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Gandalf

2026-05-17T02:52:47Z

AmonGwareth: /* Early history */

{{short description|Wizard of the Istari}}
{{disambig-more|Gandalf|[[Gandalf (disambiguation)]]}}
{{infobox character
| people-duplicated=[[Maiar|Maia]]
| name=Gandalf
| people=[[Maiar|Maia]] ([[Wizards|Wizard]])
| image=Matt Stewart - Gandalf - A Light in the Dark.jpg
| caption="A Light in the Dark" by [[Matt Stewart]]
| pronun=
| othernames=''Olórin'' ([[Quenya|Q]]) ''Mithrandir'' ([[Sindarin|S]]) ''Incánus'' ([[Haradrim|H]]) ''Tharkûn'' ([[Khuzdul|K]]) ''([[#Other names|See below]])''
| titles=Guardian of the Third Age The Grey [[The White]] White Rider White Pilgrim
| position=
| location=No fixed abode
| affiliation=[[Five Guardians]], [[Order of Wizards]], [[White Council]], [[Thorin and Company]], [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| language=[[Valarin]], [[Elvish]], [[Westron]], [[Hobbitish]]
| birth=[[Creation of the Ainur]]
| birthlocation=[[Timeless Halls]]
| rule=
| sailedwest=[[29 September]], {{TA|3021}}
| sailedfrom=[[Grey Havens]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| gender=Male
| height=At least 5'6"<ref>{{NM|Descriptions}}: Gandalf even bent must have been at least 5 ft. 6</ref>
| hair=Long white, silver beard<ref name="Meetings">{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>
| eyes=Black that could become red
| clothing=Grey robes (later white), blue hat, grey scarf, black boots<ref name="Party"/>
| weapons=Staff [[Glamdring]] [[Narya]]
| steed=[[Shadowfax]]
}}
{{Quote|Gandalf was shorter in stature than the [[Elrond|other]] [[Glorfindel|two]]; but his long white hair, his sweeping silver beard, and his broad shoulders, made him look like some wise king of ancient legend. In his aged face under great snowy brows his eyes were set like coals that could suddenly burst into fire.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[Many Meetings]]"}}

'''Gandalf''' was one of the five [[Order of Wizards|Istari]] sent to [[Middle-earth]] by the [[Valar]] in the [[Third Age]]. In [[Valinor]] he was known as Olórin. Gandalf was instrumental in bringing about the demise of [[Sauron]] in {{TA|3019}}, chiefly by encouraging others and dispensing his wisdom at pivotal times. He was originally robed in grey, and second to [[Saruman]] in the Order of Wizards. After his fall in [[Moria]], Gandalf returned to Middle-earth as head of the Order, robed in white. He was noteworthy for his keen interest in [[Hobbits]].

==History==
===Early history===
[[File:Kip Rasmussen - Olorin in the Gardens of Lorien.jpg|thumb|left|''Olorin in the Gardens of Lorien'' by [[:Category:Images by Kip Rasmussen|Kip Rasmussen]]]]
The wisest of the [[Maiar]], Gandalf was created by [[Ilúvatar]] before the [[Music of the Ainur]].<ref name="Ainu">{{S|Ainu}}</ref> At the beginning of [[Time]], he was amongst the [[Ainur]] who entered into [[Eä]].<ref name="SVala">{{S|Vala}}</ref> In his "youth" he was known as '''''Olórin''''' and was a counsellor of [[Irmo]].<ref>{{MR|P3I1}}</ref> He lived in [[Lórien (Valinor)|Lórien]], yet his ways often took him to Nienna, from whom he learned pity and patience.<ref name="vala">{{S|IIc}}, p. 316</ref> He became one of the [[Maiar]] who served [[Manwë]], [[Varda]], [[Irmo]], and [[Nienna]]. He was associated with light and fire, much like [[Varda]].

After the Valar discovered the primeval [[Elves]] at [[Cuiviénen]], Olórin was sent there as one of the [[Five Guardians]] to guard the Elves from the forces of [[Melkor]].<ref>{{NM|P1xiii}}, p. 95</ref> It is unclear how long he remained or if he accompanied the [[Eldar]] on the [[Great Journey]]. But it is said he loved the Elves, and throughout his early life, he walked [[Unseen]] among them, or wore a [[Fana]] that appeared like an Elf, and he sent them fair visions in their hearts that made them wiser. Throughout his existence, he followed the example of Nienna, taking pity on the sorrows of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]] and lifting out of despair those who listened to him.<ref name="vala" />

It is possible that Gandalf, as Olorin, came to Middle-earth in the Second Age. While Galadriel "dwelt now under the trees of Greenwood the Great", Olórin once had a conversation with her.<ref>{{UT|Elessar}}, p. 255</ref> It is possible that this was just after the year 1200, but it is said that "only those Wise could say who are now gone" could attest to the truth of this conversation.<ref>{{UT|Elessar}}, p. 268</ref>

===Third Age===
====Arrival in Middle-earth====
During the [[Third Age]], while [[Sauron|Sauron's]] 'dark spirit of malice' was increasing over [[Middle-earth]], the Valar chose the [[Istari]], missionaries from among the Maiar, to go to Middle-earth and help the [[Portal:Characters|peoples]]. [[Manwë]] selected Olórin, who, at first, did not wish to go, as he feared Sauron. However, Manwë said that it was all the more reason why he should go.<ref name="Istari">{{UT|13}}</ref> Furthermore, [[the One Ring]], the location of much of Sauron's power, presumably still existed somewhere in Middle-earth.

Olórin submitted to the will of Manwë and departed Valinor to [[Mithlond]] in the year {{TA|1000}}.<ref name="Istari" /> He arrived shortly after two other Istari, [[Curumo]] and [[Aiwendil]], at about the same time the [[Necromancer]] appeared in [[Mirkwood]]. Like the other Wizards, he took the shape of an old man. He was robed in grey.

At Mithlond, he was welcomed by [[Círdan]] the shipwright, who possessed [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings|Three]] Elven [[Rings of Power]]. Círdan divined in Olórin a sense of strength and power despite his appearance as a bent and aged old man. Círdan gave Narya to Olórin with a prediction of his future struggles with evil, and a promise that it would support and aid him in his labours. Then Círdan said "''But as for me, my heart is with the [[Belegaer|Sea]], and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.''"<ref name="ThirdAge">{{App|B2}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf the Grey'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Gandalf then began his sojourn in Middle-earth, going about as a wanderer and counsellor. Unlike Saruman, Gandalf did not take up a single permanent residence. Gandalf never went to the [[east]]<ref name="TT Window p. 670">{{TT|Window}}, p. 670</ref> and apparently restricted his activities to the [[Westlands]] of Middle-earth, where the remnants of the [[Dúnedain]] and the [[Eldar]] remained to oppose Sauron. He was known by many names during the long years he remained in Middle-earth: Elves named him ''Mithrandir'', the Grey Pilgrim, while the men of [[Arnor]] named him '''Gandalf''', which became his most common name. He was also known as ''Incánus'' in the south, and ''Tharkûn'' to the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="Istari" />

A legend says that Gandalf was given the [[Elfstone]] of [[Eärendil]] by [[Yavanna]] to bring to the peoples of Middle-earth; this was to be a token that the Valar had not forsaken them. He gave it to [[Galadriel]], and remarked prophetically that she would in turn pass it to an individual who would also be called [[Aragorn|Elessar]].<ref>{{UT|6}}</ref>

====Early vigilance====
Around {{TA|1100}},<ref name="ThirdAge" /> the Istari and the Eldar discovered that some evil entity resided at [[Dol Guldur]] in Mirkwood. Dark shapes moved in the forest and evil began to multiply in the woods. Some thought a [[Nazgûl]] had returned to torment the world, or some new evil was arising. Gandalf was unsure, and feared that perhaps Sauron himself might have returned.<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>
[[File:John Howe - Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|left|''Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Over the next two hundred years the evil continued to grow, as well as the source directing it. [[Orcs]] were multiplying in the [[Misty Mountains]] and elsewhere. The [[Witch-king]], the mightiest of the Nazgûl, had built a fortress in [[Angmar]] in the Northern wastelands and waged unending war against the Kingdom of [[Arnor]]. Meanwhile [[Moria]] and [[Minas Ithil]] fell under a shadow, while other wars, plagues, and catastrophes occurred across Middle-earth. Gandalf went to Dol Guldur in {{TA|2063|n}} to discover its secret.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> An entity known only as the '[[Necromancer]]' fled before him preventing Gandalf from identifying him.<ref name="Rings" /> After Gandalf's incursion, the evil there seemed to desist, and its absence allowed for some centuries of calmness.

That peaceful period was known as the [[Watchful Peace]] and lasted for almost four hundred years. However, the Nazgûl had used this period to prepare for Sauron's return, which occurred in {{TA|2460|n}}.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> Realising the returning evil, the [[Wise]] formed the [[White Council]] three years later. [[Galadriel]], bearer of one of the Three Elven Rings and mighty among the Eldar, wished Gandalf to be the chief of the Council, but he refused the position wishing to set down no roots and to maintain his independence; Saruman took this place because of his vast knowledge.<ref name="Rings" />
[[File:Miriam Ellis - The Long Winter, 1158 - Gandalf Helps the Hobbits.jpeg|thumb|250px|left|''[[Long Winter|The Long Winter]], [[Third Age 2758|1158]]: Gandalf Helps the [[Hobbits]]'' by [[Miriam Ellis]]]]
During his wanderings in [[Eriador]], Gandalf met and befriended the isolated and secretive people of the [[Hobbits]] in their country, [[The Shire]]. During the [[Long Winter]] of {{TA|2758|n}} Gandalf came to their aid.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> It was then when he witnessed and admired the pity and courage the humble Hobbits reserved in their hearts.<ref name="Erebor" />

When King [[Thráin|Thráin II]], a dwarf of the royal line of [[Lonely Mountain]], disappeared on a journey to [[Erebor]], Gandalf looked for him. At some point after {{TA|2845|n}} he entered the abandoned city of Khazad-dûm. After his vain search, the Wizard exited through the [[Doors of Durin]]; however this experience did not help him know how to open the doors from the outside.<ref name="journey">{{FR|Journey}}</ref>

In {{TA|2850|n}}, his quest led him once more to Dol Guldur, this time in secrecy.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> He found Thráin in the dungeons, who gave the Wizard his last possessions, the [[Thrór's Map|map]] and key to Erebor.<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> Most importantly, Gandalf found that the Necromancer was no Nazgûl, but was Sauron himself, and he had taken [[Ring of Thrór|the last]] of the [[Seven Rings]] from the Dwarf King. Sauron was gathering the remaining [[Rings of Power]] and possibly searching for his lost [[The One Ring|One Ring]].

Gandalf escaped Dol Guldur and returned to the White Council.<ref name="Rings" /> After relating his discoveries, he urged the council to attack Sauron while the One Ring was still lost and Sauron's power immature. But Saruman said that it was better to watch and wait, and that the One Ring had long ago rolled from [[Anduin]] to the Sea.<ref name="Rings" /> The majority of the council agreed with Saruman. [[Elrond]] Half-elven, a powerful member of the council, later privately told Gandalf he had a foreboding that the Ring would be found, and that the war to end the [[Ages|Age]] was coming. Indeed, he added, he feared that it would end in darkness and despair. Gandalf encouraged him, saying there were many "strange chances," and that, "''help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter''".<ref name="Rings" /> Gandalf did not yet realise that Saruman now wanted the Ring for himself and was secretly searching for it along the banks of the river Anduin.

====Quest for Erebor====
Gandalf would visit the Shire occasionally and participate in the [[Midsummer]]-eve parties of the [[Old Took]] where he impressed young Hobbits with his fireworks, and his stories about [[Dragons]], [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and princesses.<ref name="Erebor" /> He was thus known to be "responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures". He also met a relatively adventurous Hobbit named [[Bilbo Baggins]] although he was far from "adventuresome."<ref name="Party" />

Gandalf was concerned about the weak state of the North. [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|Dragon]] had destroyed both the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] and the town of [[Dale]], and Gandalf feared that [[Sauron]] might use the desolation around Erebor to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar. Gandalf knew that exiled Dwarf [[King of Durin's Folk]] [[Thorin Oakenshield]] planned to battle against Smaug, but he knew that it would not be enough. In {{TA|2941|n}},<ref name="ThirdAge" /> while staying the night in [[Bree]], Gandalf happened across the Dwarf King.<ref name="Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref> Thorin initiated conversation; he had been having a strange feeling urging him to seek Gandalf. Gandalf was intrigued, for he had thought to seek Thorin as well. They found they were taking the same road for a while (Thorin passing through [[the Shire]] on his way to the [[Blue Mountains|Ered Luin]]), and they agreed to travel together. Thorin wanted advice, and Gandalf in turn wanted to discuss the Dragon Smaug with Thorin.
[[File:David T. Wenzel - Good Morning Mr. Baggins.jpg|thumb|''Good Morning Mr. Baggins'' by [[David T. Wenzel]]]]
Ultimately, Gandalf concocted a plan wherein Thorin could destroy Smaug and recover his family fortune, albeit with a "burglar" of Gandalf's own choosing. Gandalf had a feeling that a Hobbit should be involved, and he remembered Bilbo Baggins. At first he found only [[Holman Cotton]] as Bilbo had left on the occasion of the [[Yestare|Elven new year]], something that persuaded Gandalf that Bilbo was the right person for the job.<ref name="Erebor" /> He visited Bilbo later, bringing along the kinsmen of Thorin.<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref> In the end Gandalf convinced the reluctant Baggins to become a burglar for Thorin.

Gandalf accompanied [[Thorin and Company]] to [[Rivendell]]. Gandalf saved them from a trio of [[Stone-trolls]], and later obtained the legendary sword [[Glamdring]] from their [[Trolls|Troll]]-hoard; Gandalf bore it thenceforth.<ref name="Mutton">{{H|Mutton}}</ref> He also helped Thorin and Company through the [[Misty Mountains]]. When they unknowingly camped in the [[Front Porch]] of the [[Goblin-town]], the Goblins captured the whole company except Gandalf, who surprised them much later by killing the [[Great Goblin]] and then rescuing the Dwarves and leading them to the exit.<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> It was during this time that Bilbo obtained a "magic ring".<ref name="Riddles">{{H|Riddles}}</ref> The hobbit initially claimed he "won" it from the creature "[[Gollum]]" while the company was under the Misty Mountains,<ref name="Pan">{{H|Pan}}</ref> and he kept it secret from Gandalf for some time.
[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Lord of the Eagles.jpg|thumb|''The Lord of the Eagles'' by [[Darrell Sweet]]]]
On their escape out, the Company was saved by the [[Eagles]] of the Misty Mountains; Gandalf once had healed the [[Great Eagle]] from a poisoned wound,<ref name="Pan" /> and thenceforth they became friends. The Eagles picked them up and flew them to their eyrie. The next day, they dropped them to the other side of the Mountains.<ref name="Pan" />

Gandalf then sought the hospitality of [[Beorn]], persuading him to welcome and host the whole Company in his [[Beorn's Hall|hall]]. But then he left the quest prior to its completion; after leading the Company to the outskirts of the [[Forest Gate]], he gave them some final advice (but little did he know that the lands had changed by then) before they entered [[Mirkwood]], and went to attend other obligations.<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> The [[White Council]] had met under the gravest of circumstances: Sauron's vast power was returning, even without his Ring. Gandalf at last convinced the Council to attack Dol Guldur, to which even Saruman agreed (as by now he feared Sauron as a rival, and wished to delay his search for the Ring). Gandalf joined his peers in assailing [[Dol Guldur]], ridding [[Mirkwood]] of the Necromancer's presence, who fled to [[Mordor]].<ref name="ThirdAge">{{App|B2}}</ref> When he was about to finish his task, news about what happened to Thorin's Company in Mirkwood reached him, and he realised that the instructions he gave them did not help; they had lost their way, and then vanished from the imprisonment of the [[Silvan Elves|Wood-elves]], who had captured them. He was anxious to get back to them as soon as possible.<ref>{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

Meanwhile Thorin's quest was successful: Erebor was retaken and Smaug was killed,<ref name="Fire">{{H|Fire}}</ref> but when Gandalf finally arrived to the area, he found the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] and [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills|the Iron Hills]] preparing for an attack by the [[Lake-men]] and the [[Elves of Mirkwood]]. He was with [[Bard]] and [[Thranduil]] and revealed his presence trying to reason with Thorin. When the attack was beginning, Gandalf halted them, to warn that the [[Orcs]] and [[Wargs]] were coming to claim the treasure. He invited [[Dáin Ironfoot]] for council, and soon Dwarves, Elves and Men formed an alliance, and defeated the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] in the [[Battle of Five Armies]].<ref name="Burst">{{H|Burst}}</ref>

King Thorin was mortally wounded and after his funeral and the reestablishment of Erebor under Dáin, Bilbo and Gandalf left Erebor for the Shire; on the way, they celebrated [[Yule]] at Beorn's, and then returned to Rivendell, where Gandalf discussed with [[Elrond]] the events of Dol Guldur and the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf had accomplished his immediate goal, which was to destroy Smaug, who could have been used to disastrous effect by Sauron. A large number of Orcs and Wargs also were killed in the North, removing threats to Rivendell and Lothlórien.<ref name="Erebor" /> But they both agreed that it would be better if the Necromancer were banished from the world altogether.<ref name="H19">{{H|19}}</ref>

As Gandalf and Bilbo passed by the site of their former encounter with the stone-trolls, they recovered the gold of the troll-hoard they had buried.<ref name="H19" />

Gandalf was amazed by the hobbit; until then he had paid no attention to hobbits and knew little of them. For the rest of his sojourn in Middle-earth, Gandalf took a special interest in hobbits, and particularly in the Baggins family. [[Third Age 2949|Years later]], he and Balin paid a visit to Bilbo, discussing the news from Erebor and Dale.<ref name="ThirdAge" /><ref name="H19" />

====Return of the Shadow====
Despite the Council's hopes, Sauron was not weakened by this attack. He had foreseen the move that drove him from Mirkwood, and his retreat was but a feint. Ten years after the attack, Sauron declared himself openly in Mordor in {{TA|2951|n}} and rebuilt [[Barad-dûr]]. The White Council met for one last time in {{TA|2953|n}} to debate about the [[Rings of Power]]. Saruman quieted his peers, claiming to have knowledge that the One Ring was lost in the [[Belegaer]]. After their meeting, Saruman, jealous and afraid of Gandalf, set spies to watch all his movements; this would affect the peaceful Hobbits, as from this, Saruman discovered their existence and noted Gandalf's interest in the Shire. As a result, he started sending agents to [[Bree]] and the [[Southfarthing]].<ref name="ThirdAge" />

[[Gollum]] had come to Gandalf's knowledge, having left his hideout. He was looking for the thief of his ring: Bilbo. The [[Elves of Mirkwood]] had informed Gandalf that Gollum was traversing the forest. Then, coinciding with Sauron's declaration, Gollum apparently turned towards [[Mordor]] and was lost. Gandalf neglected the matter because he "had much else to think of at that time" and still trusted Saruman's knowledge. Later, Gandalf would regret this.<ref name="shadow" />

Meanwhile, Sauron began reassembling his forces for the final blow against the West. [[Easterlings]] from [[Khand]] and beyond the [[Sea of Rhûn]], joined by men from [[Harad]] reinforced his stronghold in [[Mordor]]; Orcs, trolls, and other foul beasts were multiplying while his minions were searching the Anduin for any sign of his precious One Ring.

Gandalf met [[Aragorn]], the hidden [[Heir of Isildur]] in {{TA|2956|n}}, and soon became friends with him.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> From that point on, Aragorn and Gandalf often worked together towards a common end - the defeat of Sauron.

He visited [[Minas Tirith]] and was welcomed by [[Faramir]], the son of the [[Ruling Steward]] [[Denethor]], and taught him from his wisdom. This displeased Denethor, who didn't trust Gandalf.<ref>{{App|Stewards}}</ref>

[[File:Michele Mantoani - Gandalf.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf'' by [[:Category:Images by Michele Mantoani|Michele Mantoani]]]]
During this period Gandalf visited the Shire frequently, especially his friend Bilbo Baggins, and his younger cousin, [[Frodo Baggins]]. He noted Bilbo's unusual youthfulness, despite his advancing age; the suspicious "[[The One Ring|magic ring]]" that Bilbo had acquired during his adventure began to weigh on his mind. Gandalf recalled the deceit Bilbo used in originally claiming it for his own — Bilbo had later admitted to stealing it from [[Gollum]]. Gandalf could see that Bilbo was very preoccupied with the ring. Such un-hobbitlike behaviour aroused his suspicions. In {{TA|3001|n}} he organised [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]], and before leaving the Shire, he convinced Bilbo to leave the Ring for Frodo. He then emphatically warned Frodo not to use it; Gandalf had begun to suspect that the "magic ring" was indeed a [[Ring of Power]].<ref name="party">{{FR|Party}}</ref> Around that time, Gandalf became unpopular in the Shire; he was blamed for Bilbo's disappearance, and was even accused of plotting with Frodo to get a hold on Bilbo's wealth.<ref name="shadow">{{FR|Shadow}}</ref><ref name="party" />

Gandalf was keen to find out more about Bilbo's ring, so he left the Shire,<ref name="party" /> and resumed his search for Gollum. In this, he sought the help of [[Aragorn]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] were put to guard the Shire more closely.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> Gandalf showed up only [[Third Age 3004|three years later]] to check on Frodo and the Shire, and continued for the next four years always turning up unexpectedly and disappearing before dawn. In {{TA|3009|n}} he renewed the hunt for [[Gollum]] with Aragorn, searching in the [[vales of Anduin]], [[Mirkwood]], [[Rhovanion]], and even to the edges of Mordor. The search lasted eight years, for Gandalf did not know that Gollum had been captured by Sauron.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> Gandalf regretted ignoring Gollum for so many years, as his trail had become cold, resulting in many dark and dangerous days for Gandalf.<ref name="shadow" />

Studying the records in [[Minas Tirith]], Gandalf found the [[Scroll of Isildur]] in {{TA|3017|n}}, and from this, pieced together the missing history of the One Ring. On his way back to the Shire, he got word from the [[Galadhrim]] that Aragorn had finally captured Gollum<ref name="ThirdAge" /> and so he went to [[Mirkwood]] to meet him. For days he interrogated him in order to verify what he already knew. A great fear came over him when he learned that Gollum had been to [[Barad-dûr]]. Sauron had tortured Gollum and learned of the "magic ring", as well as the names "Shire" and "Baggins". The effects that Gandalf had seen on Gollum and Bilbo convinced him that Bilbo's Ring was not simply one of the [[Rings of Power]]: it was the ''[[The One Ring|One Ruling Ring]]'' of Sauron. Gandalf then returned in haste to the Shire.<ref name="shadow" /><ref name="council">{{FR|Council}}</ref>

====War of the Ring====
[[File:Alan Lee - The Shadow of the Past.jpg|thumb|''The Shadow of the Past'' by [[Alan Lee]]]]
Gandalf returned to the Shire on [[12 April]] {{TA|3018}} and proved to Frodo that Bilbo's ring was the ancient [[One Ring]] which the Dark Power of [[Mordor]] was looking for. He told Frodo that he gathered much of this information by interrogating the creature [[Gollum]]. Frodo exclaimed that Gollum should have been killed, however Gandalf speculated that perhaps Gollum would have a part to play before the end, and in any case, it was not for Frodo to decide who should live and who should die.<ref name="shadow" />

Gandalf suggested that he should leave the Shire soon and take the Ring to [[Rivendell]]. Frodo decided to leave on his next birthday, pretending to be moving to [[Buckland]], to which Gandalf agreed. The wizard stayed in the Shire for over two months,<ref name="three">{{FR|Three}}</ref> during which time, on [[1 May]] he went to [[Sarn Ford]] and met again Aragorn, informing him of Frodo's plans.<ref name="FR|Strider">{{FR|Strider}}</ref> He had a sense of foreboding and heard [[Sauron's attack on Osgiliath|disturbing news about war]] in [[Gondor]] and a [[Black Shadow]].<ref name="council" /> He decided to leave for the South and left Frodo, promising to return for his birthday-farewell party in autumn, so that they would go to Rivendell together.<ref name="three" />

He wandered around [[Eriador]] hearing news from the refugees who had a fear they could not speak about, until he met [[Radagast]] who brought a message from [[Saruman]] that he must seek him at once, and a warning that the [[Ringwraiths]] were looking for the Shire.<ref name="council" /> Gandalf went to [[the Prancing Pony]] at [[Bree]]. Believing that he would not be able to return to Frodo in time, he wrote [[Gandalf's letter|a letter]],<ref name="council" /> urging him to move as soon as possible for Rivendell, and seek someone named "Strider", whose real name was Aragorn, with a [[Riddle of Strider|riddle]] to identify him; Gandalf would then try to catch up with them when he could. He instructed [[Barliman Butterbur]] to send the letter to [[Hobbiton]] and to expect a Mr. [[Baggins]] to arrive at the inn under the name of "[[Mr. Underhill]]". He left the inn, but Barliman would forget to send the letter.<ref name="FR|Strider" />

=====Treachery of Saruman=====
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir.jpg|thumb|left|''Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Soon thereafter, Gandalf arrived at Isengard. At their meeting, Saruman at last revealed his desire for the One Ring.<ref name="council" /> He offered to his "''old friend and helper''" that they take the Ring for themselves and seize power from Sauron. Gandalf rejected this with horror, and was imprisoned by Saruman on the pinnacle of [[Orthanc]]. [[Gwaihir]], chief of the Eagles, soon arrived and helped Gandalf escape.<ref name="council" /> Gandalf knew he needed to return quickly to the Shire, as Frodo (and the Ring) were in grave danger from both Sauron's Nazgûl and Saruman's treacherous desire for the Ring.

Gandalf hurriedly went to [[Rohan]], desiring to find a strong steed; there he obtained [[Shadowfax]] from King [[Théoden]], who later resented the gift.<ref name="council" /> This lord of horses and Gandalf forged a special bond, and Gandalf made quick use of Shadowfax's incredible strength and endurance.

Gandalf sped to the Shire. Fortunately, Frodo had already left the Shire without waiting for Gandalf,<ref name="council" /> and was seeking [[Rivendell]]. Upon his arrival, Gandalf learned that the Nazgûl, arrayed as [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]], had been searching the area. Dismayed, he set out for Bree; Barliman apologised to Gandalf for forgetting to send the letter, and was worried that the hobbits had left with Strider, the suspicious [[Rangers of the North|Ranger]]. But for Gandalf, this was a hope which far exceeded his expectations. After congratulating a puzzled Barliman, Gandalf slept the night at the inn and in the morning left for [[Weathertop]], a high point in the region, to observe the surrounding area.<ref name="council" />
[[File:Eric Velhagen - Encounter at Amon Sûl.jpg|thumb|250px|''Encounter at [[Weathertop|Amon Sûl]]'' by [[Eric Velhagen]]]]
There he was assaulted at night by the Nazgûl, but drove them off after a great battle of light and flame.<ref name="B3">{{App|B3}}</ref> These phenomena were seen by Aragorn and the hobbits from afar, although they were unaware that Gandalf was involved.<ref>{{FR|I11}}</ref> Before leaving Weathertop, he marked some stones with the [[cirth|certh]] G for them to find. The next day he escaped to the north, followed by four Riders.<ref name="council" />

He then went directly to Rivendell, arriving a few days sooner than [[Aragorn]].<ref name="B3" /> But when they arrived, Gandalf and Elrond joined their powers to cause a flood in [[Bruinen]] to drown the Riders, allowing Frodo some time to reach Rivendell.<ref name="council" /> Then they welcomed Glorfindel, Aragorn and the hobbits upon their arrival. Frodo was sick with a [[Morgul-wound]], but was still in possession of the Ring.

