The Encyclopedia of Arda - Pimple (original) (raw)
Lotho was the only son of Otho and Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. An unpopular Hobbit, he was widely known by the mocking name 'Pimple'. When his father died in III 3012, he inherited plantations of Pipe-weed in the Southfarthing, and began to trade with the lands south of the Shire. It was later discovered that he had come into contact with Isengard, and was supplying Leaf to none other than the Wizard Saruman.
Pimple's trade and wealth grew, and he began to buy up land and property across the Shire, from inns and mills to farms and more plantations. Eventually, he sent so much of the Shire's produce away into the south that its people began to suffer hardship. Then, Lotho's Ruffians came out of the southern lands to quell the Shire-hobbits' complaints, and Pimple took the title of Chief Shirriff.
Eventually Saruman himself arrived in the Shire, though the Hobbits had no idea of his history or nature, knowing him only by the name his servants used, 'Sharkey'. At about this time Lotho Pimple fell out of view, and it was thought that he was being held prisoner by Sharkey at his headquarters, Bag End. The truth was far worse: Saruman's servant Wormtongue had stabbed the self-appointed Chief Shirriff in his sleep. So the Hobbit who had tried to take control of the Shire came to a grisly and untimely end.
Notes
| 1 | We don't have a detailed physical description of Lotho Sackville-Baggins beyond the fact that he had sandy-coloured hair, but Sam Gamgee made mention of Lotho having a pimply face. In context, it's difficult to be absolutely sure whether Sam meant this literally, or just as a ridiculous insult, but if Lotho did indeed have a pimply face, that would offer a simple explanation for his nickname 'Pimple'. |
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- Updated 24 May 2022
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