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Timeline event, éomer makes a last stand in the battle of the pelennor.

Event Type: Military/Strategic

Age: 3rd Age - Ring War

Date: March 15, 3019

An event in the Battle of the Pelennor ; see that entry for an overview:

But thereupon Éomer rode up in haste... and grief and dismay fell upon him as he came to the king's side and stood there in silence.... And he looked at the slain, recalling their names. Then suddenly he beheld his sister Éowyn as she lay , and he knew her. He stood a moment as a man who is pierced in the midst of a cry by an arrow through the heart; and then his face went deathly white; and a cold fury rose in him, so that all speech failed him for a while. A fey mood took him. 'Éowyn, Éowyn!' he cried at last: 'Éowyn, how come you here? What madness or devilry is this? Death, death, death! Death take us all!' Then without taking counsel or waiting for the approach of the men of the City , he spurred headlong back to the front of the great host, and blew a horn , and cried aloud for the onset. Over the field rang his clear voice calling: 'Death! Ride, ride to ruin and the world's ending!' And with that the host began to move. But the Rohirrim sang no more. Death they cried with one voice loud and terrible, and gathering speed like a great tide their battle swept about their fallen king and passed, roaring away southwards. The Return of the King , LoTR Book 5, Ch 6, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

And now the fighting waxed furious on the fields of the Pelennor ;... and the mûmakil were bellowing as they were goaded to war.... [The] horsemen rode eastward to the succour of Éomer: Húrin the Tall Warden of the Keys, and the Lord of Lossarnach , and Hirluin of the Green Hills , and Prince Imrahil the fair with his knights all about him. Not too soon came their aid to the Rohirrim; for fortune had turned against Éomer, and his fury had betrayed him. The great wrath of his onset had utterly overthrown the front of his enemies, and great wedges of his Riders had passed clear through the ranks of the Southrons , discomfiting their horsemen and riding their footmen to ruin. But wherever the mûmakil came there the horses would not go, but blenched and swerved away; and the great monsters were unfought, and stood like towers of defence, and the Haradrim rallied about them. And if the Rohirrim at their onset were thrice outnumbered by the Haradrim alone, soon their case became worse; for new strength came now streaming to the field out of Osgiliath . There they had been mustered for the sack of the City and the rape of Gondor , waiting on the call of their Captain . He now was destroyed ; but Gothmog the lieutenant of Morgul had flung them into the fray; Easterlings with axes, and Variags of Khand , Southrons in scarlet, and out of Far Harad black men like half-trolls with white eyes and red tongues. Some now hastened up behind the Rohirrim, others held westward to hold off the forces of Gondor and prevent their joining with Rohan . It was even as the day thus began to turn against Gondor and their hope wavered that a new cry went up in the City... and their last hope left them.... 'The Corsairs of Umbar !' men shouted.... 'The Corsairs are upon us! It is the last stroke of doom!'.... The Rohirrim indeed had no need of news or alarm. All too well they could see for themselves the black sails. For Éomer was now scarcely a mile from the Harlond , and a great press of his first foes was between him and the haven there, while new foes came swirling behind, cutting him off from the Prince. Now he looked to the River , and hope died in his heart, and the wind that he had blessed he now called accursed. But the hosts of Mordor were enheartened, and filled with a new lust and fury they came yelling to the onset. Stern now was Éomer's mood, and his mind clear again. He let blow the horns to rally all men to his banner that could come thither; for he thought to make a great shield-wall at the last, and stand, and fight there on foot till all fell, and do deeds of song on the fields of Pelennor, though no man should be left in the West to remember the last King of the Mark. So he rode to a green hillock and there set his banner, and the White Horse ran rippling in the wind. Out of doubt, out of dark to the day's rising I came singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall!

The Return of the King , LoTR Book 5, Ch 6, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

Contributors: Elena Tiriel 27Aug04

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The Return of the King

J. r. r. tolkien, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Éomer Character Timeline in The Return of the King

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

[On the banks of the Isen river, bodies of men and horses lie in the rain. Men on horseback approach.]