=====Fellowship of the Ring=====
Elrond called a [[Council of Elrond|Council]] after Frodo was healed to consider the momentous decision of what would be done with the Ring. By chance, representatives of most of the free peoples were in Rivendell for various reasons. Elrond and Gandalf advised that the Ring should be destroyed in the fires of [[Orodruin]], where it was made. Others dissented or objected, but they eventually submitted to Gandalf's plan. Ultimately, Elrond appointed the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] as nine walkers, numerically set against Sauron's nine Nazgûl. The relatively small number reflected the realisation by Elrond and the other council members that the quest of Mount Doom would not rely upon strength of arms, but on stealth and good fortune. Gandalf was chosen to lead the company, which included [[Aragorn]], [[Boromir]], [[Legolas]] the Elf, [[Gimli]] the Dwarf, and the hobbits Frodo Baggins, who was named the [[Ring-bearer]], and [[Samwise Gamgee]], [[Peregrin Took]], and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]].<ref name="council" />

Several obstacles stood in the company's way. The vast [[Misty Mountains]] had to be crossed, for Gandalf was determined not to lead the company near [[Isengard]]. Gandalf decided to take a southern route to the [[Redhorn Pass]] and there to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] near [[Caradhras]], thereby traversing the mountain range and avoiding Isengard.<ref name="The Ring Goes South, p. 283">{{FR|South}}, p. 283</ref> When this attempt failed due to a terrible storm, he decided to take the Fellowship through the ruins of Moria, where the remains of the great Dwarven city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] were now a labyrinth of tunnels under the mountains. Others in the company were loath to enter the maze, as it was now the lair of orcs and something known only as "Durin's Bane".

At the [[Doors of Durin]] on the west side of the mountains, Gandalf, after some delay, spoke the password and led the company into the dark. Having been in Moria on an earlier perilous errand, he was somewhat familiar with the underground passages. Eventually the party came to the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]], where Gandalf read the [[Book of Mazarbul|Book of Records]], which revealed the fate of [[Balin]], the leader of an ill-fated attempt to re-colonise Moria. Soon after, the party was attacked by orcs, and forced to flee the chamber. By then, Gandalf was well aware of their location and he led the party quickly towards the eastern exit.
[[File:John Howe - Gandalf Falls with the Balrog.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf Falls with the Balrog'' by [[John Howe]]]]
However, [[Durin's Bane]] caught up to the group at the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. Gandalf and Legolas immediately realised what it was: a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] of [[Morgoth]]. Gandalf faced the demon and broke the bridge upon which they both stood, leaving the beast to fall into a seemingly bottomless chasm. But the Balrog's whip lashed out, and grasped Gandalf by the knees, causing him to fall into the pit. While falling, Gandalf shouted "Fly, you fools" and vanished into the abyss.<ref name="bridge">{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

Yet Gandalf did not die; he and the Balrog fought long in the bowels and deep places of [[Arda]]. After restless pursuit over the course of eight days, Gandalf and the beast finally came to the summit of the [[Endless Stair]] upon the peak of [[Celebdil]]. There, he [[Battle of the Peak|fought the demon]] for two days and nights. The Balrog had burst into flame anew when it exited the stairs; ice, wind, and smoke swirled about them as they duelled. Gandalf used his last measure of strength to slay the Balrog, throwing him down the mountainside in ruin. Gandalf's spirit then left his body, having sacrificed himself to save the Fellowship.

=====Gandalf the White=====
But Gandalf's spirit did not depart Middle-earth forever. As the only one of the five Istari to stay true to his errand, Olórin was sent back to mortal lands by [[Ilúvatar|Eru]], and he became Gandalf once again. Yet, as he was now the sole emissary of the Valar to Middle-earth, he was granted the power to "reveal" more of his inner [[Maiar]] strength.<ref>{{L|156}}</ref> This naked power that lay within him was seldom used during the remainder of his time in Middle-earth, as his mission was essentially the same: to support and succour those who opposed Sauron. Nevertheless, when Gandalf's wrath was kindled his "unveiled" strength was such that few of Sauron's servants could withstand him.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Returns.jpg|thumb|left|''Gandalf Returns'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
As he lay on the mountaintop, the great eagle [[Gwaihir]] came up and bore him to [[Lothlórien]], where he was clothed and replenished, and given a new staff by [[Galadriel]]. Gandalf soon learned that Frodo had left the Fellowship and was travelling to Mount Doom. As Frodo was beyond his assistance now, Gandalf promptly went south to [[Fangorn Forest]], where he met the [[Three Hunters]]: [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]], and gave them messages from Galadriel. From them, he learned that Sam went with Frodo, and he was pleased with this.<ref name="TT White" />{{rp|496}} Then he called forth [[Shadowfax]], and rode with them to [[Edoras]]. There he found that Saruman's spy [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] had deceived King [[Théoden]] into hopeless impotence. Gandalf quickly deposed Wormtongue and encouraged Théoden to ride west to war against [[Saruman]]. By now, Gandalf was keenly aware that the great war to end the age was beginning; if Saruman conquered Rohan, then Gondor would be alone with enemies on all sides.

At Gandalf's encouragement, King Théoden went west to Helm's Deep where he was quickly besieged; Gandalf then searched for [[Erkenbrand]] and the forces of the [[Westfold]], which he later found and led to the Deep, thus breaking the siege. Meanwhile, the [[Ents]], along with the hobbits Merry and Pippin, moved against Saruman and sent [[Huorns]] against the orcs, resulting in the utter ruin of the outer walls of [[Isengard]] and the complete annihilation of Saruman's orcs. After the battle, Gandalf went to [[Orthanc]] with Théoden, Aragorn, and a small group. There Saruman rejected Gandalf's offer of forgiveness with contempt. Gandalf then broke Saruman's staff and cast him from the Order and the Council.<ref name="TT Voice" />{{rp|583}} Gandalf imposed a strict watch on Isengard by the Ents and then advised King Théoden to ride to Gondor's defence as soon as possible. The wizard's mind had already turned to Gondor and the coming climactic battle in the east.

=====Siege of Minas Tirith=====
[[File:Donato Giancola - The White Rider.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|''The White Rider'' by [[Donato Giancola]]]]
As a 'reward' for Pippin, who had foolishly gazed into a [[Palantíri|palantír]], Gandalf took the Hobbit with him to [[Minas Tirith]], the last bastion of the west. Soon after arriving, Gandalf confronted [[Denethor|Denethor II]], the [[Ruling Steward]], and learned that he was near despair over the death of his eldest son, [[Boromir]]. Pippin entered the Steward's service in payment of the debt that he and Merry owed: the death of Boromir. Ostensibly they were allies, but the Steward treated him with disrespect and suspicion. When [[Faramir]], the Steward's younger son, returned from [[Osgiliath]] and was attacked by Nazgûl, Gandalf upon Shadowfax drove them away by revealing the power within him. Later, Faramir told him that Frodo and Sam were still alive and headed towards Mordor.<ref name="RK Siege">{{RK|Siege}}</ref>{{rp|812}}

The city was soon besieged by a vast force from Mordor, led by the [[Witch-king]]. An ill-advised counterattack resulted in Faramir receiving a wound from a poisoned dart; he lay near death inside the Tower. Still, Gandalf encouraged the men of Minas Tirith to have hope, and dispelled the fear of the Ringwraiths by his very presence. But Sauron's catapults hurled flaming bolts upon the city; soon the first circle of the city burned unchecked. Denethor then lost all heart as the city burned and his only remaining son hovered near death. He abandoned his leadership of the city, and Gandalf then took it upon himself to direct the defence of the city. When the gigantic battering ram [[Grond (battering ram)|Grond]] destroyed the ancient entrance to the city, Gandalf placed himself alone at the ruined gateway. The Witch-king then appeared in the midst of the blasted gate upon a black horse and threatened Gandalf with death; but Gandalf did not move — seated upon Shadowfax he defied the mightiest of Sauron's minions. However, the stand-off ended inconclusively, as the morning arrived along with the host of the Rohirrim. Hearing the horns of the [[Riders of Rohan]], the Witch-king departed.

However, Gandalf did not pursue his foe, for Pippin brought him news that Denethor was about to burn himself and his son Faramir to death on a pyre like the heathen kings of old. Gandalf rushed to stop this, and was able to save Faramir, but not Denethor, whose despair and grief had overcome his mind. Gandalf then learned how it was that Denethor's will had been broken: the Steward clutched a palantír in his hands as he burned.

Nevertheless, and against all hope, the siege was broken. [[Éowyn]] of Rohan and Merry defeated the Witch-king, whose last wail was heard by many as he was reduced to impotence. Soon after, Aragorn arrived with a large host of men from the southern fiefs upon a captured pirate fleet from Umbar. The forces of the men of the west then utterly defeated Sauron's attack against Minas Tirith, relieving the city and killing virtually all of the invaders. Gandalf's carefully laid plans and words of wisdom, along with acts of heroism not seen since the [[Elder Days]], had defeated Sauron's first move.

=====Last battle=====
But the attack against Minas Tirith was only a part of Sauron's plan to devastate the West and make himself the ruler of Middle-earth. Other armies moved in the north against [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]] and the Kingdom of Thranduil, as well as against Lothlórien and other points along the [[Anduin]]. Still commanding vast armies of orcs and men, the Dark Lord soon would move against Gondor again; the remnants of the Edain and their allies had little hope against his almost limitless resources.

In Minas Tirith, Gandalf was selected by Aragorn, [[Imrahil]], and [[Éomer]] (the remaining lords of the west) to be their leader in the coming final battles. This would be the culmination of Gandalf's efforts in Middle-earth. Fully aware that the West would stand or fall on the outcome of Frodo's mission, he advised the lords to drive north to the [[Morannon]], thereby drawing Sauron's eye away from Frodo's likely location. This plan would likely result in a catastrophic loss for the outnumbered army, but it gave Frodo a chance to achieve the quest of Mount Doom.

Led by Gandalf and Aragorn, the army of the West crossed the Anduin and marched north, pausing occasionally to announce their coming, and to dispatch small numbers of men to lesser tasks. Upon arriving at the Black Gate, the forces halted and prepared for battle. As they ordered their companies, the foul [[Mouth of Sauron]] rode forth to parley with them; he revealed Frodo's [[Mithril-coat]] and [[Barrow-blade]] and implied that their owner was captured and tortured. The emissary of Sauron then proposed that the forces of the west surrender; Gandalf however was undaunted, and, seizing his friend's belongings, rejected Sauron's offer. In shock, the Mouth of Sauron turned back towards the Black Gate, which slowly opened to reveal a vast army of orcs and trolls advancing on the lords of the west. Sauron's trap was sprung.

Yet Sauron himself became the victim of Gandalf's trap. Unbeknownst to all, Frodo and Sam had succeeded in scaling Mount Doom. Even as the Battle of Morannon began, Frodo stood at the [[Crack of Doom]]. But the power and lure of the Ring finally overcame his will and he placed the ring upon his finger, claiming it as his own. Immediately the Nazgûl were summoned by their lord, as he in terror realised his blunder: his enemies intended to destroy his Ring.

[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Shadow of Sauron.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''The Shadow of Sauron'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
But Gandalf's foresight proved accurate again as the creature Gollum, who had been doggedly following the Ring-bearer, seized the Ring from Frodo, and, while celebrating his reunion with "his precious," unwittingly fell into the fires of Orodruin. The ring was unmade as the fiery mountain erupted. The tower of [[Barad-dûr]] and the [[Towers of the Teeth]] began to collapse, their foundations crumbling. The Ring-wraiths burned out like shooting stars, and Sauron was reduced to a mere shadow of malice, never to torment the world again.

With Sauron gone, his forces scattered; the Men of the West now set upon them with fury. Gandalf announced the success of the [[Ring-bearer]] and the end of Sauron; the quest had been fulfilled. Seeing that victory was achieved, Gandalf then mounted [[Gwaihir]] the Eagle for the third time, and set out for Mount Doom in search of Frodo and Sam. To his great relief, the two were found on the slopes of Orodruin, clinging to life amid the volcanic eruptions.<ref>{{RK|Doom}}</ref>{{rp|948–51}} The great quest was over.

====End of the Order====
In Minas Tirith, Gandalf and the remaining members of the Fellowship reunited. At the coronation of King [[Aragorn|Elessar]], Gandalf, at Aragorn's request, set the crown upon the King’s head, and declared "''Now come the days of the King, and may they be blessed while the thrones of the [[Valar]] endure!''". Thus Gandalf ushered in the new age of men.

After the coronation and wedding of Aragorn to [[Arwen]], Gandalf left with the rest of the remaining Fellowship on the journey home. For Gandalf, it was his last long journey in Middle-earth. His errand to Arda had been fulfilled; Sauron had been defeated. He said farewell to his friends one by one until at last only the four Hobbits remained at his side. At the borders of the Shire he, too, turned away. He left the Hobbits to settle the affairs of the Shire themselves, for the shattered pieces of evil still remaining in the world were no longer his concern, and went to talk to [[Tom Bombadil]].<ref>{{RK|Homeward}}</ref>{{rp|996}}
[[File:The Brothers Hildebrandt - At the Grey Havens.jpg|thumb|''At the Gray Havens'' by [[The Brothers Hildebrandt]]]]
What Gandalf did during the next two years is unknown; it is possible that his "''long talk''" with Bombadil was just that. At any rate, on [[29 September]] {{TA|3021|n}}, he met [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] at [[Mithlond]], ready to take the [[White Ship]] over the [[Belegaer|sea]] to [[Aman]]. He wore [[Narya]] openly on his finger, and Shadowfax was beside him (perhaps even to take ship with him). His mission was over, and his homecoming after more than 2000 years was nigh. He bade farewell to [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] (the later two of whom he had forewarned of the passage), then boarded the ship beside Frodo, Bilbo, Elrond, and Galadriel. The ship passed west upon the sea,<ref>{{RK|Havens}}</ref> and then took the hidden straight path to [[Valinor]]. Gandalf became Olórin once more. There, presumably, he dwells still in the gardens of [[Irmo]]. Olórin, the wisest of the Maiar and the sole Istar to remain true to his mission, had successfully kindled the hearts of the [[free peoples]] of Middle-earth to overcome the evil of their time. 

==Characteristics==
===Personality===
[[File:Roger Garland - Gandalf.jpg|left|thumb|The Grey Pilgrim relaxing. Art by [[Roger Garland]]]]
{{Blockquote|A deadly sword, a healing hand,
a back that bent beneath his load;
a trumpet-voice, a burning brand,
a weary pilgrim on the road.

A lord of wisdom throned he sat,
swift in anger, quick to laugh;
an old man in a battered hat
who leaned upon a thorny staff.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[The Mirror of Galadriel]]"}}
Gandalf is often described in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' as quick to anger, and equally quick to laugh.<ref name="Lorien">{{FR|Lorien}}</ref> He had great pity and patience, even extending to the servants of his enemies. He is said to have learned both from Nienna in Valinor.<ref name="vala" />
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - G for Gandalf.png|thumb|Gandalf's signature, the [[cirth|rune]] "G".]]
Keen observers of Gandalf often detected a veiled power, usually revealed in his eyes, which appeared deep and wise.<ref>{{RK|MT}}</ref>{{rp|757}} He was alternately affectionate and brusque; he often surprised others with his bluntness when time was of the essence. Gandalf consistently upbraided foolish behaviour, but also richly rewarded those who acted with good intentions.

Hobbits appealed to him more than to the other Wizards, and he often went to the Shire for respites from his errands. It may be that he was amused by their nature. It may also be because they were untouched by the great evils of the world, and were more in touch with nature than Men; perhaps their agrarian lifestyle appealed to Gandalf's innate spirit and reminded him of the gardens of Valinor.

[[Círdan]] the Shipwright divined in him "the greatest spirit and the wisest" out of all of the Wizards that came from the West, and so he entrusted the care of [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings]] of the Elves, to Gandalf rather than to Saruman.<ref name="Istari" />

===Appearance===
[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey 02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Gandalf the Grey'' by [[John Howe]]]]

The first description of Gandalf is preserved in the initial pages of ''The Hobbit'', written in the early 1930s. Gandalf's fame is alluded to even before his physical description ("Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion"), while the protagonist's ("unsuspecting Bilbo") impression is that of:
{{Blockquote|...an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[An Unexpected Party]]"}}

Later, [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] wrote:
{{Blockquote|...a figure strongly built and with broad shoulder, though shorter than the average of men and now stooped with age, leaning on a thick rough-cut staff as he trudged along... Gandalf's hat was wide-brimmed [...] with a pointed conical crown, and it was ''blue''; he wore a long ''grey'' cloak, but this would not reach much below his knees. It was of an elven silver-grey hue, though tarnished by wear - as is evident from the general use of grey in [[The Lord of the Rings|the book]]... But his colours were always white, silver-grey, and blue - except for the boots he wore when walking in the wild...Gandalf even bent must have been at least 5 ft. 6... Which would make him a short man even in modern England, especially with the reduction of a bent back.<ref name="MB">{{HM|MB}}, p. 49</ref>}}

Although some of the Wise knew his true nature, his "wizard-like" appearance caused many to mistake him for a simple conjurer. After his return, his "signature colour" changed from grey to white, for he had been sent back to replace the corrupt Saruman as the chief of the Wizards. In the book, he claimed that, in some ways, he now "was Saruman", or rather Saruman as he should have been.<ref name="TT White" />{{rp|495}}

===Powers and abilities===
[[File:Roger Thomasson - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf the Grey'' by [[Roger Thomasson]]]]
Gandalf demonstrated extensive knowledge of the land and an assortment of magical abilities from trivial to essential.

Gandalf was the bearer of [[Narya]], the Ring of Fire, and described himself as the "servant of the [[Secret Fire]]" and "wielder of the [[flame of Anor]]".<ref name="bridge" /> Many of Gandalf's displays of power were related to fire in some way. It is not known, though, whether or to what extent his possession of Narya affected his abilities.

He created blinding flashes and other pyrotechnics to distract the [[Orcs|goblins]] of the [[Misty Mountains]] during Thorin and Company's escape from [[Goblin-town]]. On the eastern slopes, he turned pine cones into flaming projectiles that threw hot sparks and started fires that would not easily go out.

When the Fellowship was attacked by [[Wargs]] in [[Eregion|Hollin]], Gandalf spoke words of power to inflame the trees on the hillock where the company had camped. While crossing the Misty Mountains with the Fellowship, he was able to start fires under blizzard conditions. On the journey through Moria he created lights of varying intensity, magically secured doors, and broke the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. He fought and killed the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog of Moria]], although he did not himself survive the battle.<ref name="bridge" />

Sent back to [[Middle-earth]] as Gandalf the White, he possessed greater charisma and a limited degree of clairvoyance, although he was unable to peer into the land of [[Mordor]] to see the progress of Frodo and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. His power and authority had increased so that he could break [[Saruman]]'s staff with a spoken command, throw the treacherous wizard out of the order.<ref name="TT Voice">{{TT|Voice}}</ref>{{rp|583}} He also prevented Sauron's Eye from locating Frodo.<ref name="TT White">{{TT|White}}</ref>

He frequently used his powers for entertainment. He blew glowing smoke rings that moved around the room at his direction, and was known among Hobbits for his fireworks displays,<ref name="Erebor" /> for example at [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]].<ref name="party" />

When angered or aroused for battle, he seemed to grow in height and assume a terrifying aspect.<ref name="party" />{{rp|34}}

Though not as keen as [[Elves]], his eyesight was sharp enough to see in darkness, and into the [[Unseen]].

===Special equipment===
It is unknown whether Gandalf required his staff to exercise certain powers. At times it appeared to focus or extend his powers, such as its emanation of light. [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] tried to forbid Gandalf from bringing it into [[Edoras]] in a clear attempt to limit his powers.<ref>{{TT|King}}</ref>{{rp|514}}

When he arrived in Middle-earth, Gandalf received the Elven ring [[Narya]] from [[Círdan]].<ref name="Istari" /> Gandalf wore it from that time to the end of the Third Age, but how he used its powers is not known.

In {{TA|2941}}, Gandalf acquired the Elven sword [[Glamdring]] from the treasure hoard of a band of trolls.<ref name="Mutton" /> He continued to wield this weapon throughout ''The Lord of the Rings'', in particular during his fight with the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]] in Moria.

Throughout his time in Middle-earth Gandalf was often seen with a pipe which he used to smoke [[Old Toby]].

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Gandalf.mp3|Ardamir}}
{{Pronounce|Quenya - Olórin.mp3|Gilgamesh}}
''Gandalf'' is a [[North Germanic languages|Norse]] name and supposedly means "Elvish wight with a (magic) staff", for it contains the element ''gandr'' ("a staff, especially one used in 'magic'"). It is a substitution in the English narrative for an unknown [[Westron]] name (on the same lines as the treatment of Hobbit and Dwarf names).<ref>{{UT|13}}</ref><ref group="note">Since the name ''Gandalf'' is attributed to "the North" in general, it probably represents a Westron name, but one made up of elements not derived from Elvish tongues.</ref>

The Men of the North called him so because they incorrectly thought that he was of Elven-kind<ref name="essay">{{UT|Istari}}, citing from the essay on the Istari</ref> and because they knew his alliance and friendship with Elves well<ref name="long note">{{UT|Istari}}, citing from a long note from before the publication of the second edition of ''The Lord of the Rings'' in 1966</ref>.

Gandalf is also the name of a dwarf in the [[Völuspá]], one of the poems of the [[Poetic Edda]]<ref>{{UT|13a}}, "12"</ref>, from where Tolkien got many of the Dwarven names used in his books.

==Other names==
{{quote|Many are my names in many countries. Mithrandir among the Elves, Tharkûn to the Dwarves; Olórin I was in my youth in the West that is forgotten, in the South Incánus, in the North Gandalf; to the East I go not.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Window on the West]]"}}
*'''Greyhame''': Used in [[Rohan]],<ref>{{TT|Riders}}, p. 435</ref> it was the equivalent in [[Rohanese]] of ""Greycloak" which would have been ''grēg-hama''.<ref name="nomen">{{HM|N}}, entry '''Greyhame''', p. 758</ref>

*'''''Incánus''''': Gained during his long travels "in the south" (likely meaning no further south than [[Gondor]] or the [[Near Harad]]<ref name="Istari" />) of [[Middle-earth]] in the mid-[[Third Age]].<ref name="TT Window p. 670" /> Although ''Incánus'' seems to be of unclear language and meaning, a note in the [[Thain's Book]] says it is a [[Quenya]] form simply adapted from a word in the tongue of the [[Haradrim]]: ''Inkā-nūsh'' (or possibly ''Inkā-nūs''), meaning "North-spy".<ref name="Istari" /> ''Incánus'' in Latin means "grey-haired". However, [[Christopher Tolkien]] has noted that the "coincidence in form" might be an "accident",<ref name="Istari" /> his father wrote "Incánus Latin" in a later published manuscript,<ref name="PE1788" /> suggesting that the similarity was perhaps more than a coincidence. Tolkien also changed his mind several times about the meaning of ''Incánus'', besides the etymology given above his other variations were:
**An archaic [[Quenya]] word meaning "Mind-ruler", from ''in(id)''- ("mind") and ''cáno'' ("ruler, governor, chieftain").<ref name="Istari" />
**An adaptation from Quenya ''incānus(se)'', meaning "mind mastership".<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry Q ''incānus(se)'', p. 88 and entry √'''IN-''', p. 155</ref>
**A possible [[Westron]] invention meaning "Greymantle".<ref name="Istari" /> In a draft manuscript of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', different names used were ''Forlong''>>''Fornold''>>''Incânus''.<ref name="WR2V" />

*'''Láthspell''': The name given to Gandalf by [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] when the former arrived at [[Meduseld]]. It means "Ill-news".<ref name="King">{{TT|King}}, p. 513</ref> It is a modernized form of [[Old English]] ''lad-spell'' ("a painful grievous story") from ''lad'' ("causing hate, evil, injury") and ''spell'' ("story", "message").<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 404</ref> In earlier drafts, it is actually Théoden who refers to Gandalf as Láthspell.<ref name="TIKing">{{TI|King}}, p. 444</ref>

*'''''Mithrandir''''': His [[Sindarin]] name ({{IPA|[miˈθrandir]}}), used in [[Gondor]] and meaning "Grey Pilgrim" or "Grey Wanderer", from ''[[mith]]'' ("grey") + ''[[randir]]'' ("pilgrim, wandering man").<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 320</ref><ref>{{PE|17}}, entry S '''Mithrandir''', p. 60</ref>

*'''''Olórin''''': His original name in [[Valinor]]. It is [[Quenya]], and its meaning is associated with the Quenya word [[olos|''olos'' or ''olor'']], meaning "dream" or "vision / of mind".<ref name="Istari" /><ref name="PE1788">{{PE|17}}, Q '''Olórin''' , p. 88</ref> In a draft manuscript of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', occurs the spelling ''Olórion''.<ref name="WR2V">{{WR|2|V}}, p. 153</ref>

*'''Stormcrow''': The name given to Gandalf by King [[Théoden]] in [[Rohan]], a reference to his arrival being associated with times of trouble.<ref name="King" />

*'''''Tharkûn''''': The name given to Gandalf by the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="TT Window p. 670" /> ''Tharkûn'' is [[Khuzdul]], meaning either "Grey-man"<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry D '''Tharkûn''', p. 88</ref> or "Staff-man".<ref name="Istari" /> The word possibly derives from the unattested word ''thark'' ("staff") + a nominal ending ''-ûn''.<ref>Mellonath Daeron, "[https://www.forodrim.org/daeron/md_khuzdul.html An analysis of Dwarvish]" (accessed [[11 October]] [[2010]])</ref> In a draft manuscript of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', occurs the spelling ''Sharkûn''.<ref name="WR2V" />

*'''The White Rider''': The name given to him by Aragorn when he rides the great horse [[Shadowfax]].<ref>{{TT|White}}, p. 500</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In early manuscripts of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', the name ''[[Bladorthin]]'' was used by Tolkien for the character who later would be named ''Gandalf''. The name ''Gandalf'' was instead used for the character known as [[Thorin]] in the published works.<ref>{{HH|Intro}}</ref>

==Inspiration==
[[File:Georg von Rosen - Oden som vandringsman, 1886 (Odin, the Wanderer).jpg|thumb|''Oden som vandringsman'' (''Odin the Wanderer'') by Georg von Rosen]]
[[File:Josef Madlener - Der Berggeist.jpg|left|thumb|''[[Der Berggeist]]'' by [[Josef Madlener]]]]

''Gandalfr''
appears in the list of dwarves in the ''[[Völuspá]]'' of the Elder Edda, the name means "Cane-elf". Tolkien took the name along with the other dwarves' names when he wrote ''The Hobbit'' in the 1930s. He came to regret the creation of this "rabble of eddaic-named dwarves [...] invented in an idle hour",<ref>{{TI|Runes}}, p. 452</ref> since it forced him to come up with an explanation of why Old Norse names should be used in [[Third Age]] Middle-earth. He solved the dilemma in 1942 by the explanation that [[Old Norse]] was a ''translation'' of the [[language of Dale]]. The figure of Gandalf has other influences from Germanic mythology, particularly Odin in his incarnation as "the Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff: Tolkien states that he thinks of Gandalf as an ''"Odinic wanderer"'' in a letter of 1946.<ref>{{L|107}}</ref>

Tolkien had a postcard labelled ''[[Der Berggeist]]'' ("the mountain spirit"), and on the paper cover in which he kept it, he wrote "the origin of Gandalf" at some point. The postcard reproduces a painting of a bearded figure, sitting on a rock under a pine tree in a mountainous setting. He wears a wide-brimmed round hat and a long cloak and a white fawn is nuzzling his upturned hands.
[[Humphrey Carpenter]] in his 1977 biography said that Tolkien had bought the postcard during his 1911 holiday in Switzerland. However, Manfred Zimmerman discovered that the painting was by German artist Josef Madlener and dates to the late 1920s.<ref>[[Manfred Zimmermann]], "The Origin of Gandalf and Josef Madlener", in ''[[Mythlore]]'' [[Mythlore 34|34]] (Winter [[1983]])</ref> Carpenter concluded that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard himself. Tolkien must have acquired the card at some time in the early 1930s, at a time when ''The Hobbit'' had already begun to take shape.

