits were ruled by t he King of Arnor. However, after its fall, they became an independent and somewhat democratic government.

They had the Watch and Shirriffs. The two authority figures were the mayor of Michel Delving in the Westfarthing, which was The Shire's biggest settlement, and the Thain, which commanded the Hobbits in times of war.

The Shire was divided into four farthings: East, West, South and North. Gorhendad Oldbuck would later settle a strip of land west of the Brandywine, bordering in the Old Forest, which became Buckland.

### Known Thains

* Bucca of the Marish (379-?)
* Thains of the Oldbuck line (descendants of Bucca)
* Gorhendad Oldbuck
* Isumbras I Took (740-?)
* Isengrim II (1083[49]-1122)
* Isumbras III (1122–1159)
* Ferumbras II (1159–1201)
* Fortinbras I (1201–1248)
* Gerontius, the Old Took (1248–1320)
* Isengrim III (1320–1330)
* Isumbras IV (1330–1339)
* Fortinbras II (1339–1380)
* Ferumbras III (1380–1415)
* Paladin II (1415–1434)
* Peregrin (1434–1484, abdicated)
* Faramir (1484-?)

## Locations

### Districts

#### **Westfarthing**

* **Hobbiton**:
	+ Bag End
* **Bywater**
	+ Green Dragon Inn
* **Overhill**
* **Michel Delving**
* **Tuckborrough**
* **Waymoot**
* **Needlehole**
* **Tookbank**
* **Greenholm**
* **Nobottle**

#### **Southfarthing**

* **Longbottom**
* **Pincup**
* **Old Winyards**
* **Woodhall**

#### **Eastfarthing**

* **Frogmorton**
* **Whitfurrows**
* **Woody End**
* **Stock**
* **Rushy**
* **Deephollow**
* **Willowbottom**
* **Bamfurlong**
* **Woodhall**
* **Budgeford**
* **Brockenborrings**
* **Dwaling**
* **Quarry**
* **Scary**

#### **Northfarthing**

* **Hardbottle**
* **Long Cleeve**
* **Oatbarton**

#### **Buckland**

* **Buckelberry**
* **Crickhollow**
* **Haysend**
* **Newbury**
* **Standelf**

### **Rivers**

* **Brandywine River**

* **Shirebourn**

* **Thistle Brook**

* **The Water**

## Inhabitants

* Bilbo Baggins (formerly)
* Frodo Baggins (formerly)
* Sam Gamgee
* Merry Brandybuck
* Pippin Took
* Elanor Gamgee
* Rose Gamgee
* Frodo Gamgee
* Paladin Took
* Bounders
* First Eastfarthing Troop
* Messenger Service
* Quick post
* Shirriffs
* Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
* Lotho Sackville Baggins
* Otho Sackville-Baggins

## References

1. ↑ http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Cities\_of\_the\_Shire