The Shire (Arnor-Gondor)
The Shire Sûzat | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 | |
| Capital | Michel Delving |
| Largest | Hobbiton Michel Delving Tuckborough Bywater |
| Official languages | Westron Sindarin |
| Recognised regional languages | Sindarin |
| Ethnic groups | Hobbits |
| Religion | Cult of the One and Veneration of Valar |
| Demonym(s) | Hobbits of the Shire |
| Government | Formal seigneurship |
• Thain | Fortinbras II Took |
• Mayor of Michel Delving | Carl Bolger-Sandheaver |
• Master of Buckland | Roridoc Brandybuck |
| Free Land | |
• Foundation of the Shire | S.R. 1/T.A. 1600 |
• Great Plague | S.R. 36/T.A. 1636 |
• Occupation of the Shire | S.R. 1418-1419/T.A. 3018-3019 |
• Free Land | S.R. 1427/Fo.A. 6 |
| Area | |
• | 55,425 km2 (21,400 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 87,000 |
| Currency | Royal Castar |
The Shire (Westron: Sûzat) is a free country within the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor. The Shire is the homeland of the Hobbits (Westron: Kuduk, pl. Kudugin, rendered as Hobbit; Rohirric: Kûd-dûkan, rendered as Holbytla; Sindarin: Perian, pl. Periain, coll. pl. Periannath), located in the northwest of Middle-earth, in the region of Eriador and within the Kingdom of Arnor. By the III century of Fourth Age it is one of the most heavily-populated areas in Eriador, thanks to the almost uninterrupted period of abundance, lasting from the very beginning of Fourth Age (after a short period of recovering from the dictatorship of the Ruffians in 1419-1421 S.R.).
Population and economy
The Shire is quite densely and evenly populated in parts with many villages and a few towns, but it still is open enough to allow for wide forested areas and marshes and it is a fertile land. Hobbits of the Shire have an extensive agricultural system and various supplies can be found in the Shire, including cereals, fruit, wood and pipe-weed (their most known export).
Alongside the agrarian vocation of the economy, in larger settlements there is the usual urban economy, as well as fine craftmanship.
History of the Shire in the Fourth Age
After the war against Sharkey and his Ruffians, the Shire faced an intense immigration crisis. Men fleeing from the south, sometimes just individuals and sometimes organized companies, attempted to cross into the Shire almost every day. While some were authentic fugitives, trying to flee from misadventures, many of those men were well-organised ruffians and former soldiers from Isengard and Dunland. While deprived of a supreme leader, they were often determined to carve a their own domain at the expense of the civilised lands. Clashes with armed men were frequent and occasionally tragic, particularly at the Battle of the Fords in Fo.A.8/S.R. 1429. The refugees crisis was resolved by King Elessar the following year, who initiated a land granting scheme south of Brandywine. By the time of his visit to Annúminas, all Men were removed from the Shire and the Free Land.
Contemporary to the immigration crisis, consequences of the induced poverty of the Sharkey's rule lasted for a couple of years. Excellent harvests of early-to-mid S.R. 1420s still required some time in order to be brought in effect. In the meantime, Ruffians' storage points were searched for and, alongside the restitution of thefts and arbitrary requisitions, their reserves were used to avoid a famine. In this way, a degree of control was retained during the early difficult years.
Geography
Since the declaration of Free Land, and since the inclusion of the Buckland within its borders, the Shire is a country bound by the Old Forest from the Great Road East; from the River Brandywine from the South-East and the South; Southern and South-Western borders are not physically defined, and usually the Shire extends on the Old Vineyards up to 15-20 miles from southern settlement of Cotton and about 10 miles from Sackville. On the West, limits of the Free Land are on the Tower Hills, with the West March being the westernmost region. North-Western borders run from few miles from Gamwich across the Evendim Hills, near to the rebuilt Northern Seat of Annúminas and touching the northern end of the Bindbale Wood; the border then passes across other hills near to Long Cleeve and reaches the bend toward East of the River Brandywine (including the North Moors). Until the Great East Road, the North-Eastern border is on the eastern bank of the Brandywine.
The Brandywine (Baranduin) river bounds the Shire from the east: Also Buckland is within the hobbit nation. From the west to the east, the Shire measures 40 leagues from the Tower Hills to the Brandywine Bridge. From the north to the south, it measures 50 leagues from the northern moors to the marshes in the south. The total area of the Shire is about 21,400 square miles.
