Woodland Realm: Difference between revisions

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| othernames=Northern Mirkwood<ref group="note">Though geographically "Northern Mirkwood" might refer to a wide tract of the [[Greenwood|Forest]], as a proper name it is always used as synonym for [[Thranduil]]'s Woodland Realm in the northeast near to the [[Long Lake]].
| othernames=Northern Mirkwood<ref group="note">Though geographically "Northern Mirkwood" might refer to a wide tract of the [[Greenwood|Forest]], as a proper name it is always used as synonym for [[Thranduil]]'s Woodland Realm in the northeast near to the [[Long Lake]].
</ref><ref name="UT"/><ref name=council/>
</ref><ref name="UT"/><ref name=council/>
| location=Various locations within [[Greenwood the Great]] (later called [[Mirkwood]]); by the end of the [[Third Age]], they had settled in the far northeast of the [[Greenwood the Great|Forest]]
| location=Various locations within [[Greenwood the Great]]; by the end of the [[Third Age]], they settled in the far northeast of the [[Greenwood the Great|forest]]
| capital=The [[Elvenking's Halls]] from the early [[Third Age]]
| capital=The [[Elvenking's Halls]] from the early [[Third Age]]
| towns=
| towns=
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| precededby=
| precededby=
| event1=Founded
| event1=Founded
| event1date={{SA|750}}<ref name=date/>
| event1date={{SA|750}}<ref name=date/><br>''[[#Foundation|See below]]''
| event2=
| event2=
| event2date=
| event2date=
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== History ==
== History ==
=== Second Age ===
=== Second Age ===
{{seealso|#Other versions of the legendarium}}
The Woodland Realm was established by [[Oropher]] in {{SA|750}}, a [[Sindar|Sindarin]] [[Iathrim|Elf of Doriath]], after the [[War of Wrath]].<ref name=date>{{PM|Second}}, p. 174</ref> Unlike most [[Sindar]], [[Oropher]] and his household declined the [[Valar]]'s offer to depart from [[Middle-earth]] for [[Valinor]]. Instead, he migrated eastward from [[Lindon]] and became the King of the [[Silvan Elves]] east of [[Anduin]].<ref name="Note 14"/> The few [[Sindar]] who had come with him were soon merged with the [[Silvan Elves]], adopting their customs and language and taking names of [[Silvan Elvish|Silvan form and style]].<ref name="Sindarin Princes"/> [[Oropher]] and his household wished to return to a simple existence natural to the [[Elves]] before they had been disturbed by the [[Valar]].<ref name="Sindarin Princes">{{UT|6b}}</ref>
The Woodland Realm was established by [[Oropher]] in {{SA|750}}, a [[Sindar|Sindarin]] [[Iathrim|Elf of Doriath]], after the [[War of Wrath]].<ref name=date>{{PM|Second}}, p. 174</ref> Unlike most [[Sindar]], [[Oropher]] and his household declined the [[Valar]]'s offer to depart from [[Middle-earth]] for [[Valinor]]. Instead, he migrated eastward from [[Lindon]] and became the King of the [[Silvan Elves]] east of [[Anduin]].<ref name="Note 14"/> The few [[Sindar]] who had come with him were soon merged with the [[Silvan Elves]], adopting their customs and language and taking names of [[Silvan Elvish|Silvan form and style]].<ref name="Sindarin Princes"/> [[Oropher]] and his household wished to return to a simple existence natural to the [[Elves]] before they had been disturbed by the [[Valar]].<ref name="Sindarin Princes">{{UT|6b}}</ref>


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In the wake of this, Thranduil sent his son, [[Legolas]], to deliver news of [[Gollum]]'s escape to Aragorn and [[Elrond]] in [[Rivendell]]. Upon arriving, Legolas participated in the [[Council of Elrond]] as an ambassador of the Woodland Realm where the full details of Sauron's resurgence were revealed.<ref name=council>{{FR|II2}}</ref>  
In the wake of this, Thranduil sent his son, [[Legolas]], to deliver news of [[Gollum]]'s escape to Aragorn and [[Elrond]] in [[Rivendell]]. Upon arriving, Legolas participated in the [[Council of Elrond]] as an ambassador of the Woodland Realm where the full details of Sauron's resurgence were revealed.<ref name=council>{{FR|II2}}</ref>  


