# LOTR Witch King Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621 "2007-03-12T16:39:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/1 "2007-03-12T16:39:48Z")
We are about to get a new horse at work; when I went out to inspect him I was amused by the fact that he bears a striking resemblance to the black horses used by the nazguls in the LOTR films. Since we most definitely will be renaming him, I thought it would be nice to pay homage to the visual similarities. So… do we know if the Witch King’s horse had a name? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/2 "2007-03-12T16:55:28Z")
We don’t even know for sure that the Witch King’s horse was actually a horse. It’s assumed that the Nazgul rode horses before the Fords of Bruinen, but given that their steeds after were “fell beasts”, it’s entirely possible that their horses were also of an otherworldly nature. But no…the only name we really have connected to any of the Nazgul or their accoutrements is Khamul, who was the Nazgul second-in-command. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/3 "2007-03-12T17:02:51Z")
There’s mention that Sauron raided the Rhohan for horses, and always for black horses so we can assume that they were being used for Nazgul and other “special” agents of his will. But they were dumb animals not worthy of names. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/4 "2007-03-12T17:23:53Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] But no…the only name we really have connected to any of the Nazgul or their accoutrements is Khamul, who was the Nazgul second-in-command. [/QUOTE] Where did you find his name? and, what language is it in? Numenorean? doesn’t sound Elvish, which I suppose makes sense if he got corrupted over to Sauron. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/5 "2007-03-12T17:31:34Z")
[QUOTE=Grey] But they were dumb animals not worthy of names. 🙂 [/QUOTE] This particular horse is pretty darn dumb, so it would be even more fitting. 😉 I would really like to give Brego a buddy, though.. shame it may not work out. Incidentally, my apologies for the horrible typo in the OP- I’m aware there’s no “s” on the end of Nazgul. Thank you all for not smacking me around. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/6 "2007-03-12T17:50:02Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] Where did you find his name? and, what language is it in? Numenorean? doesn’t sound Elvish, which I suppose makes sense if he got corrupted over to Sauron. [/QUOTE] He’s mentioned in “Unfinished Tales” I think. Basically he was a Easterling. There’s no real need for a ring wraith to have had an elven name. In fact it’s more likely that the name is Andunic or from the southeast of middle earth. I’ll leave that to the experts to answer better though. You could always call the horse Fatty Lumpkin is your getting desperate. Or Samwise if it’s none too bright. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/7 "2007-03-12T17:51:24Z")
No name is attested for any Nazgul’s steed, in Tolkien’s works. However: The horses who played those steeds in the movies probably did have names, and a bit of research might turn up one of them. This does, however, run the risk that the name will end up being something like “Binky”. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/8 "2007-03-12T18:04:47Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] No name is attested for any Nazgul’s steed, in Tolkien’s works. However: The horses who played those steeds in the movies probably did have names, and a bit of research might turn up one of them. This does, however, run the risk that the name will end up being something like “Binky”. [/QUOTE] Dear Mr. Chronos, We are writing on behalf of our client, Mr. Terry Pratchett, to ask you to refrain from making dismissive remarks concerning the choice of equestrian names used by our client. We also note you are using an obvious pseudonym, but don’t have the time 😃 to check it. Regards, Sue, Grabbit and Runne ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/9 "2007-03-12T18:23:16Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Dear Mr. Chronos, We are writing on behalf of our client, Mr. Terry Pratchett, to ask you to refrain from making dismissive remarks concerning the choice of equestrian names used by our client. We also note you are using an obvious pseudonym, but don’t have the time 😃 to check it. Regards, Sue, Grabbit and Runne [/QUOTE] Are you sure he is not really the Titan of Time? What proof do you base your supposition on? **Jayjay** , I question your questioning that the Black Riders road actual Horses. Every indication is that they were bred and trained to work with Nazgul and that at least some of the breeding stock was stolen from Rohan. Jim ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/10 "2007-03-12T18:27:06Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] **Jayjay** , I question your questioning that the Black Riders road actual Horses. Every indication is that they were bred and trained to work with Nazgul and that at least some of the breeding stock was stolen from Rohan. Jim [/QUOTE] You are correct to question my questioning. I had forgotten that Sauron raided Rohan for black horses. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/11 "2007-03-12T18:30:21Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] You are correct to question my questioning. I had forgotten that Sauron raided Rohan for black horses. [/QUOTE] Of course he did. Black horses are tastier! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/12 "2007-03-12T19:17:06Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] This does, however, run the risk that the name will end up being something like “Binky”. [/QUOTE] I HAVE YOUR NUMBER 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/13 "2007-03-13T00:20:02Z")
Pal o’ Meanos? Mare Do Wells? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/14 "2007-03-13T00:44:31Z")
The Witch King himself didn’t have a name. Why would his horse have one? \*“Now, I want you to go to the stable and saddle up the Witch King’s horse.” “You want me to saddle up which king’s horse?” “That’s right, and hurry up about it.” “Now wait a second… does the king’s horse have a name?” “Well, it’d be a fine thing if he didn’t have a name; of course he has a name!” “Well, then what is the horse’s name?” “Witch Horse.” “The horse we’ve been talking about!”\* ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/15 "2007-03-13T01:02:55Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] The Witch King himself didn’t have a name. Why would his horse have one? [/QUOTE] I’ve been through the Brown Lands on a Horse with No Name, It felt good to be off the plane. In the Mordor you can’t remember your name cause there ain’t no one for you to give pain. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/16 "2007-03-13T01:41:54Z")
Bad, bad Leroy Brown Baddest horse in the whole damn town Bigger than ol’ King Kong, Meaner than a junkyard dog ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/17 "2007-03-13T02:19:01Z")
There was a Horse named Sue… that fell into a burning ring of Fire… he went down. down, down, and the flames went higher… and they burned, burned. burned, in the ring of fire, the ring of fire… ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/18 "2007-03-13T04:15:32Z")
Did any horses in LotR have magic powers? Why were some so definitely “the fastest” ? A horse is a horse, of course, of course… ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/19 "2007-03-13T04:21:19Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Of course he did. Black horses are tastier! [/QUOTE] Are they made of chocolate? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621/20 "2007-03-13T04:24:49Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Did any horses in LotR have magic powers? Why were some so definitely “the fastest” ? [/QUOTE] The _mearas_ of Rohan were “special”. Not magical, really, but more intelligent, sturdier and faster than normal horses. Shadowfax, Gandalf’s horse, was a meara, as were the horses of the Kings of Rohan (only the kings of Rohan and their offspring could ride the Mearas, besides Gandalf). They were said to be descended from horses that the Vala Oromë brought from Aman. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-witch-king-question/395621.md?page=2)