The Haradrim, also known as Southrons in Westron and Swertings by the Hobbits, are a people group from J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium. They are native to Haradwaith and opposed the Dúnedain, who historically oppressed them, and served Sauron. Some rejected the Dark Lord and followed the Blue Wizards instead.
The first known records of the Haradrim were during the arrival of the Númenóreans. At first, the Haradrim enjoyed a beneficial relationship with the new arrivals, learning about agriculture and craftsmanship from them. But this changed when the Númenóreans settled the city of Umbar and began to demand heavy tributes from the Haradrim. This pushed them into the arms of Sauron, who used his influence to become an object of worship for the Haradrim, though some rejected or betrayed the Dark Lord, following the Blue Wizards instead.
After Númenór became corrupted under Sauron, the Black Númenóreans loyal to the Dark Lord captured many Haradrim who opposed their master and sacrificed them to him. After the fall of Númenór, various Black Númenóreans became lords among the Haradrim, once again swaying them towards Sauron.
By TA 1050, the Kingdom of Gondor was able to subdue the Haradrim, but they were freed from their control in TA 1432 thanks to the Kin-strife and allied themselves with the Corssairs of Umbar to continue hostilities against Gondor.
With the emergence of the Rohirrim as the Gondorians' new allies, Sauron's agents goaded the Haradrim into joining forces with the Corsairs, Easterlings, and Dunlendings in TA 2758, launching a series of campaigns against the kingdom, but were ultimately repelled.
During the War of the Ring, most of the Haradrim openly re-affirmed their allegiance to Sauron, but there were also rebellions among them, stirred by the Blue Wizards. The Haradrim would participate in the Siege of Gondor, along with Sauron's other allies, but were again defeated, with the War ultimately ending in Sauron's downfall.
In the Fourth Age, King Aragorn II made peace with the Haradrim while the traditions left by the Blue Wizards continued to persist.
Battle vs. Albion Army (by SPARTAN 119)[]
Ten Mumakil of a Haradrim Army loomed large in on the opposite side of the field, surrounded 100 horsemen and 1000 infantry, slowly advancing across the fields. Opposing them were a group of Albion Army, newly arrived from a portal into Middle Earth. They carried with them weapons this world had never seen before: muskets and cannon.
On the order of the commander of the Albion Army, the ten massive bombards opened up on their foe. The guns gave off a thunderous roar as ten metal balls flew towards the Haradrim. The first shot impacted a group of Haradrim cavalry, blasting them into the air, as, at the same time, a cannonball struck a Mumakil right between the eyes. The great beast slumped over, killed instantly, the tower of its back collapsing as it fell. A second Mumakil was felled by the cannon fire, as were dozens of Haradrim soldiers.
The Haradrim were shocked by the power of the new weapons, but kept moving forward. Soon, their foe would be in range of their arrows. At about two hundred yards, the Haradrim foot archers drew back their bows. A cloud of bamboo and steel flew out at the Albion army. Some of the arrows simply glanced off their plate armor, but some struck home. Some of the arrows ran through the head, bringing a quick death to their targets, however, other struck in limbs or the lower torso, bring excruciating pain, rather than immediate death.
As the arrow made their impact, the Haradrim cavalry charged forth, firing arrows as they reached about 100 meters distance. A few Albion pikemen went down, but the rest stood firm. The Albion musketeers took aim from between the gaps in the pikemen, and the longbowmen fired above them. A could of smoke arose from the Albion line as the musketeers fired, shooting Haradrim cavalrymen off their horses, as arrows pierced their armor.
Unable to break the Albion lines, the cavalry retreated. However, the Mumakil and infantry kept advancing forth, now only about 100 yards. The archers on top of the Mumakil fired arrows down on their foes, cutting down Albion soldiers seemingly at random.
Through the chaos, the Albion commander yelled, "Stand firm! Artillery, target the elephants!"
An Albion bombard crew who had just finished reloading turned the gun on the nearest Mumakil and fired. The blew through the great beast, causing it to let out a shout of pain as it fell to the ground, dead. The rest of the cannons fired, cutting down six of the surviving Mumakil.
One of the remaining Mumakil was wounded by arrow and musket fire, while another had the tower on its back blown clean off. The giant elephants went berserk, trampling men, both Haradrim and Albion. One of the Mumakil knocked an Albion troll aside, before breaking through the lines and smashing a cannon to pieces.
While the berserk Mumakil had broken through, the fierce resistance of the Albion infantry kept the Haradrim from taking advantage of the breach. Musket fire cut down rows of men, Trolls crushed the Haradrim under their giant clubs, while the Albion infantry's longswords proved more effective than the Haradrim scimitars in close-in melee.
While the main ranks held off the Haradrim infantry, two smaller units surrounded the berserk Mumakil. Dozens of the men and two trolls were trampled by the beasts, however, the Albion musketeers and archers brought their weapons to bear on the creature's ankles.
As the last two Mumakil were brought to their knees and were finally overwhelmed, the Haradrim infantry were forced into retreat. Even after they turned and fled, hundreds more were shot dead by arrows and muskets, or else cut down by retreating Albion troops. Less than quarter of those Haradrim who went into battle left the fight alive.
WINNER: Albion Army
Expert's Opinion[]
While the Mumakil were formadible adversaries and the Haradrim were masters of mounted warfare, the Albion Army had much more advanced technology, most notably muskets and cannon. The cannon could eliminate the Mumakil from a range, while the musket fire was effective in volleys, and had as much a psychological impact on soldiers unfamiliar with gunpowder as it did a direct impact.