The Shire proper is divided in four Farthings (Northfarthing, Southfarthing, Eastfarthing, and Westfarthing), with the Westmarch and the Buckland being later added to it. Within the Farthings there are some smaller, unofficial but nonetheless effective divisions such as family lands or folklands, which still bore the names of some of the old leading families. Eastern to the Farthings, Buckland is named for the Oldbucks (later Brandybucks). The Farthings are the core of the Shire, and the only regions which are truly considered as part of it.
East to the Buckland, beyond the Old Forest but before Bree-land (which is a mixed region, inhabited by Men and Hobbits) Barrow Downs are nowadays an Hobbit-only region, populated by migrants from both the Shire and Bree-land; nonetheless, no attempt has ever been made to include these lands within the Shire and it is part of province of Arthedain.
Northfarthing
The Northfarthing is the northern and coldest region of the Shire, with the North Moors regularly experiencing heavy snowfall. It is a rocky region, and settlements are usually delved in the grey stone which surfaces everywhere. In the western part of the Northfarthing the Bindbale Wood is comprised between the Water and the River Bindbale.
While the Northfarthing is the least populated part of the Shire proper, with around 3,500 Hobbit living within its boundaries, the region does have some settlements of some importance.
- Long Cleeve is the home of the small part of the Took clan known as the North-Tooks, descendants of Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took, who settled here after the Battle of Greenfields. Long Cleeve is the nearest Hobbit village to Annúminas and a cavalry Company is traditionally stationed just outside the northern Shire border, in order to guard the road to Annúminas and, if necessary, provide assistance to the Shire.
- Hardbottle is the home to the Bracegirdle family, to whom famed Lobelia Sackville-Baggins belonged in S.R. XV Century.
- Oatbarton is a town on the road fork: two roads run toward north (and therefore toward Annúminas), and the southern road runs towards the core of the Shire. Due to the growth of commercial flows with Annúminas and the areas around Lake Evendim, in the last decades Oatbarton has experienced a significant expansion and its markets and some other businesses are dealt with by the Master of the Market of Oatbarton. The Chief Bounder of the Northfarthing is usually based in Oatbarton.
Westfarthing
The Westfarthing is one of the four Farthings of the Shire. Its easternmost point is the Three-Farthing Stone and on its western border are, from Fo.A. 31 on/S.R. 1452, the region of Westmarch. The Westfarthing occupies the western portion of the central plains: the lake of Bywater Pool lies in the eastern croner, and the Water runs from its northern valley to the Lake, passing through the Rushock Bog. In the southern part of the Farthing, there are some hill ranges: the Green Hills Country, hearth of the Tookland, and the White Downs. West of the White Downs there is a plain region, sparsely inhabited.
The Westfarthing is thickly crossed by roads: major roads include the Great East Road, the long road that runs east to west through Eriador, from the Grey Havens to the far East, and the Bywater Road.
The Westfarthing is the most populated part of the Shire (11,000 Hobbits ca.): most of its population lies near to Bywater Pool and to the East Road, but there are also significant concentrations in the Green Hills Country and in the north-western region. The Westfarthing is the site of the major towns: Michel Delving, Waymoot, and Hobbiton along the route of the East Road; Nobottle in the northern part of the Westfarthing, and Tuckborough (part of Tookland) in the southern part.
- Michel Delving is the capital town of the Shire, located in the White Downs. It is located in the White Downs on the East Road. Although located within a hilly region the town has many above-ground houses of wood, brick, or stone and the raising of hens is the dominant market of this area. The Mayor of Michel Delving is the only elected official of The Shire, elected on a seven year term, under whom are attached the offices of Postmaster and First Shirriff for the entire Shire. The Chief Bounder of the Westfarthing is usually based in Michel Delving due to the Great East Road.
- Waymoot is a town located between Michel Delving and Hobbiton on the Great East Road. The town, although relatively small, is located at a crossroad: the East Road, and roads to Tookland and to Little Delving. Due to the crossroad, Waymoot is a common meeting point for Bounders and, during musters for the Hobbitry-in-Arms. Aside of defence matters, the Waymoot Market is a traditional feature of the Westfarthing, and the Head of Market is a post entrusted by merchants and artisans to Hobbits known for their skill at organizing and arranging large meetings and banquets.
- Nobottle is a town in the northern part of the Westfarthing, lying in the gap between the most southern endings of the Evendinm Hills and the White Downs. It is a small town mainly kown for its famous pottery.
- Bywater is a village a short walk east of Hobbiton. It is best known as the home of two inns, The Green Dragon Inn and The Ivy Bush.