Èomer: "Théodred. Find the king's son!"

Rider #1: "Mordor will pay for this."

Èomer: "These Orcs are not from Mordor."

[Èomer kicks over a dead Orc, revealing a white handprint on its armor.]

Rider #2: "My Lord Èomer. Over here!"

[Èomer rushes to Theodred and turns him over.]

Eomer: "He's alive!"

[The group of horsemen ride across the plain. Èomer carryies a wounded Théodred in front of him.]

[A woman runs up the stairs to the Golden Hall of Meduseld and enters a chamber where Èomer has taken Théodred.]

[She kneels in front of the bed.]

Èowyn: "Théodred!"

[Èomer gives his sister a meaningful look, and Èowyn draws back the covers and sees that Théodred's wound is fatal.]

[The two are with king Théoden, who is sitting motionless on his throne, looking aged beyond his years.]

Èowyn: "Your son is badly wounded my lord."

Èomer: "He was ambushed by orcs. If we don't defend our country, Saruman will take it by force."

Gríma: "That is a lie !"

[Gríma appears from the shadows and walks to the king.]

Gríma: "Saruman the White has ever been our friend and ally."

[Théoden mumbles feebly to Gríma, who leans closer to the King.]

Èomer: "Orcs are roaming freely across our lands. Unchecked, unchallenged, killing at will."

Èomer: "Orcs bearing the white hand of Saruman."

[Èomer drops a helmet onto the ground. It has the white hand print on it.]

Gríma: "Why do you lay these troubles on an already troubled mind?"

Gríma: "Can you not see? Your uncle is wearied by your malcontent, your warmongering."

Èomer: "Warmongering?!"

[Èomer grabs Gríma and pushes him against a pillar.]

Èomer: "How long is it since Saruman bought you? What was the promised price, Gríma? When all the men are dead you would take a share of the treasure?"

[Gríma's eyes flick to right, watching Èowyn as she walks by, who stops to stare back for a moment before departing.]

[Èomer jerks Gríma again and clutches his hand around Gríma's jaw.]

Èomer: "Too long have you watched my sister. Too long have you haunted her steps."

[Gríma's eyes look to the left and he relaxes, and Èomer is pulled off Gríma by guards.]

Gríma: "You see much, Èomer son of Èomund. Too much."

Gríma: "You are banished forthwith from the kingdom of Rohan, and all its domains, under pain of death."

Eomer: "You have no authority here. Your orders mean nothing."

Gríma: "This order does not come from me. It comes from the king."

[Gríma displays a order with a sunburst seal and a scrawled signature.]

Gríma: "He signed it this morning."

[The guards take him.]

Èomer: "Argh!"

« previous | next » Credits and Disclaimers

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Battle of the Pelennor Fields

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The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was a battle for the city of Minas Tirith and ultimately Gondor , immediately following a large-scale siege of Minas Tirith by the Morgul-host . It was the greatest battle of the Great War of the Ring and indeed the largest of the entire Third Age . Major casualties resulted, including King Théoden and the Witch-king of Angmar .

• 1.1 Prelude
• 1.2.1 Arrival of the Rohirrim
• 1.2.2 The final stage
• 3.1 Rankin and Bass
• 3.2.1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• 4 Aftermath
• 5 Concept & creation
• 6 Translations
• 7 References

With Gondor's setback in the Battle of Osgiliath and the impending assault from Sauron 's Morgul-host, Denethor was dismayed that Théoden did not come as quickly as he had hoped. Soon, despite the efforts of Faramir , the Rammas Echor was overrun, and the city isolated. The enemy began preparations for its attack, which commenced shortly and quickly pressed Minas Tirith greatly. [4]

