Should Gondor have given Calenardhon to the Dunlendings?

[Elmo]

The Dunlendings like any men weren't inherently evil. They in fact only turned over to the evil side because they were done out of the fertile lands of Calenardhon by the Rohirrim. If Calenardhon was so under-populated that Cirion could give the whole province up like he did to Eorl surely it would have been in Gondor's interest to give the land to a more nearby people than the far off Éothéod.

When offering the land they could have made the Dunlending swear an oath of eternal alliance etc. By giving them the land they would have gained the friendship of the Dunlendings and so gain a handy bulwark in their northern frontier. And maybe all the Balchoth mischief wouldn't have been so bad.

[Inziladun]

Neither the Stewards nor the Gondorian citizenry would have thought that was a good idea.

The Dunlendings had a history of being unfriendly toward the Númenóreans, and the
fact that they were related to the Dead Men of Dunharrow, who had been cursed by Isildur as oath-breakers, probably didn't do them any favors in Cirion's eyes.

Additionally, the Éothéod had proven their friendship with Gondor by aiding them in battle and were much more numerous than the Dunlendings. Having the former closer to Gondor would have been much more attractive than taking a chance with the men of Dunland.

[Andsigil]

I echo Inziladun's thoughts.

Besides, as Brennus told the Romans when he sacked Rome, vae victis.

[Selmo]

Should Gondor have given Calenardhon to the Dunlendings?


Yes, they should, but they didn't. The idea would never enter their minds.

Gondor would not see the Dunlendings as either a threat or as an asset.
Like any other self-respecting Master Race, the Gondorians would view sub-humans (i.e. anyone not of Numenorean decent) as of no account and not worthy of any considerstion.

The relationship between Gondor and the Rohirrim was different. Those Northerners had saved Gondor and, although they were not Numenorean, it could be said that they might have ancestors who had be elf-friends in The First Age, and, therefore, almost as superior as Gondorians.
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[Findegil]

Those Northerners had saved Gondor and, although they were not Numenorean, it could be said that they might have ancestors who had be elf-friends in The First Age, and, therefore, almost as superior as Gondorians.

But the same is true for the Dunlandings, even so the Gondorians did not recognise it because they spoke a langued that was related to that of folk of Berthil in First Age.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Selmo]

It would not matter to the Gondorians whether the Dunlendings and the Rohirrim were related or not, so long as they could persuade themselves that the useful group were almost their equals and the other group were not.

Truth and racism are rarely connected.
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[Elmo]

Holding a grudge against the Dunlendings because of what their distant relations did is pretty racist in itself. No wonder the Dunlendings were unfriendly to the Gondorians.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Selmo

It would not matter to the Gondorians whether the Dunlendings and the Rohirrim were related or not, so long as they could persuade themselves that the useful group were almost their equals and the other group were not.

Truth and racism are rarely connected.
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It wasn't only a racial factor that was involved. In my opinion, that was only a minor "plus". It had more to do with aiding and rewarding a people who had themselves indicated they would be friendly and loyal to Gondor. The Éothéod had also outgrown their lands in the North, and Cirion had that in mind. Did Dunland have that last problem?

And there were personal issues as well.

Yet beyond wisdom and policy both Cirion and Eorl were moved at that time by the great friendship that bound their people together, and by the love that was between them as true men. On the part of Cirion the love was that of a wise father, old in the cares of the world, for a son in the strength and hope of his youth; while in Cirion Eorl saw the highest and noblest man of the world that he knew, and the wisest, on whom sat the majesty of the Kings of Men long ago.

Unfinished Tales Cirion and Eorl

So, if the theory here is that Cirion made a conscious decision to exclude the Dunlendings because of their race, I think that is a categorical "no". The more accurate observation would be that the Dunlendings had never put themselves forward as friends of Gondor, and as a result would simply not have been in Cirion's mind as settlers for Calenardhon.

[Andsigil]

Originally Posted by Selmo

Truth and racism are rarely connected..

Racism is a pretty shallow way to break down that situation.

There were clearly some compelling reasons not to give them the land. The Rohirrim, for example, may have objected just a smidgen at such a wild proposal.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Apart from all other reasons, I would imagine there were at least some, one would say, purely "practical" and demographic reasons for why Éothéod was chosen and the Dunlendings were not.

The Éothéod were numerous people who were happy to leave their original land, we don't know as much about Dunlendings. Most of all, however, the Éothéod were obviously much more "nomadic" than Dunlendings. Do we know whether the Dunlendings would have actually wanted to leave their own country at that time? Sure, retrospectively they could have said whatever they wanted. But just think about it for a second. To approach a nation who is okay in the place where they are, they don't have any problems with being too many, sitting quite comfortably in their place, and ask them to move to the land you offer to them just because you ask them to, will majority of the nations actually respond positively to that? I think many would just shake their head at you, not being too happy with the prospect of starting completely anew as long as their original country is still okay to them.

Aside from everything else, even if we imagined that Gondor would have given Calenardhon to the Dunlendings, I am not really sure if it would have turned out to be a wise decision. The Dunlendings envied their neighbors, the Rohirrim, their land. What would they do if just around the corner there was a rich noble kingdom... I don't want to underestimate the Dunlendings, but with them in Calenardhon, I can easily imagine the Battle at the Pelennor Fields culminating with: "Horns! Horns!" - "Yea, guys, we heard that some Mordor decided to get rid of you, so we came to see if there isn't anything left to loot!"

So, maybe no, not really.