The Shire – overview:
In T.A. 1601, faced with the growing power of the noble house of Tarma, KingArgeleb II of Arthedain chose to respond to the situation by dividing up the Tarma lands, claiming an ancient right over property in times of need. Advised by the IstarGandalf, Argeleb granted four large but underpopulated parcels of land on the southern border of Arthedain to a sizable band of Hobbits. At this time, the brothers Marcho and Blanco had been petitioning the King for three years, hoping to gain some small plot of land on which to settle their wandering people. These first Hobbit settlers were soon joined by their cousins from Cardolan, Breeland, and Rhudaur, creating a sizable and stable community in a surprisingly short time. Argeleb, pleased by the success of his gift, bestowed many rights of self-governance upon the Hobbits, asking only for payment of an annual tax known among the Hobbits as "The Rent". The Hobbits spoke their own language among themselves, but many soon learned Westron in order to communicate with the Men and Dwarves who pass along the Great East Road on some errand.
Political Organization: Autonomous Shire of Arthedain; clan-based aristocracy.
Rulers: Argeleb II, King of Arthedain, nominal overlord; Marcho and Blanco, Fallohide Hobbits, Founders of The Shire, first rulers by popular acclamation.
Administrative Organization: Officials elected by clan members, land divided into four Farthings, further subdivided by private ownership.
Although the brothers Marcho and Blanco made the decisions which concerned all of the Shire, most power was held by the hereditary thains of each tribe. A few tribes, however, elected officials to carry out work for the good of the community, with the thains taking on a ceremonial role, usually prominent on feast-days. The Shire was organized along the boundaries of the old Arthadan territories, now known as Farthings. Marcho and Blanco originally intended to grant a farthing to each clan, but the turbulence of the sudden influx of new immigrants made the farthings little more than lines on the map. The clans mixed more or less freely; only the most aristocratic concerned themselves with the continuity of their clans when they made a marriage match. The Hobbitry-in-arms was a volunteer force, commanded by the more influential citizens, which met every month to practice military maneuvers. Few Men remained in The Shire, but bandits, some hired by the Tarmas, viewed the Hobbits as easy pickings. The Hobbit-fyrd however managed to change their opinion. The Shire is quietly agricultural, self-sufficient in most areas. Each year, a surplus of grain, fruit, and mushrooms went to the Autumn Fair at Bree. Despite their skill at smithing, Hobbit smelting practices were quite crude, and those who lived along the Great East Road eagerly traded for ingots of pure copper, iron, and tin. Along the East Road, Hobbit culture was decidedly more "Mannish": Hobbits there dwelled in houses above ground, rather than in the burrows known as "smials," and all of these more urban Hobbits spoke Westron among themselves on a daily basis.
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