Hobbiton
Hobbiton is a town in the central regions of the Shire, within the borders of the Westfarthing and across the Water. The Bywater Road passes through both Hobbiton and the near village of Bywater, and connects them to the Great East Road to the south, passing through a densely populated area.
Along with Michel Delving, Hobbiton is among the most important settlements of the Shire, and played a significant part in Hobbit history. The town in itself is roughly divided into three neighbourhoods: around the Hobbiton Hill smials are known as being part of Underhill, while on the south of the water Left Bank and the New Smials thrive and are reached by several country roads. Contrary to most Hobbit families, which have their ancestral seats and Family Lands in rural areas, the Hobbiton Hill is Bag's End, the former ancestral seat of the prominent Baggins family; nowadays (late Fo.A. III Century/S.R. early XVIII Century), Bag's End is the ancestral seat of the equally prominent Gardner Family.
In Fo.A. 129/S.R. 1550 the position of Burgmeister of Hobbiton was estabslished; while it is a comparable position to the Mayor of Michel Delving, the Burgomeister has far less responsibilities of his counterpart, being mainly in charge of local roads maintenance and administering the important Market of the Three Farthings.
Tookland
Tookland is a region within the Westfarthing. It is the home province of the Took clan, and therefore of the Thains of the Shire. The Tookland lay to the south of the East Road, with its chief town at Tuckborough in the Green Hills. There, burrowed into the hillsides, is the home of the Tooks, Great Smials. Somewhat to the west of Tuckborough lays the smaller of the Tookland's main settlements, Tookbank. Tookland has always remained firmly in control of the Thains. Tuckborough, isolated in a valley of the Green-hill Country, grew into a small town for woodworking and pottery. Whitwell, situated in the midst of fertile land, prospers as a market centre. Dolwich, on a southern spur of the hills, is a granite mining centre.
Southfarthing
A rural and fertile area, the Southfarthing is the site of the towns Gamwich, Cotton, Longbottom and most of pipe-weed production.
- Longbottom, a name meaning "long valley", was founded by Tobold Hornblower with the introduction of pipe-weed, in TA 2670, allowing the region to become well established due to the success of the pipe-weed industry.
- Sarn Ford, the most important pass of the southern Brandywine, since S.R. 1499/Fo.A. 78 with a stone bridge. The settlement of East Sarn Ford, on the opposite bank of the Brandywine, is inhabited by Men and Hobbits (coming from Bree) and alongside the local watch is garrisoned by an entire Infantry Company of the Royal Host.
Eastfarthing
The Eastfarthing is, as the name suggests, the eastern district of the Shire. The Eastfarthing finds its eastern border on the eastern bank of the Brandywine up to the Overbourne Marshes; the southern border passes between the Thistle Brook and the River Shitebourne, cutting the eastern third of the Green Hills Country. Also in the North the Eastern District does not have very definite or clear boundaries, passing through the eastern hills and going up towards the North Moors, until reaching again the River Brandywine.
Originally, the Eastfarthing was under the control of the Oldbuck family. Even after these became the Brandybucks, the farmers of the Eastfarthing tend to follow more the Brandybucks rather than the Thain and Mayor.
This Farthing is the one that spans most in latitude, since it goes from the North Moors (which divides with the Northfarthing), down to the Overbourne Marshes. The main sream of the Eastfarthing is the Water, which flows into the Brandywine River. Just west to Frogmorton, the Water creates a long island, known as the Green Island. The Eastfarthing is, similarly to the Westfarthing, bisected by the Great East Road, which passes across the Brandywine Bridge and encounters the villages of Whitfurrows and Frogmorton; other roads of some importance are the Causeway, running from the East Road, to Stock, to Willowbottom (through Rushey and Deephallow) and the Northern Road, linking Brokenborings in the Northfarthing to Scary and Quarry and these three villages to the Great East Road at Budgeford (which passes the Water) and Whitfurrows However, the most important town in this area is doubtless Stock, where there is the main Brandywine ford.
The Yale is the name of the low-lying lands of the Shire's Eastfarthing that lay along the northern side of the long road from Stock westwards to Tuckborough. This is a sparsely populated area. The Marish is the name of fertile, yet boggy farmlands located in the Shire's Eastfarthing. It is where the Oldbuck family lived before Gorhendad Oldbuck removed the family across the Brandywine to Buckland and changed their name. Due to the proximity of the border, although more western than Buckland, Marish hobbits are more cautios; sometimes patrols are established, especially during bad winters or hard times.
