Forthwini

During Forthwini's rule his spies learned that the Wainriders, a tribe of Easterlings who had invaded decades earlier, had recovered and were allying themselves with other forces in the East. He alerted King Ondoher of Gondor of the growing threat, and later the Éothéod joined the armies of Gondor in battle against the invaders. Though Ondoher and both his sons were slain, his successor Eärnil II eventually destroyed the Wainriders in Third Age 1944. There is no record of Forthwini's fate.

The leader of the Éothéod whose name stared with Marh, who rode to battle in the campaign against the Wainriders, may have been Forthwini's successor and/or son, but this is not stated. The next definitively known chieftain of the Éothéod is Frumgar, who was chieftain in Third Age 1977. The specific relationship between Forthwini and Frumgar is unknown.

Christopher Tolkien suggests that the name Forthwini is Gothic in form and that the second element wini ("friend") is an archaic form of Old English wine seen in the Rohanese names of several Kings of Rohan ( Fréawine, Goldwine and Folcwine).

David Salo and Arden R. Smith suggest that the name is early Old English in form.

It is also possible that it is a hybrid Old English and Old High German (OHG) name. The first element is Old English (Anglo-Saxon [AS]) forth and the second element is Old High German (OHG) wini ("friend"), which corresponds to Anglo-Saxon (AS) wine.

David Salo suggests that it means "friend of the front" or "friend, who is at the front", so a companion-in-arms who is at the front line of the tribal army. Tom Shippey suggests that it is Old Mercian English and means "forefriend". Since forth correspons to faran ("go", "go away") it could mean "travel friend".

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