Tuor

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Tuor
Adan
File:Luca Michelucci - 1999 - December.jpg
Biographical Information
Other names	Tûr
Titles	Lord of the House of the Wing
Birth	F.A. 472, Dor-lómin
Death	Immortal, according to Noldor tradition
Family
House	House of Hador
Parentage	Huor & Rían
Spouse	Idril Celebrindal
Children	Eärendil
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Hair color	Golden
Gallery	Images of Tuor

"Let him be called Tuor, for that name his father chose, ere war came between us. And I beg of you to foster him, and to keep him hidden in your care; for I forebode that great good, for Elves and Men, shall come from him."

― Rían to the Elves of Mithrim

Tuor (born F.A. 472) was a hero of the last years of the First Age.

Born shortly after the disastrous Nírnaeth Arnoediad, Tuor's life coincided with the final defeat of the Edain and the Noldor-in-Exile by the forces of Morgoth. After the deaths of his parents Huor and Rían he was fostered by the surviving Elves of Mithrim. He passed his youth a refugee and an outlaw, before being chosen by the Vala Ulmo as his instrument and coming to the hidden city of Gondolin. There he rose high in the favour of the High King Turgon and wedded the elf-maiden Idril, the King's daughter. He escaped the fall of Gondolin along with Idril and their newborn son Eärendil and came to the Mouths of Sirion. After abiding in that refuge long enough to see Eärendil to manhood he finally succumbed to sea-longing and, with Idril, departed Middle-earth for the West. After that no definite tale is told of Tuor, but the tradition of the Noldor was that he became the only Man to be accepted as one of the elder kindred, and shared with them an immortal life in Valinor as long as Arda endured.

Description

Tuor was "fair of face" and inherited the golden hair of the House of Hador. As a man he was "strong and tall and valiant" and skilled at arms. But being raised by Elves he also had great lore and skill.

History

Family and Early Life

Tuor was the only son of Huor, of the House of Hador, and Rían, of the House of Bëor. His paternal grandfather was Galdor the Tall, Lord of Dor-lómin. In their youth Huor and his elder brother Húrin Thalion were fostered with their kin in Brethil and from there they went to battle against the hordes of Morgoth that assailed that realm—and all of northern Beleriand—following the Dagor Bragollach. During one of these campaigns the brothers found themselves in mortal peril, but with the aid of Ulmo and Thorondor escaped and were brought to the Gondolin. In this way they became the first men to see the hidden city, and dwelt there for a year as the guests of Turgon – who had been counselled by Ulmo that help would come to him from the House of Hador. Though they learnt much from the Gondolindrim Huor and Húrin eventually sought to return to their own people, so Turgon reluctantly waived his law and let them leave on a condition of silence.

Huor was slain in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad. He fell defending the retreat of Turgon, speaking his last words to the Elven King: "...out of your house shall come the hope of Elves and Men... from you and from me a new star shall arise". After hearing news of the battle Rían became distraught and left Dor-lómin to wander alone in the wild. She was rescued by the Sindar of Mithrim who took her to their dwelling in the Mountains of Mithrim. Before the end of the year Tuor was born and was given to the Elves of Mithrim to be fostered. Rían, having heard from Annael the leader of the Elves the news of Huor's death, made her way to the Haudh-en-Ndengin, where she laid down in grief and died.

Soon after Hithlum was occupied by the Easterlings who had joined Morgoth in the Nírnaeth. Annael and his people therefore took refuge in the caves of Androth, where Tuor spent his youth. At the age of sixteen Tuor wished to make war upon the Orcs and Easterlings who oppressed the land of his fathers, but was forbidden by Annael. Rather the group resolved to flee Hithlum and make their way to the last remaining Elven refuge at the Mouths of Sirion. Soon after setting out however they were assailed by Orcs and forced to scatter into the night, and Tuor was captured.

Journeys in the Wild

Tuor was thrall in the House of Lorgan, chief of the Easterlings of Dor-lómin, for three years. He was treated harshly because Lorgan knew of his lineage, but nevertheless endured the torment until he found his opportunity to escape. Upon being sent into the woods on an errand he slew his guards and, escaping pursuit, returned to the caves of Androth. There he dwelt there alone as an outlaw, slaying many Easterlings and accumulating a large price on his head. He was seeking the Annon-in-Gelydh – a tunnel made by the Noldor through the Ered Lómin, by which Annael had intended to escape from Hithlum unnoticed. After four years of searching the Vala Ulmo sent Tuor a sign that finally led him to the Gate of the Noldor. Upon reaching its entrance Tuor met Gelmir and Arminas, messengers of Círdan who were seeking a way to Gondolin, and they showed him the path through the mountains to Nevrast.

