Linhir

Type: Large Town
Inhabitants: 95% Gondorian, 5% Mixed Mannish
Population: 4,100
Origin: Founded by Anarion in SA 3421
Purpose: A port and center for trade and manufacturing, situated at the point where the Gondor Road crosses the Gilrain; a staging area for caravans and expeditions into the highlands and mining country
Symbol: AY-shaped Branch

Linhir (S. "River Fords") was prosperous and busy, and a large population of unseemly characters had grown to prey upon the weak and gullible. A wall dating back to the time of Númenor surrounded the city, which had remained an important urban center for millennia.

Linhir was the second largest urban settlement in Dor-en-Ernil forming the principal gateway between Belfalas and Lebennin. Linhir was also the only true township within the feudal domain of Belfalas, and possessed both a unique political status as well as economic hegemony over both sides of the Glinduin vale. Finally, Linhir served as one of the main naval strongholds of central Gondor throughout the long history of the Third Age.

History[]

Originally part of the personal domain of the Prince of Belfalas, the land encompassing the western bank of the Glinduin-Serni confluence was granted as a fief to Eärnil the third and youngest son of Prince Lothirion, in T.A. 748. Then comprising of little more than a water mill and a small manor house, Linhir's upgrade became Eärnil's first priority, building a series of fortified quays along the river bank in order to haven the newly-formed western wing of King Siriondil's fledgling war-fleet (over which Eärnil had been placed by Tarannon, then the Captain of Hosts).

Although in its original conception a temporary arrangement, the use of Linhir as a haven for the roval fleet became institutionalised as a result of Eärnil's unforeseen ascension to the throne in T.A. 913. The Linhir estate became a royal ward (much to the dismay of Eärnil's princely relatives in Belfalas), and would never again be wholly subject to Dor-en-Ernil while the Third Age lasted. Because of Linhir's location,and origins, political control over the town was to become a perennial source of tension between the prince and the kings.

Linhir grew larger and became more populous as the era of the Ship-kings progressed. The opening of seaborne trade with Umbar and Haradwaith greatly stimulated the growth and mercantile character of the settlernent, evolving in tandem with the Linhir Fleet and its material needs. A great bridge, joining the Belfalas and Lebennin sides of the river, was built with vast expenditure by King Siriondil in T.A. 752. firmly establishing Linhir as the most important center of commerce in central Gondor, next to Pelargir itself. Finally, in T.A. 1226. the year of his ascension, King Narmacil I granted Linhir township status.

This royal decree was enacted in part to recognize the de facto autonomy of Linhir's economy; but also, more significantly, Narmacil felt compelled ro reach some kind of resolution with the Prince of Belfalas over the settlement's proper political status. Ever since Linhir had become a royal ward, the rulers of Dor-en-Ernil had charged that the territorial integrity of Elendil's feudal grant to Edhelion's line had been violated, since the site of Linhir indisputably fell within the traditional boundaries of Belfalas.

The compromise arrived at in T.A. 1226 provided that Linhir should be restored to the prince's domain and that it should no longer be held as a royal estate. In exchange for this concession, however, the prince would be constrained to honor the autonomous status which Linhir had been granted by the king, and not seek to reintegrate it into the estate system of Belfalas. Instead, the prince would have the authority to name the town's squire and to mint coins with the image of Dor-en-Ernil, but the king would reserve the right to appoint a coinmaster and to collect taxes. In addition to these provisions about the town itself, the Linhir Fleet would be allowed to retain own sepatate jurisdiction.

For all Narmacil's good intentions, the attempt mitigate the political and economic tensions engend by a town of Linhir's size and character ultimately failed of its purpose. This became apparent during the Kinstrife, when the squire of the town rebelled against the prince's command not to participate in the uprising against King Valacar, siding with the confederate Lord- captain of Linhir, and fortifying the walls of the town against any attempt of the prince to seize Linhir by force. Once in power, Castamir the Usurper amended the towns constitution, revoking all of the concessions Narmacil had made to the prince. Eldacar restored these traditional arrangements upon his return to the throne in T.A. 1447, but the new seaborne threat of Umbar necessitated a strong royal involvement in the government and defense of the town.

The fortunes of Linhir fluctuated throughout the remainder of the Third Age, depending on the extent to which trade and commerce was frustrated by Umbar or the Harwan and on the relative damage it sustained over time as a result of Corsair raids. Nevertheless, despite of these obstructions, the basic structure of Linhir's role as a center of regional, landward trade between eastern Belfalas and western Lebennin remained remarkably stable all the way up into the Fourth Age. The only political change during this period was the withdrawal of royal claims over the town and its mint, ceding all remaining rights and prerogatives to the Prince of Belfalas. Aragorn Elessar confirmed these arrangements, adding to them authority over the soon-to-be rebuilt royal fleet.

Inhabitants[]

As with the town itself, the character of Linhirs inhabitants had changed over time. Because of its location within the domain of the prince, there never existed an opportunity for veteran soldiers of the Linhir Fleet to receive land in or around the town as compensation for their period of service; consequently, the military element of Linhir never played a significant role in the development of its permanent population. By contrast, the local peasantry of the region underwent dramatic changes as result of the town's founding.

