I absolutely love Bree - this video was awesome. I've played Lord of the Rings Online for 15 years and run dozens of characters through the Breeland areas (Archet, Combe, Staddle, The Chetwood, etc etc). I'm one of the rare players who, if asked what I would be in real life if I could live in Middle Earth, would not answer "an Elf of Lothlorien" or "a Dwarf of Khazad Dum" or "a Hobbit of the Shire" but would be a Man of Bree-land. It is my home away from home and I really appreciate it getting some love here. Thank you!

@uncletomalex

Ай бұрын

Exactly the same as you ! Bree-land seems to be one of the coziest place in Middle Earth second only to the Shire but for/with Men. Although I'll admit Lothlorien in the game is beautiful exactly like Tolkien described it, the golden atmosphere is dreamy. Dale and Esgaroth are also in this mood (Bree-land mood I mean) I'll say.

@froggirl96

Ай бұрын

yes, bree is as fun as the shire to me in lotro!!

@jmarq2283

Ай бұрын

Oh Bree, the hub of LOTRO 😊 possibly favorite place in the game! Breeland is amazing

@TheFloodFourm

Ай бұрын

I want to RP with this guy.

Great voice for Barliman Butterburr at the end! I hope king Elessar found a chance to stop in for a pint.

@tarminas6805

Ай бұрын

It comes in pints?

@abduswabulmusa4461

Ай бұрын

@@tarminas6805 let me go get one!

@tarminas6805

Ай бұрын

@@abduswabulmusa4461you've had a whole half already!

As a citizen of Bree, I appreciate your history of our incredibly important crossroad village. See you soon at the Prancing Pony!

Could you do a video on how populated Middle Earth actually was? Perhaps even work on some population density maps? I've never quite squared in my head just how many settlements, villages, and towns there are supposed to be in Tolkien's legendarium. I feel this is not helped by most maps being pretty bare of these spots except for the major cities and other areas important to the plot...

@imaginaryfool11

Ай бұрын

I think this is a great idea. I also find myself struggling to imagine how many people actually live in middle earth sometimes. And despite being an absolutely beautiful map it dose fill a little bare as far towns go

@danielcharba8342

Ай бұрын

I believe there were many sparse and and bare areas due to the plagues, wars in the north/orc incursions etc. Tolkien based much of Middle Earth on Brittania and Ireland, the north and west in particular on the latter. The Irish population was a mere quarter of what it was half a century prior to Tolkien growing up (even to this very day less than half). I have walked in that ancient land and it is sad, errie and mysterious to see so many rocky stones, old villages and castles once inhabited and long left to disuse and time.

@przemek3251

21 күн бұрын

This is an amazing idea! I hope Nerd of the Rings sees it :)

@robgeraghty6205

6 күн бұрын

Considering the size of the armies fielded, you could estimate the population of young, elderly and female (since few were shield maidens). Most of Middle Earth was a vast wilderness in the Third Age, while populations in earlier ages were in many cases larger; hence many regions where there were signs of former glory, even in the Shire. However, it's harder to estimate the populations of some of the outlying areas which didn't see much involvement in the War of the Ring.

This whole part about the relationship between the Dunedains and Bree, as well as their positive influence on the region due to the covert protection they provided was awesome. That and the part when the Innkeeper realized that shady dude called Strider was more than he ever thought he was. Pure gold. Warms my heart.

@redcounterstrikemk2878

Ай бұрын

Heh, that "WHHAAT ?" moment.

J.R.R. Tolkien chose the name Bree to represent the survival of a trace of the former language of the Men of Bree and modelled it on a British (i.e. Celtic) word, which meant "hill". He referred to Brill in his Nomenclature of the Lord of the Rings when he explained that the name Chetwood was a compound of a Celtic word for "wood" and the english word "wood" and stated that the Brill was derived from the Celtic word bree and the English word "hill". Christopher Tolkien explains that the name Bree is based on Brill in Buckinghamshire, which his father knew well. Tom Shippey also suggests that Tolkien was inspired by the inspired by the town of Brill, which is located on a hill ten miles from Oxford, when he chose the names Bree and Bree-hill.

I've always been fascinated by Bree, largely because as you state its the only place where two races live together and mix, drink together in the Prancing Pony and work together - ie Hob works at the Prancing Pony. I also love any place where travellers come and go, and Dwarves also visit Bree and stay at the Prancing Pony, and thats completely normal and of course wizards too - 'elderly gentleman with a pointy hat'.

I've always thought that the Shire would be the most wonderful place to live in all Middle-Earth. Now, however, I think I will thus declare Bree. It's a stable, quiet, and safe settlement, but it also has the Men needed to repel Saruman's attempted scouring.

