Lord of the Éothéod

The Éothéod were a people descended from the Northmen, who had at one time dwelt in the lands south of the Carrock, but who later travelled into the far north, and settled in the regions where the Anduin had its sources. Of their Lords, the names of only two are recorded: Léod and his son Eorl. Léod was killed while attempting to tame a wild horse (the horse later named Felaróf), and so Eorl became Lord of the Éothéod at the age of just sixteen. For this reason, he became known to history as Eorl the Young.

The distant ancestors of the Éothéod had been allies of the people of Gondor, and soon after he became Lord, Eorl received one Borondir, a desperate messenger of Gondor. Borondir brought messages from Steward Cirion recalling their old alliance, and asking for Eorl's aid against an overwhelming assault. The young Lord led the Men of the Éothéod to answer the summons, and they defeated Gondor's invaders at the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. In reward, Cirion granted Eorl's people the land of Calenardhon to dwell in, and they slowly removed from the north to their new home. Eorl was the last Lord of the Éothéod: after his time, his people became known as the Rohirrim, and his descendants, rather than being Lords of the Éothéod, were known instead as the Kings of Rohan.