Arrival of the Rohirrim

A map of the forces deployed in the battle

Unknown to both Gondor and Mordor , the Drúedain secretly guided Théoden's army safely through the Drúadan Forest via an old, hidden road built by the Men of Gondor long ago, and forgotten by all save the Wild Men. This allowed the Rohirrim to circumvent the defenses of the enemy on the northern road and attack the forces of Mordor from the rear. Rohan was joined by men from Dunland who wished to journey to Minas Tirith to fight with Gondor against the Dark Lord. Due to the dismantling of the Rammas Echor, Sauron's forces could not mount a strong defense, and Théoden's forces quickly overran the northern half of the Pelennor Fields . However, after forcing the retreat of the Haradrim cavalry, they were halted by the appearance of the Witch-king. He mortally wounded Théoden, who was crushed by his own horse, Snowmane . [5]

At that moment, Éowyn and Meriadoc Brandybuck rode up to face him. Éowyn killed the winged steed upon which he rode, and the Witch-king fell to the ground. He was unharmed by this, however, and he stood up menacingly, readying his mace. He swung at Éowyn, who managed to block the attack with her shield, which shattered under the great mace's force. Éowyn's arm was also shattered upon impact. She fell to the ground, and the Witch-king lifted his mace for a final blow. As he did so, Merry, who was behind him, stabbed him in the back of the leg with his Barrow-blade . The Witch-king was wounded, and Éowyn used this distraction to drive her sword into his face, killing him.

Horsemen of Rohan that arrived at the Pelennor, by Ivan Cavini

During this, and afterwards, the Dunlendings and Rohirrim (under the command of Éomer ) continued their assault, while footmen of Gondor launched their own counterattack, sortieing from the gate while Imrahil , his Swan Knights , and Gondor's cavalry tried to reach Éomer. Even so, they were all outmatched by the Mûmakil and Haradrim as the enemy committed their reserves. As the tide of battle turned against Gondor, the Men of the West were dismayed to see the Corsairs of Umbar apparently arrive. [5]

The final stage

Neither side knew that Aragorn and the Grey Company , with the help of the Army of the Dead , had vanquished the fleet of the Corsairs in the Battle of Pelargir . The Army of the Dead repaid their debt to Isildur by driving the Corsairs upon the ships mad, causing them to jump overboard and drown. After loading the ships with as many men of southern Gondor as possible, they sailed north to the battle. Upon arriving, the enemy found itself in a disadvantageous position, with their enemies where (and when) they least expected. The extra reinforcements brought by Aragorn punched a wide salient within the most vulnerable area of the Mordor-host, severing the forces nearer to Minas Tirith and the ones close to the river Anduin .

A moment of the battle as the Witch-king (above) finds and targets Éowyn (bottom left) - by Aaron Long

The Men of Gondor, Rohan, and Dunland used this tactical advantage to the fullest, utterly routing the enemy with prolonged infantry charges and cavalry pursuit. The tactical and morale advantage was effective in turning the battle into a rout of the Mordor host. Most of the Mordor-host was slain and the rest fled back toward the Land of Shadow, many drowning in the Anduin. A strong force of Easterlings fought to the last man, and Gothmog rallied many evil servants across the Pelennor to fight while other Orcs retreated. While they were decimated by the now numerically superior Armies of the West, Sauron's remaining army inflicted considerable casualties among their foes. The battle was over by sunset, with most enemies dead and a meager few fleeing. [5]

The Dark Host was lost all but completely. Few ever made it to Mordor, and fewer still survived of the Haradrim forces. However, they only represented a fraction of the forces of the Dark Lord. Most important to Sauron was the loss of his mightiest servant, the Witch-king. Although the numbers lost were not incredibly significant to Sauron, as he could afford to lose many times that of his enemies, the loss of his chief servant was a devastating blow.

The losses of the West were significant as well. In addition to the lost commanders, it was said by Éomer later that not 4000 Riders were combat worthy, and the losses in the forces of Dunland were probably considerable as well. However, despite that, with the newcomers from southern Gondor and more arriving by prior order of Aragorn, even with all the losses of the battle and the 7000 heading for the Morannon , the city was estimated to be better defended than before the battle, discounting the loss of the Great Gate . [6] [7]

Adaptations

Rankin and bass.

