Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck

Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck
Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck (later known as Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck I, due to his grandson's birth) was a Hobbit and one of Frodo's cousins and closest friends. He loved boats and ponies and had a great interest in the maps of Middle-earth. He was also one of the nine companions in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Biography
Merry was born in TA 2982. He was the only child of Saradoc Brandybuck (TA 2940 - FO 11), Master of Buckland, and Esmeralda Took (TA 2936 - ?), the younger sister of Paladin Took II, making him first cousin to Paladin's son Pippin, who was clearly his closest friend.

War of the Ring
Merry was considered the most perceptive and intelligent of the hobbits, for example, even before Frodo Baggins leaves the Shire, he knew of the One Ring and its power. He guarded Bag End after Bilbo's party, protecting Frodo from the various and often unwanted guests. He also was the force behind "the Conspiracy" of Sam, Pippin, Fredegar Bolger (more commonly known as "Fatty", due to his plump form) and himself to help Frodo. Thus, even before the Quest of the Ring begins, Merry was well prepared and organized; he assembled their gear and brought ponies. His shortcut through the Old Forest served them well, because they avoided the Black Riders and met Tom Bombadil, who helped them. At the Barrow-downs, Merry acquired his sword, a work of Westernesse.

At Bree, he was not present in the Prancing Pony when Frodo foolishly put on the ring; but was outside taking a walk, and was nearly killed by the Nazgûl who arrived. At Rivendell, he was seen studying maps and plotting their path. His approval to the Fellowship came with only a little less reluctance than Pippin's; they were the two to relay news to the people of the Shire about Frodo's journey, but in the end Gandalf, believing in the friendship and loyalty shown to Frodo and Sam, requested that Elrond allow the two hobbits to come along. At Amon Hen he was captured along with Pippin by a band of Saruman's fighting Uruk-hai, but he made a good account for himself, and Boromir valiantly defended him, though Boromir died in the attempt.

Escaping with Pippin into Fangorn Forest, Treebeard and the newly risen Gandalf the White met him. Along with Pippin, he drank significant amounts of Entwash, which contributed to speedy gains in height and hair growth. Accompanying Treebeard to the Entmoot, and later to Isengard, he and Pippin were set as guardians following Saruman's fall. It was here that Merry encountered King Théoden of Rohan, and was reunited with the remaining members of the Fellowship (save Frodo and Sam).

Separated from Pippin when Gandalf took the latter to Gondor, Merry swore fealty to Théoden and became his squire. Without permission from his liege, he rode to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in the care of young Dernhelm (who was actually Éowyn, though Merry didn't know it). When Nazgûl attacked the Riders of Rohan and Théoden was injured, Merry and Éowyn faced the Witch King of Angmar alone. Here, Merry's companion revealed herself to be Éowyn. Battling both fell beast and the Nazgûl alone, Éowyn was well assisted by Merry's crucial move: his sword, built for this very purpose, was one of the few weapons able to pierce the Ringwraith's form, but at a great expense to himself. He cut the Witch King behind the knee as he was about to kill Eowyn. This was enough to allow Éowyn to finish off the Witch-king. Merry heard Théoden's last words, but went unnoticed by the honour escort of Riders and was found wandering the city by Pippin. He was saved by the healing of Aragorn and recovered fully.

For his bravery in battle, King Éomer, as the new King of Rohan, knighted him and gave him the name of "Holdwine". During the Scouring of the Shire, he was in the forefront of the Battle of Bywater, using the Horn of Rohan presented to him by Éowyn.

Legacy
Upon their return he and Pippin both got married to beautiful hobbit women. They were also the tallest of hobbits - Meriadoc being the slightly taller of the two - taller even than the legendary Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took, due to their having drunk large amounts of Entwater. Merry married Estella Bolger some time after the end of the Third Age. He became the Master of Buckland in SR 1432 (FA 11). He wrote Old Words and Names in the Shire. Although he was not recorded as having any children within the family trees, he clearly had at least one son. At the age of 102, he returned to Rohan and Gondor with Pippin, dying there around the year FO 64. He was laid to rest in Gondor, and when Elessar died in the Fourth Age 120, he and Pippin were entombed beside the great king.