Théoden

Théoden is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings. He appears as a major supporting character in The Two Towers and The Return of the King.

Théoden is introduced in The Two Towers, the second volume of The Lord of the Rings as the King of Rohan. By the time of the War of the Ring, Théoden was growing weak with age, and was largely controlled by his chief advisor Gríma (or Wormtongue as most others in the Mark called him), who was secretly in the employ of the corrupt wizard Saruman. In Unfinished Tales, it is implied that Gríma was accelerating the king's decline with "subtle poisons". As Théoden sat powerless, Rohan was troubled by Orcs and Dunlendings, who operated under the will of Saruman, ruling from Isengard.

When his son Théodred was mortally wounded at a battle at the Fords of Isen, Théoden's nephew Éomer became his heir. However, Éomer was out of favour with Wormtongue, who eventually had him arrested.

When Gandalf the White and Aragorn appeared before him in The Two Towers, Théoden initially rebuffed the wizard's advice to ride out against Saruman. When Gandalf revealed Wormtongue for what he was, however, Théoden returned to his senses. He restored his nephew, took up his sword Herugrim, and in spite of his age, led the Riders of Rohan into the Battle of the Hornburg. After this he became known as Théoden Ednew, the Renewed.