In the 1980 animated The Return of the King film , the battle is only seen partway through. The men amongst Sauron's forces are never clearly seen, only the Trolls, Orcs, and integrated Uruks . Exchanges of arrows between the two sides are seen, as well as melee battles. Some of the Mordor forces ride the towers lashed to the backs of the Oliphaunts. As the battle rages on, Pippin alerts Gandalf to Denethor's despair. Denethor insists that the West has failed, and he wishes his end to be on his terms and not Sauron's. Gandalf protests, reminding him that Théoden's forces from Rohan are en route. But Denethor reveals his palantír , and informs Gandalf that even that will be only a brief reprieve because the black fleet from Umbar is sailing upriver towards them. He then orders his servants in, to burn him.

Eventually, the forces of Mordor bring out Grond , towed into position by a team of Oliphaunts and operated by trolls. The Witch-king of Angmar arrives to direct the ram, borne to the fight on his Fellbeast. Gandalf and Pippin ride down to the gate to confront him. As Gandalf and the Witch-king duel with words, they are interrupted by a the crowing of a rooster, announcing the new dawn. The Horn of Rohan sounds in answer, announcing the arrival of the Rohirrim. They charge into the fray, cutting through Sauron's troops. The Witch-king retreats for the time being. Merry and Pippin are reunited in the fracas. As the fight progresses for days, the Dawnless Day arrives, overshadowing the field. During this the Witch-king returns filled with extra power, which spooks Snowmane and causes him to throw Théoden off to his death. Merry swears revenge. Éowyn challenges the Witch-king, slaying his mount and then dueling him. Merry distracts him with a well-timed stab to the buttocks, allowing Éowyn to slice off his invisible head.

Mûmakil on the Pelennor

Due to the film not having time for the healing-house scenes, they are not portrayed. The Mordor troops panic and start scattering, some throwing themselves into the river. The black fleet arrives, giving them fresh hope until the flagship raises the standard not of Mordor but of the King of Gondor . The Orcs are thrown into disarray, and overcome by the forces of Rohan and Gondor. Afterward, Aragorn and Gandalf prepare for the march to the Black Gate.

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy

The lord of the rings: the return of the king (2003).

The arrival of the Rohirrim from the North

On the second day of the battle, with the forces of Gondor on the brink of defeat, the Rohirrim, with 6,000 fully armed horsemen, arrived at daybreak fresh and ready. After a stirring call-to-battle by King Théoden and a series of horn blasts, the legion of horsemen rode out as one towards Sauron's forces with the king at the apex. The Orcs hastily reorganized themselves, setting up their pikemen in front and their archers behind them. As the Rohirrim rapidly closed in, the Orcs opened fire with volleys of arrows, killing several of the horsemen but it was all for naught as the barrage had no effect whatsoever on the Rohirrim's momentum. The Orc commander could only look on in stunned horror as the Rohirrim smashed headlong into the Orc ranks with all the power and fury of a force ten times their actual size, slicing through and mowing down thousands of the panicking Orcs with shocking ease. The Orc lines buckled, splintered and then shattered completely, causing them to rout the field; yet the Rohirrim pursued them still, slaughtering the Orcs by the hundreds.

Desperate to regain control of the battle, Sauron frantically deployed his reserve force; 20 Mûmakil each ridden by a force of 100 Haradrim. Though momentarily stunned by the sight of the intimidating animals, King Théoden reformed his forces and valiantly launched a counter-charge against the Haradrim. At first the Rohirrim suffered heavy losses from the tusks and trunks of the Mûmakil as well as the arrows and javelins of the Haradrim and floundered. Then, almost by accident, Éomer realised that the rampaging Mûmakil had a key weakness; their vulnerable drivers and confirmed this by killing the Haradrim King with a thrown spear, causing the Mûmakil he was controlling to swerve and crash into another Mûmakil, killing both animals and all the Haradrim riding them. Using this, the Rohirrim were able to bring down several more Mûmakil; Éowyn taking down one with Merry's help but in the confusion, the Orc forces regrouped and charged back into battle, threatening the Rohirrim even more.

