South Rhovanion

[Dark Lord Sauron]

For the record, the lands in yellow comprise of the Principality (later Kingdom) of Rhovanion before the lands in question were ceded:

http://www.filespace.org/saurondestroys/Rhovanion1.jpg

These lands in blue are the lands in question, subject to Gondor as of 1050:

http://www.filespace.org/saurondestroys/Wainriders1.jpg

Now reconcile these statements, some from the Atlas of Middle Earth, others from other sources:

"Sometime after Gondor had reached its widest borders, it ceded the lands south of Mirkwood to the people of Rhovanion as a buffer state against the Easterlings."

Which would suggest that all that land in blue would now be part of Rhovanion. Tolkien also says in the appendicies that Gondor ceded the lands of south Rhovanion to the Principality of Rhovanion.

"The Argonath [is a]...monument comprising two enormous pillars, carved in the likenesses of Isildur and Anárion, standing upon either side of the River Anduin at the northern approach to Nen Hithoel, originally constructed about T. A. 1340 at the order of Rómendacil II to mark the northern border of Gondor"

Which is consistant with the above statement.

Now add this one.

"In 1856 [the Wainriders] attacked. Southern and eastern Rhovanion fell, and its people were inslaved; and Gondor lost at Dagorlad and withdrew to the Anduin."

Not only that, but the first map on p59 clearly shows the Kingdom of Rhovanion without the territories that Gondor supposedly ceded, and that it was Gondor that lost south Rhovanion.

Furthermore, Appendix B in the back of Return of the King says explicitly that those territories were part of Gondor.

"1856 - Gondor loses its eastern territories, and Narmacil II falls in battle."

I realize that Fonstad's book is not canon. However, Tokien makes the same contradictions.

RECONCILE!!!!