Meanwhile, on [[15 March]] {{TA|3019|n}}, Sauron's forces invaded the Woodland Realm in force and there was long [[battle under the trees]] and great ruin of fire; but in the end Thranduil had the victory.  On the [[Elven New Year]] ([[6 April]]), he met [[Celeborn]], [[Lord of Lórien]], and the two agreed to rename the forest [[Eryn Lasgalen]]. Thranduil took all the northern region as far as [[Emyn Duir]] for the Woodland Realm.<ref name=great>{{App|Great}}</ref>
Meanwhile, on [[15 March]] {{TA|3019|n}}, Sauron's forces invaded the Woodland Realm in force and there was long [[battle under the trees]] and great ruin of fire; but in the end Thranduil had the victory.  On the [[Elven New Year]] ([[6 April]]), he met [[Celeborn]], [[Lord of Lórien]], and the two agreed to rename the forest [[Eryn Lasgalen]]. Thranduil took the area from the northern eaves of the forest south to the [[Emyn Duir]] for the Woodland Realm.<ref name=great>{{App|Great}}</ref>


=== Later History ===
=== Later History ===
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The eventual fate of the Woodland Realm is unknown.  
The eventual fate of the Woodland Realm is unknown.  
==Other versions of the legendarium==
===Foundation===
The foundation of the Woodland Realm is disputed:
*According to [[Appendix B]] of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[Thranduil]] was among the wave of [[Sindar]] who, before the building of  [[Barad-dûr]] c. {{SA|1000}}, established the Woodland Realm among the [[Silvan Elves]] and became the king in the north of [[Greenwood the Great]].<ref name=SA>{{App|SA}}</ref>
*An alternate origin story is given in the article [[The History of Galadriel and Celeborn]] in ''[[Unfinished Tales]]''. [[Oropher]], along with a handful of [[Iathrim|Sindar from Doriath]] (alongside his son Thranduil), took up the rule of the [[Silvan Elves]] of Greenwood the Great sometime after the [[Ruin of Doriath|ruin of Doriath]]. He established his realm in the south of the forest.<ref name="Sindarin Princes"/>
*In one draft from the article [[The Tale of Years of the Second Age]] from ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'', [[Thranduil]] was among the wave of [[Teleri]] from [[Doriath]] who established the Woodland Realm in the north of Greenwood the Great in {{SA|750}}.<ref name=date/>
This article and the wiki reconciles these three stories as: [[Oropher]] and his household of [[Sindar]] (including his son [[Thranduil]]) from [[Doriath]] established the Woodland Realm in the south of [[Greenwood the Great]] in {{SA|750}}.


==Portrayal in adaptations==
==Portrayal in adaptations==

Revision as of 14:05, 1 April 2021

Woodland Realm
Alan Lee - Gandalf's Farewell.jpg
General information
Other namesNorthern Mirkwood[note 1][1][2]
LocationVarious locations within Greenwood the Great; by the end of the Third Age, they settled in the far northeast of the forest
CapitalThe Elvenking's Halls from the early Third Age
People
PopulationElves of Mirkwood
LanguageSilvan Elvish, Sindarin, Westron
GovernanceOropher
Later Thranduil
History
FoundedS.A. 750[3]
See below

The Woodland Realm[4] was the great kingdom of the Silvan Elves in Mirkwood.

History

Second Age

See also: #Other versions of the legendarium

The Woodland Realm was established by Oropher in S.A. 750, a Sindarin Elf of Doriath, after the War of Wrath.[3] Unlike most Sindar, Oropher and his household declined the Valar's offer to depart from Middle-earth for Valinor. Instead, he migrated eastward from Lindon and became the King of the Silvan Elves east of Anduin.[5] The few Sindar who had come with him were soon merged with the Silvan Elves, adopting their customs and language and taking names of Silvan form and style.[6] Oropher and his household wished to return to a simple existence natural to the Elves before they had been disturbed by the Valar.[6]

Originally, Oropher's realm encompassed the south of Greenwood,[6] with dwellings about the hill of Amon Lanc.[5] However, throughout the Second Age, he and his people migrated north three times.[5] According to one tradition, the first movement was northward beyond the Gladden Fields, due to Oropher's desire to distance himself from the increasing encroachments of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and his resentment of the intrusions of Celeborn and Galadriel in Lothlórien.[6] However, his people did maintain constant intercourse with their kin west of the Anduin.[6]

Oropher was also disturbed by the reports of Sauron's rising power and by the end of the Second Age, he dwelt in the western glens of the Emyn Duir and his numerous people lived and roamed in the woods and vales westward as far as Anduin, north of the ancient Dwarf-Road.[5]

In S.A. 3430, Oropher led the forces of the Woodland Realm against Sauron as part of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.[6]

Third Age

Anke Eißmann - Thranduil

Oropher's son, Thranduil, succeeded him as the lord of the Woodland Realm[6] and ruled the Woodland Realm in peace for many years.