==Portrayals in adaptations==
<gallery class="center" mode="nolines" widths="250" heights="150">
File:The Hobbit (1967 film) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1967 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1967 film)]]
File:Sagan om Ringen - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in ''[[Sagan om Ringen (1971 film)|Sagan om Ringen]]''
File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Gandalf the Grey.png|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Gandalf the White.jpeg|Gandalf the White in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]
File:War in Middle Earth - Gandalf and three hobbits.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
File:David T. Wenzel - One Morning in the Shire.jpeg|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (comic book)|''The Hobbit'' (comic book)]]
File:LOTR-Gandalf 1990-1--1-.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]
File:LOTR vol. 1 SNES Gandalf in the Shire.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]
File:1121208-ror 010-1-.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]''
File:Lord of the Rings Adventure Game - Gandalf.jpeg|Gandalf in ''[[Lord of the Rings Adventure Game]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Gandalf reading the Book of Mazarbul.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (video game) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers GBA - Gandalf, Frodo and Legolas.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
File:The Hobbit (2003) Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (video game) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings- The Return of the King GBA - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Gandalf the Grey.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings- Conquest -Gandalf fighting Orcs.png|'''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]''
File:Aragorn's Quest - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest]]''
File:Gandalf in LOTR- War in the North-1.png|''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''
File:Lego - Gandalf the Grey mini figure.png|Gandalf the Grey as a ''[[Lego]] mini figure''
File:Guardians of Middle-earth - Gandalf Icon.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]''
File:The Hobbit (film series) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings Gollum - Gandalf's description.jpeg|Gandalf's description in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Gollum]]''
File:Tales of the Shire - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[Tales of the Shire: A "The Lord of the Rings" Game]]''
</gallery>

===Films===
'''1967: [[The Hobbit (1967 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1967 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf's role is drastically reduced. He lives in a tower, where Thorin, the [[Mika Milovana|princess]] and the guard meet him to discuss the killing of [[Smaug|Slag]]. He introduces them to Bilbo, but does not go on the quest.<ref name="Deitch">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UBnVL1Y2src|articlename=The Hobbit.mp4|dated=5 January 2012|website=YouTube|accessed=10 January 2012}}</ref>

'''1971: [[Sagan om Ringen (1971 film)|''Sagan om Ringen'' (1971 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf is present at the [[Bilbo Baggins]]' [[Bilbo's Farewell Party|111th birthday party]] and dines with [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry,]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]]. Later, Frodo recieves [[The One Ring|Bilbo's ring]] as a birthday present and asks Gandalf about its purpose, having previously seen Biblo disappear with it. Gandalf tells Frodo of the forging of 20 magical rings and asks whether there are any marks on Bilbo's. Gandalf throws it into the fireplace, which reveals [[Ring-inscription|text]] on the ring, confirming Gandalf's suspicion that Bilbo's ring is indeed [[The One Ring]]. He encourages Frodo to bring the ring to [[Rivendell]] and participate in the [[Council of Elrond]]. He was imprisoned by [[Saruman|Saruman the Whute]] on [[Orthanc|his highest tower]] and was able to escape by sending a message to the birds and being rescued by the [[Eagles|Eagle]] [[Gwahir]]. He flys to [[Rohan]] and is dropped off. Gandalf is given permission by [[Théoden|the king]] to take a horse for himself. When looking for one, he discovers a a majestic white horse, named [[Shadowfax]] by the [[Men]] of Rohan. Gandalf notes his beauty, speed and the fact that that no man had ever rode him. Gandalf tames him and rides him to the Shire. He narrowly misses the Hobbits who are in the [[Old Forest]]. Gandalf, unable to meet with the Frodo, and his Hobbit friends who agree to accompany him, at the ''[[Prancing Pony|Prancing Pony Inn]]'', writes Frodo a letter, confirming that the man known as Strider is called [[Aragorn]] and is a man to be trusted. Finally arriving at the Prancing Pony, he hears word that Frodo had set off and he spends the night. The next day, [[Bree]] is stormed by [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]] and Gandalf pursues them on Shadowfax to [[Weathertop]]. He arrives at Rivendell 3 days before Frodo. When Frodo arrives, he is comatosed by his encounter with the Black Riders. He greets Frodo when he recovers, 4 days after the Hobbit's arrival in Rivendell. He reunites with the Hobbits at the Council in Rivendell and tells the Council members of his journey. He agrees to join the [[Fellowship of the Ring]], which aims to bring the Ring to [[Mordor]] and destroy it. The Fellowship sets off with Gandalf leading the group. They take one final look at the House of Elrond and depart.

'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[John Huston]].

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf was voiced by [[William Squire]]. [[John A. Neris]] played him in the live-action filming used for rotoscoping.<ref>Jerry Beck, ''The Animated Movie Guide'', p. 154 (at [http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&dq=%22John+A.+Neris%22&hl=nl#PPA154,M1 GoogleBooks])</ref>

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:[[John Huston]] reprised his role as Gandalf. In this adaptation, the tale is told by a minstrel of [[Gondor]], yet in the story, Gandalf serves as the narrator. Gandalf the White is portrayed without difference from Gandalf the Grey, in ''The Hobbit''.

'''1985: [[The Hobbit (1985 television film)|''The Fairytale Adventures of Mr. Baggins, the Hobbit'' (1985 film)]]:'''
:Ivan Krasko played Gandalf.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:[[Ian McKellen]] was cast as Gandalf. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Perhaps the most striking difference from all other adaptations is the difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. Where earlier no visible or audible difference was made, Gandalf the White is portrayed as much more virile, and with a shorter (and whiter) beard.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Because [[Imrahil]] had been cut from the film, it was up to Gandalf to lead the troops after the madness and death of [[Denethor]].

'''2012-14: [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]:'''
:[[Ian McKellen|Sir Ian McKellen]] reprised his role as Gandalf the Grey.<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> A short description of Gandalf in ''The Hobbit'' films was released by the studio:

{{quote|One of the most powerful Wizards in all Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breating dragon, Smaug the Terrible. Along the way, Gandalf finds evidence that an ancient evil may have found its way back into the world. In order to uncover the truth, Gandalf must leave his companions to fend for themselves – a journey that will take him into the darkest corners of Middle-earth where his worst suspicions are confirmed.|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref name="HobbitApp">{{webcite|author=[[Warner Bros.]]|articleurl=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hobbit-movies/id545808528|articlename=Hobbit Movies|dated=7-September-2012|website=[http://itunes.apple.com/ Apple iPhone/iPad App]|accessed=19-September-2012}}</ref>}}

===Television===
'''1993: ''[[Hobitit]]'':'''
:[[Vesa Vierikko]] played both Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. He appeared in 6 of 8 episodes.
'''2024: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power|The ''Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power'']]'''

:[[Daniel Weyman]] plays "[[The Stranger]]," who is eventually revealed to be Gandalf in a moment of foresight after being called "Grand Elf" by a group of departing [[Stoors]].

===Radio series===
'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Norman Shelley]].<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>

'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Heron Carvic]].

'''1979: [[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided [[Bernard Mayes]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Bernard Mayes]] reprised his role as Gandalf.

'''1980: [[Der Hobbit (1980 German radio series)|''Der Hobbit'' (1980 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gandalf is played by Bernhard Minetti.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Michael Hordern]] read the part of Gandalf. He had not read the book, and thought his agent made a mistake in telling him how many episodes he had to do. He did not know Gandalf's early death was temporary.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], "[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On: The Making of BBC Radio's ''The Lord of the Rings'']", at ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/ Brian Sibley:The Works]''</ref>

'''1989: [[Hobit (1989 Slovak radio series)|''Hobit'' (1989 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by Karol Machata.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gandalf is played by Manfed Steffen.

'''2001-2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by Martin Huba.

===Games===
'''1982: [[The Hobbit (1982 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (1982 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be met in several moments of the game's story line.<ref>[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ''ZX Computing'', iss. 8304, p. 76] reproduced at [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/archive.html World of Spectrum - Archive] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref>

'''1990: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be "recruited" by [[Frodo Baggins]] as a playable character.

'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]'':'''
:Gandalf is one of the main characters of the game and one of the several heroes of the [[Rohan]] faction.

'''1994: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be acquired as a playable character.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Tom Kane]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable character in several levels, including the fight with [[Durin's Bane]].

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by [[Ian McKellen]]. Gandalf the Grey appears at the campsite of the [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]] in ''The Gates of Moria'' and during the fight of [[Balin's Tomb]] in ''Balin's Tomb''. He latter reappears in the game as Gandalf the White at the start of the mission ''The Plains of Rohan'', where he leaves Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli to search Éomer and his army. He also appears in some cutscenes.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:In the [[wikipedia:Game Boy Advance|Game Boy Advance version]] of [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]] Gandalf is a playable character. Gandalf's story starts with a conversation between Gandalf and [[Théoden]], after which the story goes back to the [[Caradhras]], where the Fellowship tries to travel over the [[Misty Mountains]]. When that road fails, the Fellowship goes back and travels through [[Moria]]. In Moria Gandalf and the other member of the Fellowship are separated. After finding [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Aragorn]] and [[Gimli]] the fellowship is attacked by a [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] and [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]]. After Gandalf defeats the Cave-troll the Fellowship has to flee for the [[Balrogs|Balrog]]. When they reach the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]] a cutscene is shown, in which Gandalf destroys the bridge and falls with the Balrog in the depths. After the fall Gandalf has to follow the footsteps of the Balrog through the depths of Moria and the [[Endless Stair]] until he reaches [[Durin's Tower]], where he has to defeat the Balrog.

:After being revived he returns as Gandalf the White in Fangorn, where he defeats several [[Trolls]] and [[Crebain]]. After defeating a stronger Forrest troll, named Fangorn troll, Gandalf meets Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. After a cutscene, the game moves to [[Edoras]]. Gandalf heals the corrupted Théoden in Edoras, and then travels through [[Rohan]] in search of [[Éomer]]. Gandalf convinces Éomer to lead his army to [[Helm's Deep]].

:The game ends with the [[Battle of the Hornburg|Battle of Helm's Deep]], in which Gandalf and Éomer fight alongside Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and [[Éowyn]] while protecting the wall, the [[Hornburg]] and the [[Glittering Caves]]. In the final level Gandalf has to destroy the siege weapons that bombard the Hornburg. The game ends with a conversation between Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Théoden.

'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:[[Jim Ward]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is shown with actual [[magic]]: he can shoot blue bolts of lightning from his staff.

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf is the narrator, and a playable character. The game is built around him; the cut scene narration shows how he planned for the [[War of the Ring]]. He has several missions, collectively called the "Path of the Wizard". The first is the [[Battle of the Hornburg|Battle of Helm's Deep]], which serves as a training mission. He has to fight [[Uruk-Hai]] in the forest of [[Huorns]] and [[Ents]] in "The Road to Isengard". After that, the missions move to [[Minas Tirith]]: the first mission, "Top of the Wall", has Gandalf warding off ladders and siege towers. In the second, "Courtyard", he has to protect civilians from the invading Orcs. His last playing mission is the [[Battle of the Morannon|Battle of the Black Gate]].

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:Just like on the console version of the game, Gandalf is a playable character. He has many missions, collectively called the "The Journey of the Wizard". He starts in a flooded [[Isengard]], where he has to kill several [[Uruk-hai]] and [[Crebain]] before he confronts [[Saruman]]. After the defeat of Saruman he travels to [[Minas Tirith]] through Rohan and the Misty Mountains. At the [[Pelennor Fields]] Gandalf has to protect the [[Beacons of Gondor|beacons]], so Rohan can be warned. During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Battle of Minas Tirith]] he has to protect the gate, before making his way to the [[House of the Stewards|Steward's Tomb]]. Here Gandalf has to kill Denethor, before he burns [[Faramir]]. After the battle Gandalf travels through [[Ithilien]] to the [[Black Gate]], where he confronts a Nazgûl.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age]]'':'''
:Gandalf, voiced by [[Ian McKellen]], is a character in [[Electronic Arts|EA's]] "alternative [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]]" game. In his battle against Durin's Bane, he is aided by the main characters.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Steven M. Kramer]], renowned for playing older mentor types.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:In non-storyline skirmishes Gandalf is the hero of the Gondor faction, who possesses several magical abilities. At first, he appears as Gandalf "the Grey", and becomes "Gandalf the White" after reaching level 5 (out of 10). Gandalf also narrates the prologue scene, repeating almost word for word the lines said by Galadriel in the ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''.

:His involvement in the storyline is notable for major differences from the original tale. First of all, Gandalf survives his encounter with Balrog, defeating him at the Bridge of Khazad-dum and continues the journey with the Fellowship - by the time of arrival in Lothlorien he already appears as Gandalf the White. He is present during the ambush at [[Amon Hen]], where thanks to his involvement Boromir is saved from certain death. Merry and Pippin are captured regardless and Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir give chase, while Gandalf departs them to see to dealings in Rohan, including freeing of King Théoden from the spell. Following the Battle of Helm's Deep he travels to Minas Tirith along with both Pippin and Boromir, where they participate in the Siege of the city.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a hero for the "Men of the West" faction. Similar to the first game, he appears as Gandalf the Grey initially and Gandalf the White after level 5. He plays no part in the main storyline, but appears in the alternate "evil" campaign: after Sauron reclaims the Ring and lays waste to southern lands, Gandalf and few other survivors meet their end during a last stand in Rivendell.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a non-playable character voiced by [[Harry Chase]], who narrates cutscenes and instances throughout the original game, before the first expansion. He first meets the Dwarven characters in Ered Luin in {{TA|2941}}, shortly before the Quest for Erebor. Later, characters of all races meet him in Bree in October of {{TA|3018}}, but he is too busy with concerns for Frodo and the Ring and merely sends them away to find Radagast. Finally, the players have a chance to have a proper conversation with him in Rivendell, following the Council of Elrond. During that time, Gandalf is involved in several quests, including helping the player wreck havoc among the Goblins stirring at the [[High Pass]]. After the Fellowship leaves Rivendell, players are able to retrace many of their steps, including the marks left by Gandalf such as the Burnt Top in [[Eregion]] and the remains of his fire at the pass of [[Caradhras]]. Later, Lady [[Galadriel]] bids the player to find the signs of Gandalf following his fall from the Bridge of Khazad-dum - said signs include his burnt hat at the Foundations of Stone in Moria and the signs of his struggle with the Balrog at the [[Endless Stair]] - those allow Galadriel to discern that Mithrandir is not truly dead. Players later meet him as Gandalf the White in [[Caras Galadhon]] shortly after the Fellowship has departed Lothlorien. During that time, he engages into a spiritual battle with a Gaunt-Lord Gortheron the Doom-Caller; his display of his new abilities encourages the band of Free People players and allows them to defeat the servant of Sauron.

:Gandalf is also present in several historic "session plays", during which players witness the important events their characters were not present for. Such events include Gandalf infiltrating [[Dol Guldur]] with the help of an Elf named Raddir, first meeting between Gandalf and Aragorn on the outskirts of Lothlorien and Gandalf's imprisonment atop Orthanc by Saruman.

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:[[Martin Jarvis]] provides the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable mage hero and has three special powers: "Healing Wisdom", "You Shall not Pass!" and "Cleansing Fire". In the good campaign he appears at the end of the Isengard mission, where he has to kill Saruman in [[Orthanc]]. In Moria he can be played to destroy the [[Balrog]] and in Minas Tirith he has to defend the gates of the second ring. He is also one of the four playable heroes in the last mission, [[The Battle of the Morannon|the battle of the Black Gate]]. He appears as well at the end of the last mission, the Shire, of the evil campaign, in which he is defeated by [[Sauron]].
:He is also playable in the Shire, Isengard, Minas Tirith and Moria with the ''Conquest'' Mode, in Isengard and Minas Tirith in the ''Team Deathmatch'' mode, the citadel of Minas Tirith in ''Capture the Ring'' mode, and at the Black Gate, Minas Morgul, Mount Doom and the Shire during ''Hero Team Deathmatch'' mode.

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Tom Kane]], who also narrates the introduction of the game. He tells that heroes like "[[Aragorn|Aragorn the King]]", "[[Frodo Baggins|Frodo the Ringbearer]]" and "'''Gandalf the Wizard'''" are rightly honoured, but that without a few heroes - [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] - the north of [[Middle-earth]] would have been lost.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Prologue''</ref>
:He also appears in [[Rivendell]] later in the game. Players can interact with him and learn of various important events, yet the conversations do not unlock any side-quests and do not affect the main story in any way.

'''2012: ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a mage-type "guardian" with four abilities: ''Narya's Power'', ''Flame of Anor'', ''Fireworks'' and ''Gandalf's Might''.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.co.uk/guardians/gandalf|articlename=''Guardians of Middle-earth'': Gandalf|dated=|website=[http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.com/ ''Guardians of Middle-earth'' official website]|accessed=16 July 2012}}</ref>

'''2025: ''[[Tales of the Shire: A "The Lord of the Rings" Game]]'':'''
:At the beginning of the game, Gandalf rides in his cart and discovers the player [[Hobbits|Hobbit]], sleeping on a log. He wakes them and helps them up, giving them a ride in his cart to [[Bywater]]. He gives the Hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]]' map of Bywater and begins to depart. The Hobbit asks him his name and he tells them "[[An Unexpected Party|I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me.]]" before farewelling them and continuing on the road.
{{Notes}}
{{References}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=maiar
| house=[[Maiar|Maia]] of [[Manwë]] & [[Varda]]
| born=[[Creation of the Ainur]]
| died=Sailed west on [[29 September]], {{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Saruman]]
| list=Chief of the [[Wizards|Istari]]
| dates=[[5 March]], {{TA|3019}} - [[29 September]], {{TA|3021|n}}
| nvac=None
| next=Position abolished
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Círdan]]
| list=[[Three Keepers|Keeper]] of [[Narya]]
| dates=c. {{TA|1000}} - after [[29 September]], {{TA|3021|n}}
| nvac=None
| next=Presumably, still Gandalf
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
| prev=Position established
| list=Leader of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| dates=[[25 December]], {{TA|3018}} - [[15 January]], {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Aragorn]]
}}
{{seq-end}}{{ainur}}
{{Thorin and Company}}{{companyroute}}
{{councilofelrond}}
{{fellowship}}{{FellowshipRoute}}
{{ringbearers}}{{hobbitfilms}}
{{lordoftheringsfilms}}

[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[Category:Wizards]]
[[de:Gandalf]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:ainur:maiar:istari:gandalf]]
[[fi:Gandalf]]

Gandalf

2026-05-17T02:49:46Z

AmonGwareth: /* Early history */ Unfinished Tales has "counsellor" and not "councilor."

{{short description|Wizard of the Istari}}
{{disambig-more|Gandalf|[[Gandalf (disambiguation)]]}}
{{infobox character
| people-duplicated=[[Maiar|Maia]]
| name=Gandalf
| people=[[Maiar|Maia]] ([[Wizards|Wizard]])
| image=Matt Stewart - Gandalf - A Light in the Dark.jpg
| caption="A Light in the Dark" by [[Matt Stewart]]
| pronun=
| othernames=''Olórin'' ([[Quenya|Q]]) ''Mithrandir'' ([[Sindarin|S]]) ''Incánus'' ([[Haradrim|H]]) ''Tharkûn'' ([[Khuzdul|K]]) ''([[#Other names|See below]])''
| titles=Guardian of the Third Age The Grey [[The White]] White Rider White Pilgrim
| position=
| location=No fixed abode
| affiliation=[[Five Guardians]], [[Order of Wizards]], [[White Council]], [[Thorin and Company]], [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| language=[[Valarin]], [[Elvish]], [[Westron]], [[Hobbitish]]
| birth=[[Creation of the Ainur]]
| birthlocation=[[Timeless Halls]]
| rule=
| sailedwest=[[29 September]], {{TA|3021}}
| sailedfrom=[[Grey Havens]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| gender=Male
| height=At least 5'6"<ref>{{NM|Descriptions}}: Gandalf even bent must have been at least 5 ft. 6</ref>
| hair=Long white, silver beard<ref name="Meetings">{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>
| eyes=Black that could become red
| clothing=Grey robes (later white), blue hat, grey scarf, black boots<ref name="Party"/>
| weapons=Staff [[Glamdring]] [[Narya]]
| steed=[[Shadowfax]]
}}
{{Quote|Gandalf was shorter in stature than the [[Elrond|other]] [[Glorfindel|two]]; but his long white hair, his sweeping silver beard, and his broad shoulders, made him look like some wise king of ancient legend. In his aged face under great snowy brows his eyes were set like coals that could suddenly burst into fire.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[Many Meetings]]"}}

'''Gandalf''' was one of the five [[Order of Wizards|Istari]] sent to [[Middle-earth]] by the [[Valar]] in the [[Third Age]]. In [[Valinor]] he was known as Olórin. Gandalf was instrumental in bringing about the demise of [[Sauron]] in {{TA|3019}}, chiefly by encouraging others and dispensing his wisdom at pivotal times. He was originally robed in grey, and second to [[Saruman]] in the Order of Wizards. After his fall in [[Moria]], Gandalf returned to Middle-earth as head of the Order, robed in white. He was noteworthy for his keen interest in [[Hobbits]].

==History==
===Early history===
[[File:Kip Rasmussen - Olorin in the Gardens of Lorien.jpg|thumb|left|''Olorin in the Gardens of Lorien'' by [[:Category:Images by Kip Rasmussen|Kip Rasmussen]]]]
The wisest of the [[Maiar]], Gandalf was created by [[Ilúvatar]] before the [[Music of the Ainur]].<ref name="Ainu">{{S|Ainu}}</ref> At the beginning of [[Time]], he was amongst the [[Ainur]] who entered into [[Eä]].<ref name="SVala">{{S|Vala}}</ref> In his "youth" he was known as '''''Olórin''''' and was a counsellor of [[Irmo]].<ref>{{MR|P3I1}}</ref> He lived in [[Lórien (Valinor)|Lórien]], yet his ways often took him to Nienna, from whom he learned pity and patience.<ref name="vala">{{S|IIc}}, p. 316</ref> He became one of the [[Maiar]] who served [[Manwë]], [[Varda]], [[Irmo]], and [[Nienna]]. He was associated with light and fire, much like [[Varda]].

After the Valar discovered the primeval [[Elves]] at [[Cuiviénen]], Olórin was sent there as one of the [[Five Guardians]] to guard the Elves from the forces of [[Melkor]].<ref>{{NM|P1xiii}}, p. 95</ref> It is unclear how long he remained or if he accompanied the [[Eldar]] on the [[Great Journey]]. But it is said he loved the Elves, and throughout his early life, he walked [[Unseen]] among them, or wore a [[Fana]] that appeared like an Elf, and he sent them fair visions in their hearts that made them wiser. Throughout his existence, he followed the example of Nienna, taking pity on the sorrows of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]] and lifting out of despair those who listened to him.<ref name="vala" />

It is possible that Gandalf, as Olorin, came to Middle-earth in the Second Age. While Galadriel "dwelt now under the trees of Greenwood the Great" Olórin once had a conversation with her.<ref>{{UT|Elessar}}, p. 255</ref> It is possible that this was just after the year 1200, but it is said that "only those Wise could say who are now gone" could attest to the truth of this conversation.<ref>{{UT|Elessar}}, p. 268</ref>

===Third Age===
====Arrival in Middle-earth====
During the [[Third Age]], while [[Sauron|Sauron's]] 'dark spirit of malice' was increasing over [[Middle-earth]], the Valar chose the [[Istari]], missionaries from among the Maiar, to go to Middle-earth and help the [[Portal:Characters|peoples]]. [[Manwë]] selected Olórin, who, at first, did not wish to go, as he feared Sauron. However, Manwë said that it was all the more reason why he should go.<ref name="Istari">{{UT|13}}</ref> Furthermore, [[the One Ring]], the location of much of Sauron's power, presumably still existed somewhere in Middle-earth.

Olórin submitted to the will of Manwë and departed Valinor to [[Mithlond]] in the year {{TA|1000}}.<ref name="Istari" /> He arrived shortly after two other Istari, [[Curumo]] and [[Aiwendil]], at about the same time the [[Necromancer]] appeared in [[Mirkwood]]. Like the other Wizards, he took the shape of an old man. He was robed in grey.

At Mithlond, he was welcomed by [[Círdan]] the shipwright, who possessed [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings|Three]] Elven [[Rings of Power]]. Círdan divined in Olórin a sense of strength and power despite his appearance as a bent and aged old man. Círdan gave Narya to Olórin with a prediction of his future struggles with evil, and a promise that it would support and aid him in his labours. Then Círdan said "''But as for me, my heart is with the [[Belegaer|Sea]], and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.''"<ref name="ThirdAge">{{App|B2}}</ref>

[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf the Grey'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Gandalf then began his sojourn in Middle-earth, going about as a wanderer and counsellor. Unlike Saruman, Gandalf did not take up a single permanent residence. Gandalf never went to the [[east]]<ref name="TT Window p. 670">{{TT|Window}}, p. 670</ref> and apparently restricted his activities to the [[Westlands]] of Middle-earth, where the remnants of the [[Dúnedain]] and the [[Eldar]] remained to oppose Sauron. He was known by many names during the long years he remained in Middle-earth: Elves named him ''Mithrandir'', the Grey Pilgrim, while the men of [[Arnor]] named him '''Gandalf''', which became his most common name. He was also known as ''Incánus'' in the south, and ''Tharkûn'' to the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="Istari" />

A legend says that Gandalf was given the [[Elfstone]] of [[Eärendil]] by [[Yavanna]] to bring to the peoples of Middle-earth; this was to be a token that the Valar had not forsaken them. He gave it to [[Galadriel]], and remarked prophetically that she would in turn pass it to an individual who would also be called [[Aragorn|Elessar]].<ref>{{UT|6}}</ref>

====Early vigilance====
Around {{TA|1100}},<ref name="ThirdAge" /> the Istari and the Eldar discovered that some evil entity resided at [[Dol Guldur]] in Mirkwood. Dark shapes moved in the forest and evil began to multiply in the woods. Some thought a [[Nazgûl]] had returned to torment the world, or some new evil was arising. Gandalf was unsure, and feared that perhaps Sauron himself might have returned.<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref>
[[File:John Howe - Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur.jpg|thumb|left|''Pass the Doors of Dol Guldur'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Over the next two hundred years the evil continued to grow, as well as the source directing it. [[Orcs]] were multiplying in the [[Misty Mountains]] and elsewhere. The [[Witch-king]], the mightiest of the Nazgûl, had built a fortress in [[Angmar]] in the Northern wastelands and waged unending war against the Kingdom of [[Arnor]]. Meanwhile [[Moria]] and [[Minas Ithil]] fell under a shadow, while other wars, plagues, and catastrophes occurred across Middle-earth. Gandalf went to Dol Guldur in {{TA|2063|n}} to discover its secret.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> An entity known only as the '[[Necromancer]]' fled before him preventing Gandalf from identifying him.<ref name="Rings" /> After Gandalf's incursion, the evil there seemed to desist, and its absence allowed for some centuries of calmness.

That peaceful period was known as the [[Watchful Peace]] and lasted for almost four hundred years. However, the Nazgûl had used this period to prepare for Sauron's return, which occurred in {{TA|2460|n}}.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> Realising the returning evil, the [[Wise]] formed the [[White Council]] three years later. [[Galadriel]], bearer of one of the Three Elven Rings and mighty among the Eldar, wished Gandalf to be the chief of the Council, but he refused the position wishing to set down no roots and to maintain his independence; Saruman took this place because of his vast knowledge.<ref name="Rings" />
[[File:Miriam Ellis - The Long Winter, 1158 - Gandalf Helps the Hobbits.jpeg|thumb|250px|left|''[[Long Winter|The Long Winter]], [[Third Age 2758|1158]]: Gandalf Helps the [[Hobbits]]'' by [[Miriam Ellis]]]]
During his wanderings in [[Eriador]], Gandalf met and befriended the isolated and secretive people of the [[Hobbits]] in their country, [[The Shire]]. During the [[Long Winter]] of {{TA|2758|n}} Gandalf came to their aid.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> It was then when he witnessed and admired the pity and courage the humble Hobbits reserved in their hearts.<ref name="Erebor" />

When King [[Thráin|Thráin II]], a dwarf of the royal line of [[Lonely Mountain]], disappeared on a journey to [[Erebor]], Gandalf looked for him. At some point after {{TA|2845|n}} he entered the abandoned city of Khazad-dûm. After his vain search, the Wizard exited through the [[Doors of Durin]]; however this experience did not help him know how to open the doors from the outside.<ref name="journey">{{FR|Journey}}</ref>

In {{TA|2850|n}}, his quest led him once more to Dol Guldur, this time in secrecy.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> He found Thráin in the dungeons, who gave the Wizard his last possessions, the [[Thrór's Map|map]] and key to Erebor.<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> Most importantly, Gandalf found that the Necromancer was no Nazgûl, but was Sauron himself, and he had taken [[Ring of Thrór|the last]] of the [[Seven Rings]] from the Dwarf King. Sauron was gathering the remaining [[Rings of Power]] and possibly searching for his lost [[The One Ring|One Ring]].

Gandalf escaped Dol Guldur and returned to the White Council.<ref name="Rings" /> After relating his discoveries, he urged the council to attack Sauron while the One Ring was still lost and Sauron's power immature. But Saruman said that it was better to watch and wait, and that the One Ring had long ago rolled from [[Anduin]] to the Sea.<ref name="Rings" /> The majority of the council agreed with Saruman. [[Elrond]] Half-elven, a powerful member of the council, later privately told Gandalf he had a foreboding that the Ring would be found, and that the war to end the [[Ages|Age]] was coming. Indeed, he added, he feared that it would end in darkness and despair. Gandalf encouraged him, saying there were many "strange chances," and that, "''help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter''".<ref name="Rings" /> Gandalf did not yet realise that Saruman now wanted the Ring for himself and was secretly searching for it along the banks of the river Anduin.