Buckland
The Buckland is reckoned part of the Free Land, though it is not part of any Farthing of the Shire. Within the somewhat complex system of the Free Land, Buckland is virtually a small independent country, and, still after almost three centuries since the inclusion within the Free Land (and after almost a thousand years since its settlement by Oldbucks and their followers), it is perceived as a sort of colony of the Shire. While a prosperous region, Buckland is not so heavily populated: by the late Fo.A. III Century its countryside and its towns are home to some 4,000 Hobbits.
Buckland is located east of the Baranduin (Brandywine) river. The hobbits living in Buckland grew in ancient times the High Hay, a hedge, to protect themselves against evil from the nearby Old Forest, which borders Buckland to the east. Buckland is also bordered in the north by the Hay Gate, the only entrance to Buckland near the Brandywine Bridge. In the south the borders of Buckland follow the High Hay until the Withywindle joins the Baranduin near the village of Haysend. The most important town of Buckland is Bucklebury where the Brandy Hall is located, home of the Master of Buckland, one of the most prominent figures of the Shire. All towns and villages of Buckland are linked by the Buck's Road, from Haysend to Newbury.
An important landmark is the Bucklebury Ferry, a raft-ferry used as the second main crossing point of the Brandywine River from the Shire to Buckland, after the Brandywine Bridge (which is twenty miles further north). It is left unmanned to be used by hobbit travellers as needed.
Buckland was settled around T.A. 2340 by Gorhenhad Oldbuck. Gorhenhad Oldbuck thus became the first Master of Buckland. He renamed himself Brandybuck, which remained his family's name. The Bucklanders are unlike other hobbits as they are more prepared for danger and fights. People of the Buckland are sterner and more vigilant than the average Shire-hobbit, and are known to be prepared to rush to arms when the Horn of Buckland is blown. Most Bucklanders are originally of Stoor stock, and they are the only Hobbits known to use boats.
Westmarch
After the events of the War of the Ring, at the start of the Fourth Age of Middle-earth, King Aragorn Elessar granted the Shire a stretch of new land: this reached from the ancient western borders of the Shire, the White Downs, to the Tower Hills. The area between the downs and the hills became known as the Westmarch. The eldest daughter of Mayor Gamgee, Elanor the Fair, married Fastred of Greenholm, and they moved to the Westmarch, leading a colonization effort. The family became known as the Fairbairns of the Towers or Wardens of Westmarch. Governmentally, the Westmarch is a region of itself, like Buckland. The capital town of the Westmarchs is Undertowers.
Thain
The Thain is the traditional military leader of the Hobbits of the Shire after the fall of Fornost and the Dúnedain Kingdom of Arthedain in the mid-Third Age. The Thain reigns and rules supreme (but by no means absolute nor fully sovreign) in the Shire and in the Westmarch, but not in the Buckland. Other figures of government, such as the Mayor and the Warden of the Westmarch, are under the nominal authority of the Thain.
With the return of the King, the Took Thain was recognised as the chief military leader of the Shire under the King of Arnor; the Court of Chancery of the Thain (established in Fo.A. 25/S.R. 1446) is the legal body in charge for handling disputes in matters regulated by the Laws of Numenor and matters between the Shire and the wider Kingdom.
The Chancellor of the Thain is the councillor of the Thain in charge for handling matters related to the Tooks' private wealth. He often is a Took himself (usually from a branch not capable of laying any credible claim on the Thainship), and is among the most trusted advisors of the Thain. Given his task of administering a significant wealth, he wields a great deal of influence both directly, by directing Took riches toward an end or another, and indirectly advising the Thain. The Chancellor of the Thain also is the head of the Court of Chancery of the Thain, and is a key figure in wielding actual Thain's power and influence.
History
The office of the Thain dates back to T.A. 1974. When Arvedui, last king of Arthedain, fell to the forces of Angmar, the Shire-hobbits were left without a ruler. They remedied this by choosing a new leader from among themselves, Bucca of the Marish, who was given the title of Thain.
Bucca and his descendants, a family known as the Oldbucks, served as Shire-thain for twelve generations. The twelfth Thain, Gorhendad Oldbuck, left the Shire and crossed the River Brandywine to found Buckland, following the defeat in the decisive power struggle against Tooks. With his departure, the Thainship passed to a new line, the Tooks, and specifically to Isumbras Took I; thenceforth, the Thain is sometimes called simply "the Took".
From Isumbras I, the line of the Took Shire-thains continued unbroken. The Shire-moot, an assembly of Hobbits, is summoned by the Thain of the Shire, who was also the master of the Shire-moot, as well as the responsible of Shire-muster. However, across the centuries, for the most part Took Thains allowed local officials and gentry to handle even far-ranging decisions, giving their stamp of approval without opposing matters which did not hamper Shire's very existence or security. When a true crisis appeared, the incumbent Thain always assumed leadership thanks to undiminished prestige and prominence.
Being the Thain of the Shire did not, in the Took clan, necessarily also means being the titular head of the family though it often does. This was the case of Lalia, widow of Fortinbras II. She held the title of The Took as head of the Tooks for twenty-two years while her son Ferumbras held the title as Thain. Across history, Tooks have reigned peacefully and have intermarried with old wealth (the Brandybucks) and new (the Baggins) alike.
After the reestablishment of Arnor, the Thain became a vassal of the King of Arnor, as well as a customary member of the Council of the Sceptre.
Government
The Shire's government is limited, but it does exist. The Hobbits consider themselves as subjects of the King of Arnor, who retains sovereignty over the Shire and the whole Free Land and suzerainty over its government. The Shire was established in T.A. 1600 within the Royal Demesne of King of Arnor Argeleb II. After the fall of Arnor, the Shire became a de facto independent political unit led by the Thain, who was the head of the important Took clan. While nominally the Thain rules over the four Farthings, in practice authority is so decentralised among prominent families that the title is little more than a formality and ceremonial; however, Thains are highly respected figures.
With the return of King Aragorn II as the High King of Arnor and Gondor, the Shire became in Fo.A. 6 a Free Land, with the status of protected and autonomous (but by no means independent) enclave inside the Reunited Kingdom. King Aragorn Elessar issued an order that still nowadays (in the late Fo.A. III Century) forbids the settlement of Men into the Shire. Fifteen years later, extended the status of Free Land also to the Buckland, with the name of Eastmarch, and also extended the land westwards to Emyn Beraid; this land was named Westmarch.
The main Official of the Shire is the Mayor of Michel Delving in the White Downs, who is seen as the Mayor of the Shire. The Mayor's chief duties were serving as postmaster of the Shire's Messenger Service, charging the Watch and presiding at fairs. Other officials and wardens include the Burgomeister of Hobbiton and heads of markets and elders of villages of some other settlements: Oatbarton, Waymoot, Longbottom, Stock, Hardbottle, Sackville, Farbanks, and Nobottle. However, only the Mayor of Michel Delving has Shire-wide duties and responsibilities. Other smaller villages which are home of more Hobbit families are managed by local Hobbit moots, in the most plain and informal ways. A Hobbit village without any formal government, and mostly led by the head of the local leading family, is known as Rân.
The Warden of Westmarch is an hereditary title granted to the keepers of the Westmarch who dwelt by the White Towers on the slopes of the Tower Hills at the Undertowers. The Wardens hold the famous Red Book. The Warden has the moral leadership of local Hobbits, and deals with sea-related issues of the whole Shire.
Finally, the Master of Buckland at Bucklebury controls Buckland and is in charge of dealing with matters related to day-to-day relations with outer Hobbits.
Although there is little need of a strong government, the holders of the positions of authority could meet in case of a severe crisis; for occasional petty governance tasks, usually the prominent families of a given area (e.g. Baggings family in Hobbiton in West-farthing, their ancestral seat) step in if the need arises; the ancestral seats are known as Family Lands, and most of them are in the countryside.
The Shire has a rather complex system of common law. The sole law enforcement officials in the Shire are the Shirriffs: their main job is to protect the Shire from trespassers and strangers. There are three Shirriffs in each Farthing, and are distinguished from "civilians" by a red feather worn in their caps. The Bounders are the Shire's border-guard, charged with turning back unwanted people or beasts, and their number varies according to need. However, the Bounders are the sole significant standing armed force.
Mayor of Michel Delving
The Mayor of Michel Delving or the Mayor of the Shire is the sole effective official among the Hobbits of the the Shire. The Mayor of Michel Delving is a general decision maker of Michel Delving in the Shire. He is elected every seven years and is in charge of large events where leadership is wanted or necessary.
In F.A. 13 (S.R. 1434), King Elessar made the Mayor, along with the offices of the Thain and Master of Buckland, counsellors of the North-kingdom.
