Éomer

Marshal of the Riders of Rohan who becomes King of the Mark.

Éomer is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, a leader of the Riders of Rohan, the horsemen who fight for Rohan against the armies of Mordor.

Quick Facts

Series: Middle-earth
Also known as: Third Marshal of the Riddermark; the King of Rohan
Race: Men of Rohan

Facts from the source article.

Background

He is the son of Éomund and Théodwyn; after both parents died, he and his sister Éowyn were raised by their uncle Théoden, king of the Rohirrim. His riders destroy the Uruk-hai band that had carried off the hobbits Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took, and, impressed by Aragorn, he goes against his orders to lend horses to Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas and guide them to the place of the fight.

Back in Edoras he is imprisoned on the word of Gríma Wormtongue, the king's sinister adviser, until Gandalf frees Théoden from Gríma's spell and Éomer is released and restored to honour. He then fights at Helm's Deep, where Rohan holds the Hornburg against Saruman's Orcs and Dunlendings until Gandalf arrives with Erkenbrand.

At the Battle of the Pelennor Fields he leads a cavalry charge, finds Théoden mortally wounded, and is named King of Rohan by him with his dying breath. Believing Éowyn dead, he throws the remaining Rohirrim at the enemy, and when Aragorn arrives from Pelargir the two of them rout the Orcs and win the battle. He later rides with Aragorn to the Battle of the Morannon at the Gates of Mordor, which keeps Sauron distracted while the One Ring is destroyed in Mount Doom.

The Appendices add that in 3021 of the Third Age he marries Lothíriel, daughter of Imrahil of Dol Amroth, and that their son Elfwine the Fair is king of Rohan after him. His name means "horse-famous" in Old English and is taken from Beowulf. In Peter Jackson's film trilogy he is played by the New Zealand actor Karl Urban.