====Quest for Erebor====
Gandalf would visit the Shire occasionally and participate in the [[Midsummer]]-eve parties of the [[Old Took]] where he impressed young Hobbits with his fireworks, and his stories about [[Dragons]], [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and princesses.<ref name="Erebor" /> He was thus known to be "responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures". He also met a relatively adventurous Hobbit named [[Bilbo Baggins]] although he was far from "adventuresome."<ref name="Party" />

Gandalf was concerned about the weak state of the North. [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|Dragon]] had destroyed both the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] and the town of [[Dale]], and Gandalf feared that [[Sauron]] might use the desolation around Erebor to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar. Gandalf knew that exiled Dwarf [[King of Durin's Folk]] [[Thorin Oakenshield]] planned to battle against Smaug, but he knew that it would not be enough. In {{TA|2941|n}},<ref name="ThirdAge" /> while staying the night in [[Bree]], Gandalf happened across the Dwarf King.<ref name="Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref> Thorin initiated conversation; he had been having a strange feeling urging him to seek Gandalf. Gandalf was intrigued, for he had thought to seek Thorin as well. They found they were taking the same road for a while (Thorin passing through [[the Shire]] on his way to the [[Blue Mountains|Ered Luin]]), and they agreed to travel together. Thorin wanted advice, and Gandalf in turn wanted to discuss the Dragon Smaug with Thorin.
[[File:David T. Wenzel - Good Morning Mr. Baggins.jpg|thumb|''Good Morning Mr. Baggins'' by [[David T. Wenzel]]]]
Ultimately, Gandalf concocted a plan wherein Thorin could destroy Smaug and recover his family fortune, albeit with a "burglar" of Gandalf's own choosing. Gandalf had a feeling that a Hobbit should be involved, and he remembered Bilbo Baggins. At first he found only [[Holman Cotton]] as Bilbo had left on the occasion of the [[Yestare|Elven new year]], something that persuaded Gandalf that Bilbo was the right person for the job.<ref name="Erebor" /> He visited Bilbo later, bringing along the kinsmen of Thorin.<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref> In the end Gandalf convinced the reluctant Baggins to become a burglar for Thorin.

Gandalf accompanied [[Thorin and Company]] to [[Rivendell]]. Gandalf saved them from a trio of [[Stone-trolls]], and later obtained the legendary sword [[Glamdring]] from their [[Trolls|Troll]]-hoard; Gandalf bore it thenceforth.<ref name="Mutton">{{H|Mutton}}</ref> He also helped Thorin and Company through the [[Misty Mountains]]. When they unknowingly camped in the [[Front Porch]] of the [[Goblin-town]], the Goblins captured the whole company except Gandalf, who surprised them much later by killing the [[Great Goblin]] and then rescuing the Dwarves and leading them to the exit.<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> It was during this time that Bilbo obtained a "magic ring".<ref name="Riddles">{{H|Riddles}}</ref> The hobbit initially claimed he "won" it from the creature "[[Gollum]]" while the company was under the Misty Mountains,<ref name="Pan">{{H|Pan}}</ref> and he kept it secret from Gandalf for some time.
[[File:Darrell Sweet - The Lord of the Eagles.jpg|thumb|''The Lord of the Eagles'' by [[Darrell Sweet]]]]
On their escape out, the Company was saved by the [[Eagles]] of the Misty Mountains; Gandalf once had healed the [[Great Eagle]] from a poisoned wound,<ref name="Pan" /> and thenceforth they became friends. The Eagles picked them up and flew them to their eyrie. The next day, they dropped them to the other side of the Mountains.<ref name="Pan" />

Gandalf then sought the hospitality of [[Beorn]], persuading him to welcome and host the whole Company in his [[Beorn's Hall|hall]]. But then he left the quest prior to its completion; after leading the Company to the outskirts of the [[Forest Gate]], he gave them some final advice (but little did he know that the lands had changed by then) before they entered [[Mirkwood]], and went to attend other obligations.<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> The [[White Council]] had met under the gravest of circumstances: Sauron's vast power was returning, even without his Ring. Gandalf at last convinced the Council to attack Dol Guldur, to which even Saruman agreed (as by now he feared Sauron as a rival, and wished to delay his search for the Ring). Gandalf joined his peers in assailing [[Dol Guldur]], ridding [[Mirkwood]] of the Necromancer's presence, who fled to [[Mordor]].<ref name="ThirdAge">{{App|B2}}</ref> When he was about to finish his task, news about what happened to Thorin's Company in Mirkwood reached him, and he realised that the instructions he gave them did not help; they had lost their way, and then vanished from the imprisonment of the [[Silvan Elves|Wood-elves]], who had captured them. He was anxious to get back to them as soon as possible.<ref>{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

Meanwhile Thorin's quest was successful: Erebor was retaken and Smaug was killed,<ref name="Fire">{{H|Fire}}</ref> but when Gandalf finally arrived to the area, he found the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] and [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills|the Iron Hills]] preparing for an attack by the [[Lake-men]] and the [[Elves of Mirkwood]]. He was with [[Bard]] and [[Thranduil]] and revealed his presence trying to reason with Thorin. When the attack was beginning, Gandalf halted them, to warn that the [[Orcs]] and [[Wargs]] were coming to claim the treasure. He invited [[Dáin Ironfoot]] for council, and soon Dwarves, Elves and Men formed an alliance, and defeated the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] in the [[Battle of Five Armies]].<ref name="Burst">{{H|Burst}}</ref>

King Thorin was mortally wounded and after his funeral and the reestablishment of Erebor under Dáin, Bilbo and Gandalf left Erebor for the Shire; on the way, they celebrated [[Yule]] at Beorn's, and then returned to Rivendell, where Gandalf discussed with [[Elrond]] the events of Dol Guldur and the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf had accomplished his immediate goal, which was to destroy Smaug, who could have been used to disastrous effect by Sauron. A large number of Orcs and Wargs also were killed in the North, removing threats to Rivendell and Lothlórien.<ref name="Erebor" /> But they both agreed that it would be better if the Necromancer were banished from the world altogether.<ref name="H19">{{H|19}}</ref>

As Gandalf and Bilbo passed by the site of their former encounter with the stone-trolls, they recovered the gold of the troll-hoard they had buried.<ref name="H19" />

Gandalf was amazed by the hobbit; until then he had paid no attention to hobbits and knew little of them. For the rest of his sojourn in Middle-earth, Gandalf took a special interest in hobbits, and particularly in the Baggins family. [[Third Age 2949|Years later]], he and Balin paid a visit to Bilbo, discussing the news from Erebor and Dale.<ref name="ThirdAge" /><ref name="H19" />

====Return of the Shadow====
Despite the Council's hopes, Sauron was not weakened by this attack. He had foreseen the move that drove him from Mirkwood, and his retreat was but a feint. Ten years after the attack, Sauron declared himself openly in Mordor in {{TA|2951|n}} and rebuilt [[Barad-dûr]]. The White Council met for one last time in {{TA|2953|n}} to debate about the [[Rings of Power]]. Saruman quieted his peers, claiming to have knowledge that the One Ring was lost in the [[Belegaer]]. After their meeting, Saruman, jealous and afraid of Gandalf, set spies to watch all his movements; this would affect the peaceful Hobbits, as from this, Saruman discovered their existence and noted Gandalf's interest in the Shire. As a result, he started sending agents to [[Bree]] and the [[Southfarthing]].<ref name="ThirdAge" />

[[Gollum]] had come to Gandalf's knowledge, having left his hideout. He was looking for the thief of his ring: Bilbo. The [[Elves of Mirkwood]] had informed Gandalf that Gollum was traversing the forest. Then, coinciding with Sauron's declaration, Gollum apparently turned towards [[Mordor]] and was lost. Gandalf neglected the matter because he "had much else to think of at that time" and still trusted Saruman's knowledge. Later, Gandalf would regret this.<ref name="shadow" />

Meanwhile, Sauron began reassembling his forces for the final blow against the West. [[Easterlings]] from [[Khand]] and beyond the [[Sea of Rhûn]], joined by men from [[Harad]] reinforced his stronghold in [[Mordor]]; Orcs, trolls, and other foul beasts were multiplying while his minions were searching the Anduin for any sign of his precious One Ring.

Gandalf met [[Aragorn]], the hidden [[Heir of Isildur]] in {{TA|2956|n}}, and soon became friends with him.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> From that point on, Aragorn and Gandalf often worked together towards a common end - the defeat of Sauron.

He visited [[Minas Tirith]] and was welcomed by [[Faramir]], the son of the [[Ruling Steward]] [[Denethor]], and taught him from his wisdom. This displeased Denethor, who didn't trust Gandalf.<ref>{{App|Stewards}}</ref>

[[File:Michele Mantoani - Gandalf.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf'' by [[:Category:Images by Michele Mantoani|Michele Mantoani]]]]
During this period Gandalf visited the Shire frequently, especially his friend Bilbo Baggins, and his younger cousin, [[Frodo Baggins]]. He noted Bilbo's unusual youthfulness, despite his advancing age; the suspicious "[[The One Ring|magic ring]]" that Bilbo had acquired during his adventure began to weigh on his mind. Gandalf recalled the deceit Bilbo used in originally claiming it for his own — Bilbo had later admitted to stealing it from [[Gollum]]. Gandalf could see that Bilbo was very preoccupied with the ring. Such un-hobbitlike behaviour aroused his suspicions. In {{TA|3001|n}} he organised [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]], and before leaving the Shire, he convinced Bilbo to leave the Ring for Frodo. He then emphatically warned Frodo not to use it; Gandalf had begun to suspect that the "magic ring" was indeed a [[Ring of Power]].<ref name="party">{{FR|Party}}</ref> Around that time, Gandalf became unpopular in the Shire; he was blamed for Bilbo's disappearance, and was even accused of plotting with Frodo to get a hold on Bilbo's wealth.<ref name="shadow">{{FR|Shadow}}</ref><ref name="party" />

Gandalf was keen to find out more about Bilbo's ring, so he left the Shire,<ref name="party" /> and resumed his search for Gollum. In this, he sought the help of [[Aragorn]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] were put to guard the Shire more closely.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> Gandalf showed up only [[Third Age 3004|three years later]] to check on Frodo and the Shire, and continued for the next four years always turning up unexpectedly and disappearing before dawn. In {{TA|3009|n}} he renewed the hunt for [[Gollum]] with Aragorn, searching in the [[vales of Anduin]], [[Mirkwood]], [[Rhovanion]], and even to the edges of Mordor. The search lasted eight years, for Gandalf did not know that Gollum had been captured by Sauron.<ref name="ThirdAge" /> Gandalf regretted ignoring Gollum for so many years, as his trail had become cold, resulting in many dark and dangerous days for Gandalf.<ref name="shadow" />

Studying the records in [[Minas Tirith]], Gandalf found the [[Scroll of Isildur]] in {{TA|3017|n}}, and from this, pieced together the missing history of the One Ring. On his way back to the Shire, he got word from the [[Galadhrim]] that Aragorn had finally captured Gollum<ref name="ThirdAge" /> and so he went to [[Mirkwood]] to meet him. For days he interrogated him in order to verify what he already knew. A great fear came over him when he learned that Gollum had been to [[Barad-dûr]]. Sauron had tortured Gollum and learned of the "magic ring", as well as the names "Shire" and "Baggins". The effects that Gandalf had seen on Gollum and Bilbo convinced him that Bilbo's Ring was not simply one of the [[Rings of Power]]: it was the ''[[The One Ring|One Ruling Ring]]'' of Sauron. Gandalf then returned in haste to the Shire.<ref name="shadow" /><ref name="council">{{FR|Council}}</ref>

====War of the Ring====
[[File:Alan Lee - The Shadow of the Past.jpg|thumb|''The Shadow of the Past'' by [[Alan Lee]]]]
Gandalf returned to the Shire on [[12 April]] {{TA|3018}} and proved to Frodo that Bilbo's ring was the ancient [[One Ring]] which the Dark Power of [[Mordor]] was looking for. He told Frodo that he gathered much of this information by interrogating the creature [[Gollum]]. Frodo exclaimed that Gollum should have been killed, however Gandalf speculated that perhaps Gollum would have a part to play before the end, and in any case, it was not for Frodo to decide who should live and who should die.<ref name="shadow" />

Gandalf suggested that he should leave the Shire soon and take the Ring to [[Rivendell]]. Frodo decided to leave on his next birthday, pretending to be moving to [[Buckland]], to which Gandalf agreed. The wizard stayed in the Shire for over two months,<ref name="three">{{FR|Three}}</ref> during which time, on [[1 May]] he went to [[Sarn Ford]] and met again Aragorn, informing him of Frodo's plans.<ref name="FR|Strider">{{FR|Strider}}</ref> He had a sense of foreboding and heard [[Sauron's attack on Osgiliath|disturbing news about war]] in [[Gondor]] and a [[Black Shadow]].<ref name="council" /> He decided to leave for the South and left Frodo, promising to return for his birthday-farewell party in autumn, so that they would go to Rivendell together.<ref name="three" />

He wandered around [[Eriador]] hearing news from the refugees who had a fear they could not speak about, until he met [[Radagast]] who brought a message from [[Saruman]] that he must seek him at once, and a warning that the [[Ringwraiths]] were looking for the Shire.<ref name="council" /> Gandalf went to [[the Prancing Pony]] at [[Bree]]. Believing that he would not be able to return to Frodo in time, he wrote [[Gandalf's letter|a letter]],<ref name="council" /> urging him to move as soon as possible for Rivendell, and seek someone named "Strider", whose real name was Aragorn, with a [[Riddle of Strider|riddle]] to identify him; Gandalf would then try to catch up with them when he could. He instructed [[Barliman Butterbur]] to send the letter to [[Hobbiton]] and to expect a Mr. [[Baggins]] to arrive at the inn under the name of "[[Mr. Underhill]]". He left the inn, but Barliman would forget to send the letter.<ref name="FR|Strider" />

=====Treachery of Saruman=====
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir.jpg|thumb|left|''Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Soon thereafter, Gandalf arrived at Isengard. At their meeting, Saruman at last revealed his desire for the One Ring.<ref name="council" /> He offered to his "''old friend and helper''" that they take the Ring for themselves and seize power from Sauron. Gandalf rejected this with horror, and was imprisoned by Saruman on the pinnacle of [[Orthanc]]. [[Gwaihir]], chief of the Eagles, soon arrived and helped Gandalf escape.<ref name="council" /> Gandalf knew he needed to return quickly to the Shire, as Frodo (and the Ring) were in grave danger from both Sauron's Nazgûl and Saruman's treacherous desire for the Ring.

Gandalf hurriedly went to [[Rohan]], desiring to find a strong steed; there he obtained [[Shadowfax]] from King [[Théoden]], who later resented the gift.<ref name="council" /> This lord of horses and Gandalf forged a special bond, and Gandalf made quick use of Shadowfax's incredible strength and endurance.

Gandalf sped to the Shire. Fortunately, Frodo had already left the Shire without waiting for Gandalf,<ref name="council" /> and was seeking [[Rivendell]]. Upon his arrival, Gandalf learned that the Nazgûl, arrayed as [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]], had been searching the area. Dismayed, he set out for Bree; Barliman apologised to Gandalf for forgetting to send the letter, and was worried that the hobbits had left with Strider, the suspicious [[Rangers of the North|Ranger]]. But for Gandalf, this was a hope which far exceeded his expectations. After congratulating a puzzled Barliman, Gandalf slept the night at the inn and in the morning left for [[Weathertop]], a high point in the region, to observe the surrounding area.<ref name="council" />
[[File:Eric Velhagen - Encounter at Amon Sûl.jpg|thumb|250px|''Encounter at [[Weathertop|Amon Sûl]]'' by [[Eric Velhagen]]]]
There he was assaulted at night by the Nazgûl, but drove them off after a great battle of light and flame.<ref name="B3">{{App|B3}}</ref> These phenomena were seen by Aragorn and the hobbits from afar, although they were unaware that Gandalf was involved.<ref>{{FR|I11}}</ref> Before leaving Weathertop, he marked some stones with the [[cirth|certh]] G for them to find. The next day he escaped to the north, followed by four Riders.<ref name="council" />

He then went directly to Rivendell, arriving a few days sooner than [[Aragorn]].<ref name="B3" /> But when they arrived, Gandalf and Elrond joined their powers to cause a flood in [[Bruinen]] to drown the Riders, allowing Frodo some time to reach Rivendell.<ref name="council" /> Then they welcomed Glorfindel, Aragorn and the hobbits upon their arrival. Frodo was sick with a [[Morgul-wound]], but was still in possession of the Ring.

=====Fellowship of the Ring=====
Elrond called a [[Council of Elrond|Council]] after Frodo was healed to consider the momentous decision of what would be done with the Ring. By chance, representatives of most of the free peoples were in Rivendell for various reasons. Elrond and Gandalf advised that the Ring should be destroyed in the fires of [[Orodruin]], where it was made. Others dissented or objected, but they eventually submitted to Gandalf's plan. Ultimately, Elrond appointed the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] as nine walkers, numerically set against Sauron's nine Nazgûl. The relatively small number reflected the realisation by Elrond and the other council members that the quest of Mount Doom would not rely upon strength of arms, but on stealth and good fortune. Gandalf was chosen to lead the company, which included [[Aragorn]], [[Boromir]], [[Legolas]] the Elf, [[Gimli]] the Dwarf, and the hobbits Frodo Baggins, who was named the [[Ring-bearer]], and [[Samwise Gamgee]], [[Peregrin Took]], and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]].<ref name="council" />

Several obstacles stood in the company's way. The vast [[Misty Mountains]] had to be crossed, for Gandalf was determined not to lead the company near [[Isengard]]. Gandalf decided to take a southern route to the [[Redhorn Pass]] and there to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] near [[Caradhras]], thereby traversing the mountain range and avoiding Isengard.<ref name="The Ring Goes South, p. 283">{{FR|South}}, p. 283</ref> When this attempt failed due to a terrible storm, he decided to take the Fellowship through the ruins of Moria, where the remains of the great Dwarven city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] were now a labyrinth of tunnels under the mountains. Others in the company were loath to enter the maze, as it was now the lair of orcs and something known only as "Durin's Bane".

At the [[Doors of Durin]] on the west side of the mountains, Gandalf, after some delay, spoke the password and led the company into the dark. Having been in Moria on an earlier perilous errand, he was somewhat familiar with the underground passages. Eventually the party came to the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]], where Gandalf read the [[Book of Mazarbul|Book of Records]], which revealed the fate of [[Balin]], the leader of an ill-fated attempt to re-colonise Moria. Soon after, the party was attacked by orcs, and forced to flee the chamber. By then, Gandalf was well aware of their location and he led the party quickly towards the eastern exit.
[[File:John Howe - Gandalf Falls with the Balrog.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf Falls with the Balrog'' by [[John Howe]]]]
However, [[Durin's Bane]] caught up to the group at the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. Gandalf and Legolas immediately realised what it was: a [[Balrogs|Balrog]] of [[Morgoth]]. Gandalf faced the demon and broke the bridge upon which they both stood, leaving the beast to fall into a seemingly bottomless chasm. But the Balrog's whip lashed out, and grasped Gandalf by the knees, causing him to fall into the pit. While falling, Gandalf shouted "Fly, you fools" and vanished into the abyss.<ref name="bridge">{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

Yet Gandalf did not die; he and the Balrog fought long in the bowels and deep places of [[Arda]]. After restless pursuit over the course of eight days, Gandalf and the beast finally came to the summit of the [[Endless Stair]] upon the peak of [[Celebdil]]. There, he [[Battle of the Peak|fought the demon]] for two days and nights. The Balrog had burst into flame anew when it exited the stairs; ice, wind, and smoke swirled about them as they duelled. Gandalf used his last measure of strength to slay the Balrog, throwing him down the mountainside in ruin. Gandalf's spirit then left his body, having sacrificed himself to save the Fellowship.

=====Gandalf the White=====
But Gandalf's spirit did not depart Middle-earth forever. As the only one of the five Istari to stay true to his errand, Olórin was sent back to mortal lands by [[Ilúvatar|Eru]], and he became Gandalf once again. Yet, as he was now the sole emissary of the Valar to Middle-earth, he was granted the power to "reveal" more of his inner [[Maiar]] strength.<ref>{{L|156}}</ref> This naked power that lay within him was seldom used during the remainder of his time in Middle-earth, as his mission was essentially the same: to support and succour those who opposed Sauron. Nevertheless, when Gandalf's wrath was kindled his "unveiled" strength was such that few of Sauron's servants could withstand him.
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gandalf Returns.jpg|thumb|left|''Gandalf Returns'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
As he lay on the mountaintop, the great eagle [[Gwaihir]] came up and bore him to [[Lothlórien]], where he was clothed and replenished, and given a new staff by [[Galadriel]]. Gandalf soon learned that Frodo had left the Fellowship and was travelling to Mount Doom. As Frodo was beyond his assistance now, Gandalf promptly went south to [[Fangorn Forest]], where he met the [[Three Hunters]]: [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]], and gave them messages from Galadriel. From them, he learned that Sam went with Frodo, and he was pleased with this.<ref name="TT White" />{{rp|496}} Then he called forth [[Shadowfax]], and rode with them to [[Edoras]]. There he found that Saruman's spy [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] had deceived King [[Théoden]] into hopeless impotence. Gandalf quickly deposed Wormtongue and encouraged Théoden to ride west to war against [[Saruman]]. By now, Gandalf was keenly aware that the great war to end the age was beginning; if Saruman conquered Rohan, then Gondor would be alone with enemies on all sides.

At Gandalf's encouragement, King Théoden went west to Helm's Deep where he was quickly besieged; Gandalf then searched for [[Erkenbrand]] and the forces of the [[Westfold]], which he later found and led to the Deep, thus breaking the siege. Meanwhile, the [[Ents]], along with the hobbits Merry and Pippin, moved against Saruman and sent [[Huorns]] against the orcs, resulting in the utter ruin of the outer walls of [[Isengard]] and the complete annihilation of Saruman's orcs. After the battle, Gandalf went to [[Orthanc]] with Théoden, Aragorn, and a small group. There Saruman rejected Gandalf's offer of forgiveness with contempt. Gandalf then broke Saruman's staff and cast him from the Order and the Council.<ref name="TT Voice" />{{rp|583}} Gandalf imposed a strict watch on Isengard by the Ents and then advised King Théoden to ride to Gondor's defence as soon as possible. The wizard's mind had already turned to Gondor and the coming climactic battle in the east.

=====Siege of Minas Tirith=====
[[File:Donato Giancola - The White Rider.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|''The White Rider'' by [[Donato Giancola]]]]
As a 'reward' for Pippin, who had foolishly gazed into a [[Palantíri|palantír]], Gandalf took the Hobbit with him to [[Minas Tirith]], the last bastion of the west. Soon after arriving, Gandalf confronted [[Denethor|Denethor II]], the [[Ruling Steward]], and learned that he was near despair over the death of his eldest son, [[Boromir]]. Pippin entered the Steward's service in payment of the debt that he and Merry owed: the death of Boromir. Ostensibly they were allies, but the Steward treated him with disrespect and suspicion. When [[Faramir]], the Steward's younger son, returned from [[Osgiliath]] and was attacked by Nazgûl, Gandalf upon Shadowfax drove them away by revealing the power within him. Later, Faramir told him that Frodo and Sam were still alive and headed towards Mordor.<ref name="RK Siege">{{RK|Siege}}</ref>{{rp|812}}

The city was soon besieged by a vast force from Mordor, led by the [[Witch-king]]. An ill-advised counterattack resulted in Faramir receiving a wound from a poisoned dart; he lay near death inside the Tower. Still, Gandalf encouraged the men of Minas Tirith to have hope, and dispelled the fear of the Ringwraiths by his very presence. But Sauron's catapults hurled flaming bolts upon the city; soon the first circle of the city burned unchecked. Denethor then lost all heart as the city burned and his only remaining son hovered near death. He abandoned his leadership of the city, and Gandalf then took it upon himself to direct the defence of the city. When the gigantic battering ram [[Grond (battering ram)|Grond]] destroyed the ancient entrance to the city, Gandalf placed himself alone at the ruined gateway. The Witch-king then appeared in the midst of the blasted gate upon a black horse and threatened Gandalf with death; but Gandalf did not move — seated upon Shadowfax he defied the mightiest of Sauron's minions. However, the stand-off ended inconclusively, as the morning arrived along with the host of the Rohirrim. Hearing the horns of the [[Riders of Rohan]], the Witch-king departed.

However, Gandalf did not pursue his foe, for Pippin brought him news that Denethor was about to burn himself and his son Faramir to death on a pyre like the heathen kings of old. Gandalf rushed to stop this, and was able to save Faramir, but not Denethor, whose despair and grief had overcome his mind. Gandalf then learned how it was that Denethor's will had been broken: the Steward clutched a palantír in his hands as he burned.

Nevertheless, and against all hope, the siege was broken. [[Éowyn]] of Rohan and Merry defeated the Witch-king, whose last wail was heard by many as he was reduced to impotence. Soon after, Aragorn arrived with a large host of men from the southern fiefs upon a captured pirate fleet from Umbar. The forces of the men of the west then utterly defeated Sauron's attack against Minas Tirith, relieving the city and killing virtually all of the invaders. Gandalf's carefully laid plans and words of wisdom, along with acts of heroism not seen since the [[Elder Days]], had defeated Sauron's first move.

=====Last battle=====
But the attack against Minas Tirith was only a part of Sauron's plan to devastate the West and make himself the ruler of Middle-earth. Other armies moved in the north against [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]] and the Kingdom of Thranduil, as well as against Lothlórien and other points along the [[Anduin]]. Still commanding vast armies of orcs and men, the Dark Lord soon would move against Gondor again; the remnants of the Edain and their allies had little hope against his almost limitless resources.

In Minas Tirith, Gandalf was selected by Aragorn, [[Imrahil]], and [[Éomer]] (the remaining lords of the west) to be their leader in the coming final battles. This would be the culmination of Gandalf's efforts in Middle-earth. Fully aware that the West would stand or fall on the outcome of Frodo's mission, he advised the lords to drive north to the [[Morannon]], thereby drawing Sauron's eye away from Frodo's likely location. This plan would likely result in a catastrophic loss for the outnumbered army, but it gave Frodo a chance to achieve the quest of Mount Doom.

Led by Gandalf and Aragorn, the army of the West crossed the Anduin and marched north, pausing occasionally to announce their coming, and to dispatch small numbers of men to lesser tasks. Upon arriving at the Black Gate, the forces halted and prepared for battle. As they ordered their companies, the foul [[Mouth of Sauron]] rode forth to parley with them; he revealed Frodo's [[Mithril-coat]] and [[Barrow-blade]] and implied that their owner was captured and tortured. The emissary of Sauron then proposed that the forces of the west surrender; Gandalf however was undaunted, and, seizing his friend's belongings, rejected Sauron's offer. In shock, the Mouth of Sauron turned back towards the Black Gate, which slowly opened to reveal a vast army of orcs and trolls advancing on the lords of the west. Sauron's trap was sprung.

Yet Sauron himself became the victim of Gandalf's trap. Unbeknownst to all, Frodo and Sam had succeeded in scaling Mount Doom. Even as the Battle of Morannon began, Frodo stood at the [[Crack of Doom]]. But the power and lure of the Ring finally overcame his will and he placed the ring upon his finger, claiming it as his own. Immediately the Nazgûl were summoned by their lord, as he in terror realised his blunder: his enemies intended to destroy his Ring.

[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Shadow of Sauron.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''The Shadow of Sauron'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
But Gandalf's foresight proved accurate again as the creature Gollum, who had been doggedly following the Ring-bearer, seized the Ring from Frodo, and, while celebrating his reunion with "his precious," unwittingly fell into the fires of Orodruin. The ring was unmade as the fiery mountain erupted. The tower of [[Barad-dûr]] and the [[Towers of the Teeth]] began to collapse, their foundations crumbling. The Ring-wraiths burned out like shooting stars, and Sauron was reduced to a mere shadow of malice, never to torment the world again.

