Long Winter
The Long Winter (November Third Age 2758 to March Third Age 2759) was an extremely cold and long-lasting winter in Middle-earth, covering Eriador, Dunland and Rohan.
The Winter came as cold and great snows from the north and the East. It lasted for 5 months. There was misery and death in Eriador and Rohan but it affected less the region of Gondor south of the White Mountains.
History
In Third Age 2758, Easterlings and Dunlendings (led by Wulf) attacked Rohan from both the north-west and east. Meanwhile, three great and long-prepared fleets of Corsairs and Haradrim began to assail the coasts of Gondor as far north as the River Isen, and some of them sailed up to Isen and Lefnui into Rohan and strengthened the Dunlendings. Because of the multiple problems, the two kingdoms were unable to help each other.
Rohan
The Rohirrim were defeated by the invasion of the Dunlendings; King Helm Hammerhand's son, Haleth, was killed; and Wulf sat in Meduseld declaring himself King.
The Long Winter compounded the problems: Rohan was under snow for five months with both the Rohirrim and their enemies suffering grievously from famine. Meanwhile, King Helm took refuge in the Hornburg and the ravine behind (becoming known as Helm's Deep); at Yule a great counsel was held, and, against the King's advice, Háma, Helm's younger son, went out in a sortie and was lost in the snow. King Helm himself would always blow his great horn, striking fear into the hearts of his enemies, and discreetly go out to enemy camps to slay enemies with his bare hands. During one such sortie he died, but remained standing upright.
After the winter, the melted snow caused great floods with the Entwash becoming a vast fen. Rohan recovered very slowly.
Gondor
Although the Long Winter did not affect Gondor directly, it did have an indirect effect: in Third Age 2758, three fleets of Corsairs and Haradrim began to assail the coasts of Gondor as far north as the River Isen; due to the dual perils of the Long Winter and the war with the Dunlendings, the Rohirrim were unable to send help.
The Shire
![<tg-em>The Long Winter, [[Third Age 2758|1158]]: [[Gandalf]] Helps the [[Hobbits]]</tg-em> by [[Miriam Ellis]]](https://v6.elanillounico.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Miriam-Ellis-The-Long-Winter_-1158-Gandalf-Helps-the-Hobbits.jpeg)
The Long Winter resulted in the deaths of many thousands of Hobbits in The Shire. Although the wizard Gandalf came to the aid of the Hobbits, a dreadful famine followed the Long Winter, known as the Days of Dearth, which lasted into Third Age 2760.
The Long Winter had a more indirect effect on the history of The Shire and Middle-earth: it was during the Long Winter that Gandalf first became fond of Hobbits and their affairs, which indirectly led to Gandalf's selection of Bilbo Baggins to go on the Quest of Erebor:
Aftermath
Before the spring, Beregond had defeated the Corsair invaders of Gondor and afforded to send help to Rohan. Come March Third Age 2759, the Long Winter ended and Fréaláf Hildeson, Helm's sister-son, came from Dunharrow and took back Edoras, catching the Dunlendings unaware and killing Wulf; the Dunlendings and Easterlings were driven out of Rohan (including Isengard).
Gondor began to recover to its former power, but it wasn't so easy for Rohan. In Third Age 2758, the Steward, Beren gave the keys to Orthanc to the wizard Saruman, hoping that he would help the Rohirrim.
Referencias
1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 27/05/2026.
