Today in the Shire

A Timeline of Hobbits throughout the History of Middle-earth

The Second Age, the First Age, and the Ages before
In the years before hobbits came to Middle-earth, their history and origins is unknown.

The Third Age
1050
The first hobbits arrive in Middle-earth with the coming of the Harfoots over the Misty Mountains into Eriador

1150
The Fallowhides come to Eriador; The Stoors come to Dunland and the Angle over the Redhorn Pass

1300
The Fallowhides migrate to Bree

1356
The Stoors leave the Angle; Some return to Wilderland and settle on the banks of the Anduin. It is from these that Smeagol claims his ancestry

1601
Marcho and Blanco cross the Brandywine River and are the first hobbits to step foot in the Shire; Shire Reckoning begins; The Fallowhides migrate from Bree to the Shire; Argeleb II grants the lands of the Shire to the hobbits

1630
The Stoors migrate from Dunland to the Shire

1637
The Great Plague devastates the hobbits

1975
The hobbits are nearly wiped out by wars with Angmar; A company of hobbit archers are sent to aid Arvedui and never return; The North Kingdom falls and the Shire becomes independent

1979
Bucca of the Marish becomes first Thain of the Shire and first of the Oldbuck line

2340
Gorhendad Oldbuck, twelfth Thain of the Shire, crosses the Brandywine River and founds Buckland, changing his surname to Brandybuck; He also becomes the first Master of Buckland; Excavation of Brandy Hall begins; Isumbras Took I becomes thirteenth Thain of the Shire and first of the Took line

2463
Deagol the Stoor finds the One Ring and is murdered by Smeagol, who takes the ring for himself

2470
Smeagol, now known as Gollum, takes up residence in the Misty Mountains

2620
Isengrim Took II is born

2666
Isumbras Took III is born

2670
Tobold Hornblower of Longbottom plants the first pipe-weed in the Southfarthing of the Shire

2683
Isengrim Took II becomes twenty-second Thain of the shire, tenth of the Took line; He begins excavation of the Great Smials

2701
Ferumbras Took II is born

2704
Brandobras Took is born

2722
Death of Thain Isengrim Took II; Isumbras Took III becomes twenty-third Thain of the Shire, eleventh of the Took line

2734
Gormadoc Brandybuck is born

2745
Fortinbras Took I is born

2747
Bandobras 'Bullroarer' Took slays Golfimbul in the Battle of the Greenfields, in the Northfarthing of the Shire

2758
The hobbits suffer during the Long Winter; Gandalf comes to their aid

2759
Death of Thain Isumbras Took III; Ferumbras Took II becomes twenty-fourth Thain of the Shire, twelfth of the Took line

2775
Madoc Brandybuck is born

2790
Gerontius Took, later known as the Old Took, is born

2795
Basso Boffin goes off to sea and does not return

2801
Death of Thain Ferumbras Took II; Fortinbras Took I becomes twenty-fifth Thain of the Shire, thirteenth of the Took line

2806
Death of Bandobras Took

2817
Marmadoc Brandybuck is born

2832
Isengrim Took III is born

2836
Death of Gormadoc Brandybuck; Madoc Brandybuck becomes Master of Buckland

2838
Isumbras Took IV is born

2848
Death of Thain Fortinbras Took I; Gerontius Took becomes twenty-sixth Thain of the Shire, sixteenth of the Took line

2860
Gorbadoc Brandybuck is born

2877
Death of Madoc Brandybuck; Marmadoc Brandybuck becomes Master of Buckland

2878
Fortinbras Took II is born

2890
September 22: Bilbo Baggins is born

2902
Rorimac Brandybuck is born

2904
Odo Proudfoot is born

2908
Drogo Baggins is born

2910
Otho Sackville-Baggins is born; Death of Marmadoc Brandubuck; Gorbadoc Brandybuck becomes Master of Buckland

2911
The Brandywine River freezes over and white wolves attack the Shire during the Fell Winter

2914
Fortinbras Took II marries Lalia Clayhanger

2916
Ferumbras Took III is born

2918
Lobelia Sackvile-Baggins is born

2920
Death of Thain Gerontius Took, known as “The Old Took,” being 130 years of age; Isengrim Took III becomes twenty-seventh Thain of the Shire, seventeenth of the Took line; Primula Brandybuck Baggins is born

2926
Hamfast “Gaffer” Gamgee is born

2930
Death of Thain Isengrim Took III; Isumbras Took IV becomes twenty-eight Thain of the Shire, eighteenth of the Took line

2933
Paladin Took II is born

2934
Belladonna Took Baggins is born

2939
Death of Thain Isumbras Took IV; Fortinbras Took II becomes twenty-ninth Thain of the Shire, nineteenth of the Took line

2940
Saradoc Brandybuck is born

2941*
April 25: Gandalf visits Bilbo at Bag End

April 26: Thirteen dwarves and Gandalf make an unexpected party at Bag End; Bilbo learns of their quest

April 27: Bilbo sets off on his very unexpected adventure

Late May: Bilbo encounters the three Trolls and finds Sting

June: Bilbo and Company stay in Rivendell

Summer: Bilbo and Company encounter goblins in the Misty Mountains: Bilbo meets Gollum and acquires the One Ring

Autumn: Bilbo and Company are lost in Mirkwood

September 22: Bilbo and Company arrive in Laketown

Durin’s Day: Bilbo enter the Lonely Mountain and encounters Smaug; Smaug burns Laketown; Smaug is slain by Bard the Bowman

Late Autumn-Early Winter: Tensions rise between dwarves, elves, men, goblins, wargs, eagles, and a hobbit; The Battle of Five armies is fought

2942
May 1: Bilbo and Gandalf arrive at Rivendell a second time

June 22: Bilbo Baggins returns to Bag End with a chest of gold and finds that he has been declared dead and all his possessions are being auctioned

