Bladorthin

2012-10-17T11:17:06Z

Aaraid: /* External links */

{{quote|... the spears that were made for the armies of the great King Bladorthin (long since dead), each had a thrice-forged head and their shafts were inlaid with cunning gold, but they were never delivered or paid for...|''[[The Hobbit]]'', [[Inside Information]]}}

'''Bladorthin''' was a king of the [[Third Age]] who flourished long before {{TA|2941}}.
==History==
Bladorthin ruled a great kingdom which maintained armies and had trade relationships with [[Erebor]].

Questions about whether Bladorthin was a [[Men|Man]] or an [[Elves|Elf]], or precisely where his kingdom lay, must remain in the realm of speculation.

He had ordered thrice-forged spears of superior quality for his soldiers from the [[Dwarves of Erebor]]. The smiths forged them, but Bladorthin never received his weapons.

It is possible that the [[Sack of Erebor|descent]] of [[Smaug]] on the [[Lonely Mountain]] was what prevented the trade, in which case his death can be put after [[Third Age 2770]].

On the other hand his death was perhaps premature and it was this that prevented the trade.<ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Bladorthin"</ref>

==Etymology==
[[John D. Rateliff]] has noted that [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] never explained the meaning of the name ''Bladorthin''. However, Rateliff suggests that the name is "clearly [[Gnomish]] (or perhaps [[Noldorin]])", speculating that the element ''blador'' "probably applies to wide open country" and that the element ''-thin'' likely has the meaning of "grey" (as in ''[[Thingol#Etymology|'''Thin'''gol]]''). This would give the translation "the Grey Country", "Grey Plains Fay", or "Grey Master of the Plains".<ref name=HH>{{HM|HHO}}, pp. 52-3, 62-3</ref>

==Other Versions of the [[Legendarium]]==
In the early drafts of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Bladorthin was the name of Gandalf the Grey. A connection can still be seen with the element ''-thin'' with the probable meaning "grey" (see [[#Etymology|above]]).<ref name=HH/>
==Speculation==
*[[Robert Foster]] suggests Bladorthin was an Elven king, that his premature death prevented the trade and his heirs did not pay for the spears.
*[[J.E.A. Tyler]] also interprets his death as premature
*[[Michael Martinez]] also interprets his death as premature, and suggests that he was a King of [[Dale]], perhaps ancestor of [[Girion]].<ref>[[Parma Endorion]]</ref>
*[[Douglas A. Anderson]] in ''[[The Annotated Hobbit]]'' suggests he was a [[mortal]] Man.
*An article in the [[Tolkienwiki]] suggests not only that his death was premature but that his kingdom was destroyed by [[Sauron]], presumably located near the [[Sea of Rhûn]].<ref>[http://www.thetolkienwiki.org/wiki.cgi?FAQ/Who__was__King__Bladorthin FAQ: Who was King Bladorthin?]</ref>
*[[Andreas Moehn]] counters most of the common theories, notably the interpretation that his death was premature. As the book does not mention his death as such, the end of Erebor must have happened earlier and prevented the trade. He also rejects the theory that his kingdom was related to Dale, and locates it in [[Dorwinion]].

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
'''2003: ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|The Hobbit]]'':'''
:Bladorthin's spears are some of the items [[Bilbo Baggins]] must find in Erebor for a quest in the chapter "Inside Information".
{{references}}

==External links==
*[http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/Bladorthin.html A theory on Bladorthin] by [[Andreas Möhn|Andreas Moehn]].

[[Category:Rulers of Middle-earth]]
[[de:Bladorthin]]
[[fi:Bladorthin]]

Bladorthin

2012-10-17T11:16:19Z

Aaraid: /* External links */

{{quote|... the spears that were made for the armies of the great King Bladorthin (long since dead), each had a thrice-forged head and their shafts were inlaid with cunning gold, but they were never delivered or paid for...|''[[The Hobbit]]'', [[Inside Information]]}}

'''Bladorthin''' was a king of the [[Third Age]] who flourished long before {{TA|2941}}.
==History==
Bladorthin ruled a great kingdom which maintained armies and had trade relationships with [[Erebor]].

Questions about whether Bladorthin was a [[Men|Man]] or an [[Elves|Elf]], or precisely where his kingdom lay, must remain in the realm of speculation.

He had ordered thrice-forged spears of superior quality for his soldiers from the [[Dwarves of Erebor]]. The smiths forged them, but Bladorthin never received his weapons.

It is possible that the [[Sack of Erebor|descent]] of [[Smaug]] on the [[Lonely Mountain]] was what prevented the trade, in which case his death can be put after [[Third Age 2770]].

On the other hand his death was perhaps premature and it was this that prevented the trade.<ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Bladorthin"</ref>

==Etymology==
[[John D. Rateliff]] has noted that [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] never explained the meaning of the name ''Bladorthin''. However, Rateliff suggests that the name is "clearly [[Gnomish]] (or perhaps [[Noldorin]])", speculating that the element ''blador'' "probably applies to wide open country" and that the element ''-thin'' likely has the meaning of "grey" (as in ''[[Thingol#Etymology|'''Thin'''gol]]''). This would give the translation "the Grey Country", "Grey Plains Fay", or "Grey Master of the Plains".<ref name=HH>{{HM|HHO}}, pp. 52-3, 62-3</ref>

==Other Versions of the [[Legendarium]]==
In the early drafts of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Bladorthin was the name of Gandalf the Grey. A connection can still be seen with the element ''-thin'' with the probable meaning "grey" (see [[#Etymology|above]]).<ref name=HH/>
==Speculation==
*[[Robert Foster]] suggests Bladorthin was an Elven king, that his premature death prevented the trade and his heirs did not pay for the spears.
*[[J.E.A. Tyler]] also interprets his death as premature
*[[Michael Martinez]] also interprets his death as premature, and suggests that he was a King of [[Dale]], perhaps ancestor of [[Girion]].<ref>[[Parma Endorion]]</ref>
*[[Douglas A. Anderson]] in ''[[The Annotated Hobbit]]'' suggests he was a [[mortal]] Man.
*An article in the [[Tolkienwiki]] suggests not only that his death was premature but that his kingdom was destroyed by [[Sauron]], presumably located near the [[Sea of Rhûn]].<ref>[http://www.thetolkienwiki.org/wiki.cgi?FAQ/Who__was__King__Bladorthin FAQ: Who was King Bladorthin?]</ref>
*[[Andreas Moehn]] counters most of the common theories, notably the interpretation that his death was premature. As the book does not mention his death as such, the end of Erebor must have happened earlier and prevented the trade. He also rejects the theory that his kingdom was related to Dale, and locates it in [[Dorwinion]].

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
'''2003: ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|The Hobbit]]'':'''
:Bladorthin's spears are some of the items [[Bilbo Baggins]] must find in Erebor for a quest in the chapter "Inside Information".
{{references}}

==External links==
*[http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/Bladorthin.html A theory on Bladorthin] by [[Andreas Möhn|Andreas Moehn]].
*[http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/Fr_Men.html] by [[Lalaith<andreas.moehn@wiesbaden.netsurf.de>]].

[[Category:Rulers of Middle-earth]]
[[de:Bladorthin]]
[[fi:Bladorthin]]

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Bladorthin

Bladorthin