Cool linguistic facts: Bree has placenames that are Celtic in origin ('Bree' and 'Combe' are common placename prefixes and suffixes in Britain that likely came from the Brittonic languages, instead of Old English). Dunland is also probably pseudo-Celtic in contrast to the pseudo-Anglo-Saxon Rohan. Since hobbits lived in Bree for a long time, it explains them having Celtic-origin names like Meriadoc (there's a Breton saint of the same name irl) All of the Brandybuck family of hobbits have such names

@pamelah6431

Ай бұрын

....?

@philiphumphrey1548

Ай бұрын

Possibly why there is also a Bree in the Chronicles of Narnia, a talking horse in The Horse and His Boy.

@petertaysum8947

28 күн бұрын

At some time between Asterix and Charlemagne (you can tell my history is hazy) there were two tribes in neighbouring valleys in NE France, the Meriadocs and the Peregrines.

I never knew Bree had so much history. If I could live anywhere in Middle-Earth, that's where I would live. Thanks for helping me finally make up my mind!

@hermanmelville3368

Ай бұрын

Me too

@fingersTitan

Ай бұрын

I'll give you a knock on my way to the Pony. See you in there.

@martins.4240

Ай бұрын

You do you, but I would prefer Rivendell or Ithilien any day.

@jimjames6074

Ай бұрын

​@@martins.4240I would feel crude and out of place, like walking around a museum. Bree is best for common folk

Pov Bree: why does Peter Jackson always come here just eating carrots....

@Donathon-qx8kq

Ай бұрын

Carrots??? Wouldn't it have been mushrooms???

@1Butcher

Ай бұрын

@@Donathon-qx8kqmovie cameo

@annecarter5181

Ай бұрын

He does LOVE those 🥕!!!!!

@charliecovert576

Ай бұрын

A secret getaway for Jackson.

@Chadius_Maximus-on9mo

Ай бұрын

Ngl I thought you were referencing the lego game.

Me 2 minutes in: "OK this is going deeper than expected" ... As always 😄

@positivelynegative9149

Ай бұрын

That's what she said.

@markmuller7962

Ай бұрын

@@positivelynegative9149 lol man of culture

“Bree, Its not just Cheese 🧀!!!”

Wow Matt! That Butterbur accent was Stellar!😂❤❤❤🍻🥔🧙‍♂️

@matthewdykeman8149

Ай бұрын

His voices are genuinely only matched by the Trilogy cast. His Gollum is absurdly good.

@LeviSmith-bp4yv

Ай бұрын

Who needs fancy voice AI when you have the nerd of the rings around

These videos, where you provide an in-depth review of the history of an area, personal, object, or any item of relevance, is deeply satisfying. It helps us understand how much effort was created by Tolkien as a way of making his world have history, interconnectivity with the rest of the world, political machinations, culture, and so much more. As a bit of a Hollywood type of story lover, I tend to enjoy the stories with a happy ending, and this one absolutely did. Keep up the great work!

There is an inn, a merry old inn beneath an old grey hill, And there they brew a beer so brown That the Man in the Moon himself came down one night to drink his fill.

@Omashu2425

Ай бұрын

The Ostler keeps a tipsy cat; that plays a five-stringed fiddle. And up and down, he strings his brow Now squeaking, high now purring low Now sawing down the middle.

I love the videos that zoom in on sections of the world that seem insignificant. Great video, very informative, and, as a side note, you have a pleasant voice to listen to.

Bree as depicted in LOTRO is a great hub for a MMO i just love it

When I read the silmarillion I kept looking back to the map with it to keep up. I finally found a map online that had both 1st and 3rd age maps combined so it made it easier to reference in comparison

@diamondbackdtb

Ай бұрын

Good to know I just bought the books

@petertaysum8947

28 күн бұрын

I'm still waiting for Google Middle Earth.

For me, Aragorn is the hero who binded all races against evil, the will of Samwise lead to the destruction of the One Ring, and, the Prancing Pony made every night drunkin' fine.

lol what was with the bill the pony thirst trap pic 😂

For my hope was founded on a fat man in Bree; and my fear was founded on the cunning of Sauron. But fat men who sell ale have many calls to answer; and the power of Sauron is still less than fear makes it.

...love Bree, the strategic position of it, and the mix of different races... my favourite spot would be on top of Bree hill (with a small tower to watch the stars at night)... and hopefully retire eventually in the undying lands... I could study and interview the trespassing folks, and write about the on-goings in the lands between the mountains and the sea... from the revenue of my books I would invest in restoring the Forsaken Inn (and re-name it)... travelers between Bree and the misty mountains need a place for sustenance, some good ale, and a bed for the night... 🍺🛌🌜

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

No, thanks. I'll have my bed and breakfast at Imladris.😅

@jornspirit

Ай бұрын

@@Enerdhil - well, Imladris is the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐one! ...just be aware: Frodo and Sam walked 300 miles from Bree to Rivendell ...there are several opportunities for B&Bs to be established on the way. And taking ponies or horses would make the trip faster... PS. mine will have to be first a big renovation job, and I think I'll call it the 'Weathertop Inn' as you can see that hill from there 😎

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

@@jornspirit Weathertop Inn??!!❤️❤️❤️😁👍 How can I not stay there??