As the battle raged on into the afternoon, The Witch-king joined the battle with his winged steed, attacking and mortally wounding King Théoden. Landing before him, the winged steed prepared to finish off the monarch but before it could, Éowyn threw herself in between her uncle and the black-clad wraith and struck with two mighty slashes on the steed's neck, decapitating it. Rising from the corpse of his mount, the Witch-king and Éowyn engaged in a ferocious duel, with Éowyn narrowly evading two of his mace swings, and parrying one glancing blow. Spotting an opening, the Witch-king reversed his attack direction and countered with a devastating blow from his mace, shattering her shield and breaking all the bones in her arm. Seizing the shield-maiden by the throat, the Witch-king prepared to kill her but before he could strike, Merry stabbed the Witch-king in the back with his enchanted Barrow Blade, crippling the wraith and giving Éowyn an opportunity to plunge her sword into the center of the Witch-king's shrouded face, destroying him once and for all.

Éowyn slays the Witch-king

Back inside the walls of Minas Tirith, the remaining forces of Gondor along with Gandalf and Pippin prepared to make their last stand against the encroaching Orcs. Out on the Pelennor Fields, the Rohirrim continued to fight hard but were still heavily outnumbered and assailed from all sides. Then, just as defeat seemed inevitable for Gondor and Rohan, the ships of the Corsairs of Umbar arrived at the Harlond . A detachment of Orcs arrived at the harbor to join up with them but were instead greeted by the sight of Aragorn, Legolas , and Gimli jumping off the lead ship. Wasting no time, the trio then charged the Orc ranks, followed immediately by the forces of the Dead Men of Dunharrow , who poured onto the field slaughtering every Orc and Haradrim in their path before flooding into the city itself and massacring every Orc within. The remaining Mordor/Harad forces stood no chance against the dead and were quickly overwhelmed. By the day's end, the men of Gondor and Rohan were in control of Minas Tirith and the surrounding countryside.

The battle ended with a grand, albeit costly, victory for the Free Peoples. Sauron meanwhile had suffered his heaviest defeat to date. His primary orc armies had been completely wiped out, the Haradrim so badly mauled that they were no longer a threat and the Corsairs of Umbar were destroyed as a fighting force. Worst of all was the loss of his most powerful servant the Witch-king. Yet despite the heavy losses, it was not a war-winning victory and all was not lost for the Dark Lord, for he still possessed large reserves of Orcs in Mordor and was prepared to carry on the war for as long as was necessary.

Once the city was secure, Aragorn took over command of the war effort from the fallen Theoden and convened a council with his advisors and companions to decide what to do next. Gandalf despaired over Frodo's fate, believing that he would not be able to reach Mount Doom without having to somehow sneak past Sauron's large reserve forces camped out on the Plains of Gorgorath inside Mordor's borders. Aragon was not deterred and came to the conclusion that the only way to help Frodo succeed in his mission was to draw out Sauron's remaining army by offering battle at the Black Gates, thereby enabling Frodo and Sam to cross the Plains undetected. The plan was incredibly high-risk and would require precise timing but Aragon believed it would come through, for he theorised that if he challenged Sauron at the Black Gate with a lesser force than Sauron had, the Dark Lord would naturally assume that Aragorn was only doing because he would have the One Ring in his possession, making it all the easier for Sauron to reclaim it. Gandalf and Eomer raised doubts that the plan would work but Aragorn was determined and set out for the Black Gates a few days later with his army.

