What Happened To THE HOBBITS After The Lord of the Rings? | Middle Earth Lore

Hello and welcome to The Broken Sword. Today we are having a look at what's happened to the Hobbits.

After the Lord of the Rings.

The Hobbits, the Halflings, the little people, these are just a couple of names that the small folk from the Shire and Breeland were known by to the rest of Middle-earth.

This race of kind-hearted folk are the main race of focus for both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings adventures, as we get to follow the main quests with Bilbo Baggins to Erebor and Frodo Baggins to Mordor.

It is not just these two that we are going onto learn about today though, after all, we also grow relationships with each of Samwise Sam Gamgee, Meriadoc Merry Brandybuck, and Peregrin Pippin Took.

So, once we have taken a look more at the race as a whole, we will then go on to look more specifically at each of these main individuals.

And quickly here before we get into an opening quote.

What are the chances that you guys can get this video to surpass 5,000 likes?

That is a very ambitious goal for us today.

But after all, you are all amazing viewers and a thousand likes for each of the main five Hobbits seems fair to me.

So, I am setting you that challenge.

Let's see if we can do it.

But anyway, onto the video.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

That is the introduction from The Hobbit, so the first ever insight we ever got looking into this race.

And straight away it sets up a lovely picture of just what Hobbits could be.

People who enjoy comfort.

Tolkien would later go into far more detail about them in the prologue of The Lord of the Rings, appropriately titled Concerning Hobbits.

But that section is really too long for me to quote for you all today.

But I will give you just a couple of little snippets from it where he says things like:

Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth.

They are quick of hearing and sharp-eyed, and though they are inclined to be fat and do not hurry unnecessarily, they are nonetheless nimble and deft in their movements.

And laugh they did, and eat, and drink, often and heartily, being fond of simple jests at all times, and of six meals a day (when they could get them).

This very much sets them up as a group that I would love to have been a part of.

Peaceful, happy, and lovers of nature.

So, once the great evil battles of the War of the Ring had come and gone.

How did this affect the lives of the people who were more than happy to keep themselves to themselves?

Away from the big people of the world.

Well, once Aragorn had been coronated as the new King of Gondor, the Shire became a free land in the year six of the Fourth Age.

Being protected inside of the Reunited Kingdom.

Aragorn would issue an order that forbade the entrance of full-sized men into the Shire.

And then moving forward on a few years, in the year 31 of the Fourth Age.

King Aragorn declared that the area of Buckland would now officially be a part of the Shire, as previously it had really been its own little country, not part of it.

And so with this merge, it then became known as East March.

And also, this land of East March would be extended westward to Emyn Beraid, also known as the Tower Hills.

Which were a range of hills on the western side of Eriador.

This part of the land would then be named West March as well.

The Shire would have a Thane in charge of their people, which is in fact a role that Pippin would take on during his life.

But we will get more into him in a bit.

This Thane was in charge of an event called a Shiremoot, which, just like the Entmoot that we see in The Two Towers.

Is a gathering of Hobbits that would be held in times of emergency.

But with the way that Hobbits lived, this was a very rare occurrence.

The Hobbits would also have some form of militia too.

Which they would call the Hobbitry-in-Arms.

This group would only be summoned during a Shiremoot, which is another gathering that would only happen in an emergency.

However, after the Shire had recovered from the darkness that Saruman and his ruffians had brought upon them, this would become nothing more than a formality.

Because as far as we know, the Hobbits simply went back to their normal ways of life in the Fourth Age.

They very much enjoyed having their entirely peaceful and uneventful lives.

And being perfectly happy with that.

So really, just like the other magical races of Middle-earth during the Fourth Age, it is believed that their numbers just slowly dwindled.

Until they completely cut themselves off from the world of men, either from dying out or from just wanting to keep themselves to themselves.

And really, who could blame them?

Now, before I go on to look more closely at our main Hobbits, I thought it would be a shame to not hear one more word from J.R.R. Tolkien himself.

Where he would talk about his inspiration for the race of the Hobbits in one of his letters.

With this one being letter 213 to Deborah Webster.

I am in fact a Hobbit (in all but size). I like gardens, trees and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food (unrefrigerated), but detest French cooking; I like, and even dare to wear in these dull days, ornamental waistcoats.

I am fond of mushrooms (out of a field); have a very simple sense of humour (which even my appreciative critics find tiresome); I go to bed late and get up late (when possible).

I do not travel much. I love Wales (what is left of it, when mines, and the even more ghastly sea-side resons, have done their worst), and especially the Welsh language.

You could see why he made this race so peaceful and important, as they were basically the idealistic version of himself and how he would love to be able to live.