Ulmo appears to Tuor in John Howe's "Ulmo, Lord of the Waters"

Tuor then made his way across Nevrast and became the first Man to reach the shores of Belegaer, the Great Sea, and felt for the first time the "sea-longing" that would stay with him the rest of his life. He lingered by Belegaer until the autumn, and then after receiving another sign from Ulmo followed seven swans southward. These led him to the abandoned city of Vinyamar where long ago Turgon had dwelt and, at the behest of Ulmo, left a sword, armour and a shield bearing the device of a white swan on a blue field. Tuor took these arms and made his way to the shore. Then during a great storm the Lord of Waters finally appeared to Tuor directly, ordering him to seek the city of Gondolin, and giving him a cloak that had a power to hide him from foes. The next morning he met Voronwë – an elf of Gondolin who had been shipwrecked off the coast of Beleriand and rescued and brought to Vinyamar by Ulmo. After hearing Tuor speak the words of Ulmo Voronwë agreed to guide him to the hidden gate of Gondolin.

Life in Gondolin

Voronwë led Tuor through Núath, a land desolated by the recent passing of Glaurung the Dragon to Nargothrond. At the Pools of Ivrin Tuor caught a brief glimpse of his ill-fated cousin Túrin, son of Hurin, as he cried for Finduilas – the only time their two paths ever crossed. Then after enduring a bitter winter Tuor and Voronwë finally reached the gate of Gondolin. They were taken as prisoners by Elemmakil and brought before Ecthelion of the Fountain who, recognising from his arms that Tuor had been sent by Ulmo, welcomed into the city with honour. Tuor then came before before the High King Turgon and delivered the message of Ulmo: the Doom of Mandos was nearing its fulfilment and Turgon should abandon his city and retreat to the Havens of Sirion.

Turgon however chose not to heed Ulmo's warning, though it did prompt him to block up the hidden door and make Gondolin's isolation complete. Therefore Tuor remained in Gondolin and like his father before him he learned much from the Elves. He fell in love with Idril Celebrindal, the daughter of the King, and she with him, and after Tuor had dwelt in Gondolin for seven years they were married. This union, as well as the favour of the King and the memory of his father, endeared Tuor to the people of Gondolin and he was made the leader of the House of the Wing. Only Maeglin and his followers harboured a secret hatred and jealousy of him.

Fall of Gondolin

One year after the union of Tuor and Idril their only son Eärendil (Q: 'Sea-friend', reflecting the 'sea-longing- Tuor passed to his son) was born. But the location of Gondolin finally been betrayed by Húrin, Tuor's uncle, who had been released from a long torment by Morgoth for this end. Still Morgoth would not have found an entrance to the city were it not for the treachery of Maeglin, who having defied the King's order and ventured outside the encircling mountains was captured by Orcs and brought to Angband – there he betrayed Turgon in return for the promise of the lordship of Gondolin and the possession of Idril.

During the subsequent siege Tuor fought valiantly. He rescued Idril from Maeglin, throwing the Dark Elf from the walls of the city to his death. But in the end Gondolin fell and Turgon was killed. Tuor and Idril led the survivors of the sack in a desperate escape through the secret way Idril had prepared and over the mountains. Protected by Ulmo they journeyed down the vale of Sirion to the Havens at its mouth which was the last refuge of the Elves of Beleriand. On the way the remnant of Gondolin stopped in Nan-tathren to make a feast in memory of the fallen, and here Tuor composed The Horns of Ylmir for his son Eärendil.

Fate

Tuor and Idril dwelt for a while at the Mouths of Sirion. But eventually the sea-longing that had been instilled in him when he first came to the shores of Belegaer grew to strong. He built a ship, Eärrámë (Q: 'Sea-wing'), and sailed to the West with Idril. It was a tradition under the Eldar and Edain that they arrived in Valinor, and that Tuor alone of Men was counted among the Eldar, immortal as other Elves.

Soon however Huor's prophecy on the field of Nírnaeth Arnoediad proved true. Eärendil, son of Tuor and Idril, sailed to Valinor and roused the Valar to the War of Wrath, and so was the saviour of the Elves and Men of Middle-earth.

Genealogy

Marach House of Hador

Haldad House of Haleth

Bëor House of Bëor

Galdor F.A. 417 - 462

Hareth born F.A. 417

Turgon born during YOTT

Elenwë born during YOTT

Morwen F.A. 443 - c. 500

Húrin F.A. 439 - c. 500

Huor F.A. 444 - 472

Rían F.A. 450 - 472

Túrin F.A. 464 - 499

Lalaith F.A. 466 - 469

Nienor F.A. 473 - 499

TUOR born F.A. 472

Idril Celebrindal born during YOTT

Elwing born F.A. 503

Eärendil born F.A. 503

Elros F.A. 532 - S.A. 442

Elrond born F.A. 532

Etymology

The precise etymology of Tuor is unknown. In an earlier phase of the legendarium Tolkien gave its Noldorin etymology as deriving from tū, 'strength', and gor, 'vigour' (via the older form tūghor). It is possible that the later Sindarin version has a similar meaning.

In Other Versions of the Legendarium

In some writings he is named Tûr.

See Also

• Images of Tuor

References

General

• J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin".
• J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin".