The Woodland Realm
The Woodland Realm was a kingdom of Silvan Elves located deep in Greenwood the Great, the Forest of the Wilderland. It was founded in the Second Age by Sindarin prince Oropher who ruled the henceforth princeless Silvan Elves of Greenwood from a fortress on Amon Lanc, and was suceeded by his son Thranduil who gradually moved his citadel north, eventually to an underground realm underneath the mountains at the north-eastern side of the forest.
The realm played an important part in the Quest of Erebor. Legolas, a key member of the Fellowship of the Ring in the Third Age, hailed from here.
History[]
Greenwood was home to Silvan Elves who choose to remain there during the initial migration of the Elves westward. They were considered "less wise, and more dangerous" than their kin who pushed on to the west, be they the Sindarin of Beleriand or the Noldor that went to Valinor and back. They populated the vast woodland (and the near woodland of Lothlorien), living in and among the trees, but were essentially "princeless".
Second Age[]
In the early Second Age, Sindarin princes who did not wish to live under the High-Elves in Lindon sought to rule the Silvan Elves, with Amadir taking control of Lorien and Oropher of Greenwood. Intending to live like the Wood-elves - natural and undisturbed - they adopted their language and way of life.
Oropher established his capital in Amon Lanc
The danger of Sauron had the Wood Elves move further north
Oropher established his capital on the hill of Amon Lanc in the southern part of the forest. The Woodland realm flourished in peace with its boundaries unchanged and way of life undisturbed for over a millennium. Sometime after SA 1000, Oropher had his capital moved further north in around the Mountains of Mirkwood. The main reason for this was the growing threat of Sauron in the East. Oropher and his people also felt threatened by the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and by the presence of Celeborn and Galadriel in the forest. Despite these problems, the Elves of the Woodland Realm still continued to roam the south of the forest westward down the Anduin.
The Elves of Mirkwood and Lorien joined the Last Alliance
Over one hundred years after the Downfall of Númenor, the threat of Sauron once again grew into a very real threat to Middle-earth. Oropher and the Elves of Lórien under Amdír both agreed that peace could not be resorted until Sauron was completely defeated. A large army was created and a combined force of Wood-elves and Galadhrim marched to support the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Though they were as determined to defeat Sauron as the others, Oropher and Amdír's army was lightly armed and less experienced in major warfare. They also refused to submit to the supreme authority of Gil-galad due to past disputes with Ñoldor, and so fought independently. They suffered heavy losses and Oropher and Amdír were both killed. Oropher's son Thranduil survived the war and took his father's place.
Third Age[]
The Woodland Realm came under danger from the kingdom of Angmar
Thranduil's Woodland Realm enjoyed a peaceful existence until the Kingdom of Angmar rose in the North. Trying to expand to the east of the Misty Mountains, the forces of Angmar attacked the forest and briefly took control of Amon Lanc (which became known as Dol Guldur, the Hill of Sorcery). The elves were then forced to remove themselves to the northernmost part of the forest, to a cave settlement under a wooded hill, in the northeastern border of the forest.
The Elven queen perished in the war on Angmar
At one point, Thranduil's army marched on Angmar, but this was halted when a force from Angmar cost the life of the Elvenqueen, who died defending her young child Legolas. Thranduil retreated to the underground realm, and all settlements in the Mountains of Greenwood were withdrawn in favor of the new capital. From then on, the Woodland Realm remained confined to the north. Although raids continued until at least TA 2340, when a young Silvan elf called Tauriel was orphaned and adopted by Thranduil, he refused to intervene in the Angmar War.
The Woodland Realm traded with Erebor at it's prime
Dale was once a trade partner of Mirkwood
Thranduil came to Thror for the White Gems but was refused
Thranduil refused to aid the homeless Dwarves
The Elves of the Woodland Realm traded with the neighboring realms of the Lonely Mountain and Dale. Thranduil even used Dwarves to help decorate his halls. He warned Thror against hoarding too many riches, which angered the Dwarven king, to the point that when Thranduil came to visit to reclaim a necklace of white gems made for his wife, Thror withheld it from him. In TA 2770, Thranduil arrived at the head of his army to the Long Valley, only to find the Dwarven kingdom had just been overrun by the dragon Smaug. He then turned back, refusing to help the Dwarven refugees. At some time later, he again refused their request to take shelter in his woods. Its also possible that around this time he built the Elven Road and its gate, decorated with a statue of his wife, as the main road that ran through was no longer safe.
The Woodland Realm came under danger from the Necromancer's influence
Giant Spiders began to infest Thranduil's borders
The Elf path fell into disuse
In TA 2941, a Necromancer appeared in Dol Guldur and his malignancy infested the forest around Thranduil's realm. Thranduil occupied his son Legolas, and the head of his guard, Tauriel, with keeping their corner of the forest clear of Spider nests but refused to launch any assault against Dol Guldur from where they spawned. The Elven Road became disused and the bridge that took it over the now Enchanted Stream was broken.
When Thorin and Company strayed into the Woodland Realm, they were captured by Legolas and Tauriel and taken inside the underground fortress, where they were thrown into the cells. Thorin was interrogated by Thranduil, who guessed the purpose of their quest and offered co-operating with Thorin in favor of the White Gems. Fearing treachery on the part of the untrustworthy Elf, and knowing Bilbo was still free, Thorin refused and was thrown back to jail, where his nephew Kili was developing an infatuation with Tauriel.
Bilbo released the Dwarves, using the barrels to set them on the Forest River towards Laketown. An Orc attack by Bolg to kill the Dwarves resulted in the death of several Elves guarding the realm's sluices, and was fended off by Legolas and Tauriel, who captured Narzug and interrogated him. Intuiting from the Orc that the Necromancer is Sauron and is seeking out an alliance with Smaug, Thranduil ordered the realm shut off entirely, but not before Tauriel went after Kili, whom she learned was poisoned. Legolas was granted permission to go after her, which led him to Laketown, witnessing the conflagration of Laketown by Smaug.
Learning of Smaug's demise and seeking his son, Thranduil set off at the head of his army. Learning of the predicament of the refugees of Laketown, Thranduil brought supplies to secure their allegiance against Thorin. Unbeknowst to them, the Dwarf summoned his cousin Dain with his army from the Iron Hills, and the three armies briefly skirmished in the Long Valley before Azog's Orc Army arrived, and they united against it. Many of Thranduil's Elves were killed, to the point that he nearly retreated before Tauriel confronted him. He arrived at Ravenhill, but only too late. Thranduil sent his son Legolas to find the Dunadan Strider.
With the Necromancer banished by the White Council, the Woodland Elves enjoyed a time of peace and with Thranduil again engaging with the world, they expanded their domain over the woodlands, before the War of the Ring ignited again. This time, however, Thranduil's forces engaged Sauron's Orcs under the eaves of the forest, defeating them and bringing relief to the Woodsmen.
The Woodland Realm people played an important role during the early years when a group of Elves from the Woodland Realm led by Legolas traveled to Gondor and helped rebuild the city of Minas Tirith and replenished and beautified the war-ravaged lands of Ithilien. It is presumed that the realm prospered but like the other non-mannish realms it most likely became isolated and unto itself. Its fate is unknown but as some Elves left Middle-earth during the Fourth Age and the dominion of Man was at hand, the Wood-elves of the Woodland Realm may have eventually become isolated from the world of Men.