Bree

**Bree** is a village seen in *The Hobbit* and *The Lord of the Rings*. It is located on the borders of the Shire.

## History

### Second Age

Breeland was settled by Gwathuirim at the late Second Age. Surviving the wars and chaos of that time, it became part of the kingdoms of Arnor, and then Arthedain (though the region from Bree to Weathertop was claimed by Cardolan). Bree was by its nature a trading community, due to being located at the major crossroads of the East Road, which ran from the Blue Mountains and the coast to Dale in the far East; and the old north-south road between Arnor and Gondor.

Around TA 1300 Bree, as well as Staddle, saw the arrival of the Hobbits who were fleeing from Angmar. In TA 1601 a large population of Hobbits left Bree and went west beyond Baranduin and founded a new country within Arthedain, The Shire.

After the Fall of Fornost and Arnor, the north-south road had fallen out of much use and was more commonly referred to as the Greenway due to its disrepair. Trade had of course drastically declined in the thousand years since but Bree maintained a certain independence and continued to thrive without any central authority or government, with the unknowing protection of the Rangers of the North.

### Third Age

At the end of the Third Age Bree remained relatively prosperous. Bree was the most westerly settlement of men in all Middle-earth by the time of the War of the Ring and had a sizable Hobbit population. Thanks to its location on major trade routes, one could encounter travelers from all sorts of distant lands in a bustling Bree inn. The Rangers of the North also were known to stop in Bree for resupply.

### Thorin and Gandalf Meeting in the Prancing Pony

In T.A. 2940, Thorin Oakenshield heard rumors of his father still alive in the wild near Dunland. However, his journey was fruitless, though the dwarf King would not give up, fiercely believe Thráin to be alive. Deciding to return home to the Blue Mountains, Thorin stopped at the Prancing Pony, wherehe was stalked by two Men seeking a promise of payment for his head by Azog, until Gandalf intervened by sitting at the king's table. Himself traveling up the Greenway, Gandalf intercepted a copy of the message, which set his suspicions of rising darkness. Thorin realized that it was no chance meeting and Gandalf told him of his own journey to Bree, and showed him the message that installed a price on Thorin's head. In conversing with Thorin, they devised the plan to retake Erebor.

### The Hunt for Gollum

    Sometime in March T.A. 3001, Gandalf would arrange a meeting with his very close friend Aragorn in the Inn of the Prancing Pony. They discussed the Hunt for Gollum, which only ended in failure because the Enemy had already gotten to Gollum first..

### Frodo Baggins

Some time later, Gandalf learned that Bilbo's ring was the One Ring created by Sauron. Passing in Bree, in case something should happen to him, Gandalf told Aragorn to remain in Bree, who swore to protect Frodo Baggins and his commissions on their way to Rivendell. When Frodo did arrive on September 30, under the false name, Underhill, Aragorn watched Frodo and his three companions from the shadows and waited until Frodo accidentally slipped the Ring on. However in doing so, alerted the Nazgûl of the Ring's presence in Bree. When the Hobbit reappeared, Aragorn, remembering Gandalf's instructions, grabbed Frodo and took him to a secluded room. However, he had no intentions of harming the Hobbit when his friends, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck, armed with household items as weapons. Aragorn showed he was a friend of Gandalf's and told Frodo that the Nazgûl was coming. They set up a fake bedroom that appeared the four hobbits were sleeping.

They were safely in another room, where Aragorn told the four hobbits of the Nazgûl's origin before they left for Rivendell the next morning.

### War of the Ring

With the war going on, Bree was horribly raided by ruffians during the War of the Ring, leaving several Men and Hobbits dead. Some of the ruffians were spies of Sauron.

### Fourth Age

     At the beginning of the Fourth Age, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin passed through Bree towards home. Eventually, the raids stopped, and prosperity was restored. Eventually, it was re-absorbed into the revived Arnor and Reunited Kingdom of Aragorn, with increased trade allowing Bree to become more prosperous than in generations.

For full detail of Bree's history, see Bree/History.

## Inhabitants

* Aragorn (formerly)
* Barliman Butterbur
* Barney Butterbur
* Betsy Butterbur
* Men of Bree

## Visitors

* Bilbo Baggins
* Gandalf
* Aragorn
* Thorin Oakenshield
* Pippin Took
* Merry Brandybuck

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*