With Sauron gone, his forces scattered; the Men of the West now set upon them with fury. Gandalf announced the success of the [[Ring-bearer]] and the end of Sauron; the quest had been fulfilled. Seeing that victory was achieved, Gandalf then mounted [[Gwaihir]] the Eagle for the third time, and set out for Mount Doom in search of Frodo and Sam. To his great relief, the two were found on the slopes of Orodruin, clinging to life amid the volcanic eruptions.<ref>{{RK|Doom}}</ref>{{rp|948–51}} The great quest was over.

====End of the Order====
In Minas Tirith, Gandalf and the remaining members of the Fellowship reunited. At the coronation of King [[Aragorn|Elessar]], Gandalf, at Aragorn's request, set the crown upon the King’s head, and declared "''Now come the days of the King, and may they be blessed while the thrones of the [[Valar]] endure!''". Thus Gandalf ushered in the new age of men.

After the coronation and wedding of Aragorn to [[Arwen]], Gandalf left with the rest of the remaining Fellowship on the journey home. For Gandalf, it was his last long journey in Middle-earth. His errand to Arda had been fulfilled; Sauron had been defeated. He said farewell to his friends one by one until at last only the four Hobbits remained at his side. At the borders of the Shire he, too, turned away. He left the Hobbits to settle the affairs of the Shire themselves, for the shattered pieces of evil still remaining in the world were no longer his concern, and went to talk to [[Tom Bombadil]].<ref>{{RK|Homeward}}</ref>{{rp|996}}
[[File:The Brothers Hildebrandt - At the Grey Havens.jpg|thumb|''At the Gray Havens'' by [[The Brothers Hildebrandt]]]]
What Gandalf did during the next two years is unknown; it is possible that his "''long talk''" with Bombadil was just that. At any rate, on [[29 September]] {{TA|3021|n}}, he met [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] at [[Mithlond]], ready to take the [[White Ship]] over the [[Belegaer|sea]] to [[Aman]]. He wore [[Narya]] openly on his finger, and Shadowfax was beside him (perhaps even to take ship with him). His mission was over, and his homecoming after more than 2000 years was nigh. He bade farewell to [[Samwise Gamgee|Samwise]], [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] (the later two of whom he had forewarned of the passage), then boarded the ship beside Frodo, Bilbo, Elrond, and Galadriel. The ship passed west upon the sea,<ref>{{RK|Havens}}</ref> and then took the hidden straight path to [[Valinor]]. Gandalf became Olórin once more. There, presumably, he dwells still in the gardens of [[Irmo]]. Olórin, the wisest of the Maiar and the sole Istar to remain true to his mission, had successfully kindled the hearts of the [[free peoples]] of Middle-earth to overcome the evil of their time. 

==Characteristics==
===Personality===
[[File:Roger Garland - Gandalf.jpg|left|thumb|The Grey Pilgrim relaxing. Art by [[Roger Garland]]]]
{{Blockquote|A deadly sword, a healing hand,
a back that bent beneath his load;
a trumpet-voice, a burning brand,
a weary pilgrim on the road.

A lord of wisdom throned he sat,
swift in anger, quick to laugh;
an old man in a battered hat
who leaned upon a thorny staff.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[The Mirror of Galadriel]]"}}
Gandalf is often described in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' as quick to anger, and equally quick to laugh.<ref name="Lorien">{{FR|Lorien}}</ref> He had great pity and patience, even extending to the servants of his enemies. He is said to have learned both from Nienna in Valinor.<ref name="vala" />
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - G for Gandalf.png|thumb|Gandalf's signature, the [[cirth|rune]] "G".]]
Keen observers of Gandalf often detected a veiled power, usually revealed in his eyes, which appeared deep and wise.<ref>{{RK|MT}}</ref>{{rp|757}} He was alternately affectionate and brusque; he often surprised others with his bluntness when time was of the essence. Gandalf consistently upbraided foolish behaviour, but also richly rewarded those who acted with good intentions.

Hobbits appealed to him more than to the other Wizards, and he often went to the Shire for respites from his errands. It may be that he was amused by their nature. It may also be because they were untouched by the great evils of the world, and were more in touch with nature than Men; perhaps their agrarian lifestyle appealed to Gandalf's innate spirit and reminded him of the gardens of Valinor.

[[Círdan]] the Shipwright divined in him "the greatest spirit and the wisest" out of all of the Wizards that came from the West, and so he entrusted the care of [[Narya]], one of the [[Three Rings]] of the Elves, to Gandalf rather than to Saruman.<ref name="Istari" />

===Appearance===
[[File:John Howe - Gandalf the Grey 02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Gandalf the Grey'' by [[John Howe]]]]

The first description of Gandalf is preserved in the initial pages of ''The Hobbit'', written in the early 1930s. Gandalf's fame is alluded to even before his physical description ("Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion"), while the protagonist's ("unsuspecting Bilbo") impression is that of:
{{Blockquote|...an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[An Unexpected Party]]"}}

Later, [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] wrote:
{{Blockquote|...a figure strongly built and with broad shoulder, though shorter than the average of men and now stooped with age, leaning on a thick rough-cut staff as he trudged along... Gandalf's hat was wide-brimmed [...] with a pointed conical crown, and it was ''blue''; he wore a long ''grey'' cloak, but this would not reach much below his knees. It was of an elven silver-grey hue, though tarnished by wear - as is evident from the general use of grey in [[The Lord of the Rings|the book]]... But his colours were always white, silver-grey, and blue - except for the boots he wore when walking in the wild...Gandalf even bent must have been at least 5 ft. 6... Which would make him a short man even in modern England, especially with the reduction of a bent back.<ref name="MB">{{HM|MB}}, p. 49</ref>}}

Although some of the Wise knew his true nature, his "wizard-like" appearance caused many to mistake him for a simple conjurer. After his return, his "signature colour" changed from grey to white, for he had been sent back to replace the corrupt Saruman as the chief of the Wizards. In the book, he claimed that, in some ways, he now "was Saruman", or rather Saruman as he should have been.<ref name="TT White" />{{rp|495}}

===Powers and abilities===
[[File:Roger Thomasson - Gandalf the Grey.jpg|thumb|''Gandalf the Grey'' by [[Roger Thomasson]]]]
Gandalf demonstrated extensive knowledge of the land and an assortment of magical abilities from trivial to essential.

Gandalf was the bearer of [[Narya]], the Ring of Fire, and described himself as the "servant of the [[Secret Fire]]" and "wielder of the [[flame of Anor]]".<ref name="bridge" /> Many of Gandalf's displays of power were related to fire in some way. It is not known, though, whether or to what extent his possession of Narya affected his abilities.

He created blinding flashes and other pyrotechnics to distract the [[Orcs|goblins]] of the [[Misty Mountains]] during Thorin and Company's escape from [[Goblin-town]]. On the eastern slopes, he turned pine cones into flaming projectiles that threw hot sparks and started fires that would not easily go out.

When the Fellowship was attacked by [[Wargs]] in [[Eregion|Hollin]], Gandalf spoke words of power to inflame the trees on the hillock where the company had camped. While crossing the Misty Mountains with the Fellowship, he was able to start fires under blizzard conditions. On the journey through Moria he created lights of varying intensity, magically secured doors, and broke the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]]. He fought and killed the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog of Moria]], although he did not himself survive the battle.<ref name="bridge" />

Sent back to [[Middle-earth]] as Gandalf the White, he possessed greater charisma and a limited degree of clairvoyance, although he was unable to peer into the land of [[Mordor]] to see the progress of Frodo and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. His power and authority had increased so that he could break [[Saruman]]'s staff with a spoken command, throw the treacherous wizard out of the order.<ref name="TT Voice">{{TT|Voice}}</ref>{{rp|583}} He also prevented Sauron's Eye from locating Frodo.<ref name="TT White">{{TT|White}}</ref>

He frequently used his powers for entertainment. He blew glowing smoke rings that moved around the room at his direction, and was known among Hobbits for his fireworks displays,<ref name="Erebor" /> for example at [[Bilbo's Farewell Party]].<ref name="party" />

When angered or aroused for battle, he seemed to grow in height and assume a terrifying aspect.<ref name="party" />{{rp|34}}

Though not as keen as [[Elves]], his eyesight was sharp enough to see in darkness, and into the [[Unseen]].

===Special equipment===
It is unknown whether Gandalf required his staff to exercise certain powers. At times it appeared to focus or extend his powers, such as its emanation of light. [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] tried to forbid Gandalf from bringing it into [[Edoras]] in a clear attempt to limit his powers.<ref>{{TT|King}}</ref>{{rp|514}}

When he arrived in Middle-earth, Gandalf received the Elven ring [[Narya]] from [[Círdan]].<ref name="Istari" /> Gandalf wore it from that time to the end of the Third Age, but how he used its powers is not known.

In {{TA|2941}}, Gandalf acquired the Elven sword [[Glamdring]] from the treasure hoard of a band of trolls.<ref name="Mutton" /> He continued to wield this weapon throughout ''The Lord of the Rings'', in particular during his fight with the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]] in Moria.

Throughout his time in Middle-earth Gandalf was often seen with a pipe which he used to smoke [[Old Toby]].

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Gandalf.mp3|Ardamir}}
{{Pronounce|Quenya - Olórin.mp3|Gilgamesh}}
''Gandalf'' is a [[North Germanic languages|Norse]] name and supposedly means "Elvish wight with a (magic) staff", for it contains the element ''gandr'' ("a staff, especially one used in 'magic'"). It is a substitution in the English narrative for an unknown [[Westron]] name (on the same lines as the treatment of Hobbit and Dwarf names).<ref>{{UT|13}}</ref><ref group="note">Since the name ''Gandalf'' is attributed to "the North" in general, it probably represents a Westron name, but one made up of elements not derived from Elvish tongues.</ref>

The Men of the North called him so because they incorrectly thought that he was of Elven-kind<ref name="essay">{{UT|Istari}}, citing from the essay on the Istari</ref> and because they knew his alliance and friendship with Elves well<ref name="long note">{{UT|Istari}}, citing from a long note from before the publication of the second edition of ''The Lord of the Rings'' in 1966</ref>.

Gandalf is also the name of a dwarf in the [[Völuspá]], one of the poems of the [[Poetic Edda]]<ref>{{UT|13a}}, "12"</ref>, from where Tolkien got many of the Dwarven names used in his books.

==Other names==
{{quote|Many are my names in many countries. Mithrandir among the Elves, Tharkûn to the Dwarves; Olórin I was in my youth in the West that is forgotten, in the South Incánus, in the North Gandalf; to the East I go not.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Window on the West]]"}}
*'''Greyhame''': Used in [[Rohan]],<ref>{{TT|Riders}}, p. 435</ref> it was the equivalent in [[Rohanese]] of ""Greycloak" which would have been ''grēg-hama''.<ref name="nomen">{{HM|N}}, entry '''Greyhame''', p. 758</ref>

*'''''Incánus''''': Gained during his long travels "in the south" (likely meaning no further south than [[Gondor]] or the [[Near Harad]]<ref name="Istari" />) of [[Middle-earth]] in the mid-[[Third Age]].<ref name="TT Window p. 670" /> Although ''Incánus'' seems to be of unclear language and meaning, a note in the [[Thain's Book]] says it is a [[Quenya]] form simply adapted from a word in the tongue of the [[Haradrim]]: ''Inkā-nūsh'' (or possibly ''Inkā-nūs''), meaning "North-spy".<ref name="Istari" /> ''Incánus'' in Latin means "grey-haired". However, [[Christopher Tolkien]] has noted that the "coincidence in form" might be an "accident",<ref name="Istari" /> his father wrote "Incánus Latin" in a later published manuscript,<ref name="PE1788" /> suggesting that the similarity was perhaps more than a coincidence. Tolkien also changed his mind several times about the meaning of ''Incánus'', besides the etymology given above his other variations were:
**An archaic [[Quenya]] word meaning "Mind-ruler", from ''in(id)''- ("mind") and ''cáno'' ("ruler, governor, chieftain").<ref name="Istari" />
**An adaptation from Quenya ''incānus(se)'', meaning "mind mastership".<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry Q ''incānus(se)'', p. 88 and entry √'''IN-''', p. 155</ref>
**A possible [[Westron]] invention meaning "Greymantle".<ref name="Istari" /> In a draft manuscript of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', different names used were ''Forlong''>>''Fornold''>>''Incânus''.<ref name="WR2V" />

*'''Láthspell''': The name given to Gandalf by [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] when the former arrived at [[Meduseld]]. It means "Ill-news".<ref name="King">{{TT|King}}, p. 513</ref> It is a modernized form of [[Old English]] ''lad-spell'' ("a painful grievous story") from ''lad'' ("causing hate, evil, injury") and ''spell'' ("story", "message").<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 404</ref> In earlier drafts, it is actually Théoden who refers to Gandalf as Láthspell.<ref name="TIKing">{{TI|King}}, p. 444</ref>

*'''''Mithrandir''''': His [[Sindarin]] name ({{IPA|[miˈθrandir]}}), used in [[Gondor]] and meaning "Grey Pilgrim" or "Grey Wanderer", from ''[[mith]]'' ("grey") + ''[[randir]]'' ("pilgrim, wandering man").<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 320</ref><ref>{{PE|17}}, entry S '''Mithrandir''', p. 60</ref>

*'''''Olórin''''': His original name in [[Valinor]]. It is [[Quenya]], and its meaning is associated with the Quenya word [[olos|''olos'' or ''olor'']], meaning "dream" or "vision / of mind".<ref name="Istari" /><ref name="PE1788">{{PE|17}}, Q '''Olórin''' , p. 88</ref> In a draft manuscript of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', occurs the spelling ''Olórion''.<ref name="WR2V">{{WR|2|V}}, p. 153</ref>

*'''Stormcrow''': The name given to Gandalf by King [[Théoden]] in [[Rohan]], a reference to his arrival being associated with times of trouble.<ref name="King" />

*'''''Tharkûn''''': The name given to Gandalf by the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="TT Window p. 670" /> ''Tharkûn'' is [[Khuzdul]], meaning either "Grey-man"<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry D '''Tharkûn''', p. 88</ref> or "Staff-man".<ref name="Istari" /> The word possibly derives from the unattested word ''thark'' ("staff") + a nominal ending ''-ûn''.<ref>Mellonath Daeron, "[https://www.forodrim.org/daeron/md_khuzdul.html An analysis of Dwarvish]" (accessed [[11 October]] [[2010]])</ref> In a draft manuscript of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', occurs the spelling ''Sharkûn''.<ref name="WR2V" />

*'''The White Rider''': The name given to him by Aragorn when he rides the great horse [[Shadowfax]].<ref>{{TT|White}}, p. 500</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In early manuscripts of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', the name ''[[Bladorthin]]'' was used by Tolkien for the character who later would be named ''Gandalf''. The name ''Gandalf'' was instead used for the character known as [[Thorin]] in the published works.<ref>{{HH|Intro}}</ref>

==Inspiration==
[[File:Georg von Rosen - Oden som vandringsman, 1886 (Odin, the Wanderer).jpg|thumb|''Oden som vandringsman'' (''Odin the Wanderer'') by Georg von Rosen]]
[[File:Josef Madlener - Der Berggeist.jpg|left|thumb|''[[Der Berggeist]]'' by [[Josef Madlener]]]]

''Gandalfr''
appears in the list of dwarves in the ''[[Völuspá]]'' of the Elder Edda, the name means "Cane-elf". Tolkien took the name along with the other dwarves' names when he wrote ''The Hobbit'' in the 1930s. He came to regret the creation of this "rabble of eddaic-named dwarves [...] invented in an idle hour",<ref>{{TI|Runes}}, p. 452</ref> since it forced him to come up with an explanation of why Old Norse names should be used in [[Third Age]] Middle-earth. He solved the dilemma in 1942 by the explanation that [[Old Norse]] was a ''translation'' of the [[language of Dale]]. The figure of Gandalf has other influences from Germanic mythology, particularly Odin in his incarnation as "the Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff: Tolkien states that he thinks of Gandalf as an ''"Odinic wanderer"'' in a letter of 1946.<ref>{{L|107}}</ref>

Tolkien had a postcard labelled ''[[Der Berggeist]]'' ("the mountain spirit"), and on the paper cover in which he kept it, he wrote "the origin of Gandalf" at some point. The postcard reproduces a painting of a bearded figure, sitting on a rock under a pine tree in a mountainous setting. He wears a wide-brimmed round hat and a long cloak and a white fawn is nuzzling his upturned hands.
[[Humphrey Carpenter]] in his 1977 biography said that Tolkien had bought the postcard during his 1911 holiday in Switzerland. However, Manfred Zimmerman discovered that the painting was by German artist Josef Madlener and dates to the late 1920s.<ref>[[Manfred Zimmermann]], "The Origin of Gandalf and Josef Madlener", in ''[[Mythlore]]'' [[Mythlore 34|34]] (Winter [[1983]])</ref> Carpenter concluded that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard himself. Tolkien must have acquired the card at some time in the early 1930s, at a time when ''The Hobbit'' had already begun to take shape.

==Portrayals in adaptations==
<gallery class="center" mode="nolines" widths="250" heights="150">
File:The Hobbit (1967 film) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1967 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1967 film)]]
File:Sagan om Ringen - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in ''[[Sagan om Ringen (1971 film)|Sagan om Ringen]]''
File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Gandalf the Grey.png|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Gandalf the White.jpeg|Gandalf the White in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]
File:War in Middle Earth - Gandalf and three hobbits.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
File:David T. Wenzel - One Morning in the Shire.jpeg|Gandalf in [[The Hobbit (comic book)|''The Hobbit'' (comic book)]]
File:LOTR-Gandalf 1990-1--1-.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]
File:LOTR vol. 1 SNES Gandalf in the Shire.png|Gandalf in [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]
File:1121208-ror 010-1-.png|Gandalf in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]''
File:Lord of the Rings Adventure Game - Gandalf.jpeg|Gandalf in ''[[Lord of the Rings Adventure Game]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Gandalf reading the Book of Mazarbul.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (video game) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers GBA - Gandalf, Frodo and Legolas.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
File:The Hobbit (2003) Gandalf.JPG|Gandalf in ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (video game) - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings- The Return of the King GBA - Gandalf.png|Gandalf in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Gandalf the Grey.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings- Conquest -Gandalf fighting Orcs.png|'''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]''
File:Aragorn's Quest - Gandalf the White.jpg|Gandalf the White in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest]]''
File:Gandalf in LOTR- War in the North-1.png|''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]''
File:Lego - Gandalf the Grey mini figure.png|Gandalf the Grey as a ''[[Lego]] mini figure''
File:Guardians of Middle-earth - Gandalf Icon.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]''
File:The Hobbit (film series) - Gandalf.jpg|Gandalf the Grey in [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings Gollum - Gandalf's description.jpeg|Gandalf's description in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Gollum]]''
File:Tales of the Shire - Gandalf.png|Gandalf the Grey in ''[[Tales of the Shire: A "The Lord of the Rings" Game]]''
</gallery>

===Films===
'''1967: [[The Hobbit (1967 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1967 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf's role is drastically reduced. He lives in a tower, where Thorin, the [[Mika Milovana|princess]] and the guard meet him to discuss the killing of [[Smaug|Slag]]. He introduces them to Bilbo, but does not go on the quest.<ref name="Deitch">{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UBnVL1Y2src|articlename=The Hobbit.mp4|dated=5 January 2012|website=YouTube|accessed=10 January 2012}}</ref>

'''1971: [[Sagan om Ringen (1971 film)|''Sagan om Ringen'' (1971 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf is present at the [[Bilbo Baggins]]' [[Bilbo's Farewell Party|111th birthday party]] and dines with [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry,]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]]. Later, Frodo recieves [[The One Ring|Bilbo's ring]] as a birthday present and asks Gandalf about its purpose, having previously seen Biblo disappear with it. Gandalf tells Frodo of the forging of 20 magical rings and asks whether there are any marks on Bilbo's. Gandalf throws it into the fireplace, which reveals [[Ring-inscription|text]] on the ring, confirming Gandalf's suspicion that Bilbo's ring is indeed [[The One Ring]]. He encourages Frodo to bring the ring to [[Rivendell]] and participate in the [[Council of Elrond]]. He was imprisoned by [[Saruman|Saruman the Whute]] on [[Orthanc|his highest tower]] and was able to escape by sending a message to the birds and being rescued by the [[Eagles|Eagle]] [[Gwahir]]. He flys to [[Rohan]] and is dropped off. Gandalf is given permission by [[Théoden|the king]] to take a horse for himself. When looking for one, he discovers a a majestic white horse, named [[Shadowfax]] by the [[Men]] of Rohan. Gandalf notes his beauty, speed and the fact that that no man had ever rode him. Gandalf tames him and rides him to the Shire. He narrowly misses the Hobbits who are in the [[Old Forest]]. Gandalf, unable to meet with the Frodo, and his Hobbit friends who agree to accompany him, at the ''[[Prancing Pony|Prancing Pony Inn]]'', writes Frodo a letter, confirming that the man known as Strider is called [[Aragorn]] and is a man to be trusted. Finally arriving at the Prancing Pony, he hears word that Frodo had set off and he spends the night. The next day, [[Bree]] is stormed by [[Nazgûl|Black Riders]] and Gandalf pursues them on Shadowfax to [[Weathertop]]. He arrives at Rivendell 3 days before Frodo. When Frodo arrives, he is comatosed by his encounter with the Black Riders. He greets Frodo when he recovers, 4 days after the Hobbit's arrival in Rivendell. He reunites with the Hobbits at the Council in Rivendell and tells the Council members of his journey. He agrees to join the [[Fellowship of the Ring]], which aims to bring the Ring to [[Mordor]] and destroy it. The Fellowship sets off with Gandalf leading the group. They take one final look at the House of Elrond and depart.

'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[John Huston]].

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Gandalf was voiced by [[William Squire]]. [[John A. Neris]] played him in the live-action filming used for rotoscoping.<ref>Jerry Beck, ''The Animated Movie Guide'', p. 154 (at [http://books.google.com/books?id=fTI1yeZd-tkC&pg=PA154&dq=%22John+A.+Neris%22&hl=nl#PPA154,M1 GoogleBooks])</ref>

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:[[John Huston]] reprised his role as Gandalf. In this adaptation, the tale is told by a minstrel of [[Gondor]], yet in the story, Gandalf serves as the narrator. Gandalf the White is portrayed without difference from Gandalf the Grey, in ''The Hobbit''.

'''1985: [[The Hobbit (1985 television film)|''The Fairytale Adventures of Mr. Baggins, the Hobbit'' (1985 film)]]:'''
:Ivan Krasko played Gandalf.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:[[Ian McKellen]] was cast as Gandalf. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Perhaps the most striking difference from all other adaptations is the difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. Where earlier no visible or audible difference was made, Gandalf the White is portrayed as much more virile, and with a shorter (and whiter) beard.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Because [[Imrahil]] had been cut from the film, it was up to Gandalf to lead the troops after the madness and death of [[Denethor]].

'''2012-14: [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]:'''
:[[Ian McKellen|Sir Ian McKellen]] reprised his role as Gandalf the Grey.<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> A short description of Gandalf in ''The Hobbit'' films was released by the studio:

{{quote|One of the most powerful Wizards in all Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breating dragon, Smaug the Terrible. Along the way, Gandalf finds evidence that an ancient evil may have found its way back into the world. In order to uncover the truth, Gandalf must leave his companions to fend for themselves – a journey that will take him into the darkest corners of Middle-earth where his worst suspicions are confirmed.|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref name="HobbitApp">{{webcite|author=[[Warner Bros.]]|articleurl=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hobbit-movies/id545808528|articlename=Hobbit Movies|dated=7-September-2012|website=[http://itunes.apple.com/ Apple iPhone/iPad App]|accessed=19-September-2012}}</ref>}}

===Television===
'''1993: ''[[Hobitit]]'':'''
:[[Vesa Vierikko]] played both Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. He appeared in 6 of 8 episodes.
'''2024: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power|The ''Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power'']]'''

:[[Daniel Weyman]] plays "[[The Stranger]]," who is eventually revealed to be Gandalf in a moment of foresight after being called "Grand Elf" by a group of departing [[Stoors]].

===Radio series===
'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Norman Shelley]].<ref>{{L|175}}</ref>

'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided by [[Heron Carvic]].

'''1979: [[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf was provided [[Bernard Mayes]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Bernard Mayes]] reprised his role as Gandalf.

'''1980: [[Der Hobbit (1980 German radio series)|''Der Hobbit'' (1980 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gandalf is played by Bernhard Minetti.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Michael Hordern]] read the part of Gandalf. He had not read the book, and thought his agent made a mistake in telling him how many episodes he had to do. He did not know Gandalf's early death was temporary.<ref>[[Brian Sibley]], "[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/2008/01/this-page-is-still-under-construction_23.html The Ring Goes Ever On: The Making of BBC Radio's ''The Lord of the Rings'']", at ''[http://briansibleytheworks.blogspot.com/ Brian Sibley:The Works]''</ref>

'''1989: [[Hobit (1989 Slovak radio series)|''Hobit'' (1989 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by Karol Machata.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gandalf is played by Manfed Steffen.

'''2001-2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by Martin Huba.

===Games===
'''1982: [[The Hobbit (1982 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (1982 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be met in several moments of the game's story line.<ref>[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ''ZX Computing'', iss. 8304, p. 76] reproduced at [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/archive.html World of Spectrum - Archive] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref>

'''1990: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (1990 video game)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (1990 video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be "recruited" by [[Frodo Baggins]] as a playable character.

'''1990: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan]]'':'''
:Gandalf is one of the main characters of the game and one of the several heroes of the [[Rohan]] faction.

'''1994: [[J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I (SNES)|''J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I'' (SNES)]]:'''
:Gandalf can be acquired as a playable character.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:[[Tom Kane]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable character in several levels, including the fight with [[Durin's Bane]].

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (video game)]]:'''
:The voice of Gandalf is provided by [[Ian McKellen]]. Gandalf the Grey appears at the campsite of the [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]] in ''The Gates of Moria'' and during the fight of [[Balin's Tomb]] in ''Balin's Tomb''. He latter reappears in the game as Gandalf the White at the start of the mission ''The Plains of Rohan'', where he leaves Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli to search Éomer and his army. He also appears in some cutscenes.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)#Game Boy Advance version|''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:In the [[wikipedia:Game Boy Advance|Game Boy Advance version]] of [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]] Gandalf is a playable character. Gandalf's story starts with a conversation between Gandalf and [[Théoden]], after which the story goes back to the [[Caradhras]], where the Fellowship tries to travel over the [[Misty Mountains]]. When that road fails, the Fellowship goes back and travels through [[Moria]]. In Moria Gandalf and the other member of the Fellowship are separated. After finding [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Aragorn]] and [[Gimli]] the fellowship is attacked by a [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] and [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]]. After Gandalf defeats the Cave-troll the Fellowship has to flee for the [[Balrogs|Balrog]]. When they reach the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]] a cutscene is shown, in which Gandalf destroys the bridge and falls with the Balrog in the depths. After the fall Gandalf has to follow the footsteps of the Balrog through the depths of Moria and the [[Endless Stair]] until he reaches [[Durin's Tower]], where he has to defeat the Balrog.

:After being revived he returns as Gandalf the White in Fangorn, where he defeats several [[Trolls]] and [[Crebain]]. After defeating a stronger Forrest troll, named Fangorn troll, Gandalf meets Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. After a cutscene, the game moves to [[Edoras]]. Gandalf heals the corrupted Théoden in Edoras, and then travels through [[Rohan]] in search of [[Éomer]]. Gandalf convinces Éomer to lead his army to [[Helm's Deep]].

:The game ends with the [[Battle of the Hornburg|Battle of Helm's Deep]], in which Gandalf and Éomer fight alongside Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and [[Éowyn]] while protecting the wall, the [[Hornburg]] and the [[Glittering Caves]]. In the final level Gandalf has to destroy the siege weapons that bombard the Hornburg. The game ends with a conversation between Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Théoden.

'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:[[Jim Ward]] provided the voice of Gandalf. He is shown with actual [[magic]]: he can shoot blue bolts of lightning from his staff.

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Gandalf is the narrator, and a playable character. The game is built around him; the cut scene narration shows how he planned for the [[War of the Ring]]. He has several missions, collectively called the "Path of the Wizard". The first is the [[Battle of the Hornburg|Battle of Helm's Deep]], which serves as a training mission. He has to fight [[Uruk-Hai]] in the forest of [[Huorns]] and [[Ents]] in "The Road to Isengard". After that, the missions move to [[Minas Tirith]]: the first mission, "Top of the Wall", has Gandalf warding off ladders and siege towers. In the second, "Courtyard", he has to protect civilians from the invading Orcs. His last playing mission is the [[Battle of the Morannon|Battle of the Black Gate]].