And I will also add here that I left in the parts about Wales because, being Welsh myself, I can really appreciate how our country could have inspired the feel of the Shire.

And also about the Welsh language, knowing that that language is what inspired a lot of the Elvish tongue.

I feel is a really nice thing to hear.

And a lot of people don't know.

But anyway, let's just pause here for a moment for me to ask you all to leave a comment, as I am curious which team you will pick.

I want you, in the comment section below, to leave a comment of #Team.

And whichever Hobbit is your favorite, so potentially are you #TeamFrodo, #TeamBilbo, #TeamSam, #TeamMerry, #TeamPippin.

Or even perhaps #TeamLobelia, any Hobbit that is your favorite.

Let me know in the comment section below as I'm very curious to see who comes out on top.

But anyway, now that we have covered how generally the Hobbits were quite happy just to go back to their simple.

Uneventful lives.

What about the five Hobbits that we focus on during The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings?

I feel it makes sense to first of all look at the hero of the quest of Erebor.

Bilbo Baggins.

Bilbo was the Hobbit who left the comfort of the Shire to go on an adventure with the company of Thorin the Dwarf.

Which led to him stumbling upon the One Ring after a game of riddles with Sméagol.

He would then, admittedly and inadvertently, bring it back to the attention of the world.

Bilbo would eventually retire in Rivendell as we see in The Lord of the Rings, and from then on live a very peaceful rest of his life writing poetry, eating food, and sleeping.

Although after the Ring was destroyed, the prolonged life that he had once benefited from started to fade.

Leading Bilbo to begin to look ancient by the words of Arwen.

He would later then accompany Frodo, Gandalf, and some of the Elves to sail west from the Grey Havens in the year 3021 of the Third Age.

Bilbo was the oldest Hobbit in recorded histories of Middle-earth, and would eventually pass away in the West.

Although the exact age of his passing is unknown.

And I will also quickly add here, as I'm sure many of you are already thinking it.

Yes, there is actually one Hobbit who was older than Bilbo, and that was Sméagol.

Also known as Gollum.

However, due to the direction that his life took, he was not recorded or remembered in the way that Bilbo was.

So, although he may have been older in terms of a recorded histories, like I said, Bilbo is the one who takes that prize.

But now, moving on from Bilbo, we will continue with his cousin.

The most famous of the Hobbits from their own histories.

Frodo Baggins.

As we know, Frodo carried the One Ring from the Shire all the way to Mount Doom.

He brought about the destruction of Sauron's Ring, so although some people said that one could not simply do so.

He did, in fact, simply walk into Mordor.

After he returned home with the other three Hobbits, he helped save the Shire from the terror of Saruman.

Albeit trying to do so without killing anyone, and then he spent his time helping restore the Shire to its former glory.

However, he was always troubled by the wounds that he had suffered on his adventure, consistently falling ill on March 13th and October 6th every single year.

Lining up with the two dates where he was stung by Shelob and stabbed by the Witch-king on Weathertop.

Frodo would serve as the Mayor of Michel Delving, also known simply as the Mayor of the Shire for a brief time.

Although, he would pass this role back on to Will Whitfoot as soon as he had recovered from the damage that Saruman and his ruffians had inflicted upon him during the Scouring of the Shire.

Frodo would never come to have a family of his own.

So, when he eventually did set out west on the white ship with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the others that traveled with them, he would leave his estate to Sam.

Which included Bag End.

Frodo would spend the rest of his life in Valinor, where he no longer suffered from the wounds of his past, living in pure peace.

And again, just like Bilbo, the exact time of his passing is also unknown.

Next, we move on to Samwise Gamgee.

Sam was the only member of the original Fellowship of the Ring to remain with Frodo until the very end of his journey into Mount Doom.

After the War of the Ring, Sam would return home, help rid the Shire of Saruman, and go on to marry his love, Rosie Cotton.

He and Rosie would go on to have 13 children, with them naming four of these after Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Bilbo.

Then, when it came time for Frodo to sail west, Sam would inherit Bag End.

And he would also end up being elected as the Mayor of the Shire in the year six of the Fourth Age, after the Hobbit, as mentioned before, Will Whitfoot would resign.

Sam would actually go on to lead for an unrivaled seven consecutive seven-year terms.

And during one of these terms, Aragorn would appoint the Mayor of the Shire as a Counselor of the North Kingdom too.

In fact, Sam would meet King Aragorn again on the Brandywine Bridge one year, where he was honored with receiving the Star of the Dúnedain from him.

This was a silver brooch that was worn by the Rangers of the North and considered a badge of honor to their people.

Showing just how Sam was held in such a high regard by Aragorn.

The years would then roll on with not much of note for Sam.

Most likely showing that he was just a great mayor with no real problems.

However, sadly for him, Rosie would pass away in the year 61 of the Fourth Age.

After her passing, Sam would follow his desire to see Frodo once again, and so would sail from the Grey Havens himself.

So that he could be reunited with Frodo for the rest of his life in the Undying Lands.

And if you're curious as to why Sam was actually allowed to do this, it is because for a small period of time when he thought Frodo had died.

He was, in fact, a Ring-bearer.

So, he was allowed this almighty gift.

But then once he had gone, once again, his specific time of passing is unknown.

Now with two more Hobbits still to cover, let us move on to Meriadoc Brandybuck, better known simply as Merry.

Merry would be one of the primary leaders of the uprising against Saruman and his ruffians after the Hobbits had returned home.

Due to his great leadership, he would earn the title of Meriadoc the Magnificent.

And become the Master of Buckland after his father as well.

Receiving gifts from the likes of King Éomer of Rohan and Lady Éowyn for his great deeds.

Although initially Merry would live with Pippin for a time, he would go on to marry a Hobbit named Estella Bolger in the year 13 of the Fourth Age.

Merry would also become somewhat of an author in his time too, penning several works about the Shire and also most probably a part of the Red Book too.

He even took another trip to Rivendell at some point to gather more information for these writings.

Merry, along with Pippin and Sam, were named among the Counselors of the North Kingdom, which he would keep the role of until the year 63 of the Fourth Age.

When, now being 102 years old, not just Merry, but all three of the Hobbits would resign from their roles.

Upon his resignation, he would receive an invitation from King Éomer to come and stay in his lands.

So, along with Pippin, the two of them traveled to Rohan.

It is also presumed here that this was after the passing of their wives.

But again, this is never really confirmed.

The two Hobbits would stay in Edoras for a time, but after Éomer would pass on, the two would then go on to travel to Gondor.

This would be where both Merry and Pippin would spend their final years, with them both passing away a few years later.

They would both be laid to rest in Rath Dínen within Minas Tirith, which is where the greats of Gondor, like the Kings and Stewards, were laid to rest after their deaths.

A great honor for two simple Hobbits.

As, after Aragorn's death as well, both Merry and Pippin had their bodies placed beside his.

Now we reach our last, but certainly not least, Hobbit, Peregrin Took.

More simply known as Pippin.

Pippin is the last of the main Hobbits, and he was the other leader in the uprising during the Scouring of the Shire in the Battle of Bywater.

Pippin was the one to gather the Tooks from Tookland, bringing a hundred strong Hobbits with him to fight.

He would be one for telling a good story, getting great enjoyment from telling any other Hobbits that would listen about the stories of their journeys to far-off lands.

And how he himself remained a Knight of Gondor too.

Both Pippin and Merry were considered lordly upon their return for their unusual height, which came after drinking the Ent-draught on their adventures in Fangorn Forest with Treebeard.

Pippin himself was said to be at least 4'5" tall.

So, when the average height of a Hobbit could be anywhere between, say, two and four feet.

He would have had a very commanding presence around them.

As the years rolled on, Pippin would marry a Hobbit named Diamond of Longcleave.

And have a child that they named after Faramir.

Pippin would come to succeed his father in becoming the 32nd Thane of the Shire.

As well as becoming chosen as one of the Counselors of the North Kingdom by King Aragorn, as mentioned before.

During his time as Thane, Pippin would collect as much historical information as he could within his home of Great Smials.

Which was the great many-tunneled mansion home of the Took family.

Here he would be fascinated with the stories of Númenor and the Heirs of Elendil.

After being Thane for 50 years, Pippin resigned and left the Shire with Merry to visit Rohan for a time and then Gondor as well.

Where the two of them would pass away as mentioned before.

With Pippin passing in the year 63 of the Fourth Age.

The same year as Merry.

And so there we have it really, a look at the histories of the Hobbits after the events of The Lord of the Rings.

Although, as a race, they had a couple of people of note that we follow in the stories, in general, the Hobbits were quite happy to forget about the past horrors of Sharkey.

And return to their simple, peaceful lives.

And really, who can blame them?

It is also no surprise that the four Hobbits who were once members of the Fellowship of the Ring became leaders of their people upon their return.

As the experiences that they all went through meant it would have been very hard for them just to go home.

And pretend like nothing had ever happened.

So, now that we have rounded that up, it is time for my end question for you today.

And that is:

Which of the Hobbits do you think did the most for the Shire after they'd returned home from their adventures?

I'd be very curious to hear all of your thoughts.

So, let me know what you think in the comment section below.

And also a reminder to leave another comment of #Team and whichever Hobbit is your favorite too.

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