"
...to Edoras he came, the ancient halls
of the Mark-wardens mist-enshrouded"
"From dark Dunharrow in the dim morning"
The Return of the King V 3
The Muster of Rohan
A term used in the poetry of the Rohirrim to describe the Kings of their land of Rohan. The term 'Mark' comes from the Riders' own name for their land, and 'warden' is here used to signify that the Kings of the Mark had a duty to guard and maintain the lands under their care.
The term is seen only once, in the song of Rohan quoted above, and may have been restricted to poetic contexts. The title's formation follows established Old English conventions. For example, the modern English word 'lord' comes originally from Anglo-Saxon hlāfweard, 'loaf-warden', showing a similar association of authority and responsibility to that we see in the 'Mark-warden' of Rohan.
For a genealogical chart and table showing the line of the Mark-wardens, see the entry for King of Rohan.
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- Updated 5 July 2020
- This entry is complete
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