Helm Hammerhand

Helm Hammerhand is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He was the ninth King of Rohan and last King of the first line.

He became King at the death of his father Gram, during a time of crisis. His father had already fought open warfare with the Dunlendings, who operated from the captured fortress of Isengard.

Later in his reign a man named Freca appeared, a Dunlending with Rohirric blood. Freca held lands at either side of the river Adorn, the border of Rohan, and claimed to be a descendant of King Fréawine of Rohan. He planned to marry his son Wulf, to Helm's daughter. Freca marched to Edoras with a great force of men, planning to threaten the old King to comply with his demand. Helm denied his request, and insults were exchanged. Helm struck Freca with his fist and killed him with the single blow (origin of Hammerhand). Enraged, the men of Freca left Edoras. Four years later they returned with a great force of Dunlendings under the leadership of Wulf, and Gondor could not help for the Corsairs of Umbar attacked in great force and war raged up and down its coasts. They overran Rohan and took Edoras, but Helm withdrew in the Hornburg at Helm's Deep (which was later thus renamed in his honour), and there endured a long siege.

The siege of Helm’s forces in the Deep lasted through the long winter; their supplies were low and they were desperate. Helm began to launch sorties alone against the Dunlendings, wearing white clothing and under the cover of storms he would go into their camps and slay the enemy with his bare hands. So ferocious were his attacks that the Dunlending’s began to believe that, as he bore no weapons, no weapons could hurt him. Before each sortie he would blow the great horn of the Hornburg, which echoed through the deep, and the Dunlendings learned to fear his coming. One night the great horn echoed through the deep and Helm left, and did not return. When the sun rose the body of Helm was found frozen in the snow where he stood, knees unbent. Even after his death the Rohirrim believed that his wraith continued to stalk their enemies and kill men with fear.

His burial mound near Edoras was known for its snow-like covering of simbelmynë flowers.

Helm was succeeded by his nephew Fréaláf Hildeson, who with a small party of men, surprised Wulf in Edoras and killed him, and at last Gondor sent help both by land and sea and together defeated the Dunlendings, and Frealaf became the first king of the second line.

sequence
prev=Gram
next=Fréaláf Hildeson
list=Kings of Rohan