Dunland

Dunland is a fictional land from J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth: the land of the Dunlendings, the men who were part of Saruman's army of Isengard in his war on Rohan.

The Dunlendings were so-called Middle Men like the Rohirrim, but since they spoke a different language (related to the the Second House of Men, the Haladin, rather than the Bëorian/Hadorian tongue which stood at the base of Adûnaic), they were not recognised as Middle Men by the Númenoreans of the Second Age. Originally the inhabitants of the forested region of Enedwaith, they were grouped with the Minhiriathrim, another people which were related to the Haladin rather than the Bëorians or Hadorians. This lack of understanding between them and the Númenoreans later led to outright hostility as the Númenoreans began cutting down the large forests, and began driving the Dunlendings away from their ancestral lands.

When Gondor decided to give the unpopulated province of Calenardhon to the numerous people of Éothéod the Dunlendings felt threathened by these Strawheads (referring to the blonde hair), but open war was not waged until the reign of Helm Hammerhand (2741 T.A. - 2759 T.A.). The Dunlending Freca tried to get the throne of Rohan for himself by letting his son Wulf marry the daughter of Helm. Freca was killed, and Wulf led the Dunlendings into open war with Rohan. They unsuccesfully besieged the Hornburg during the long winter of 2758-2759. Wulf did take Edoras and killed Haleth, the son of Helm, in front of the golden hall of Meduseld. But in the refuge of Dunharrow Helm's nephew Fréalaf held out against the Dunlendings. He recaptured Edoras in the end of the long winter and killed Wulf personally. The Dunlendings were driven out of Rohan, and Fréalaf succeeded the deceased Helm Hammerhand.

Saruman used this old history to tempt the Dunlendings in supporting him.

After the battle at Helm's Deep the Dunlendings were allowed to live by the Rohirrim, on the condition that all hostilites ceased, and they retreated behind the Isen river again.