Around T.A. 1100, an evil entity known as the Necromancer (later identified as Sauron) had created a stronghold on Amon Lanc called Dol Guldur.[7] As the Shadow fell upon Greenwood the Great, Thranduil's realm retreated before it as it spread ever northward, until at last, Thranduil established his realm in the north-east of the forest and delved there a fortress and great halls underground.[6] His realm was also protected by the Enchanted River[8], which could cause one to sleep and dream deeply, whilst the Elvenking's Halls served as the chief fortress of the realm.[9]

Thranduil's realm is said to have extended into the woods surrounding the Lonely Mountain and growing along the west shores of the Long Lake, before the coming of the Dwarves exiled from Moria and the invasion of the dragon Smaug.[6] The Woodland Realm did trade with the neighbouring realms of Erebor and Dale, and imported wine from Dorwinion via the River Running. The former traffic came to an end upon with the destruction of Erebor by Smaug in T.A. 2770[7] but again resumed after the Battle of Five Armies.[10]

In T.A. 2941,[7] Thorin's band of Dwarves intruded in the Woodland Realm and were held prisoner in the Elvenking's Halls.[9] Upon hearing the death of Smaug, Thranduil immediately assembled the army of the Woodland Realm and marched towards Erebor. In the ensuing Battle of Five Armies, many Wood-elves were slain [11] and many of the Orcs that survived wandered into the Woodland Realm were slain or lost in the trackless dark of Mirkwood.[12]

Capucine Mazille - The Battle of Five Armies

On 20 June 3018 a force of Orcs attacked the Woodland Realm (orchestrated by Sauron),[1] the purpose of this raid being to provide a distraction and facilitate the escape of Gollum[13] who had been entrusted to Thranduil's care by the Ranger Aragorn.[1]

In the wake of this, Thranduil sent his son, Legolas, to deliver news of Gollum's escape to Aragorn and Elrond in Rivendell. Upon arriving, Legolas participated in the Council of Elrond as an ambassador of the Woodland Realm where the full details of Sauron's resurgence were revealed.[2]

Meanwhile, on 15 March 3019, Sauron's forces invaded the Woodland Realm in force and there was long battle under the trees and great ruin of fire; but in the end Thranduil had the victory. On the Elven New Year (6 April), he met Celeborn, Lord of Lórien, and the two agreed to rename the forest Eryn Lasgalen. Thranduil took the area from the northern eaves of the forest south to the Emyn Duir for the Woodland Realm.[13]

Later History

After the War of the Ring, the Silvan Elves of the Greenwood, including those of the Woodland Realm, remained untroubled.[13] Many folk of the realm removed south to Gondor to restore the beauty of the South-kingdom, especially Minas Tirith and Ithilien.[14][15]

The eventual fate of the Woodland Realm is unknown.

Other versions of the legendarium

Foundation

The foundation of the Woodland Realm is disputed:

This article and the wiki reconciles these three stories as: Oropher and his household of Sindar (including his son Thranduil) from Doriath established the Woodland Realm in the south of Greenwood the Great in S.A. 750.

Portrayal in adaptations

2018: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Thranduil's realm is called Eryn Lasgalen and is accessible after the fall of Dol Guldur. In addition to "Felegoth", the Halls of the Elvenking, there is the Raft-elf settlement of "Loeglond" near the Long Lake; and the haunted ruins of "Caras Tilion", the former capital in the Mountains of Mirkwood. The quests in the area involve bringing stability to the realm so that trade may resume.

Notes

  1. Though geographically "Northern Mirkwood" might refer to a wide tract of the Forest, as a proper name it is always used as synonym for Thranduil's Woodland Realm in the northeast near to the Long Lake.

References