Haradrim

The Haradrim, known in Westron as the Southrons and once as "Swertings" by Hobbits, were the race of Men from Harad in the region of Middle-earth directly south of Gondor. These people were ruled by many lords, until in time Sauron corrupted them and called them to war. They were his most notable human ally in the Third Age.

History

In the Second Age, the Men of Númenor built a great city in the firth of Umbar, a vast natural harbour on the southern shores of the Bay of Belfalas, eventually turning the city into a fortified citadel from whose gates the Men of Númenor could levy great tributes upon many of the tribes of Harad.

For many years, the Haradrim were the greatest enemy of Gondor. Several times, they invaded the north. Finally, the Men of Gondor were able to capture Harad, though it was later freed. During the War of the Ring the Haradrim were allied with Sauron. A Haradrim warrior wounded Faramir. At the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the 18,000 Haradrim were a great threat to the Rohirrim that had come to aid the people of Minas Tirith. During the onslaught a Haradrim chieftain, who bore the standard of a black serpent on a scarlet field, led the Haradrim cavalry. King Théoden of Rohan slew him in single combat.^[1]

Once Sauron was destroyed, the Haradrim, Variags, and Easterlings disbanded from the Black Gates and out of Mordor, and became dispersed.

Etymology

The name Haradrim means "South-people", from the Sindarin harad ("south") and rim ("host, group").^[2]

Their other names were Southerns, Southrons^[2], and Swertings.

Traits and culture

The Haradrim were bold and grim men, fierce in despair. They were tall and dark-skinned with black hair and dark eyes, and for that they were called Swertings or Swarthy Men. The men of Near Harad were brown-skinned, with black hair and dark eyes, while the race known as "half-trolls" out of Far Harad had black skin.^[3]

Many Haradrim warriors were seen in bright clothing, such as scarlet robes, and were decorated with golden ornaments, such as collars, earrings, corsets of overlapping brazen plates; they braided their hair with gold. Some tribes painted their bodies. Scarlet and red was also the color of their banners, tips of their spears, and body paint. Their shields were yellow and black with spikes. It is also mentioned that at the end of the Second Age some of the Men in the south had weapons of iron.^[4] Red^[5] scimitars^[6] were among their weapons.

The Haradrim had tamed the massive Mûmakil beasts and used them in warfare and, like their masters, were decorated with scarlet and gold. They even strapped towers on their backs, garrisoned by Haradrim archers and spearmen.

The Haradrim were said to be skilled horsemen, though not of prowess near to the Rohirrim. They are known to have mounted champions and archers, as well as infantry. Horses feared the Mumakil, and so the Southron forces rallied around them when faced with mounted foes.

Harad's tribes included into those of Near and Far Harad, although there were many tribes of the Haradrim, often mutually hostile. Some of the peoples of Far Harad were organized into kingdoms.^[7]

Language

To the Men of Gondor, the voices of Haradrim sounded harsh, and like shouts of beasts.

The only word stated to be of a Southron language is "Mûmak", the name of the Oliphaunts.

Gandalf states that his name in "the south" is "Incánus", thought Inkā-nūsh (or possibly Inkā-nūs), meaning "North-spy".

Despite having a meaning in Quenya ("fate"), the name Umbar is said to be adapted from the natives' language, and not from Elvish or Adûnaic.

Portrayal in adaptations

Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings

In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, the Haradrim are inspired by Aztecs and Kiribati tribes, according to the ROTK DVD's Weta Workshop documentary. Their bows, possibly of compound design, were made out of composite materials like antlers and wood and used bamboo arrows from leather or bamboo quivers. The apparent leader of the Haradrim force is killed in the film not by Théoden, but by Éomer.

Video games

• They appears as toys in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game and The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II. 
• In The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring,  they appears as "Haradrim Slayers".
• The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game has given the unnamed Haradrim leader Théoden kills the name Suladân and the title "Serpent Lord", and its players often refer to him as the "Black Serpent" after his standard. Some are assassins called "hasharin"; there are also characters like "The Golden King" and "Dalamyr", and place-names such as "Kârna", "Abrakân", "Badharkân", "Hidâr", "Nâfarat", and "Dhâran-sar" appear.

Trivia

• In Chinese translation, Southrons is translated as "南蠻", which is an ancient rival kingdom near China.

Gallery

Translations around the world

The People of Middle-earth Men: Edain | Dúnedain | Númenóreans | Haradrim | Easterlings | Variags | Northmen | Dunlendings | Drúedain Elves: Vanyar | Ñoldor | Teleri | Sindar | Eldar | Avari Dwarves: Durin's Folk | Firebeards | Broadbeams | Ironfists | Blacklocks | Stonefoots | Stiffbeards

References

1. ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter VI: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields"
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Parma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named fields
4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named rings
5. ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. IV: "The Siege of Gondor", pg. 821 (50th Anniversary One-Volume Edition)
6. ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. VI: The Battle of the Pelennor Fields, pg. 839 (50th Anniversary One-Volume Edition)
7. ↑ J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers, Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit