Riders of the Muster of Edoras

The Riders of the Rohirrim were organised into three military divisions, known as musters. The wide plains of the land were separated into the West-mark and the East-mark, each of which had their own muster, and between these two regions, at the feet of the White Mountains, lay the capital of Edoras. Edoras maintained its own muster, drawn from the city and the lands immediately adjacent, and this Muster of Edoras was the chief muster of the realm. Its commander held the rank of First Marshal of the Riddermark, but in practice the muster was often commanded directly by the King of Rohan himself.

This latter circumstance applied during the years leading up to the War of the Ring. When Théoden succeeded his father Thengel in III 2980, he was only thirty-two years old, and fully capable of commanding the Muster of Edoras himself. As the years passed and he fell under the influence of Saruman's spy Gríma, no formal First Marshal was appointed in his place, with the muster falling under the effective command of Elfhelm during this period.

This state of disorganisation meant that, when the forces of Isengard began their invasion of Rohan in III 3019, the Muster of Edoras was not ready to meet the challenge. The King's son Théodred took command and rode westward to defend the land, joining with the Muster of the West-mark to meet the invaders in the First Battle of the Fords of Isen. There Théodred fell, and it was later seen that this had been the primary purpose behind Saruman's attack. While the Rohirrim still held the Fords for a time, they had lost their most able military commander.

This was the situation when Gandalf and his companions arrived in Edoras to find Théoden enfeebled under the influence of Gríma Wormtongue. Gandalf healed the King, who was able to once again take up the command of his Riders. Many of the Riders of the Muster of Edoras were, however, still in the field at this time, led by Elfhelm in Théodred's place. Two further battles would be fought¹ before the King could bring the Muster of Edoras together with the rest of his Riders and form a Full Muster, ready to make their way to the fateful Battle of the Pelennor Fields.