Uldor

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Uldor
Easterling
Helena Stepanova - Tears Unnumbered - Uldor (Color).jpg
"Tears Unnumbered - Uldor (Color)" by Helena Stepanova
Biographical Information
PositionLeader of one of the Easterling peoples during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears
LocationThargelion[1]
AffiliationCaranthir (feigned)
Morgoth
BirthPossibly F.A. 425NB
East of Ered Luin
DeathF.A. 472 (aged 47)
Nirnaeth Arnoediad
Family
ParentageUlfang
SiblingsUlfast & Ulwarth
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Uldor

Uldor the Accursed was the eldest sonNB of Ulfang the Black.[2]

He was called "the Accursed" most likely due to his role as the leader of the infamous treachery of his folk in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.

History[edit | edit source]

After entering Beleriand, Uldor along with his father and his brothers joined the service of Caranthir,[2] and settled in Thargelion.[1]

Ultimately though, his father Ulfang's purpose from the beginning was to eventually betray the Elves,[3] which his sons ultimately did in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, under Uldor's leadership - they turned against their allies, attacking them in the rear. Their betrayal proved crucial in the fight against Morgoth's forces, though, and Morgoth was victorious.[4]

However, Uldor's brothers Ulfast and Ulwarth were killed by the sons of Bór, who remained loyal to the sons of Fëanor during the battle - while Uldor himself was slain by Maglor.[4]

GenealogyNB[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
Ulfang
F.A. 400 - 470
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ULDOR
F.A. 425 - 472
 
Ulfast
F.A. 428 - 472
 
Ulwarth
F.A. 430 - 472

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The name Uldor was probably not the character's true name, as it seems to be Sindarin for "Ugly lord": ul- ("ugly") + dor ("king, lord").[5][note 1]

A curious thing about the name Uldor is that it remained unchanged from its conception to the later legendarium.

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

Earlier versions of the Nirnaeth[edit | edit source]

According to earlier versions of the legendarium, instead of being killed by Maglor in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, Uldor was slain by Cranthir (an earlier name for Caranthir) instead.[6][7]

It is only in The Grey Annals (c. 1951) that the story of Uldor's death at Maglor's hand appears, as well as the idea that Uldor summoned more Men from east of Beleriand.[8][9]

Uldor's year of birth[edit | edit source]

In the appendix of The Lost Road and Other Writings in The Genealogies (dating from the early 1930s), it is stated that Uldor was born in the year 125.[10]

When comparing the above date with its associated text The Earliest Annals of Beleriand, Uldor was born 38 years before the Swarthy Men entered Beleriand in the year 163.[11]

Also, the dates found in The Earliest Annals of Beleriand were by and large moved 300 years into the future in The Grey Annals (c. early 1950s), such that, for example, an event happening in the year 195 in The Earliest Annals now happened in the year 495.[12]

Later legendarium[edit | edit source]

In the Narn i Chîn Húrin, an entirely new conception of the Battle of Unnumbered Tears (Nirnaeth Arnoediad) emerged.

According to that conception, the eastern army of Maedhros (called Maedros in this text) never rendezvoused with the western army of Fingon and Turgon at all - in other words, they were not simply delayed due to the actions of Uldor, but were completely cut off from the western army by a large host of Orcs and were subsequently routed.

And while the idea of the treachery of the Easterlings was retained, it was only mentioned in passing.[13]

Notes

  1. While Eldamo considers the name Uldor to be Sindarin, its constituent parts are actually in Noldorin (which was a precursor language to Sindarin).

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Two. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand its Realms (Chapter 11)", "Sheet 2: North-east", p. 183
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §174, pp. 60-1, footnote
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
  5. Paul Strack, "S. Uldor m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 22 August 2023)
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "VII. The Earliest Annals of Beleriand: [The first version of The Earliest Annals of Beleriand (Text AB I)]", entry 172, p. 302
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, III. The Later Annals of Beleriand", entry 272, p. 137
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §231, entry 472, p. 74
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": Note on §231, p. 134
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Appendix: I. The Genealogies", p. 403
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "VII. The Earliest Annals of Beleriand: [The first version of The Earliest Annals of Beleriand (Text AB I)]", entry year 163, p. 300
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "VII. The Earliest Annals of Beleriand: Commentary on the Annals of Beleriand (text AB I)", Annals 155 to 157, pp. 319-20
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part One. The Grey Annals", "Note 2 (A further account of the Battle of Unnumbered Tears)", pp. 165-8