Though the responsibilities of Mayoralty itself amounts to little more than presiding at banquets and adjudicating land disputes (with the exception of Tookland), the office is attached to that of Postmaster and First Shirriff and so it surpasses the Thainship as the most important official position in the Shire, so much so that its occupant is commonly known as the Mayor of the Shire. The Mayor is chosen by the hobbits every seven years at Lithe, during the Free Fair on the White Downs.
Shiremoot
When times grow dire, or when some events invest the Free Land as a whole, an assembly of the Shire leaders is usually summoned by the Thain. According to circumstances, officials who are invited may vary, ranging from few influential Hobbits to all Family elders, but Master of Buckland, Warden of Westmarch, and Mayor of Michel Delving are always present. Sometimes even Hobbits from Barrow Downs and Bree-land are asked to participate. These assemblies often deliberate over measures which are to be adopted.
Messenger Service
The Messenger Service is the official mail system of the Shire and also includes the Quick post. They are responsible for the delivery of the mail. The are headed by a First Posthobbit which is answerable to the Mayor of Michel Delving in his capacity of Postmaster. Quick Post is the fast-delivery mail and message system in The Shire, organized as a branch of the Messenger Service.
Master of Buckland
The Master of Buckland is an hereditary title in the Free Land, one of the most prominent figures within the Hobbitry. Master of Buckland is the head of the Brandybuck family and the lord of their territories. This office was founded by Gordenhad Brandybuck. Like the Thain and Warden of Westmarch, the Master has a mainly nominal and moral (but nonetheless extremely effective) authority, which extends across the Brandywine into the Marish of the Eastfarthing, due to the close proximity and the amount of business between the two regions.
Shirrifs
The Shirriffs, also known as the Watch, are the sole form of law enforcement in the Shire, and the closest thing to a form of standing defence force, for inside work.
The position of Shirriff is a voluntary honour and engagement. Traditionally, there are a total of twelve Shirriffs, three for each Farthing, though more could be called up in time of need (for example when there is need of an increased standing vigilance but not of a Hobbitry-in-Arms). The only thing that differentiates a Shirriffs from any other Hobbit is a red feather they were given to wear in their hats. In ordinary times, the Shirriffs carry no arms or armament of any sort and wear no uniform. The Shirriffs are headed by the Chief Shirriff which is answerable to the Mayor of Michel Delving in his capacity of First Shirriff. Only during emergencies, usually just before a muster, Shiriffs increase their numbers and form the Farthing Troops, small units which carry out preparations for musters themselves.
Bounders
The Bounders are a standing organisation within the Watch, charged with patrolling and defending the borders. Along with the Shirriffs-service, they are charged with responsibility of keeping strangers and strange creatures from entering the Shire and making trouble. They wander and patrol parts of the Shire and its borders as part of their duties. Their numbers can easily increase at any need and usually is quite high.
Bounders are organised into five Troops (one for each region of the Free Land except Buckland, which has its own methods) and each Troop, which has not fixed size, is deployed in some villages, and conducts patrols along roads and countryside. Usually, each village hosts a Watch. Bounders are known for cooperating with Rangers of the North and with the Royal Hosts, mainly for the chase to bandits. Starting from Fo.A. 7/S.R. 1428, a selection of Bounders is traditionally sent annually in Ithilien, in order to train together with Rangers of Ithilien and learn advanced interdiction and surveillance tactics.
Hobbitry-in-Arms
The Hobbitry-in-arms is the militia of the Shire. The Captain of the Hobbitry-in-Arms is the Thain, who summons it at a Shire-muster in times of emergency. The Hobbitry-in-Arms is summoned in case of war, both for immediate Shire defence and for major wars of the Reunited Kingdom. In such cases, Bounders are often used as scouts or messengers. When summoned, the Hobbitry-in-Arms is organized into the Farthing Squadrons, constituted in turn on the basis of the Shiriffs Farthing Troops augmented by mobilised Hobbits: each Shiriffs Farthing Squadron consists of the relevant Shirrifs Troop and some Mobilised Numbered Troops.
When raised and mobilised, the Hobbitry-in-Arms counts as a Company, the Thain ranking as a Captain, and belongs to the Annùminas Army of the Arnorian hosts. The Master of Buckland is Thain's second in command and, for what relates to the Free Land alone, a sort of captain of the forces east of the Brandywine river. After him comes the Warden of the Westmarch, the Mayor of Michel Delving.
When Hobbits have to take up arms, they prefer to use bows and natural shelters in the forest, which makes them almost invisible to the enemy. As a result of this tactic, Hobbits are excellent scouts and guerilla warfare specialists.