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (Game Boy Advance)]]:'''
:Just like on the console version of the game, Gandalf is a playable character. He has many missions, collectively called the "The Journey of the Wizard". He starts in a flooded [[Isengard]], where he has to kill several [[Uruk-hai]] and [[Crebain]] before he confronts [[Saruman]]. After the defeat of Saruman he travels to [[Minas Tirith]] through Rohan and the Misty Mountains. At the [[Pelennor Fields]] Gandalf has to protect the [[Beacons of Gondor|beacons]], so Rohan can be warned. During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Battle of Minas Tirith]] he has to protect the gate, before making his way to the [[House of the Stewards|Steward's Tomb]]. Here Gandalf has to kill Denethor, before he burns [[Faramir]]. After the battle Gandalf travels through [[Ithilien]] to the [[Black Gate]], where he confronts a Nazgûl.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age]]'':'''
:Gandalf, voiced by [[Ian McKellen]], is a character in [[Electronic Arts|EA's]] "alternative [[Fellowship of the Ring|fellowship]]" game. In his battle against Durin's Bane, he is aided by the main characters.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Steven M. Kramer]], renowned for playing older mentor types.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:In non-storyline skirmishes Gandalf is the hero of the Gondor faction, who possesses several magical abilities. At first, he appears as Gandalf "the Grey", and becomes "Gandalf the White" after reaching level 5 (out of 10). Gandalf also narrates the prologue scene, repeating almost word for word the lines said by Galadriel in the ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''.

:His involvement in the storyline is notable for major differences from the original tale. First of all, Gandalf survives his encounter with Balrog, defeating him at the Bridge of Khazad-dum and continues the journey with the Fellowship - by the time of arrival in Lothlorien he already appears as Gandalf the White. He is present during the ambush at [[Amon Hen]], where thanks to his involvement Boromir is saved from certain death. Merry and Pippin are captured regardless and Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir give chase, while Gandalf departs them to see to dealings in Rohan, including freeing of King Théoden from the spell. Following the Battle of Helm's Deep he travels to Minas Tirith along with both Pippin and Boromir, where they participate in the Siege of the city.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a hero for the "Men of the West" faction. Similar to the first game, he appears as Gandalf the Grey initially and Gandalf the White after level 5. He plays no part in the main storyline, but appears in the alternate "evil" campaign: after Sauron reclaims the Ring and lays waste to southern lands, Gandalf and few other survivors meet their end during a last stand in Rivendell.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a non-playable character voiced by [[Harry Chase]], who narrates cutscenes and instances throughout the original game, before the first expansion. He first meets the Dwarven characters in Ered Luin in {{TA|2941}}, shortly before the Quest for Erebor. Later, characters of all races meet him in Bree in October of {{TA|3018}}, but he is too busy with concerns for Frodo and the Ring and merely sends them away to find Radagast. Finally, the players have a chance to have a proper conversation with him in Rivendell, following the Council of Elrond. During that time, Gandalf is involved in several quests, including helping the player wreck havoc among the Goblins stirring at the [[High Pass]]. After the Fellowship leaves Rivendell, players are able to retrace many of their steps, including the marks left by Gandalf such as the Burnt Top in [[Eregion]] and the remains of his fire at the pass of [[Caradhras]]. Later, Lady [[Galadriel]] bids the player to find the signs of Gandalf following his fall from the Bridge of Khazad-dum - said signs include his burnt hat at the Foundations of Stone in Moria and the signs of his struggle with the Balrog at the [[Endless Stair]] - those allow Galadriel to discern that Mithrandir is not truly dead. Players later meet him as Gandalf the White in [[Caras Galadhon]] shortly after the Fellowship has departed Lothlorien. During that time, he engages into a spiritual battle with a Gaunt-Lord Gortheron the Doom-Caller; his display of his new abilities encourages the band of Free People players and allows them to defeat the servant of Sauron.

:Gandalf is also present in several historic "session plays", during which players witness the important events their characters were not present for. Such events include Gandalf infiltrating [[Dol Guldur]] with the help of an Elf named Raddir, first meeting between Gandalf and Aragorn on the outskirts of Lothlorien and Gandalf's imprisonment atop Orthanc by Saruman.

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:[[Martin Jarvis]] provides the voice of Gandalf. He is a playable mage hero and has three special powers: "Healing Wisdom", "You Shall not Pass!" and "Cleansing Fire". In the good campaign he appears at the end of the Isengard mission, where he has to kill Saruman in [[Orthanc]]. In Moria he can be played to destroy the [[Balrog]] and in Minas Tirith he has to defend the gates of the second ring. He is also one of the four playable heroes in the last mission, [[The Battle of the Morannon|the battle of the Black Gate]]. He appears as well at the end of the last mission, the Shire, of the evil campaign, in which he is defeated by [[Sauron]].
:He is also playable in the Shire, Isengard, Minas Tirith and Moria with the ''Conquest'' Mode, in Isengard and Minas Tirith in the ''Team Deathmatch'' mode, the citadel of Minas Tirith in ''Capture the Ring'' mode, and at the Black Gate, Minas Morgul, Mount Doom and the Shire during ''Hero Team Deathmatch'' mode.

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'':'''
:Gandalf is voiced by [[Tom Kane]], who also narrates the introduction of the game. He tells that heroes like "[[Aragorn|Aragorn the King]]", "[[Frodo Baggins|Frodo the Ringbearer]]" and "'''Gandalf the Wizard'''" are rightly honoured, but that without a few heroes - [[Eradan (video game character)|Eradan]], [[Andriel]] and [[Farin (video game character)|Farin]] - the north of [[Middle-earth]] would have been lost.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]], ''Prologue''</ref>
:He also appears in [[Rivendell]] later in the game. Players can interact with him and learn of various important events, yet the conversations do not unlock any side-quests and do not affect the main story in any way.

'''2012: ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Gandalf is a mage-type "guardian" with four abilities: ''Narya's Power'', ''Flame of Anor'', ''Fireworks'' and ''Gandalf's Might''.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.co.uk/guardians/gandalf|articlename=''Guardians of Middle-earth'': Gandalf|dated=|website=[http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.com/ ''Guardians of Middle-earth'' official website]|accessed=16 July 2012}}</ref>

'''2025: ''[[Tales of the Shire: A "The Lord of the Rings" Game]]'':'''
:At the beginning of the game, Gandalf rides in his cart and discovers the player [[Hobbits|Hobbit]], sleeping on a log. He wakes them and helps them up, giving them a ride in his cart to [[Bywater]]. He gives the Hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]]' map of Bywater and begins to depart. The Hobbit asks him his name and he tells them "[[An Unexpected Party|I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me.]]" before farewelling them and continuing on the road.
{{Notes}}
{{References}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=maiar
| house=[[Maiar|Maia]] of [[Manwë]] & [[Varda]]
| born=[[Creation of the Ainur]]
| died=Sailed west on [[29 September]], {{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Saruman]]
| list=Chief of the [[Wizards|Istari]]
| dates=[[5 March]], {{TA|3019}} - [[29 September]], {{TA|3021|n}}
| nvac=None
| next=Position abolished
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Círdan]]
| list=[[Three Keepers|Keeper]] of [[Narya]]
| dates=c. {{TA|1000}} - after [[29 September]], {{TA|3021|n}}
| nvac=None
| next=Presumably, still Gandalf
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
| prev=Position established
| list=Leader of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
| dates=[[25 December]], {{TA|3018}} - [[15 January]], {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Aragorn]]
}}
{{seq-end}}{{ainur}}
{{Thorin and Company}}{{companyroute}}
{{councilofelrond}}
{{fellowship}}{{FellowshipRoute}}
{{ringbearers}}{{hobbitfilms}}
{{lordoftheringsfilms}}

[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Norse names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[Category:Wizards]]
[[de:Gandalf]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:ainur:maiar:istari:gandalf]]
[[fi:Gandalf]]

The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor

2026-05-11T21:53:45Z

AmonGwareth:

'''The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor''' is a historical-etymological essay written by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] sometime after June [[1969]].

This essay has never been published in its entirety, although parts of it were published in ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', and the remaining parts were published in the periodical ''[[Vinyar Tengwar]]'', issue number [[Vinyar Tengwar 42|42]] in [[2001]]. The Vinyar Tengwar article was based on a version intended for publication by [[Christopher Tolkien]] in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' but was not included due to space constraints, although it is mentioned in the book. It was later published in [[The Nature of Middle-earth]].

According to Christopher Tolkien, the essay's germ was a letter by [[Paul Bibire]] to Tolkien on [[23 June]], [[1969]] inquiring whether the river [[Glanduin]] is the same as that of the [[Swanfleet]]. Tolkien replied on [[30 June]] (in the letter ''[[Letter to Paul Bibire]]''), stating that the [[Swanfleet]] is the same river as the Glanduin, although the former is applied to the upper course of the river. It is from the answer of this query that Tolkien decided to embark on a comprehensive essay of not only the [[Rivers of Gondor]], but also of the [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon-hills of Gondor]], as mentioned in ''[[The Return of the King]]''.

However, like many of his late works, Tolkien never got to finish the essay, abandoning it while in the middle of the discussion of the beacon-hill [[Halifirien]]. However, based on what can be gleaned from this, it seems it is at this point that Tolkien decided to introduce the idea of having the tomb of [[Elendil]] in Halifirien, which became an essential element in the work ''[[Cirion and Eorl]]''. Therefore from Paul Bibire's query arose the history of Halifirien and Elendil's tomb.

The essay is likewise notable for presenting a discussion of the [[Eldarin numerals]].

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor}}
[[Category:The Nature of Middle-earth chapters]]
[[Category:Manuscripts by J.R.R. Tolkien]]

Second Battle of the Fords of Isen

2026-05-11T21:50:32Z

AmonGwareth: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{Stub}}
{{battle
| image=The Lord of the Rings Online - Second Battle of the Fords of Isen.jpg
| caption=Second Battle of the Fords of Isen in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
| name=Second Battle of the Fords of Isen
| conflict=[[War of the Ring]]
| date=[[2 March]], {{TA|3019}}
| place=The [[Fords of Isen]]
| result=Isengard victory, scattering of the Rohirrim
| side1=[[Rohan]]
| side2=[[Isengard]]
| commanders1=*[[Grimbold]]
*[[Elfhelm]]
| commanders2=Unnamed Uruk-hai captain
| forces1=About 2,000 men
| forces2=Over 10,000 Uruk-hai, Orcs, Dunlendings, Wargs, and evil men
| casual1= Heavy
| casual2= Moderate
}}
The '''Second Battle of the Fords of Isen''', also called the '''Second Battle of Isenford''',<ref>''[[The Chronology of The Lord of the Rings]]'', "Men and Friends" entry for March 2, p. 60</ref> was the second of [[Battles of the Fords of Isen|two conflicts]] at the [[Fords of Isen]], of which no clear accounts were ever made. It occurred on [[2 March|March 2nd]], {{TA|3019}}, just seven days after the first battle and the death of [[Théodred]].

==History==
The day after the end of the [[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]], [[Erkenbrand]] of [[Westfold]] assumed command of the [[West-mark]] after he received a message of the fall of Théodred. He sent errand-riders to [[Edoras]] asking that [[Éomer]] be sent at once with all the help that could be spared, but this request was not followed due to the machinations of [[Gríma]].<ref name="Isen">{{UT|Isen}}</ref><ref group="note">The reinforcements with Éomer and the King himself set out in the afternoon of March the 2nd, but that night the Second Battle of the Fords was fought and lost, and the invasion of Rohan began.</ref>

The forces of the West-mark were commanded by [[Grimbold]], while Erkenbrand gathered more forces in the [[Hornburg]]. Meanwhile, the [[Muster of Edoras]], which was commanded by [[Elfhelm]], came to fight [[Saruman]]'s forces at the Fords of Isen. Elfhelm wanted to abandon the fords and wished to hold up the enemy on their eastern side. Elfhelm worried that Saruman would send his army down from Isengard on the east side of Isen, but Grimbold was not willing to abandon the fords.<ref name="Isen" />

Therefore, Grimbold remained with the rest of his men on the east bank, while Elfhelm withdrew his Riders and took up his position north of the fords.<ref name="Isen" />

At night, much of Saruman's army arrived at the fords, and Grimbold had his men form a shieldwall, which held for a long time.<ref name="Isen" /> However, Grimbold, being severely outnumbered by Saruman's army, eventually had his men pull back, and this was done to aid Erkenbrand, who would need as many men as possible during the oncoming assault.

Grimbold, seeing that the shieldwall wouldn't last for long, and realizing that it was imperative for as many soldiers as possible to aid Erkenbrand, ordered his troops to retreat, even though he knew this might be seen as inglorious. In a sudden maneuver, purposefully breaking the shieldwall, Grimbold and his men scattered in the night, turning away from the road. So it was that the greater part of his men survived.<ref name="Isen" />

Saruman had sent two armies from Isengard to attack Grimbold and Elfhelm. One army was sent down the west side of Isen, and the other was sent down the east side. While the western army engaged Grimbold's forces and secured the fords, the larger eastern army dealt with Elfhelm's men, ultimately forcing them to retreat eastwards. After scattering the Rohirrim, the armies began to make their way towards [[Helm's Deep]].

===Aftermath===
Thus ended the Second Battle of the Fords of Isen. The Rider [[Ceorl]] was sent to report to [[Éomer]] about the defeat. On his way Ceorl met Théoden's band, who were already on their way to aid in the battle, only to be told about the defeat. This report made Théoden to retreat to Helm's Deep.<ref name="Isen" />

When they received news from Ceorl, Gandalf rode towards [[Isengard]] with the greatest speed that [[Shadowfax]] could command. He must have met Grimbold and Elfhelm, whom he advised and ordered to go southward to join Erkenbrand and Théoden at the Hornburg.<ref name="Isen" />

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2013: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Rohirrim forces in the battle are commanded by the Lords of the [[Westfold]]: [[Erkenbrand]] of the [[Hornburg]], [[Grimbold]] of [[Grimslade]] and Gladsúnu of Marton, with [[Elfhelm]] commanding the garrison of [[Edoras]]. The advancing host of [[Isengard]] cut Erkenbrand off and pushed him south of the river [[Isen]] and kill Gladsúnu. Grimbold was among the last remaining defenders of the Ford, unwilling to abandon the grave of Prince [[Théodred]]. Seeing their position as lost, Elfhelm withdrew his men east of the Ford and tried to persuade Grimbold to go with them, but Grimbold refused, and Elfhelm has no choice but to leave him behind.
:The player finds Grimbold in despair and willing to accept his death but motivates him to live and fight by telling him that King [[Théoden]] himself had rode to war. They escape the Ford and meet with [[Gandalf]] and Erkenbrand and proceed to regroup with [[Dúnhere]] before Gandalf orders them to march on [[Helm's Deep]].

==See also==
*[[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]]

==Notes==
[[Category:Conflicts of the War of the Ring]]
[[de:Schlacht an den Furten des Isen]]
[[fr:encyclo:evenements:3a:guerres:deuxieme bataille des gues de l isen]]
[[fi:Taistelut Rautkymin Kahlaamolla]]
<references group="note" />

==References==
<references />{{wotr}}

Second Battle of the Fords of Isen

2026-05-11T21:48:13Z

AmonGwareth: Elfhelm's defeat needed to be mentioned as well.

{{Stub}}
{{battle
| image=The Lord of the Rings Online - Second Battle of the Fords of Isen.jpg
| caption=Second Battle of the Fords of Isen in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
| name=Second Battle of the Fords of Isen
| conflict=[[War of the Ring]]
| date=[[2 March]], {{TA|3019}}
| place=The [[Fords of Isen]]
| result=Isengard victory, scattering of the Rohirrim
| side1=[[Rohan]]
| side2=[[Isengard]]
| commanders1=*[[Grimbold]]
*[[Elfhelm]]
| commanders2=Unnamed Uruk-hai captain
| forces1=About 2,000 men
| forces2=Over 10,000 Uruk-hai, Orcs, Dunlendings, Wargs, and evil men
| casual1= Heavy
| casual2= Moderate
}}
The '''Second Battle of the Fords of Isen''', also called the '''Second Battle of Isenford''',<ref>''[[The Chronology of The Lord of the Rings]]'', "Men and Friends" entry for March 2, p. 60</ref> was the second of [[Battles of the Fords of Isen|two conflicts]] at the [[Fords of Isen]], of which no clear accounts were ever made. It occurred on [[2 March|March 2nd]], {{TA|3019}}, just seven days after the first battle and the death of [[Théodred]].

==History==
The day after the end of the [[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]], [[Erkenbrand]] of [[Westfold]] assumed command of the [[West-mark]] after he received a message of the fall of Théodred. He sent errand-riders to [[Edoras]] asking that [[Éomer]] be sent at once with all the help that could be spared, but this request was not followed due to the machinations of [[Gríma]].<ref name="Isen">{{UT|Isen}}</ref><ref group="note">The reinforcements with Éomer and the King himself set out in the afternoon of March the 2nd, but that night the Second Battle of the Fords was fought and lost, and the invasion of Rohan began.</ref>

The forces of the West-mark were commanded by [[Grimbold]], while Erkenbrand gathered more forces in the [[Hornburg]]. Meanwhile, the [[Muster of Edoras]], which was commanded by [[Elfhelm]], came to fight [[Saruman]]'s forces at the Fords of Isen. Elfhelm wanted to abandon the fords and wished to hold up the enemy on their eastern side. Elfhelm worried that Saruman would send his army down from Isengard on the east side of Isen, but Grimbold was not willing to abandon the fords.<ref name="Isen" />

Therefore, Grimbold remained with the rest of his men on the east bank, while Elfhelm withdrew his Riders and took up his position north of the fords.<ref name="Isen" />

At night, much of Saruman's army arrived at the fords, and Grimbold had his men form a shieldwall, which held for a long time.<ref name="Isen" /> However, Grimbold, being severely outnumbered by Saruman's army, eventually had his men pull back, and this was done to aid Erkenbrand, who would need as many men as possible during the oncoming assault.

Grimbold, seeing that the shieldwall wouldn't last for long, and realizing that it was imperative for as many soldiers as possible to aid Erkenbrand, ordered his troops to retreat, even though he knew this might be seen as inglorious. In a sudden maneuver, purposefully breaking the shieldwall, Grimbold and his men scattered in the night, turning away from the road. So it was that the greater part of his men survived.<ref name="Isen" />

Saruman had sent two armies from Isengard to attack Grimbold and Elfhelm. One army was sent down the west side of Isen, and the other was sent down the east side. While the western army engaged Grimbold's forces and secured the fords, the larger eastern army dealt with Elfhelm's men, ultimately forcing them to retreat eastwards. After scattering the Rohirrim, the armies began to make their way towards [[Helm's Deep]].

===Aftermath===
Thus ended the Second Battle of the Fords of Isen. The Rider [[Ceorl]] was sent to report to [[Éomer]] about the defeat. On his way Ceorl met Théoden's band, who were already on their way to aid in the battle, only to be told about the defeat. This report made Théoden to retreat to Helm's Deep.<ref name="Isen" />

When they received news from Ceorl, Gandalf rode towards [[Isengard]] with the greatest speed that [[Shadowfax]] could command. He must have met Grimbold and Elfhelm, whom he advised and ordered to go southward to join Erkenbrand and Théoden at the Hornburg.<ref name="Isen" />

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2013: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Rohirrim forces in the battle are commanded by the Lords of the [[Westfold]]: [[Erkenbrand]] of the [[Hornburg]], [[Grimbold]] of [[Grimslade]] and Gladsúnu of Marton, with [[Elfhelm]] commanding the garrison of [[Edoras]]. The advancing host of [[Isengard]] cut Erkenbrand off and pushed him south of the river [[Isen]], Gladsúnu was killed, and Grimbold was among the last remaining defenders of the Ford, unwilling to abandon the grave of Prince [[Théodred]]. Seeing their position as lost, Elfhelm withdrew his men east of the Ford and tried to persuade Grimbold to go with them, but Grimbold refused and Elfhelm has no choice but to leave him behind.
:The player finds Grimbold in despair and willing to accept his death but motivates him to live and fight by telling him that King [[Théoden]] himself had rode to war. They escape the Ford and meet with [[Gandalf]] and Erkenbrand and proceed to regroup with [[Dúnhere]] before Gandalf orders them to march on [[Helm's Deep]].

==See also==
*[[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]]

==Notes==
[[Category:Conflicts of the War of the Ring]]
[[de:Schlacht an den Furten des Isen]]
[[fr:encyclo:evenements:3a:guerres:deuxieme bataille des gues de l isen]]
[[fi:Taistelut Rautkymin Kahlaamolla]]
<references group="note" />

==References==
<references />{{wotr}}

Second Battle of the Fords of Isen

2026-05-11T06:06:25Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */

{{Stub}}
{{battle
| image=The Lord of the Rings Online - Second Battle of the Fords of Isen.jpg
| caption=Second Battle of the Fords of Isen in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
| name=Second Battle of the Fords of Isen
| conflict=[[War of the Ring]]
| date=[[2 March]], {{TA|3019}}
| place=The [[Fords of Isen]]
| result=Isengard victory, scattering of the Rohirrim
| side1=[[Rohan]]
| side2=[[Isengard]]
| commanders1=*[[Grimbold]]
*[[Elfhelm]]
| commanders2=Unnamed Uruk-hai captain
| forces1=About 2,000 men
| forces2=Over 10,000 Uruk-hai, Orcs, Dunlendings, Wargs, and evil men
| casual1= Heavy
| casual2= Moderate
}}
The '''Second Battle of the Fords of Isen''', also called the '''Second Battle of Isenford''',<ref>''[[The Chronology of The Lord of the Rings]]'', "Men and Friends" entry for March 2, p. 60</ref> was the second of [[Battles of the Fords of Isen|two conflicts]] at the [[Fords of Isen]], of which no clear accounts were ever made. It occurred on [[2 March|March 2nd]], {{TA|3019}}, just seven days after the first battle and the death of [[Théodred]].

==History==
The day after the end of the [[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]], [[Erkenbrand]] of [[Westfold]] assumed command of the [[West-mark]] after he received a message of the fall of Théodred. He sent errand-riders to [[Edoras]] asking that [[Éomer]] be sent at once with all the help that could be spared, but this request was not followed due to the machinations of [[Gríma]].<ref name="Isen">{{UT|Isen}}</ref><ref group="note">The reinforcements with Éomer and the King himself set out in the afternoon of March the 2nd, but that night the Second Battle of the Fords was fought and lost, and the invasion of Rohan began.</ref>

The forces of the West-mark were commanded by [[Grimbold]], while Erkenbrand gathered more forces in the [[Hornburg]]. Meanwhile, the [[Muster of Edoras]], which was commanded by [[Elfhelm]], came to fight [[Saruman]]'s forces at the Fords of Isen. Elfhelm wanted to abandon the fords and wished to hold up the enemy on their eastern side. Elfhelm worried that Saruman would send his army down from Isengard on the east side of Isen, but Grimbold was not willing to abandon the fords.<ref name="Isen" />

Therefore, Grimbold remained with the rest of his men on the east bank, while Elfhelm withdrew his Riders and took up his position north of the fords.<ref name="Isen" />

At night, much of Saruman's army arrived at the fords, and Grimbold had his men form a shieldwall, which held for a long time.<ref name="Isen" /> However, Grimbold, being severely outnumbered by Saruman's army, eventually had his men pull back, and this was done to aid Erkenbrand, who would need as many men as possible during the oncoming assault.

Grimbold, seeing that the shieldwall wouldn't last for long, and realizing that it was imperative for as many soldiers as possible to aid Erkenbrand, ordered his troops to retreat, even though he knew this might be seen as inglorious. In a sudden maneuver, purposefully breaking the shieldwall, Grimbold and his men scattered in the night, turning away from the road. So it was that the greater part of his men survived.<ref name="Isen" />

===Aftermath===
Thus ended the Second Battle of the Fords of Isen. The Rider [[Ceorl]] was sent to report to [[Éomer]] about the defeat. On his way Ceorl met Théoden's band, who were already on their way to aid in the battle, only to be told about the defeat. This report made Théoden to retreat to [[Helm's Deep]].<ref name="Isen" />

When they received news from Ceorl, Gandalf rode towards [[Isengard]] with the greatest speed that [[Shadowfax]] could command. He must have met Grimbold and Elfhelm, whom he advised and ordered to go southward to join Erkenbrand and Théoden at the Hornburg.<ref name="Isen" />

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2013: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Rohirrim forces in the battle are commanded by the Lords of the [[Westfold]]: [[Erkenbrand]] of the [[Hornburg]], [[Grimbold]] of [[Grimslade]] and Gladsúnu of Marton, with [[Elfhelm]] commanding the garrison of [[Edoras]]. The advancing host of [[Isengard]] cut Erkenbrand off and pushed him south of the river [[Isen]], Gladsúnu was killed, and Grimbold was among the last remaining defenders of the Ford, unwilling to abandon the grave of Prince [[Théodred]]. Seeing their position as lost, Elfhelm withdrew his men east of the Ford and tried to persuade Grimbold to go with them, but Grimbold refused and Elfhelm has no choice but to leave him behind.
:The player finds Grimbold in despair and willing to accept his death but motivates him to live and fight by telling him that King [[Théoden]] himself had rode to war. They escape the Ford and meet with [[Gandalf]] and Erkenbrand and proceed to regroup with [[Dúnhere]] before Gandalf orders them to march on [[Helm's Deep]].

==See also==
*[[First Battle of the Fords of Isen]]

==Notes==
[[Category:Conflicts of the War of the Ring]]
[[de:Schlacht an den Furten des Isen]]
[[fr:encyclo:evenements:3a:guerres:deuxieme bataille des gues de l isen]]
[[fi:Taistelut Rautkymin Kahlaamolla]]
<references group="note" />

==References==
<references />{{wotr}}

Seek for the Sword that was broken

2026-05-07T03:45:15Z

AmonGwareth: /* Portrayal in adaptations */

{{unnamed}}
{{Poem infobox
| title="Seek for the Sword that was broken:"
| other names=
| written=After [[August]] of [[1940]]
| revised=
| published=''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', ''[[The Treason of Isengard]]'', ''[[The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien]]''
| subject=[[Narsil]], [[Rivendell]], [[Council of Elrond]], [[Morgul-spells]], [[Doom]], [[One Ring]], [[Hobbits]]
}}

"'''Seek for the Sword that was broken:'''" was a [[Poems in The Lord of the Rings|rhyme]] that appeared in dreams to [[Faramir]] and later his brother [[Boromir]].<ref name="poem">{{FR|Council}}, p. 259</ref>

==Poem excerpt==
<poem style="font-style:italic; margin-left:20px;">
:Seek for the [[Narsil|Sword that was broken]]:
::In [[Rivendell|Imladris]] it dwells;
:There shall be counsels taken
::Stronger than [[Morgul-spells]].<ref name=poem/></poem>

==History==
[[File:Anke Eißmann - After the dream.jpg|thumb|''After the dream'' by [[Anke Eißmann]]]]
When Faramir had the dream, he did not speak of it. He had the dream twice again, and his brother had it once. Neither knew what exactly the "Doom" and "Isildur's Bane" referred to, nor where "Imladris" was. Their [[Denethor|father]] told Boromir that Imladris was where Lord [[Elrond]] dwelt, and the road being too dangerous, Boromir took it upon himself to follow this lead.<ref name="poem" />

==Background==
In a rough outline of the Council of Elrond written in [[August]] of [[1940]], the following words allude to the poem:<ref name="treason">{{TI|C1}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Prophecies had been spoken. The Broken Sword should be reforged. Our wise men said the Broken Sword was in Rivendell.|Boromir at the [[Council of Elrond]]<ref name=treason/>}}

The earliest form of the "dream-verse" was lost along with the page containing it. As a consequence, it cannot be known when [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] first wrote the poem.<ref name="treason" />

In [[September]] of [[2024]], the poem was reprinted near the end of [[Riddle of Strider|entry 156]] in ''[[The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien]]''.<ref name="collectedpoems">{{CP|156}}</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1981: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:The song is sung by [[Matthew Vine]] in a high-pitched voice at the Council of Elrond. It is the reason for Boromir's coming to Rivendell, and it is explained by [[Aragorn]], [[Gandalf]] and [[Elrond]].

{{references}}

{{poems}}

[[Category:Poems in The Fellowship of the Ring]]

Gollum

2026-05-07T03:10:01Z

AmonGwareth: The reason why Gollum goes to Mordor is clearly stated by Gandalf in "The Shadow of the Past." He felt Sauron's call and was compelled to answer it.