At first, the presence of the Linhir Fleet created a novel source of revenue for the peasants of eastern Belfalas, who sold then surplus crops to the garrison. Later, as the royal fleet grew in size, the need for skilled artisans and support occupations(e.g. riggers, carpenters, painters, etc.) emerged, providing new vocational possibilities for existing rural labor. Finally, the physical expansion of the town—especially the building of the bridge—generated a need for a large amount of manpower, which often provided the peasants their transition tn urban life. Such large-scale diversions of rural labor inevitably caused serious disruptions to the delicate equilibrium of Belfalas' feudal economy (at least from the perspective of its nobility).

Not all of Linhir's inhabitants were originally from Dor-en-Ernil. The town had a comparable pull on the Lebennin countryside, drawing countless, non-inheriting sons of freeholders to seek their fortune. An equally important source for Linhir's populace was the mercantile element, which established itself from the outside (primarily from Pelargir and later on, from Umbar and Gobel Mirlond) as the town expanded under the might ot the Sea-kings. Because Linhir was a royal ward with its own jurisdiction and tax collections, it was possible for an enterprising merchant family to establish a business in Linhir without thereby jeopardizing its native provincial or territorial status elsewhere in central Gondor. The possibility of such "dual citizenship" was, however, put to an end in T.A. 1226. when Linhir became a township in its own right.

Politics and Power[]

Given to Linhir's unique political history, it was not surprising that the towns form of government had certain distinctive features. Like the other Townships of central Gondor, Linhir was governed by an appointed officer (depending on the time period in question, either a squire or a warden), who was responsible for the civil governance of the settlement. This office was More complex than its counterparts elsewhere due to the fact that, in addition to its own autonomous institutions, Linhir was home to both the royal fleet and to one of the realm's coinage mints (the control of which was shared by the king and the Prince of Belfalas).

A town council participated in deliberation about local affairs, especially over the regulation of trade and commerce. Because the Linhir mint was of central importance to all levels of the economy, its coinmaster was automatically given a seat on this council, which was otherwise predominantly composed of wealthy merchants and the leaders of artisan guilds. In theory, the squire had the power to endorse or reject proposals of the town council; in practice, however, the squire had often to defer a certain amount of informal authority to the coinmaster, who also acted as the chief tax collector of the king, The king usually chose the Coinmaster of Linhir from among those officers ot his who had few or no local political or economic ties to Lebennin or Belfalas (in order to ensure that he would serve only the king's interests). The power of the coinmaster derived from his exclusive control of the Linhir mint, without which the towns constant flow of wealth would have been severely interrupted. Anxious to promote all sources of revenue for the king, the coinmaster was usually on good terms with the town council. But while the coinmaster controlled the actual production of coinage, the Squire of Linhir, as the prince's represenrative, enjoyed certain prerogatives and controlled over the circulation of that same currency. In particular, the squire had the power to determine the exchange values for the different coins that passed through the hands of the towns moneychangers (which gave him a significant source of leverage with the council and, thus, indirectly with the coinmaster).The squire was also responsible for the inspection of the coinmaster's work and in the movement of a set portion of the total monetary output of the mint destined for the coffers of the prince of Dol Amroth.

Warcraft[]

Although not originally designed for defense, Linhir was nevertheless a well-fortified town, possessing both a strong wall and a naval garrison to supplement its regular guard. While Umbar posed a maritime threat to central Gondor, Linhir's war-fleet was extensive and well-prepared for major sea battles. The Lord-captain of Linhir was well aware that because of its wealth, and because its defenses were weaker than those of Pelargir or Dol Amroth, Linhir was a prime target for the Corsairs. In light of this, a substantial contingent of ships was always on patrol in the Glinduin estuary.

Because of the massive quantities of precious metals that were stored in the vaults of the Linhir mint, the defense of the town was of paramount importance to all authorities. When not at sea, the garrison of the Linhir Fleet shared in the tasks of both internal and external defense for Linhir and its mint. In addition to this source of protection, the squire possessed a large company of men-at-arms from Belfalas, who saw to the daily security of the town. Finally, the coinmaster maintained a special company of royal guards at the mint itself, who were under his sole authority.

Places of Note[]

Abed Conath
Barracks
Belfalas Gate
Cloth Mills
Commercial Docks
East Entrance
Falls Gate
Ferry
Gilrain Bridge
Gilrain Court
The Gilrain Mere
Gondor Road
Granaries
The Great Corcoran
House Brindalin
House Rian
Iant Linhir
The Jester's Field
Lebennin Gate
Long Quay
Lord's Castle
Manor Square
The Mills
Mill District
- Grain merchant's guild
Mint
Naval Docks
North Entrance
Outer Market
Port District
Sanctuary of Nienna
Shipwright's Guild
Shipyards
Sunset Gate
Tanners Quarter
Three Maidens
Town Center
Hall of the Uinendili
Vault
Wanderer's Square
Warehouses
West Entrance

Characters:[]

T.A. 1640[]

Argirion of Linhir

Before T.A. 3018[]

Lasseth the Climber Tensidir of Linhir

T.A. 3018-19:[]

Comeldir Durnir Erchar Garvir Glanion Glírdor Gorroch Herion Ingalad Ioron Mornil Roniel Tancestel

References[]

MERP:Southern Gondor:The Land