Brandybuck clan
Encyclopedia
In J. R. R. Tolkien
's fiction
al universe of Middle-earth
, the Brandybuck clan was a powerful Hobbit
family. Like the other main aristocratic family, the Tooks, they had a Fallohide strain, though they and the Bucklanders among whom they lived were at least partly of Stoor origin, and "by all accounts" had Bree
blood as well.
The family began as the Oldbuck clan, who named themselves such apparently after Bucca of the Marish, the first Thain
of the Shire
. Eleven Oldbuck Thains followed, until Gorhendad Oldbuck crossed into Buckland over the river Brandywine. The Thainship then passed to the Took clan
.
Gorhendad took the surname Brandybuck, and began delving the dwelling of Brandy Hall. The village of Bucklebury, and the settlement of Buckland, grew up round the hall.
Buckland technically lay beyond the boundary of the Shire, which was defined by the Brandywine river, and constituted a semi-independent colony ruled by the Master. The Bucklanders were considered 'odd folk' by the other Hobbits of the Shire because they were comfortable with boats and because they locked their doors at night (due to the proximity of the Old Forest
).
Additions should cite a canonical source.
(Common Speech) Brandagamba, Marchbuck. In keeping with the conceit
that The Lord of the Rings was derived from the translated Red Book of Westmarch
, Tolkien claimed to have translated all its Westron words into English — including the names of characters.
While Marchbuck ("march" bearing its archaic meaning of "border") is the exact representation of Brandagamba, Tolkien rendered it Brandybuck to preserve the name's similarity with the River Branda-nîn (Baranduin in Sindarin
), which Tolkien then rendered Brandywine in English to reflect an alternate name, Bralda-hîm, meaning "heady ale", referring to the river's golden-brown colour.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al universe of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
, the Brandybuck clan was a powerful Hobbit
Hobbit
Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.Hobbits first appeared in the novel The Hobbit, in which the main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is the titular hobbit...
family. Like the other main aristocratic family, the Tooks, they had a Fallohide strain, though they and the Bucklanders among whom they lived were at least partly of Stoor origin, and "by all accounts" had Bree
Bree (Middle-earth)
Bree is a fictional village in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, east of the Shire and south of Fornost Erain. It is thought to have been inspired by the Buckinghamshire village of Brill, which Tolkien visited regularly in his early years at Oxford...
blood as well.
The family began as the Oldbuck clan, who named themselves such apparently after Bucca of the Marish, the first Thain
Thain
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Thain was the traditional military leader of the Hobbits of the Shire. The Hobbits first chose a Thain to "hold the authority of the king" when Arvedui, last King of Arnor, was lost and the kingship in the North discontinued. The...
of the Shire
Shire (Middle-earth)
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in...
. Eleven Oldbuck Thains followed, until Gorhendad Oldbuck crossed into Buckland over the river Brandywine. The Thainship then passed to the Took clan
Took clan
In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, the Took clan was one of the most famous Hobbit families.The first recorded Took was an Isumbras Took, who became the 13th Thain of the Shire after Gorhendad Oldbuck crossed into Buckland, becoming Master there.After Isumbras, the Thain position...
.
Gorhendad took the surname Brandybuck, and began delving the dwelling of Brandy Hall. The village of Bucklebury, and the settlement of Buckland, grew up round the hall.
Buckland technically lay beyond the boundary of the Shire, which was defined by the Brandywine river, and constituted a semi-independent colony ruled by the Master. The Bucklanders were considered 'odd folk' by the other Hobbits of the Shire because they were comfortable with boats and because they locked their doors at night (due to the proximity of the Old Forest
Old Forest
In J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Old Forest is a small forested area which lies east of the Shire in Buckland....
).
Masters of Buckland
The head of the family was the Master of Buckland, one of the officials of the Shire. This office was founded by Gorhendad Brandybuck. Like the Thain and Warden of Westmarch, the Master had only nominal authority, though it extended across the Brandywine into the Marish of the Eastfarthing due to family alliances and the commerce between the two areas.Brandybuck of Buckland
Source: The Lord of the Rings, Appendix C.Additions should cite a canonical source.
"Brandybuck" as a translation
The name Brandybuck is stated to be a rendering of the original WestronWestron
Westron, or the Common Speech, is a fictional language in the fantasy works of J. R. R. Tolkien.Westron is the closest thing to a lingua franca in Middle-earth, at least at the time during which The Lord of the Rings is set. "Westron" is an invented English word, derived from West...
(Common Speech) Brandagamba, Marchbuck. In keeping with the conceit
Conceit
In literature, a conceit is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem. By juxtaposing, usurping and manipulating images and ideas in surprising ways, a conceit invites the reader into a more sophisticated understanding of an object of comparison...
that The Lord of the Rings was derived from the translated Red Book of Westmarch
Red Book of Westmarch
The Red Book of Westmarch is a fictional manuscript written by hobbits, a conceit of author J. R. R...
, Tolkien claimed to have translated all its Westron words into English — including the names of characters.
While Marchbuck ("march" bearing its archaic meaning of "border") is the exact representation of Brandagamba, Tolkien rendered it Brandybuck to preserve the name's similarity with the River Branda-nîn (Baranduin in Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
), which Tolkien then rendered Brandywine in English to reflect an alternate name, Bralda-hîm, meaning "heady ale", referring to the river's golden-brown colour.
List of Brandybucks
- Bucca of the Marish
- Gorhendad Brandybuck
- Gormadoc Brandybuck
- Melilot Brandybuck
- Meriadoc "Merry" BrandybuckMeriadoc BrandybuckMeriadoc Brandybuck, usually referred to as Merry, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured throughout his most famous work, The Lord of the Rings....
- Primula Brandybuck