@jornspirit

Ай бұрын

@@Enerdhil you're very welcome! Pre-reservations will soon be available! 👍🤣😎

Bree is like the weird Star Wars bar for Middle Earth.

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

A little less dangerous.

A great insight to this place I think we would all love to visit, esp the Pony to just sample a pint at the very least. OK. Probably several pints.

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺👍

In time, Bree will grow to a small city, thanks to its location. Who knows, a descendant of the Inn Keeper may become the Duke of Breeland.

Great video. Love hearing about the history of Eriador, the men who live there, and hobbit culture. Very interesting 👍

Combe rhymes with either pronunciation of "room" (long or short "oo", but not "home" - it's the Early Celto-Saxon word for valley and a common suffix in many British south-western place names. See also the Welsh word "cym" (valley).

For some reason i would want to spend my evenings in Bree getting drunk at the Prancing Pony waiting for Gandalf

Tongues are still wagging in Bree to this day about Longshanks and his band of strange Shire-folk.

Any estimates of the population of Bree village plus the surrounding settlements? And as always, thank you for the video and really excellent voice work!

I recall Strider stating how Butterbur was in a stones throw from creatures that would freeze his blood. Yet, the scion he and his men received from the citizens of Bree he thought was worth it if it kept them safe. Classic line.

Bree is just one place in middle earth in my opinion to be a chill place you don’t want to leave

Trent Reznor as Aragorn in the thumbnail.

Wow! What a great tale you tell. Thank you for the research you do and your story-telling!

The genius and depth of Tolkiens work is SO evident when you look at the "history" of even the most minor of places in the books. I always liked reading about the Gwathlow and Tharbad in the lost tales of the 2nd age.

Tolkien must have liked to make names rhyme. Kili and Fili, Balin and Dwallin, Gloin and Oin, and Nob and Bob.

the fall of Númenor breaks my heart to middle earth

Some needs to make a video on how long a pub crawl in middle earth would take.

I really wish that Tolkien had written the scene where the royal entourage passed through Bree and Aragorn met with Butterbur and ennobled him for aiding the Hobbits. You know it happened.

I have to say youre one of the few youtubers who go and credit the artists, thank you for that

Um bom lugar pra relaxar e tirar férias. ❤❤

I'm a simple human I see lord of the rings lore I click on it

God bless you and your work sir Nerd of the Rings 😇😇😇 respect from Croatia Europe 😎😎😎

Shoutout to War in the North and Lord of the Rings Online. Maybe non-canon, but great for Bree!

I really enjoyed this one. Thank you.

A really great video, as usual -- highly entertaining and well-researched. Very well done!

Deserves a like not least for the Butterbur accent 👏 🙌

Amazing content!! :D

I really enjoy these videos. The Professor's words can be a bit purple at times and there are so many notes outside of the four books that having your efforts to bring these tidbits of lore to light is a boon. Thank you.

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

Except Matt said Arnor was abandoned in 1945 (5:45), but actually it was 1974.

@artistpoet5253

Ай бұрын

@@Enerdhil oh cool! You know it all. Do you have a channel too?

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

@@artistpoet5253 Oh, hold on! I read that on this comment board. I enjoy reading and posting comments on various Tolkien KZread comment boards. I do not have a channel because I have too much fixed headcanon that would irritate most people if I talked about it.😅

This is a great refresher on Bree... Strider just met Frodo and his company there.

I rolled around in street mud, was mugged by a toothless vagrant and got so drunk at the Prancing Pony I woke up next to a troll. 5/5 Stars, would recommend.

Another video! This is great

After hearing so many of your reading excerpts, I can honestly say that, if you made audiobooks of Tolkien’s works…I’d pay money for them.

Thank you! Love knowing more about Bree...which I mindfully convert to charming town of stone houses on hillsides with your help. God bless!

Happy birthday you Ole goat!!

. thanks for changing my Bree sleep over trick, always went for the animated version in my head .

I would like to know more about Bree hobbits. I wonder if their mentality is very different.

Thanks, Debbie.

We need a video on the History of The Rangers!

Which came first? The town or the roads? An existing town would make it wise to route roads to/through it. Or, a connection of major roads is an ideal location for development and settlement. I wonder if in the fourth age the town evolves into the second city of Arnor.

