The Ruffians or Sharkey's Men were Dunlendings who invaded the Shire from the South under the hire of Sharkey. At first, they enforced Lotho's new laws and plans regarding the Shire and persecution and imprison who would not go along with it, but after his murder they followed Saruman's commands alone. Being rather unintelligent and not very numerous, after a couple of skirmishes with hobbit country-folk they were defeated at the Battle of Bywater at the end of the War of the Ring.

NotesEdit

It is possible that some of these Men had Orc-blood as with the Half-orcs and possibly like the Squint-eyed Southerner was suspected to have.

ReferencesEdit

• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, "The Scouring of the Shire"
• The Complete Guide to Middle-earth
• The Atlas of Middle-earth

External linksEdit

• Ruffians at Tolkien Gateway