Concept & creation

Sauron Defeated , the fourth volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings , contains superseded versions of the battle. Some changes of detail are apparent: e.g. Théoden slain by a projectile to the heart instead of being crushed by his horse; or when Éowyn reveals her sex, her hair has been cut short, a detail absent from the final version. J.R.R. Tolkien had also considered having Éowyn die.

There are repeated references by Tolkien to a historic account of the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains by Jordanes . Both battles take place between civilisations of the "East" and "West", and like Jordanes, Tolkien describes his battle as one of legendary fame that lasted for several generations. Another apparent similarity is the death of King Theodoric I on the Catalaunian Fields and that of Théoden on the Pelennor. Jordanes reports that Theodoric was thrown off by his horse and trampled to death by his own men who charged forward. Théoden also rallies his men shortly before he falls and is crushed by his horse. And like Theodoric, Théoden is carried from the battlefield with his knights weeping and singing for him while the battle continues.

Translations

• ↑ The Lord of the Rings , Appendix B : The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Great Years"
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Lord of the Rings , The Return of the King , Book V, Ch. III: " The Muster of Rohan "
• ↑ The Lord of the Rings , The Return of the King ' , Book V, Ch. II: " The Passing of the Grey Company "
• ↑ The Lord of the Rings , The Return of the King , Book Five, Ch. IV: " The Siege of Gondor "
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The Lord of the Rings , The Return of the King , Book Five, Ch. VI: " The Battle of the Pelennor Fields "
• ↑ The Lord of the Rings , The Return of the King , Book Five, Ch. IX: " The Last Debate "
• ↑ The Lord of the Rings , The Return of the King , Book Five, Ch. X: " The Black Gate Opens "
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USC cancels Jon Chu, Billie Jean King commencement appearances amid valedictorian controversy

U SC called off an appearance from director Jon M. Chu and other commencement honorees in the wake of growing controversy over its decision to cancel valedictorian Asna Tabassum's graduation speech over security concerns, the university announced Friday .

In a letter posted on its website, the university wrote that "given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program," it made the decision to "release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this year’s ceremony."

"We’ve been talking to this exceptional group and hope to confer these honorary degrees at a future commencement or other academic ceremonies," the unsigned letter said.

In March, the university announced that Chu, a USC alumnus and director of "Crazy Rich Asians," would deliver the May 10 commencement speech at its main stage ceremony, which draws over 65,000 attendees.

Along with Chu, tennis legend Billie Jean King, National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson and National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt were set to receive honorary degrees.

King will still be the keynote speaker for the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism's satellite ceremony.

The university cited unspecified security threats in canceling the traditional valedictorian speech by Tabassum after pro-Israel groups launched a campaign against her because she posted a link to a pro-Palestinian website criticizing Israel on Instagram. The link contained content the groups considered antisemitic.

But in Friday's round of cancellations, USC did not indicate there was any safety issue. Instead, it said it wanted to "keep the focus on our graduates." There did not appear to be wide backlash against Chu, King or others.

USC declined to offer an interview about the unraveling commencement with President Carol Folt, who a representative earlier this week said had the "final decision" on the Tabassum cancellation and security matters.

Erroll Southers, the university's associate senior vice president of safety and risk assurance, also declined to comment Friday.

Representatives for Chu and King did not respond to requests for comment. Jackson did not reply to a phone call and text message. McNutt did not reply to an email.

On Friday afternoon, graduating seniors posed for photos in their caps and gowns by the Tommy Trojan statue in the center of campus as other students walked about. Many said they were surprised and confused by the news.

Franco Gutierrez, a USC junior, called the move "awful" and "heartbreaking."

"I didn't think that is how they'd respond to the protest," Gutierrez said.

"It's ridiculous," said a recent graduate — who did not give her name — as she walked on campus with enrolled students.

Christina Dunbar-Hester, a professor of communication, said in an email that "administrators have already embarrassed USC considerably and they owe Asna and the entire campus community an apology."