2944
Gollum emerges from the Misty Mountains and begins searching for the One Ring

2949
Gandalf and Balin visit Bilbo Baggins

2962
Hamfast Gamgee becomes gardener of Bag End, taking over from Holman Greenhand

2963
Death of Gorbadoc Brandybuck; Rorimac Brandybuck becomes Master of Buckland

2964
Lotho Sackville-Baggins is born

2968
September 22: Frodo Baggins is born

2980
Gollum reaches Morder and meets Shelob; Death of Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck Baggins, Frodo’s parents; Death of Thain Fortinbras Took II; Ferumbras Took III becomes thirtieth Thain of the Shire, twentieth of the Took line; Fredegar “Fatty” Bolger is born

April 6: Samwise Gamgee is born

2982
Meriadoc Brandybuck is born

2984
Rose Cotton is born

2989
Bilbo Baggins invites Frodo Baggins to live with him in Bag End

2990
Peregrin Took is born

2995
Diamond of Long Cleeve is born

3001
September 22: Bilbo and Frodo celebrate their 111th and 33rd birthdays; Bilbo leaves the Shire and gives the One Ring to Frodo, who inherits Bag End

3002
Bilbo Baggins settles in Rivendell after visiting Dale and the Lonely Mountain

3004
Gandalf visits Frodo multiple times over the next four years

3005
Death of Odo Proudfoot

3008
Death of Rorimac Brandybuck; Saradoc Brandybuck becomes Master of Buckland

3012
Death of Otho Sackville-Baggins

3015
Death of Thain Ferumbras Took III; Paladin Took II becomes thirty-first Thain of the Shire, twenty-first of the Took line

3017
Gollum is captured by Sauron, who learns of Bilbo and the Shire

3018 – 3019: The Great Years*

3020: The Great Year of Plenty
Death of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins

March 13: Frodo is ill on the anniversary of his encounter with Shelob

April 6: The mallorn tree flowers

May 1: Samwise Gamgee marries Rose Cotton and they move into Bag End

Mid-year’s Day: Frodo resigns the office of Mayor; Will Whitfoot returns to office

September 22: Bilbo turns 130 years old, the same age as the Old Took

October 6: Frodo is ill on the anniversary of the attack on Weathertop

3021
March 13: Frodo is ill on the anniversary of his encounter with Shelob

March 25: Elanor the Fair is born

September 21: Frodo and Sam journey to the Grey Havens

September 22: Bilbo turns 131 and becomes the oldest hobbit in history; Frodo and Bilbo join company with Elrond, Galadriel, and Gildor as they continue their journey

September 29: The company meet Gandalf, Merry, and Pippin at the Grey Havens; Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the elves depart from Middle-earth across the Sea

October 6: Sam returns to Bag End

Fourth Age
2
Frodo Gardner is born

4
Rose Gamgee is born

6
King Elessar makes the Shire a Free Land under the protection of the Northern Sceptre; Wil Whitfoot resigns the office of Mayor; Samwise Gamgee is elected Mayor; Merry Gamgee is born; Peregrin Took marries Diamond of Long Cleeve

7
Death of Hamfast “Gaffer” Gamgee

8
Pippin Gamgee is born

9
Faramir Took is born

10
Goldilocks Gamgee is born

11
Death of Saradoc Brandybuck; Meriadoc Brandybuck becomes Master of Buckland; Hamfast Gamgee is born

12
Daisy Gamgee is born

13
Death of Thain Paladin Took II; Peregirn Took becomes thirty-second Thain of the Shire, twenty-second of the Took line; Samwise Gamgee is re-elected Mayor; The Thain of the Shire, the Master of Buckland, and the Mayor of Michel Delving are made Counsellors of the North Kingdom by King Elessar

14
Primrose Gamgee is born

15
Bilbo Gamgee is born; King Elessar passes through the Shire

17
Ruby Gamgee is born

19
Robin Gamgee is born; Death of Farmer Cotton

20
Samwise Gamgee is elected Mayor for the third time

21
Tom Gamgee is born; Samwise, Rosie, and Elanor visit Gondor; Tom Cotton acts as deputy Mayor in Sam’s absence

27
Samwise Gamgee is elected Mayor for the fourth time

30
Elanor the Fair marries Fastred of Greenholm

31
King Elessar expands the lands of the Shire by granting the Westmarch as a gift

33
Elfstan Fairbairn is born

34
Samwise Gamgee is elected Mayor for the fifth time; Fastred of Greenholm becomes the Warden of Westmarch*** and moves to Undertowers along with Elanor

41
Holfast Gardner is born; Samwise Gamgee is elected Mayor for the sixth time

42
Faramir Took marries Goldilocks Gamgee

48
Samwise Gamgee is elected Mayor for the seventh and last time, as he is 96 years old

61
Mid-year’s Day: Death of Rose Cotton Gamgee

September 22: Samwise Gamgee gives The Red Book to Elanor: He follows Frodo and departs from Middle-earth across the Sea

63
Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took visit Eomer in Rohan; The son of Meriadoc Brandybuck becomes the Master of Buckland; Faramir Took becomes thirty-third Thain of the Shire, twenty-third of the Took line

64
Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took travel to Gondor, where they spend the rest of their lives; Peregrin Took takes The Red Book to Minas Tirith, where it is copied and annotated and eventully renamed The Thain’s Book

80
Harding of the Hil is born

172
The Thain’s Book is completed

* For more information concerning events between April 2941 and June 2942, please see The Hobbit
** For more information concerning events during The Great Years, please see The Lord of the Rings
*** The family of Fastred and Elanor eventually becomes known as the Fairbairns of the Towers and lives at Undertowers for many generations