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

Those are good questions. Was Bree a village before the Greenway was made?🤔 Road First Theory: Since the Greenway was used to connect Minas Anor/Tirith to Fornost, it makes sense that the location was perfect to meet the travel needs of people going from one place to the other. Therefore people would have had opportunities to sell and provide things the itinerants needed. Bree First Theory: That would mean that the Greenway was made to give Men from the south a path to go to Bree in the north. That seems unlikely to me. Making a main road like the Greenway takes a lot of time and manpower. Even the LotR Bree could not have been able to complete such a demanding infrastructure project. It took the Numenoreans, Dunedain, other men of Arnor a long time to make this path to Bree from the Old South Road.

@petertaysum8947

28 күн бұрын

@@EnerdhilRoad 1st. Old Geography Lesson, settlements often occur at cross-roads, but the road/track/trail has to be there first.

@Enerdhil

28 күн бұрын

@@petertaysum8947 Good point.😁👍

Ty, I enjoy your videos ❤😊

Great video

Was the Southerner spy an otherwise known character? I almost expected it to be Wormtongue

Hmm, didn’t Butterbeer buy Bill the pony to compensate the company? Butterbeer would later be compensated himself when (part of) the fled animals returned.

Long live Bill The Pony. The true hero of The Fellowship

Would love to see a video on the Dunlendings.

one thing doesn't make sense about Bree- its supposed to be at a crossroads and get it's business from road travelors... but Tolkien made pretty clear that both roads were seldom traveled.

Did anybody catch that at 7:10, the laundry hanging in the top right corner in the painting says f*** you.

I'm not sure if there was anything in the writings that would disprove this, but I always wondered if the "Squinty-eyed" Southerner was actually Sauron in disguise.

Pipeweed. Just another signpost how much Tolkien loved his sister Mary Jane.

Always thought Bree would've made more sense being a great city, not a small village

I have often wondered what forces Aragorn is referring to when he says that there were enemies a days march from Bree who would see it destroyed if it was not protected

The history of Bree is really interesting, kinda suprisingly. I always imagined Bree has really immersive atmosphere If I would be able to visit it. A small town but with many travelers visiting.

Good story! Thanks 🍷

Thank you !

Peter Jackson orders his carrots from there

So I always assumed the “dark figure” that hopped the gate at Bree was Aragorn, but was it?

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

Yes. That was Strider, a.k.a. Aragorn.

Yess ❤❤❤ Thks Nerd for new video. Yeah ❤❤❤

Nicely done! What is the music used here?

It's amazing to me that Bree survived the wars with Angmar and the war of the ring....I also wonder why other settlements of men did not survive?

I think you should do a Reading of the whole Book. 😄

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

Just get the audiobook.😂

My favourtie place in Middle Earth

"Squint-eyed Southerner or goblin man". Now that I've heard the criticism of Hayao Miyazaki, it's hard not to see the construction of Middle Earth in those terms.

Thank you so much for this :) Im going to name my humble apt The Prancing Pony =D

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

I'll have a pint!🍺 Or two!🍺🍺🙏😁

I think it would be interesting if the Harfoot in the Rings of Power end up being the Hobbits that settled in Bree.

I always thought that the Nazgul broke into the Pony. I never thought that it could have been Bill Ferny and company.

Bree is also a town in Belgium

2:11 / 10:57 2:20 Background is about right...! 5:35 😆😆 Nice place to visit, but....oh, wait. 😆😆😅😅🤣🤣😂😂

Thank you :)

Bree would have been Amon Sulls supply point.

What a great Middle Earth lesson this is. Thanks Matt.

To my knowledge you haven’t done a video on this, but I may be wrong. I think an interesting video would be comparing/contrasting Morgoth/Melkor and Sauron.

a video about tharbad

Something I still don't understand is that there is this settlement of Hobbits in a fairly busy crossroad on major roads frequented by many races, even working in the inn.. and yet still nobody outside of it knows of the shire or the Hobbits?

Can u please do celegorm or caranthir

I note that C. S. Lewis gave the name Bree to a Talking Horse. (and in the MLP fandom I sometimes allude to "Bree Fledge Lewis" as the name for a ponified C. S. Lewis).

@user-ol2so9ce2q

Ай бұрын

Lewis also made references to Numenore an the blessed lands in his Prerelandra sci-fi trilogy.

I am reading ‘The Fall of Numenor’ - I would love to see a video on the building of Armenelos. Was it built for Elros and his people by the Valar, Miar and/or elves or did the Edain arrive on an island with no where to live and have to build it?

@Enerdhil

Ай бұрын

That's a really good question. I am not sure if there is an answer. It is also called "Andor," which means " the land of gift." Having to make everything yourself is not much of a gift.😅

I was once in Bree, Belgium. I cant remember if the served beer in pints.

For some reason I remember Barliman Butterbur paying Bill Ferny the 12 silver pennies.Welp,ya learn something everyday.