"Many including myself are hoping to hear a fuller explication (including details about security concerns) and a path forward from our President, Carol Folt," said Dunbar-Hester, who is the acting president of the American Assn. of University Professors USC chapter.

Friday's move capped a week of intense debate over USC's cancellation of Tabassum's speech that included a campus protest that hundreds attended Thursday and criticism of USC by civil rights groups and politicians, including Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

The saga began Monday, when USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman released a campus-wide letter citing unnamed threats that poured in shortly after the university announced Tabassum as valedictorian and scheduled speaker. Guzman said attacks against the student had reached an “alarming tenor” and "escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement.”

The complaints focused on a link on Tabassum's Instagram profile to a pro-Palestinian website that said, "Zionism is a racist settler-colonialist ideology,” and “One Palestinian state would mean Palestinian liberation and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel” so that “both Arabs and Jews can live together.”

Guzman did not indicate what the threats were or against whom they were directed. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department, Capt. Kelly Muniz, told The Times the agency had no crime reports regarding violent threats targeting Tabassum or the commencement ceremony.

Speaking to The Times on Tuesday, Tabassum defended herself and said she is not antisemitic. She said she supports the pro-Palestinian cause that has grown at college campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which the Israeli government says killed 1,200 people and took about 240 hostages, before Israel’s retaliatory war in the Gaza Strip. Gaza health authorities say the war has killed about 34,000 Palestinians. According to the United Nations, 2 million Gazans are in near-famine conditions.

"The university has betrayed me and caved in to a campaign of hatred,” Tabassum said.

On Friday, Tabassum — who still plans to attend graduation — declined to comment on the new round of cancellations.

Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .

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U.S.C. Cut the Valedictorian’s Graduation Speech. Now, the Celebrities Are Out, Too.

Jon M. Chu, the director of “Crazy Rich Asians,” and Billie Jean King were set to be among the featured guests.

By Stephanie Saul

The University of Southern California, reeling after a controversy over its valedictorian selection, announced Friday that its main commencement program would eliminate outside speakers and honorees, including the director of “Crazy Rich Asians,” Jon M. Chu, and the tennis star Billie Jean King.

The private university in Los Angeles broke with tradition this week by announcing that its valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, a first-generation Muslim student, would not deliver a commencement address on May 10, a decision that came after campus Jewish organizations objected to her selection.

The student groups, including Trojans for Israel, cited a pro-Palestinian social media link by Ms. Tabassum, who is of South Asian ancestry. After the groups announced their opposition, the university said it received a barrage of communications indicating that the commencement would be disrupted.

While the university cited security concerns for canceling the speech, Ms. Tabassum, a biomedical engineering major, said in a statement that she was “shocked” and “profoundly disappointed” by the decision. And she questioned the school’s motivation.

“There remain serious doubts about whether U.S.C.’s decision to revoke my invitation to speak is made solely on the basis of safety,” she said.

After the decision to cancel her speech, the administration has faced several of days of protests calling for Ms. Tabassum’s reinstatement as a speaker.

The U.S.C. announcement on Friday followed inquiries by The New York Times as to whether Mr. Chu, an alumnus, might withdraw as the graduation speaker because of the controversy. By the end of the day, the university had removed his name and photo from its commencement website. And it announced that he and other speakers were “being released.”

“Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this year’s ceremony.”

Mr. Chu and Ms. King could not be reached for comment.

Earlier this week, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California said it was looking into the possibility of representing Ms. Tabassum in a lawsuit against the university, citing a California statute known as the Leonard Law, which applies First Amendment free speech protections to private and public colleges in the state.

An A.C.L.U. lawyer in Los Angeles, Mohammad Tajsar, said that U.S.C. has a formidable private security apparatus that should be able to handle such an event, even with security concerns.

“If the university can accommodate speeches by Ben Shapiro and Milo Yiannopoulos and host President Obama and the king of Jordan at its graduations, surely it can bear whatever burden comes with celebrating Asna Tabassum as its valedictorian,” Mr. Tajsar said.