Whilst no rigid military authority is maintained in peacetime, the Tooks are the core foundation of the Shire’s defence. However, even in times of peace, local leading families may organise periodical training, in order to be able to assemble a small militia on short notice, should the need arise.
Law and courts
The Shire has a rather complex system of common law, which is law rooted heavily in tradition and precedent. The codified sources of law are the Laws of Arnor, the Laws of Arthedain, the Kings' Edicts, the Thain's Edicts (very small in number), the precedent, the traditions and customs and the doctrinal corpus known as Commentaries of the Wise, a set of established (by tradition) commentaries to the laws and edicts written by Hobbit scholars. The Thain maintains and funds the Library of Lore and Law of Tookborough, but several other institutions exist.
Justices of the peace
A Justice of the peace is the basic judicial instance; he or she is a judicial officer of a lower court, appointed by means of letters patent by the Thain (or, in their lands, by the Master of Buckland and by the Warden of the Westmarch) to keep the peace within his area. Such justices dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions.
Justices of the peace are advised on points of law and procedure by a legally qualified justices' clerk. No formal qualifications are required but justices need intelligence, common sense, moral authority, integrity and the capacity to act fairly. Justices are not paid for their service, and most often they come from locally prominent families.
Justices' courts deal with both civil cases and minor criminal offences. With more serious offences, Justices are responsible for indictment and committal to the Thain's Court of Justice, assisted by a Jury. Justices also have a civil jurisdiction, such as a family jurisdiction. Justices are liable to be approached at any time and in any place by people legally recognised as paupers, appealing for aid in the rare case when locals refused to provide any.
Thain's Court of Justice
The Thain's Court of Justice is the court of first instance for serious criminal offences and the appellate court for minor offences. It is also the court of appeal for all civil cases.
For minor criminal offences, the Court of Justice is the appellate court against judgments made by Justices of the Peace. At the conclusion of the hearing the Thain's Court of Justice has the power to confirm, reverse or vary any part of the decision under appeal. The Thain's Court of Justice also has the power to hear in first instance serious crimes committed by a Justice of the Peace. This can be done when Justices of the Peace are of the opinion that either the offence, or the combination of the offence and one or more offences associated with it, was so serious that an adequate punishment (by law or by equity) should be greater than the Justice has power to impose.
The Thain's Court of Justice is the appellate court for any civil cases decided by the Justice of the Peace. Exceptionally, if the civil case is between an Hobbit and an outsider, the Thain's Court of Justice may order that the case is brought before the Court itself.
The Thain's Court of Justice consists of a Promoter of Justice, his deputy, and of seven Judges, all appointed by the Thain. For cases of the Buckland, the Judges are appointed by the Master of Buckland. All Judges have to be unpaid law scholars.
Thain's Supreme Court of Justice
The Thain's Supreme Court of Justice (sometimes colloquially referred to as Supreme Court) is the final court of appeal in the Free Land for criminal and civil cases, and for criminal cases from the Shire and Westmarch. For Buckland civil cases the permission of the Master of Buckland is required, while criminal cases are dealt with by the Master himself. The Supreme Court's focus is on cases that raise points of law of general public importance.
Ordinarily, all eleven Judge do not all hear every case. Typically a case is heard by a panel of five Senior Judges, though sometimes the panel may consist of three, seven or nine members. Three Judges are nominated by the Warden of the Westmarch, three Judges are nominated by the Master of Buckland and five Judges by the Thain, who appoints all Judges. Judges of the Thain's Supreme Court of Justice are unpaid law scholars. The President of the Thain's Supreme Court of Justice is the Thain himself.
Culture
The culture of Hobbits is old, stratified and fairly diverse. While the three folks of the Hobbits of Eriador are still identifiable both in the Shire and, generally speaking, west of Rhûn, over one thousand and five hundred years living west of the Brandywine in a large area have added several identity layers to the rich and complex culture of the Shire and of the Free Land at large.
Hobbits have a life span somewhat longer than Men of non-Númenórean descent, the life expectancy averaging between 90 and 100 years. The time at which a young hobbit "came of age" is 33.
Just as the Men formed three different families, so did the Hobbits: the Harfoots, Stoors, and Fallohides. The Stoors usually grow facial hair and have an affinity for water, boats and swimming and wear boots; the Fallohides are fair, tall and slim, an adventurous people, friendlier and more open to outsiders. Finally, the Harfoots are the most numerous and instituted the living in burrows. While Stoors and Fallohides still make up the majority of prominent families and clans, Harfoots are decidedly the "average Hobbit on the street", and generations of intermingling and cohabitation resulted in eliminating any kindred-based division or hostility. As of Fo.A. III Century, Hobbit culture is mainly defined by the region or place of origin.