{{short description|Stoor Hobbit corrupted by the One Ring}}
{{infobox character
| people=[[Hobbits|Hobbit]]
| name=Gollum
| image=John Howe - Gollum.jpg
| caption="Gollum" by [[John Howe]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Sméagol ''[[Trahald]]'' ([[Westron|W]]) Stinker Slinker
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[Vales of Anduin]], [[Misty Mountains]], [[Mordor]], [[Woodland Realm]], [[Desolation of the Morannon]], [[North Ithilien]], [[Shelob's Lair]], [[Cracks of Doom|Sammath Naur]]
| affiliation=[[Stoors]], [[Ring-bearers]]
| language=[[Westron]]
| birth=c. {{TA|2430}}<ref name=guide>{{HM|Guide}}, p. 167, entry "Gollum"</ref>
| birthlocation=Near [[Gladden Fields]], [[Vales of Anduin]]
| rule=
| death=[[25 March]] {{TA|3019}}
| deathlocation=[[Mount Doom]], [[Plateau of Gorgoroth]]
| age=c. 589
| notablefor=
| family=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=Thin, lank<ref name="Taming">{{TT|Taming}}</ref>
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
{{qtlisten|And when he said 'gollum' he made a horrible swallowing noise in his throat. That is how he got his name, though he always called himself 'my precious.'||''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[Riddles in the Dark]]"|J.R.R. Tolkien - Gollum Quote.mp3}}
'''Gollum''', also known as '''Sméagol''', was a creature (originally a [[Stoors|Stoorish]] [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]) who bore [[the One Ring]]. He lived in the [[Misty Mountains]] for most of his life. In {{TA|2941}} he lost the Ring to [[Bilbo Baggins]]. For the rest of his life he sought to recover his "precious" "birthday present". In {{TA|3019}} he followed the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] and met [[Frodo Baggins]]. After leading Frodo into [[Mordor]] and betraying him to [[Shelob]] he finally seized the Ring in [[Cracks of Doom|Sammath Naur]]. In his euphoria he died and destroyed the Ring after falling into the fires of [[Mount Doom]].

==History==
===Early life===
Sméagol was a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] of [[Stoors|Stoorish]] race who lived on the banks of the [[Anduin]] in the later [[Third Age]], during the time of the [[Watchful Peace]], when [[Sauron]] was in the [[East]]. He belonged to a reputable family led by a stern and wise matriarch, his grandmother.<ref name=ta/><ref name=shadow/>

He had some amount of education in lore, as during his youth he learned of the events concerning the [[War of the Last Alliance]].<ref name=Passage>{{TT|IV2}}</ref> He also knew the [[riddle-game]], and riddles that were known to the Stoors' cousins in [[the Shire]].<ref name=shadow/><ref name=riddles>{{H|Riddles}}</ref>

[[File:Anke Eißmann - Sméagol and the Ring.jpg|left|thumb|''Sméagol and the Ring'' by [[Anke Eißmann]]]]

Around the year {{TA|2463}}, on his birthday, his friend (and close relative) [[Déagol]] offered him a cheap present.<ref name=L214>{{L|214}}</ref> Later that day they went boating in the [[Gladden Fields]]. As Sméagol was nosing around on the banks, Déagol was pulled into the water by a large fish, and found a gold ring. Sméagol demanded the ring as a birthday present and strangled Deágol when he refused, hiding his body.<ref name=shadow/> He thus became the fourth [[Ring-bearers|Ringbearer]], succeeding Sauron, [[Isildur]], and Déagol.<ref name=ta>{{app|TA}}</ref>

After this incident, Sméagol returned home, telling no one of what had happened or what he had obtained. Discovering the Ring's power of invisibility, he used it for malicious purposes, spying on the other Stoors and learning their secrets. Soon he became unpopular and his peers avoided him; they often cursed and kicked him, and he bit their feet. Becoming a loner, he muttered to himself and gurgled in his throat, for which they called him "gollum", and he survived by stealing. Eventually even his grandmother, desiring peace, cast him out of the family [[hobbit-hole]].<ref name=shadow/>

===Exile===
[[File:Cor Blok - Gollum Goes into Hiding.jpg|thumb|''Gollum Goes into Hiding'' by [[Cor Blok]]]]
Following his exile, Sméagol wandered up the Anduin and followed a stream to some deep pools. He lived on fish, which he ate raw. After some time, the [[sun]] began to burn his skin and eyes, leading him to seek shelter in the caves from which the stream issued, high in the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name=shadow/>

The Ring's malignant influence twisted his Hobbit body and mind and prolonged his life far beyond its natural limit. The murder of Déagol haunted him, and he reassured himself by imagining that the Ring had been given to him by his grandmother as a birthday present. He began talking to the Ring constantly, calling it his "[[precious]]".<ref name=shadow/>

[[File:Michael Hague - Riddles in the Dark.jpg|thumb|right|''Riddles in the Dark'' by [[Michael Hague]]]]

For over four hundred years he lived on a small island surrounded by a subterranean [[Gollum's lake|lake]]. He lived mostly on raw fish that he caught from his raft, though he sometimes managed to lay his hands on [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains|Goblins]] that had strayed from [[Goblin-town]]. In later years he began to find Hobbit and [[Elves|Elven]] food repulsive. The Ring's corrupting influence as well as centuries of isolation in the Misty Mountains took a deep toll on him both physically and mentally. He became disfigured and grotesque in appearance, and by the time he met the Hobbit [[Bilbo Baggins]] he was afflicted with almost complete madness.

===Loss of the Ring===
In {{TA|2941}}, during the [[Quest of Erebor]], Bilbo stumbled upon the Ring in the network of caves leading to Gollum's lake, Gollum having dropped it while hunting Goblins. It is possible that the Ring had a part in this, for it was known to have a will of its own. As [[Gandalf]] said later, the [[Necromancer]] was becoming more powerful, and it was a good time for the Ring to change hands and get back to Sauron.<ref name=shadow/>

[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gollum is Defeated.jpg|thumb|275px|left|''Gollum is Defeated'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]

While still unaware of his loss, Gollum met Bilbo and engaged in the famous [[riddle-game]]. Gandalf later remarked that a small part of Gollum was glad to see another Hobbit for the first time in many years, but that this only made the evil part of him angrier.<ref name=shadow/> Following the game, Gollum refused to show Bilbo the promised way out and instead plotted to kill him. Before he could carry this out, he realized his "precious" was gone. Enraged, he gave Bilbo chase. The latter inadvertently stumbled upon the Ring's power of invisibility as he ran, allowing him to follow Gollum to the cave exit. There, Bilbo thought to kill Gollum, but pity struck him, so he instead jumped over him and fled.<ref>{{FR|Ring}}</ref>

===Into the wild===
Gollum spent a further three years skulking in the mountains,<ref name=ta/> but his longing for the Ring eventually overcame his hatred of sunlight, and so he sallied forth in search of Bilbo. Travelling by night, he passed through [[Mirkwood]] and reached [[Lake-town]] and [[Dale]]. He spent his time there spying and eavesdropping, which allowed him to learn more of Bilbo. He then headed in the direction of the Shire, but before he could cross the [[Great River]], he suddenly turned southwards. Gandalf had been tracking him all the while with the help of the [[Elves of Mirkwood]], but he gave up the chase at this time, something he would later regret.<ref name=shadow/>

[[Sauron]] began to summon all evil creatures to [[Mordor]], hoping to build up his strength in the coming years. Because the One Ring had left a permanent mark on him after bearing it for so long, Gollum felt compelled to answer that summons and make his way to Mordor. After some thirty years of wandering he reached the [[Mountains of Shadow]], and met [[Shelob]].<ref name=ta/> Upon venturing into Mordor itself, he was captured and tortured by Sauron, who thereby learned that the Ring had been recovered and was in the possession of a Shire Hobbit. Meanwhile, Gandalf had begun to suspect that Bilbo's ring was the One Ring, which led him to resume his search for Gollum.[[File:Gareth Sleightholme - Aragorn captures Gollum (beardless).jpg|thumb|250px|right|''[[Aragorn]] captures Gollum'' by [[:Category:Images by Gareth Sleightholme|Gareth Sleightholme]]]] In {{TA|3017}}, Gollum was set free, only to be caught at last by [[Aragorn]] in the [[Dead Marshes]], and turned over to Gandalf. Gandalf spent many "weary days" interrogating him, following which he placed him in the care of [[Thranduil]].<ref name=ta/>

===War of the Ring===
In {{TA|3018}}, Orcs raided the Elves of Mirkwood, allowing Gollum to escape. He entered [[Moria]], but was unable to open the [[Doors of Durin]]. Some months later, the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] passed through Moria, and Gollum began trailing it. When the Fellowship broke at [[Nen Hithoel]], Gollum followed [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] into the [[Emyn Muil]]. After a confrontation in which he bit and nearly strangled Sam, Frodo subdued him. Frodo tied an [[Elves|Elvish]] rope around Gollum's ankle for a leash, but the mere touch of the rope pained him. Taking pity on the wretched creature, Frodo made Gollum swear to help them. Gollum swore by the "precious" itself to do so, and Frodo released him. The unlikely company, guided by Gollum, made its way to the [[Black Gate]], the entrance to Mordor.

Frodo's kindness brought out what remained of Gollum's better side, and he made at least some effort to keep his promise. The two had a strange sort of bond from having both been Ringbearers; in Gollum, Frodo saw his possible future, and so wanted to save him so he could save himself. Gollum feared Frodo, and also thought that helping him would deprive Sauron of the Ring.

When the Black Gate was reached and found to be well-guarded, Gollum convinced Frodo and Sam to follow him south, where he knew of another entrance into Mordor. Before they could reach it, Frodo and Sam were captured by [[Faramir]]. Gollum followed the captives to the secret outpost of [[Henneth Annûn]], where he was spotted. Faramir then forced Frodo to aid Faramir's men in capturing the creature, a betrayal that Gollum felt keenly. While questioning Gollum, Faramir learned that the place to which he had been leading the Hobbits was [[Cirith Ungol]]. He warned Frodo and Sam that this was a place of great evil and that their guide was not to be trusted.

[[File:Ted Nasmith - Gollum at the Forbidden Pool.jpg|thumb|''Gollum at the Forbidden Pool'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]

Upon regaining their freedom, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum set out again for Mordor and reached the pass of Cirith Ungol. One night, Gollum visited the great spider [[Shelob]], because he was planning to betray the Hobbits to her and then get the Ring for himself. When he returned the Hobbits were asleep. The sight of Frodo sleeping nearly moved Gollum to repent.<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> However, Sam woke up and spoke harshly to Gollum, and all hope of redemption was lost. Gollum followed through with his plan and led Frodo and Sam into [[Shelob's Lair]]. For this service to Shelob, the Orcs of Cirith Ungol referred to him as "her sneak".

Just as Frodo warned him, Gollum's breach of his oath ultimately led to his undoing, for Frodo and Sam escaped from Shelob's lair and came against all odds to the volcano [[Mount Doom]]. Gollum followed them all the way, seeking a chance to surprise them and take the Ring. When Frodo and Sam had almost reached their destination, he attacked, but failed to get the Ring. Sam, who had hated Gollum on sight, tried to bring himself to kill him, but relented out of sheer pity and disgust, turning his back on the beaten creature.

Moments later, Frodo fell victim to the Ring's power and put it on his finger instead of casting it into the [[Cracks of Doom]] as he had meant to. Then Gollum attacked again. The two fought while Frodo was invisible and finally Gollum bit off Frodo's finger.

Here Frodo's kindness in sparing Gollum's life was rewarded, for Gollum then teetered on the edge of the great pit, lost his balance and fell in, taking the Ring and finger with him with a last cry of "Preciouss!". Had Gollum not lived to play this final part, there would have been a good chance that Sauron would have regained the Ring, as he knew where Frodo was as soon as he put the Ring on.

==Characteristics==
===Appearance===
[[File:Peter Xavier Price - The Stairs of Cirith Ungol.jpg|left|thumb|''The Stairs of Cirith Ungol'' by [[Peter Xavier Price]]]]
Sméagol was a Hobbit, but he spent long centuries in darkness and damp, influenced by the power of the Ring. It is possible that thanks to his hardy Hobbitish nature that he was not reduced to a [[Wraiths|wraith]].<ref>
{{webcite|author=Stan Brown|website=FAQ of the Rings|articleurl=http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#Q1-GollumWraith|articlename=Why hadn’t Gollum turned into a wraith long ago?}}</ref> However, he was reduced to a small, extremely thin and wiry person, with scrawny neck, pale skin, flat feet, long thin hands with clammy fingers, and large pale or green eyes that seemed to glow. His sense of sight, as well as his hearing and smelling, was very good, due to the time he spent underground.

He could move and climb silently like a spider, and although he had only six teeth left,<ref>{{H|5}}</ref> he could give deep bites, even able to bite off Frodo's finger.

===Personality===
Sméagol was quick and strong, the most inquisitive and curious-minded of his community. He was interested in roots and beginnings. He owed [[#Etymology|his name]] to his interest in roots and deep pools; he dove, burrowed and tunnelled under trees, plants, and mounds. He tended to neglect anything that was higher, like the flowers, the trees and looking at the hills.<ref name=shadow/>

During his centuries of loneliness and under the Ring's influence, he seems to have developed something similar to a personality disorder: his "Gollum" personality was a slave to the Ring and would kill for it, overwhelming his former self, who still vaguely remembered things like friendship and love. Not having anyone else to speak to, he often quarreled with himself. Gollum both loved and hated the Ring and himself. He often referred both to the Ring and himself as "my Precious", perhaps confusing the two entities.<ref name=guide/>

[[File:Ted Nasmith - Endgame on the Mountain.jpg|thumb|right|''Endgame on the Mountain'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]

Years later, [[Samwise Gamgee]] would give two nickname to Gollum. Originally, Sam used the name Slinker to refer to Gollum's slinking around before they had captured him.<ref>{{TT|Taming}}, p. 604</ref> He then came to use Slinker and Stinker to refer to the two contrasting sides of Gollum's personality,<ref name=gate/> caused by possession of the [[One Ring]] for so long.<ref>{{FR|Shadow}}, pp. 53-5</ref> Slinker was the fawning, desperate, and eager-to-please, "Sméagol" side demeanour; and Stinker was the plotting and sinister "Gollum" side of him.<ref name=gate>{{TT|Gate}}, p. 638</ref> When he first came into the service of [[Frodo Baggins]] his Slinker side was more prominent but the closer they got to the [[Black Gate]] the more the Stinker side started to take over and Slinker became more like Stinker and Sam started using the name to generally refer to Gollum.<ref>{{TT|Stairs}}, p. 714</ref>

Other aspects of the Ring's corruption was the aversion to all living creatures, especially the [[Elves]] and all things Elven. The [[Elven rope]] burnt his skin, and [[lembas]] tasted like dust to him and choked him.

Sméagol, as a Hobbit, was perhaps good at heart, but he was relatively greedy and mean.<ref name=L214/> Bilbo was corrupted far more slowly by the Ring because his adventures with it began with an act of mercy, while Gollum began his with murder.<ref name=shadow>{{FR|Shadow}}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Anglo-Saxon - Sméagol.mp3|Gilgamesh|The Old English pronunciation of ''Sméagol''}}
Although Sméagol's people spoke [[Westron]] natively, J.R.R. Tolkien notes that he and his kinsman Déagol bore names taken from "the Mannish language of the region near the [[Gladden River|Gladden]]", which was related to [[Rohanese]].<ref>{{App|Hobbits}}, footnote after "before they came north the the Shire.", p. 1130</ref> His actual name was [[Trahald]], meaning "burrowing" or "worming in". As Rohanese is represented in the books by Old English, this was translated as Sméagol.<ref>{{App|Translation}}, p. 1136</ref> Peter Gilliver, Edmund Weiner and Jeremy Marshall derive ''Sméagol'' from the Old English verb [[wiktionary:smeagan|''sméagan'']], meaning "to scrutinize, investigate", and the adjectival suffix [[wiktionary:-ol#Old_English|-''ol'']],<ref>{{HM|RW}}, p. 191</ref> while [[Wayne G. Hammond]] and [[Christina Scull]] derive it from [[wiktionary:smygel|''smygel'']], meaning "burrow, place to creep into".<ref>{{webcite|website=[http://www.bosworthtoller.com/ Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary]|articleurl=https://bosworthtoller.com/28184|articlename=smygel|accessed=13 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 86</ref>

The Old English pronunciation would be [⁠ˈsmæɑːɣol⁠]; however, Tolkien himself used the modernized pronunciation /⁠ˈsmiːgɔːl⁠/.<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlKfe5ze7Ww&t=91s|website=YT|articlename=Tolkien reads - Of herbs and stewed rabbit|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlKfe5ze7Ww&t=91s|accessed=13 January 2026}}</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the first edition of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Gollum did not appear quite as wretched or as bound to the Ring. Tolkien revised this characterisation to fit the concept of the Ruling Ring developed during the writing of ''The Lord of the Rings''. Tolkien then explained the version given in the first edition as a lie that Bilbo made up to tell the [[Thorin and Company|Dwarves]] and [[Gandalf]].<ref name="Christensen">[[Bonniejean Christensen]], [[Jared Lobdell]] (ed.), "Gollum's Character Transformation in ''The Hobbit''", published in ''[[A Tolkien Compass]]'', pages 7-26</ref>

In ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', it is mentioned that [[the One Ring]] was found "''ere the Kings failed in Gondor''". This can mean that originally, Gollum's age was intended to be considerably more than six hundred years (further reinforced by certain places in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' like Gollum referring to tales about an uncorrupted [[Minas Ithil]] or Gandalf comparing his people to "fathers of the fathers of the [[Stoors]]"). In fact it seems likely that Sauron leaving the Mirkwood in 2063 T.A. and some Hobbits settling there after that are details added for the purpose of making the smaller age possible; perhaps in order to make it possible for Gollum and the other characters to have the same language.

==Inspiration==
[[John Garth]] has suggested that the character of Gollum carries echoes of the "''night-haunting, man-eating''" [[Ogres|ogre]] [[Wikipedia:Grendel|Grendel]] in ''[[Beowulf (poem)|Beowulf]]''.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[John Garth]]|articleurl=http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/05/j-r-r-tolkien-beowulf-one-mans-passion-threshold-between-myth-and-reality|articlename=J R R Tolkien's Beowulf: one man's passion for the threshold between myth and reality|dated=29 May 2014|website=[http://www.newstatesman.com/ newstatesman.com]|accessed=29 May 2014}}</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:The Hobbit (1967 film) - Gollum.jpg|[[The Hobbit (1967 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1967 film)]]
File:The Hobbit (1977 film) - Gollum.jpg|[[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Gollum.jpg|[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
File:David T. Wenzel - Gollum.jpg|[[The Hobbit (comic book)|''The Hobbit'' (comic book), 1989]]
File:The Hobbit (2003) Gollum.JPG|[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings- The Treason of Isengard - Concept art Gollum.jpg|[[The Lord of the Rings: The Treason of Isengard]]
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King - Gollum poster.jpg|[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King - Sméagol2.jpg|As Sméagol in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Gollum.JPG|[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Gollum.jpg|''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
File:LEGO - Gollum.png|''[[LEGO]]''
File:Guardians of Middle-earth - Gollum Icon.jpg|''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]
File:Shadow of Mordor - Gollum.jpg|''[[Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings Gollum - Gollum's description.jpeg|''[[The Lord of the Rings: Gollum]]''
</gallery>

===Films===
'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:Gollum is a frog-like green creature, voiced by [[Theodore Isidore Gottlieb|Brother Theodore]]. Here, his "Gollum" noise sounds like muttering instead of swallowing.

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:Gollum is depicted as a skinny, dark grey creature, voiced by [[Peter Woodthorpe]].

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:Brother Theodore reprised his role from the earlier [[Rankin/Bass]] production. Some footage from ''The Hobbit'' was reused to introduce the viewer to the story.

'''2001-03: [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]:'''
:Gollum is a CGI-motion capture creature voiced by actor [[Andy Serkis]]. He is barely glimpsed in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', where he is voiced by [[Dominic Monaghan]] in absence of Serkis.{{Fact}} Gollum becomes a central character in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers|The Two Towers]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|The Return of the King]]''. The ground-breaking CGI character was built around Serkis's voice, movements and expressions, sometimes by using a motion capture suit which recorded his movements and applied them to the digital character, and sometimes by the more laborious process of digitally "painting out" Serkis's image and replacing it with Gollum's. In one such shot in ''The Two Towers'', Serkis' real spittle can be seen emerging from Gollum's mouth.

:In ''The Return of the King'' Serkis himself appears in a flashback scene as Sméagol before his degeneration into Gollum. This scene was originally earmarked for ''The Two Towers'' but held back because it was felt that audiences would relate better to the original Sméagol once they were more familiar with who he became. The decision to include this scene meant that Gollum's face had to be redesigned for the second and third movies so that it would more closely resemble Serkis'.

'''2012: [[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]:'''
:[[Andy Serkis]] reprised his role as Gollum.<ref name="PJCasting1">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=21-Dec-2011}}</ref>

===Television===
'''1993: ''[[Hobitit]]'':'''
:Gollum is depicted as an old, white creature, portrayed by [[Kari Väänänen]], the same actor who played [[Aragorn]] in the series.

===Radio series===
'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gollum is provided by [[Gerik Schjelderup]].<ref name="RT1723">Radio Times, Volume 133, No. 1723, [[16 November|November 16]], [[1956]]</ref>

'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:The narrator refers to Gollum (voiced by [[Wolfe Morris]]) as "Galloom", even though Gollum himself manages to pronounce his name correctly. Gollum's role is based on that of the second edition of ''The Hobbit''.<ref>[[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]], "Riddles in the Dark"
</ref>

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:[[Gail Chugg]] provided the voice of Gollum.

'''1980: [[Der Hobbit (1980 German radio series)|''Der Hobbit'' (1980 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gollum is played by Jürgen von Manger.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Gollum, again performed by [[Peter Woodthorpe]], has the first lines of the play (save [[Gerard Murphy|the narrator]]). He is described as "''slimy and as dark than darkness''".<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)]], "The Long Awaited Party"</ref>

'''1989: [[Hobit (1989 Slovak radio series)|''Hobit'' (1989 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gollum is provided by Karol Čálik.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Gollum is played by Dietmar Mues.

'''2002-2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Gollum is provided by Ibrahim Maiga.

===Games===
'''1982: ''[[The Hobbit (1982 video game)]]'''''
:Gollum appears in the tunnels of the Misty Mountains. He will persistently speak riddles to Bilbo, and strangle him to death if he fails to answer them in time. However, if Bilbo puts the [[One Ring|Ring]] on, then Gollum will not be able to see him. He can also be killed by Bilbo or his companions, even though doing so would seriously conflict with established canon.
'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:Gollum, voiced by [[Quinton Flynn]], is seen thrice: first, in the introduction scene, he is stooping over his precious, dashing away from the camera. He is a creature in colour and clothing much like Jackson's version. He is briefly glimpsed again in [[Moria]], but not more than a dark shape with a green outline can be seen.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)]], "3 Passages"</ref> His most important role is in the final stages of the game: he can be seen atop several ridges, and can even be visited on a rock on the shores of [[Nen Hithoel]]. He throws a [[fish]], the "Xiphiidae", at "[[Aragorn|Ranger]]". This will become the most deadly weapon in the game, and replaces [[Andúril]] in the weapon slots.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]], "Amon Hen"</ref>

'''2003: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' (video game)]]:'''
:Gollum is accompanying Sam and Frodo during [[Osgiliath]] mission and the is the final boss of the game at the Crack of Doom. Unlike all other enemies of the game, he takes no damage from any attacks - instead the players must perform combinations to push him into lava below.

'''2003: ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|Sierra's The Hobbit'']]:'''
:Gollum appears in a cut scene after the level "Riddles in the Dark". Only Bilbo's last riddle - "''What have I got in my pocket?''" - is shown, after which Gollum spouts out all possible answers in one sentence rather than in three turns. Gollum is a dark grey, hobbit-like creature with seven spiky teeth, who walks on all fours like an ape would, and like his Rankin/Bass counterpart, his "Gollum" noise is a muttering instead of a swallowing. He is voiced by [[Daran Norris]].<ref>[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]], "Riddles in the Dark"</ref>

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Gollum is a "Hero" unit for the Servants of the Enemy, used primarily for scout missions.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Gollum is a "Hero" for the Mordor factions. His health is extremely low and his attacks extremely weak, but has value for the scout missions.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:In non-storyline battles, stealthed Gollum is roaming the map. If detected and killed, he drops The One Ring, which can give huge advantage to the side that gets it.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Gollum is encountered thrice, though the player has yet to know his name. The first time he is met in southern [[Trollshaws]], where the player prevents him from attacking the baby of two Fishermen; the second time he is seen in southern Mirkwood, where the player must defeat the Orcs who attempts to capture him, the third time is on the Shores of Anduin, where the player has to make sure he does not fall prey to the spiders.

'''2012: ''[[Guardians of Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Gollum is a striker-type "guardian" with four abilities: ''Throttle'', ''My Precious'', ''Coward'' and ''We are starved''.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.co.uk/guardians/gollum|articlename=''Guardians of Middle-earth'': Gollum|dated=|website=[http://www.guardiansofmiddleearth.com/ ''Guardians of Middle-earth'' official website]|accessed=16 July 2012}}</ref>

'''2014: ''[[Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor]]'':'''
:Gollum is featured in the game as a supporting character. In the game, set between ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', Gollum is searching for [[the One Ring]] and encounters [[Talion]], the protagonist of the game and helps him in his Quest.

'''2017: ''[[Middle-earth: Shadow of War]]'':'''
:Gollum is featured in the game as a supporting character.

'''2023: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Gollum]]'':'''
:Gollum appears in the game as the protagonist character.