Stephanie Saul reports on colleges and universities, with a recent focus on the dramatic changes in college admissions and the debate around diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. More about Stephanie Saul

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King Willem-Alexander Recalls Meet-Cute with Wife Queen Maxima in Seville During Spain State Banquet

King Felipe of Spain also referred to the story when he asked guests to raise a glass at the glamorous gala

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands had an extra special reason to celebrate Spain's state visit: it was the country where they first met!

The King of the Netherlands, 56, recalled the meet-cute with his future wife in his remarks during the diplomatic dinner at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on April 17. The glam banquet was held on the first night of King Felipe and Queen Letizia ’s two-day stay in the Netherlands.

"Spain has a special place in our hearts. First of all, because it was in your country that our life together began. We were at the Feria de Abril in Seville 25 years ago. The sparks began to fly. The rest is history," King Willem-Alexander said, prompting a big smile from Queen Maxima, 52, as well as laughs from King Felipe, 56, and Queen Letizia, 51.

The Dutch royal met the Argentinian-born Maxima Zorreguieta at the spring fair in April 1999, where the future monarch introduced himself simply as "Alexander." Maxima, who then working in banking in New York, reportedly didn’t believe him when he later revealed his royal identity.

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty

The two began dating, announced their engagement in March 2001 and tied the knot in Amsterdam in February 2002.

The couple went on to welcome three daughters —  Princess Catharina-Amalia , 20, Princess Alexia, 18, and Princess Ariane, 17. Willem-Alexander acceded as King when his mother, the former queen Princess Beatrix, abdicated in 2013.

MARCEL ANTONISSE/ANP/AFP via Getty

Continuing his address at the state banquet, delivered in English, King Willem-Alexander mentioned how visits to Spain always felt "warm" for him and his wife, as well as their eldest daughter.

The monarch thanked King Felipe and Queen Letizia for their part in making it possible for Princess Amalia to safely study abroad in the country recently after security threats prevented her from continuing to live in student housing in Amsterdam.

"Last year, circumstances required her to live in Madrid. From there, she was able to continue her studies at the University of Amsterdam. This was made possible by the kind efforts of many of your compatriots and yourselves," the Dutch sovereign said. "A touching demonstration of friendship at a difficult time. I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks to you and to everyone else who helped arrange this."

Princess Amalia joined her parents at the diplomatic dinner, which marked her first appearance at a state banquet. She shimmered in the Ruby Peacock Tiara — which might be her royal go-to, as she’s worn it twice before, both times to royal weddings. (But it wasn't the Princess of Orange's first public tiara wear — that came at Princess Ingrid Alexandra  of Norway's 18th birthday gala in 2022, when she made her royal headpiece debut in the same tiara her mother wore at her wedding.)

Following King Willem-Alexander's address, King Felipe stood to give his speech, also in English, where he spoke about the special relationship between Spain and the Netherlands, including a shout-out to Princess Amalia and his 18-year-old daughter, heir to the Spanish throne Princess Leonor .

"We hope these days may contribute to reinforce even more deep bonds between two societies that look together towards a prosperous future. So do our parliamentary monarchies as we go together towards that future, hand-in-hand with two women of their generation, Princess Amalia and Princess Leonor," King Felipe said. "Deeply committed to their nation, and their people."

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King Felipe then invited guests to raise a glass and recapped how King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima met in Seville "25 years ago, around this particular time of year" at the "famous Feria de Abril," which brought wide smiles to their faces.

"We therefore toast to that personal and emotional connection to our country so it will always remain and flourish, as it has since then," the King of Spain concluded.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia's visit officially started earlier on April 17 with an official welcome at Dam Square in Amsterdam.

King Felipe and King Willem-Alexander went on an engagement together , learning how the Cruyff Foundation was creating safe spaces for children to play sports like basketball, kickboxing and soccer.

Carlos Alvarez/Getty

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