The average culture of the Hobbits is a rural, insular and closed and comfortable lifestyle. Values at the foundation of Hobbit culture are traditionalism, cheeriness, peace and contentment. The general tendency is to judge anyone by his degree of conformity and satisfaction with quiet village life. Typical Hobbit activities include eating, relaxing, smoking pipeweed, gardening, unhurried working, and large social gatherings, mostly distinguished by eating and gift-giving. Ambition, adventurous spirit, discontent, and worldliness are somewhat frowned upon (even if less than before). The local subsistence activities depend, of course, on the geography of the individual community. This character has produced among the Hobbits an insular, provincial, and unambitious society.
Hobbits are monogamous, and they are seldom married a second time even if the husband or wife dies young. Bachelorhood beyond early forties is rare. The family name descends in the male-line and women are adopted into their husbands' name. The titular head of the family is usually the oldest male of what is considered the most direct line of descent but the master and mistress have equal status, either is held to be the proper representative of the other in case of absence including death of the other. If the master dies first the wife takes his place and position in the family and clan including his titular headship of the family. The title does not descent to the oldest son or heir, unless she voluntarily resign. It could therefore happen that a long-lived woman with a strong character remained head of the family until she died or gave it up. Every Highday and after noon, Hobbits celebrate a small holiday with evening feasts.
The tendency to the comfortable life has generated a particular consideration for local inns and pubs, which often serve as a meeting place whose function has grown, over the centuries, far beyond their commercial purpose. With inns and pubs, also innkeepers have a fairly considered position.
Social stratification
The hobbit society is quite stratified. There are some leading families, whose authority extends over the whole Free Land: Tooks, Brandybucks and Fairbairns of the Towers preside in authority, influence wealth and power over the Shire and the surrounding lands. They have titles of nobility and are recognised as such in the Reunited Kingdom. Beyond the Three Families, as they are referred to, there are several leading and prominent families, which exert authority, influence and leadership over smaller regions. Generally those of high birth or rank, good social standing, and wealth, who did not need to work for a living, are considered gentlehobbits. They have more a moral suasion than explicit and formalised power and their opinion is usually highly regarded. In Hobbit village life, there is often one principal family of gentry, owning much of the land and living in the largest house, often a properly furnished Smial. The local gentlehobbit usually lives at the village main Smial and owns an estate, sometimes even comprising the village (for wealthier families). The head of the local prominent family also performs a number of important local duties, in particular that of justice of the peace.
Under the leading families, there are autonomous artisans, farmers and other "respectable" Hobbits, who stand on their own. They have to work for a living, but they often have a good reputation and influence and may easily arise to positions of authority.
Finally, and least numerous, there are the Hobbits of the working class. They are dependent on their principals, and more often than not they build with them a relationship consisting of personal bounds. Still respected and well considered, workers are often treated with respectful familiarity by their principals.
The class system is shown Hobbits of lower class calling Hobbits of upper class by "Mr First Name". Hobbits address social betters as “Mr/Miss/Mrs Firstname” and everyone appears to refer to Hobbits as “Mr/Miss/Mrs Lastname” when talking about them in the third person.
Housing
Hobbits tend to live underground, in holes buried into hillsides and banks. Such housings, known as "Smial" (Hobbitish: Trân) also were the original and standard dwelling of Hobbits. However, by T.A. XXVIII Century, Smials represented a minority among Hobbit dwellings, the majority being low independent houses. Nowadays, Smials tend to be inhabited by established families families due to the fact that when the hole was made there was plenty of space: when suitable sites for tunnels are not to be found, Hobbits of less prominent families live in wood, brick or stone houses.
Clothing
The Hobbits of the Shire are a predominantly rural and peasant people. This character is also reflected in the way they dress: they wear brightly colored clothes, preferring yellow and green, but they rarely wear shoes.
The typical hobbit men's clothing is a suit with redingote and waistcoat, in fabrics in cotton and natural fibers, but also thick as tweed or cotton velvet and damask fabric (for the well-heeled or the rich). Trousers vary in style depending on the precise lineage or the region of origin. Most Hobbits wear ankle-length trousers with a small cuff. Others, especially in the southern regions, wear trousers that reach the middle of the calf.
The usual colours are natural colours, such as rope colour, brown, green, beige or burgundy red. Soft colours are widespread in women's fashion.