Lotho Sackville-Baggins
Hobbit who tried to overtake the Shire during the War of the Ring. Lotho Sackville-Baggins was born in the year 2964 of the Third Age. He was the son of Otho and Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. He was brought up on a plantation in the Southfarthing that grew pipe-weed. He had sandy colored hair. Lotho was a Hobbit who above all desired power.
After Otho's death in 3012, Lotho inherited his pipe-weed plantation. Though the smoking of pipe-weed was popular among Hobbits and he therefore earned a lot of money, Lotho was intent to get more. In order to do so, he exported pipe-weed from the Shire. His most frequent customer was an evil wizard called Saruman.
Saruman began visiting the Shire with increasing frequency. He corrupted Lotho into telling Isengard's agents information about the Shire and its affairs in exchange for high payment. Lotho's greed clearly led him astray from his fellow Hobbits, and he would soon become a traitor.
Lotho used his excess money to purchase many plantations and fields throughout the Shire, and he began readying these areas for industrialization. He even purchased the Old Mill in Hobbiton and tore it down to construct a new mill of brick with all sorts of unfamiliar parts. This mill was more like a factory now, and Lotho used it for the mass production of his pipe-weed.
In 3018, Frodo Baggins left the Shire and Lotho and his mother moved to Bag End. From there, Lotho would be head of the Baggins family. But as his greed for power and wealth increased, it was not only the Baggins family that Lotho desired to rule.
Strange men began to arrive in the Shire. They would purchase leaf, weed, and other Hobbit-made goods for exportation. These men began chopping down trees and building unappealing houses. At first, they paid the Hobbits for their land, but their kindness to the Halflings soon faded.
In autumn of 3018, Saruman began his invasion of the Shire. Though the evil wizard was preoccupied with his invasion of Rohan, he sent many agents and Ruffian men to occupy the Shire. Lotho acted as Chief of the Shire and by New Year in 3019 he was also Chief Shirriff. He enforced new laws upon his fellow Hobbits, and he employed more Shirriffs to enforce these laws. Because he sold most food and natural resources to outsiders, what little food was left was gathered for all Hobbits to share, and the beer and ale was reserved for the Chief's Men. However, eventually Lotho's rule over the Shire diminished.
In September of 3019, Saruman himself arrived in the Shire and took up residence in Bag End. From there, he began to ruin the Shire. The mill was closed and used for industrial purposes only, and the Water became polluted with garbage. Lotho's mother Lobelia was arrested and imprisoned in the Lockholes with many of her kin.
Frodo and his companions arrived in early November of 3019. In response to their arrival, Saruman ordered the death of Lotho on November 3, 3019. His slave Grima Wormtongue stabbed Lotho to death in his sleep. It was rumored that Grima also ate Lotho's body, but it is not known whether or not this horrible rumor is true.
After Otho's death in 3012, Lotho inherited his pipe-weed plantation. Though the smoking of pipe-weed was popular among Hobbits and he therefore earned a lot of money, Lotho was intent to get more. In order to do so, he exported pipe-weed from the Shire. His most frequent customer was an evil wizard called Saruman.
Saruman began visiting the Shire with increasing frequency. He corrupted Lotho into telling Isengard's agents information about the Shire and its affairs in exchange for high payment. Lotho's greed clearly led him astray from his fellow Hobbits, and he would soon become a traitor.
Lotho used his excess money to purchase many plantations and fields throughout the Shire, and he began readying these areas for industrialization. He even purchased the Old Mill in Hobbiton and tore it down to construct a new mill of brick with all sorts of unfamiliar parts. This mill was more like a factory now, and Lotho used it for the mass production of his pipe-weed.
In 3018, Frodo Baggins left the Shire and Lotho and his mother moved to Bag End. From there, Lotho would be head of the Baggins family. But as his greed for power and wealth increased, it was not only the Baggins family that Lotho desired to rule.
Strange men began to arrive in the Shire. They would purchase leaf, weed, and other Hobbit-made goods for exportation. These men began chopping down trees and building unappealing houses. At first, they paid the Hobbits for their land, but their kindness to the Halflings soon faded.
In autumn of 3018, Saruman began his invasion of the Shire. Though the evil wizard was preoccupied with his invasion of Rohan, he sent many agents and Ruffian men to occupy the Shire. Lotho acted as Chief of the Shire and by New Year in 3019 he was also Chief Shirriff. He enforced new laws upon his fellow Hobbits, and he employed more Shirriffs to enforce these laws. Because he sold most food and natural resources to outsiders, what little food was left was gathered for all Hobbits to share, and the beer and ale was reserved for the Chief's Men. However, eventually Lotho's rule over the Shire diminished.
In September of 3019, Saruman himself arrived in the Shire and took up residence in Bag End. From there, he began to ruin the Shire. The mill was closed and used for industrial purposes only, and the Water became polluted with garbage. Lotho's mother Lobelia was arrested and imprisoned in the Lockholes with many of her kin.
Frodo and his companions arrived in early November of 3019. In response to their arrival, Saruman ordered the death of Lotho on November 3, 3019. His slave Grima Wormtongue stabbed Lotho to death in his sleep. It was rumored that Grima also ate Lotho's body, but it is not known whether or not this horrible rumor is true.
Names & Meanings
Lotho's hyphenated surname came from his father's ambition to rule the Sackville family. As Chief, Lotho was also called Chief Shirriff or simply the Chief. In a rather discriminatory manor, Lotho's fellow Hobbits called him Pimple.
References
The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring: "Three Is Company," pages 77-78
The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King: "The Scouring of the Shire"
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix C: "Baggins genealogy," page 380
The Unfinished Tales: "The Hunt for the Ring," page 347-354
The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King: "The Scouring of the Shire"
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix C: "Baggins genealogy," page 380
The Unfinished Tales: "The Hunt for the Ring," page 347-354
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