==External links==
*[http://lingwe.blogspot.se/2012/12/smeagol-whats-in-name.html Sméagol — what's in a name?] by [[Jason Fisher]]

{{References}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=hobbit
| born=c. {{TA|2430}}
| died=[[25 March]], {{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Déagol]]
| list=[[Ring-bearer]]
| dates=c. {{TA|2463}} - {{TA|2941|n}}
| next=[[Bilbo Baggins]]
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Frodo Baggins]]
| list=[[Ring-bearer]]
| dates=briefly, [[25 March]], {{TA|3019}}
| nvac=None
| next=Ring destroyed
}}
{{seq-end}}
{{ringbearers}}
{{hobbitfilms}}
{{lordoftheringsfilms}}
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Evil]]
[[Category:Hobbits]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Stoors]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Gollum]]
[[fi:Klonkku]]

War of the Dwarves and Dragons

2026-05-04T07:48:11Z

AmonGwareth:

{{unnamed}}
{{War
| previous=[[Wainrider/Balchoth War]]
| next=[[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]
| name=War of the Dwarves and Dragons
| image=[[File:Kevin Ward - Cold-drake.jpg|280px]] "Cold-drake" by [[:Category:Images by Kevin Ward|Kevin Ward]]
| begin={{TA|2570}}
| end={{TA|2589}}
| place=[[Grey Mountains]]
| result=Victory for the [[Dragons]]
*Most of [[Durin's Folk]] leave the [[Grey Mountains]]
*[[Thrór]] re-establishes the [[Kingdom Under the Mountain]]
*[[Grór]] establishes the lordship of the [[Iron Hills]]
| battles=
| side1=[[Durin's Folk]]
| side2=[[Dragons]]
| commanders1=[[Náin II]] [[Dáin I]]† [[Frór]]†
| commanders2=
}}

{{quote|The [[Dwarves]] hid themselves in deep places, guarding their hoards; but when evil began to stir again and [[dragons]] reappeared, one by one their ancient treasures were plundered, and they became a wandering people.|{{App|B2}}}}

The '''War of the Dwarves and Dragons''' is a name given to the conflict that took place between [[Durin's Folk]] and the [[Dragons]] of the [[Grey Mountains]], which took place from {{TA|2570}} to around {{TA|2589|n}}. It brought about the death of King [[Dáin I]] and resulted in [[Durin's Folk]] returning to the [[Lonely Mountain]].<ref name="Durin" />

==Background==
Following the defeat of [[Morgoth]] in the [[War of Wrath]], many Dragons were left in [[Middle-earth]].<ref>{{S|IV}}</ref> Between the [[Second Age|Second]] and the [[Third Age]], the [[Seven Rings]] helped the Dwarves increase their treasure troves and established their legendary [[Seven Hoards]], which however drew the mightiest of dragons and opponents; and over the years they plundered the works of the Dwarves and devoured some of the Rings.<ref>{{S|V}}</ref>

Many centuries before the beginning of the war, the [[Long-worm]] [[Scatha]] had plundered treasure from the [[Dwarves]] and kept it in his hoard. Scatha was slain by [[Fram]] of the [[Éothéod]], who kept the treasure for himself and refused to yield a penny of it to the Dwarves.<ref>{{App|Eorl}}</ref>

==History==
===Prelude===
Following the loss of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] to [[Durin's Bane|the Balrog]], in {{TA|1999}} [[Thráin I]] established the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] at [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. However, in {{TA|2210|n}} Thráin's son, [[Thorin I]], abandoned Erebor and removed his people to the [[Grey Mountains]] to join the rest of [[Durin's Folk]].<ref name="AppB" />

===Conflicts===
{{blockquote|But there were dragons in the wastes beyond; and after many years they became strong again and multiplied, and they made war on the Dwarves, and plundered their works.|{{App|Durin}}}}
The Dragons in the North eventually multiplied and became strong, and in {{TA|2570}}<ref name="AppB">{{App|B2}}</ref> they made war on [[Dwarves|Durin's Folk]], sacking and plundering their halls. The Dwarves held out for around twenty years, but finally in {{TA|2589|n}}<ref name="AppB" /> the Dragons attacked the halls of King [[Dáin I]]. King Dáin, and his second son [[Frór]], were killed by a great [[Cold-drake]] outside the doors to his halls.<ref name="Durin" />

Following the death of their king, most of [[Durin's Folk]] abandoned the Grey Mountains. In {{TA|2590|n}},<ref name="AppB" /> King [[Thrór]] and his uncle [[Borin]] returned to Erebor with the [[Arkenstone]] to re-establish the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]]. However, Thrór's younger brother [[Grór]] led others to the [[Iron Hills]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>

===Aftermath===
The [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills]] and the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] managed to prosper for the following couple of centuries.<ref name="Durin" /> However the threat of Dragons would return: in {{TA|2770}} the dragon [[Smaug]], hearing of the wealth of Erebor, flew south from the North "like a hurricane" and [[Sack of Erebor|sacked]] the wealthy [[Kingdom under the Mountain]].<ref>{{H|1}}</ref> Smaug dwelt in the Lonely Mountain until the [[Quest for Erebor]] in {{TA|2941|n}} which resulted in Smaug being killed by the [[Black Arrow]] shot by [[Bard]].<ref>{{H|Fire}}</ref> Although [[Thorin]] was killed in the subsequent [[Battle of Five Armies]], [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] of the [[Iron Hills]] (grandson of [[Grór]]) became [[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] and [[King under the Mountain]].<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref>

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Wainrider/Balchoth War]]
| list=Major events of [[Middle-earth]]
| dates={{TA|2570}} - {{TA|2589}}
| next=[[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]
}}
{{seq-end}}
[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]
[[Category:Wars]]

War of the Dwarves and Dragons

2026-05-04T07:47:55Z

AmonGwareth:

{{unnamed}}
{{War
| previous=[[Wainrider/Balchoth War]]
| next=[[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]
| name=War of the Dwarves and Dragons
| image=[[File:Kevin Ward - Cold-drake.jpg|280px]] "Cold-drake" by [[:Category:Images by Kevin Ward|Kevin Ward]]
| begin={{TA|2570}}
| end={{TA|2589}}
| place=[[Grey Mountains]]
| result=Victory for the [[Dragons]]
*Most of [[Durin's Folk]] leave the [[Grey Mountains]]
*[[Thrór]] re-establishes the [[Kingdom Under the Mountain]]
*[[Grór]] establishes the lordship of the [[Iron Hills]]
| battles=
| side1=[[Durin's Folk]]
| side2=[[Dragons]]
| commanders1=[[Náin II]] [[Dáin I]]† [[Frór]]†
| commanders2=
}}

{{quote|The [[Dwarves]] hid themselves in deep places, guarding their hoards; but when evil began to stir again and [[dragons]] reappeared, one by one their ancient treasures were plundered, and they became a wandering people.|{{App|B2}}}}

The '''War of the Dwarves and Dragons''' is a name given to the conflict that took place between [[Durin's Folk]]<nowiki/>and the [[Dragons]] of the [[Grey Mountains]], which took place from {{TA|2570}} to around {{TA|2589|n}}. It brought about the death of King [[Dáin I]] and resulted in [[Durin's Folk]] returning to the [[Lonely Mountain]].<ref name="Durin" />

==Background==
Following the defeat of [[Morgoth]] in the [[War of Wrath]], many Dragons were left in [[Middle-earth]].<ref>{{S|IV}}</ref> Between the [[Second Age|Second]] and the [[Third Age]], the [[Seven Rings]] helped the Dwarves increase their treasure troves and established their legendary [[Seven Hoards]], which however drew the mightiest of dragons and opponents; and over the years they plundered the works of the Dwarves and devoured some of the Rings.<ref>{{S|V}}</ref>

Many centuries before the beginning of the war, the [[Long-worm]] [[Scatha]] had plundered treasure from the [[Dwarves]] and kept it in his hoard. Scatha was slain by [[Fram]] of the [[Éothéod]], who kept the treasure for himself and refused to yield a penny of it to the Dwarves.<ref>{{App|Eorl}}</ref>

==History==
===Prelude===
Following the loss of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] to [[Durin's Bane|the Balrog]], in {{TA|1999}} [[Thráin I]] established the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] at [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. However, in {{TA|2210|n}} Thráin's son, [[Thorin I]], abandoned Erebor and removed his people to the [[Grey Mountains]] to join the rest of [[Durin's Folk]].<ref name="AppB" />

===Conflicts===
{{blockquote|But there were dragons in the wastes beyond; and after many years they became strong again and multiplied, and they made war on the Dwarves, and plundered their works.|{{App|Durin}}}}
The Dragons in the North eventually multiplied and became strong, and in {{TA|2570}}<ref name="AppB">{{App|B2}}</ref> they made war on [[Dwarves|Durin's Folk]], sacking and plundering their halls. The Dwarves held out for around twenty years, but finally in {{TA|2589|n}}<ref name="AppB" /> the Dragons attacked the halls of King [[Dáin I]]. King Dáin, and his second son [[Frór]], were killed by a great [[Cold-drake]] outside the doors to his halls.<ref name="Durin" />

Following the death of their king, most of [[Durin's Folk]] abandoned the Grey Mountains. In {{TA|2590|n}},<ref name="AppB" /> King [[Thrór]] and his uncle [[Borin]] returned to Erebor with the [[Arkenstone]] to re-establish the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]]. However, Thrór's younger brother [[Grór]] led others to the [[Iron Hills]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>

===Aftermath===
The [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills]] and the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] managed to prosper for the following couple of centuries.<ref name="Durin" /> However the threat of Dragons would return: in {{TA|2770}} the dragon [[Smaug]], hearing of the wealth of Erebor, flew south from the North "like a hurricane" and [[Sack of Erebor|sacked]] the wealthy [[Kingdom under the Mountain]].<ref>{{H|1}}</ref> Smaug dwelt in the Lonely Mountain until the [[Quest for Erebor]] in {{TA|2941|n}} which resulted in Smaug being killed by the [[Black Arrow]] shot by [[Bard]].<ref>{{H|Fire}}</ref> Although [[Thorin]] was killed in the subsequent [[Battle of Five Armies]], [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] of the [[Iron Hills]] (grandson of [[Grór]]) became [[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] and [[King under the Mountain]].<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref>

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Wainrider/Balchoth War]]
| list=Major events of [[Middle-earth]]
| dates={{TA|2570}} - {{TA|2589}}
| next=[[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]
}}
{{seq-end}}
[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Ithilien

2026-05-04T07:18:07Z

AmonGwareth: /* Geography */ improving the wording.

{{short description|Region and Fiefdom of Gondor}}
{{location infobox
| name=Ithilien
| image=Ted Nasmith - First Sight of Ithilien.jpg
| caption="First Sight of Ithilien" by [[Ted Nasmith]]
| pronun=[[Sindarin|S]], {{IPA|[iˈθilien]}}
| othernames=''Arnen'' ([[Sindarin|S]])
| location=Between the river [[Anduin]] in the west and the mountains of [[Ephel Dúath]] in the east
| type=Region/fief
| description=The fair province of [[Gondor]]
| regions=[[North Ithilien|North]] and [[South Ithilien|South]]
| towns=[[Osgiliath]], [[Emyn Arnen]], [[Henneth Annûn]], [[Minas Ithil]]
| inhabitants=Primarily [[Gondorians]], [[Rangers of Ithilien]] (Briefly inhabited by [[Silvan Elves]] in the [[Fourth Age]])
| created=
| destroyed=
| rebuilt=
| events=[[Fall of Minas Ithil|Falls of Minas Ithil]]
}}
{{Quote|So they passed into the northern marches of that land that Men once called Ithilien, a fair country of climbing woods and swift-falling streams.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit]]"}}
'''Ithilien''' was a region and fiefdom of [[Gondor]].

==Geography==
[[File:Matěj Čadil - Ithilien.jpg|right|thumb|''Ithilien'' by [[Matěj Čadil]]]]
Ithilien was a region of Gondor for most of its history. Its borders were probably the [[Nindalf]] in the north,<ref name="VT">{{VT|42a}}, p. 17</ref> the [[Ephel Dúath]] in the east, the river [[Poros]] in the south, and the river [[Anduin]] in the west.<ref>{{HM|UI}}, entry ''Gondor'', p. 17</ref><ref name="MapRohan">{{RK|Map}}</ref> The region was further divided into [[North Ithilien|North]] and [[South Ithilien]]. The division was probably at the river [[Morgulduin]], or at the east-west-road from [[Osgiliath]] to [[Minas Morgul]].<ref name="MapRohan" /> The [[Emyn Arnen]] were located in South Ithilien.<ref name="MT">{{RK|MT}}</ref>

Ithilien was a sheltered region. It was shielded from the east by the Ephel Dúath, protected from the north by the [[Emyn Muil]], and it was open to the southern airs and the moist winds from the sea.<ref name="Herbs">{{TT|Herbs}}</ref>

Small woods of resinous trees, fir, cedar, cypress, groves and thickets of tamarisk and terebinth, olive trees, bay,<ref name="Herbs" /> great ilexes of huge girth, ash-trees and giant oaks<ref name="Journey">{{TT|Journey}}</ref> grew in Ithilien. There were also junipers, myrtles, thymes, sages of many kinds, marjorams, parsleys, and many herbs of forms and scents beyond the garden-lore of Sam. In addition, there were saxifrages, stonecrops, primeroles, [[anemones]], filbert-brakes, [[asphodel]], [[lilies]], roses, [[iris]]es, [[water-lilies]], briars, [[eglantine]]s and trailing clematises.<ref name="Herbs" /> Furthermore, grass, celandine and acres populous with the leaves of woodland hyacinths<ref name="Journey" /> grew in Ithilien.

[[Lebethron]]<ref name="Journey" /> and [[Culumalda]] grew especially in the woods around the [[Field of Cormallen]].<ref name="RC">{{HM|UI}}, pp. 625-6</ref><ref name="SApp">{{S|Appendix}}, entry for ''mal-''</ref>

==History==
===Early history===
Historians in [[Gondor]] believed that, in the [[First Age]], the [[Drúedain|Woses]] reached the region and were the first to cross the [[Anduin]] (probably near [[Cair Andros]]).<ref>{{UT|12b}}</ref>

Old records preserved in [[Gondor]] indicate that the name ''Arnen'' was once used for the larger part of the region during the [[Second Age]].<ref name="VT" />
When [[Elendil]] and his sons founded the [[Realms in Exile]], Ithilien took its name after his son, [[Isildur]].<ref name="Nomenclature">{{HM|N}}, entry Sunlending, p. 776</ref> Ithilien was the territory of Isildur and was governed from [[Minas Ithil]]<ref name="Ithilien">{{HM|UI}}, entry ''Ithilien'', p. 233</ref> [[Minas Ithil]], the Tower of the Moon, had been built as a strong place that could threaten [[Mordor]]. In Minas Ithil stood the house of Isildur.<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref> It was [[First Fall of Minas Ithil|briefly captured]] by [[Sauron]] in {{SA|3429}},<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}, entry for the year 3429</ref> but was restored later. The [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] was built by Gondor as an eastern outpost of the defences of Ithilien after the Last Alliance.<ref>{{RK|Tower}}</ref> Ithilien was a fair and prosperous land during the [[Second Age]] and the first part of the [[Third Age]] when Gondor was strong and Mordor deserted.

===Invasions by Easterlings and Haradrim===
In {{TA|490}} during the reign of King [[Ostoher]], [[Easterlings]] invaded Gondor, probably through northern Ithilien. In {{TA|500}}, his son, [[Tarostar]], defeated them and drove them out of Gondor.<ref name="Ostoher">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Ostoher and King Tarostar</ref><ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>

The [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] was also defending Ithilien from attacks from Sauron's remaining servants and stopped them from returning to Mordor, guarding the high pass over the [[Ephel Dúath]]. Gondor occupied the fortress until {{TA|1636}} when the [[Great Plague]] killed large parts of the population. During the plague, most of the people of [[Osgiliath]] fled the city for the western dales or the woods of Ithilien.

After the disastrous [[Battle of the Plains]] in {{TA|1856}} the Gondorian territories north of Ithilien and east of the river Anduin were abandoned by Gondor.<ref name="Northmen">{{UT|Northmen}}</ref><ref name="Narmacil II">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Narmacil II</ref>

In {{TA|1899}}, Marhwini warned [[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|King Calimehtar]] that the [[Wainriders]] were plotting to raid [[Calenardhon]] over the [[Undeeps]]. Calimehtar, therefore, provoked the Wainriders out of Ithilien, and his horsemen, joined by a large [[éored]] led by [[Marhwini]], drove the Wainriders back.<ref name="Cirion" /><ref name="Calimehtar">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Calimehtar</ref>

In {{TA|1944}}, [[Wainriders]] from [[Rhûn]] made an alliance with the [[Haradrim]], and a dual attack on Ithilien was launched. While the Wainriders assaulted Ithilien from the north, the armies of the Haradrim crossed the [[Poros]] and invaded [[South Ithilien]]. The Gondorian [[Captain of the Southern Army|Captain]] [[Earnil II|Eärnil]] leading Gondor's inferior [[Southern Army]], defeated the Haradrim, and then turned north, [[Battle of the Camp|took]] the Wainriders by surprise and pushed many of them into the swamplands of the [[Dead Marshes]].<ref name="Ondoher">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Ondoher and King Eärnil</ref>

===Desertion===
When Minas Ithil was captured by Mordor in {{TA|2002}} after a three year [[Second Fall of Minas Ithil|long siege]], it was renamed [[Minas Morgul]], the Tower of Black Sorcery, a place of dread, and many of the people that still remained in Ithilien deserted it.<ref name="Ondoher" />

During the [[Watchful Peace]], the lords of Morgul had secretly bred the [[Uruk-hai]], and in {{TA|2475}} these creatures assailed and overran Ithilien and captured [[Osgiliath]]. [[Boromir (Steward of Gondor)|Boromir]] defeated the host of Morgul and regained Ithilien. However, from that time on no people dwelt in the ruined city of Osgiliath.<ref name="stew">{{App|Stewards}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Terrace at Henneth Annûn.jpg|left|thumb|''The Terrace at Henneth Annûn'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
[[Amon Dîn]] was used as a fortified outpost in [[Anorien]], and it kept watch over the passage into North Ithilien from [[Dagorlad]], as well as any attempted crossings of the [[Anduin]] near [[Cair Andros]].<ref name="Cirion">{{UT|Cirion}}, (iii) Cirion and Eorl and note 35</ref><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 510</ref>

In the days of Steward [[Túrin II]], Ithilien was infested by [[Mordor-orcs]] and more people fled west over the [[Anduin]]; only the hardiest people remained in the land.<ref name="stew" />

In {{TA|2885}}, Ithilien was invaded in great strength by [[Haradrim]] that had occupied [[South Gondor]]. With the aid of King [[Folcwine]] of [[Rohan]], Túrin II won a victory at the [[Crossings of Poros]], though the princes [[Fastred (son of Folcwine)|Fastred]] and [[Folcred]] were slain.<ref name="TA" />

Most of the remaining people of Ithilien fled across the [[Anduin]] to escape further attacks by [[Uruks]] from Mordor ({{TA|2901}}),<ref name="TA" /> but Túrin II still kept scouts there, operating out of secret refuges such as [[Henneth Annûn]]. [[Sauron]] returned to [[Mordor]] in {{TA|2951}}, and the last remaining people of Ithilien fled over the [[Anduin]] when [[Mount Doom]] erupted in {{TA|2954}}.<ref name="TA" /><ref name="stew" /> The [[Rammas Echor]] was constructed as part of the necessary defences of [[Gondor]] after Ithilien fell under the shadow of the Enemy, probably during the days of Steward [[Ecthelion II]].<ref name="MT" /><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 546</ref> The descendants of the people who had dwelt in Ithilien formed the corps of the [[Rangers of Ithilien]].<ref name="Herbs" />

===War of the Ring===
During the [[War of the Ring]], in early March {{TA|3019}}, [[Faramir]] the son of the Steward [[Denethor]], was leading the [[Rangers of Ithilien]] to ambush Haradrim who would pass through Ithilien.<ref name="Herbs" /> After that [[Gollum]] led [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] through Ithilien on their way to [[Cirith Ungol]] and into Mordor, and Faramir allowed them to continue when he was satisfied they were not agents of [[Sauron]].
[[File:John Howe - The Mumakil of Harad.jpg|200px|thumb|''The Mumakil of Harad'' by [[John Howe]]]]
When the [[Host of the West]] marched on the [[Morannon]], their scouts, men from [[Henneth Annûn]] led by [[Mablung (ranger of Ithilien)|Mablung]] discovered an ambush by Orcs and Easterlings that lay hidden in Ithilien at the same place where Faramir and his men had previously ambushed the men of Harad. The ambush was quickly turned when horsemen bypassed the Orcs and Easterlings and attacked them on their flank and from behind.<ref>{{RK|V10}}</ref>

===Later history===
After the fall of Sauron Faramir retained the title of Steward. In addition, King Aragorn gave Ithilien to Faramir to be his princedom and ordered him to live in [[Emyn Arnen]] as the [[Prince of Ithilien]]. Minas Morgul was destroyed and not repopulated.<ref>{{RK|Steward}}</ref> Faramir married [[Éowyn]] after the funeral of King Théoden in {{TA|3019}}.<ref name="partings">{{RK|Partings}}</ref><ref name="chief">{{App|Chief}}</ref> As the march-warden of Gondor in its main eastern outpost the Prince of Ithilien had the duty to rehabilitate the lost territory and to clear it from Orcs and outlaws.<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 634</ref><ref>{{L|244}}</ref>

After the fall of Sauron, Legolas brought south some of the [[Elves of Mirkwood]] where they dwelt in Ithilien, it becoming once again the fairest country in all the Westlands.<ref name="durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> Legolas devised gardens for the house of Faramir and Éowyn in Emyn Arnen.<ref>{{PM|Elendil}}, Commentary, The Stewards of Gondor, entry for Steward Faramir</ref> After King Aragorn died, Legolas built a grey ship and sailed from Ithilien to the West, reportedly taking Gimli with him.<ref name="durin" /><ref>{{app|Later}}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Ithilien.mp3|Ardamir}}
''Ithilien'' is a [[Sindarin]] name. It means "land of the moon".<ref name="Ithilien" /> It is a compound of [[Ithil]] ("Moon")<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''[[sil]]''</ref> and the plural form ''[[-nd|ien]]'' of the place name suffix ''-ian(d)''.<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry S '''Eregion'''. p. 42</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-3354952041.html|articlename=S. ''Ithilien'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=06 February 2022}}</ref>

The name does not refer to the moon or the climate, but is related to the 'heraldic' name of [[Isildur]], the son of [[Elendil]]. It is the counterpart of [[Anorien]], the "Land of the Sun".<ref name="Nomenclature" />

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''[[1987]]-[[1996|96]]: ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
:The ''[[Sea-Lords of Gondor]] - Pelargir and Lebennin'' campaign module contains a detailed map that includes Ithilien.

:The ''[[Southern Gondor: The Land]]'' module contains information about settlements and sites, the history, geography, flora and fauna, inhabitants, politics and power and warcraft of Harithilien. It is mentioned that the Emyn Arnen define the boundary dividing Harithilien (South Ithilien) from Forithilien (North Ithilien).

:In the ''[[The Tower of Cirith Ungol and Shelob's Lair]]'' module there are five adventures that take place in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, Shelob's Lair and the surrounding area. It is mentioned that the river Ithilduin (later renamed to Morgulduin) divides Ithilien into Northern and Southern provinces.

:In the ''[[Ghosts of the Southern Anduin]]'' adventure module there are four adventures that take place in and around the town of Bar-en-Tinnen in Ithilien (renamed to Bar-en-Dinnen in ''Southern Gondor: The Land'').

:In the ''[[Gates of Mordor (book)|Gates of Mordor]]'' adventure module there are two adventures that take place in North Ithilien and one adventure that takes place in [[Durthang]] in the northern Ephel Dúath.

:The ''[[Minas Ithil (book)|Minas Ithil]]'' city module contains detailed information about Minas Ithil (later renamed to Minas Morgul) in T.A. 1640 and three adventures that take place in Minas Ithil.

:''[[The Kin-strife]] campaign module contains detailed information about Minas Ithil (later renamed to Minas Morgul) during the time of the [[Kin-strife]] and three adventures that take place in Minas Ithil.''

'''2015: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Ithilien (North) map.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Map of North Ithilien in''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'' ]]

:Ithilien is split into two game regions, each covering the portion located either north or south of the Cross-roads. Unlike other similar cases in the game, the separation is chronological as well as geographical: South Ithilien is story-wise set before the [[Siege of Gondor]] begins in full, while North Ithilien is set after the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], with the [[Army of the West|Host of the West]] marching towards the [[Black Gate]].

[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Ithilien (South) map.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Map of South Ithilien in''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'' ]]
In the South Ithilien, the main stronghold of the [[Rangers of Ithilien]] is ''Bâr Hurin'' commanded by [[Anborn]], which is later overrun during the war. In the North Ithilien, ''Bâr Aroth'' and ''Bâr Tarnaher'' are similarly overrun, while ''Aelin Veren'' was only briefly passed by and has since been reclaimed from the Enemy. The secrecy of [[Henneth Annûn]] has been abandoned, as it is used to support the Host of the West during its march and would serve no further purpose should its mission fail.

{{references}}
{{FellowshipRoute}}
[[Category:Gondor]]
[[Category:Noldorin locations]]
[[Category:Regions of Gondor]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/regions/gondor/ithilien]]

Ithilien

2026-05-04T07:15:48Z

AmonGwareth: /* Desertion */ grammar and wording.

{{short description|Region and Fiefdom of Gondor}}
{{location infobox
| name=Ithilien
| image=Ted Nasmith - First Sight of Ithilien.jpg
| caption="First Sight of Ithilien" by [[Ted Nasmith]]
| pronun=[[Sindarin|S]], {{IPA|[iˈθilien]}}
| othernames=''Arnen'' ([[Sindarin|S]])
| location=Between the river [[Anduin]] in the west and the mountains of [[Ephel Dúath]] in the east
| type=Region/fief
| description=The fair province of [[Gondor]]
| regions=[[North Ithilien|North]] and [[South Ithilien|South]]
| towns=[[Osgiliath]], [[Emyn Arnen]], [[Henneth Annûn]], [[Minas Ithil]]
| inhabitants=Primarily [[Gondorians]], [[Rangers of Ithilien]] (Briefly inhabited by [[Silvan Elves]] in the [[Fourth Age]])
| created=
| destroyed=
| rebuilt=
| events=[[Fall of Minas Ithil|Falls of Minas Ithil]]
}}
{{Quote|So they passed into the northern marches of that land that Men once called Ithilien, a fair country of climbing woods and swift-falling streams.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit]]"}}
'''Ithilien''' was a region and fiefdom of [[Gondor]].

==Geography==
[[File:Matěj Čadil - Ithilien.jpg|right|thumb|''Ithilien'' by [[Matěj Čadil]]]]
Ithilien was a region of Gondor during most of the time in the history of Gondor. Its borders were probably the [[Nindalf]] in the north,<ref name="VT">{{VT|42a}}, p. 17</ref> the [[Ephel Dúath]] in the east, the river [[Poros]] in the south, and the river [[Anduin]] in the west.<ref>{{HM|UI}}, entry ''Gondor'', p. 17</ref><ref name="MapRohan">{{RK|Map}}</ref> The region was further divided into [[North Ithilien|North]] and [[South Ithilien]]. The division was probably at the river [[Morgulduin]] or at the east-west-road from [[Osgiliath]] to [[Minas Morgul]].<ref name="MapRohan" /> The [[Emyn Arnen]] were located in South Ithilien.<ref name="MT">{{RK|MT}}</ref>

Ithilien was a sheltered region. It was shielded from the east by the Ephel Dúath, protected from the north by the [[Emyn Muil]], open to the southern airs and the moist winds from the sea.<ref name="Herbs">{{TT|Herbs}}</ref>

Small woods of resinous trees, fir, cedar, cypress, groves and thickets of tamarisk and terebinth, olive trees, bay,<ref name="Herbs" /> great ilexes of huge girth, ash-trees and giant oaks<ref name="Journey">{{TT|Journey}}</ref> grew in Ithilien. There were also junipers, myrtles, thymes, sages of many kinds, marjorams, parsleys, and many herbs of forms and scents beyond the garden-lore of Sam. In addition, there were saxifrages, stonecrops, primeroles, [[anemones]], filbert-brakes, [[asphodel]], [[lilies]], roses, [[iris]]es, [[water-lilies]], briars, [[eglantine]]s and trailing clematises.<ref name="Herbs" /> Furthermore, grass, celandine and acres populous with the leaves of woodland hyacinths<ref name="Journey" /> grew in Ithilien.

[[Lebethron]]<ref name="Journey" /> and [[Culumalda]] grew especially in the woods around the [[Field of Cormallen]].<ref name="RC">{{HM|UI}}, pp. 625-6</ref><ref name="SApp">{{S|Appendix}}, entry for ''mal-''</ref>

==History==
===Early history===
Historians in [[Gondor]] believed that, in the [[First Age]], the [[Drúedain|Woses]] reached the region and were the first to cross the [[Anduin]] (probably near [[Cair Andros]]).<ref>{{UT|12b}}</ref>

Old records preserved in [[Gondor]] indicate that the name ''Arnen'' was once used for the larger part of the region during the [[Second Age]].<ref name="VT" />
When [[Elendil]] and his sons founded the [[Realms in Exile]], Ithilien took its name after his son, [[Isildur]].<ref name="Nomenclature">{{HM|N}}, entry Sunlending, p. 776</ref> Ithilien was the territory of Isildur and was governed from [[Minas Ithil]]<ref name="Ithilien">{{HM|UI}}, entry ''Ithilien'', p. 233</ref> [[Minas Ithil]], the Tower of the Moon, had been built as a strong place that could threaten [[Mordor]]. In Minas Ithil stood the house of Isildur.<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref> It was [[First Fall of Minas Ithil|briefly captured]] by [[Sauron]] in {{SA|3429}},<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}, entry for the year 3429</ref> but was restored later. The [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] was built by Gondor as an eastern outpost of the defences of Ithilien after the Last Alliance.<ref>{{RK|Tower}}</ref> Ithilien was a fair and prosperous land during the [[Second Age]] and the first part of the [[Third Age]] when Gondor was strong and Mordor deserted.

===Invasions by Easterlings and Haradrim===
In {{TA|490}} during the reign of King [[Ostoher]], [[Easterlings]] invaded Gondor, probably through northern Ithilien. In {{TA|500}}, his son, [[Tarostar]], defeated them and drove them out of Gondor.<ref name="Ostoher">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Ostoher and King Tarostar</ref><ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>

The [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] was also defending Ithilien from attacks from Sauron's remaining servants and stopped them from returning to Mordor, guarding the high pass over the [[Ephel Dúath]]. Gondor occupied the fortress until {{TA|1636}} when the [[Great Plague]] killed large parts of the population. During the plague, most of the people of [[Osgiliath]] fled the city for the western dales or the woods of Ithilien.

After the disastrous [[Battle of the Plains]] in {{TA|1856}} the Gondorian territories north of Ithilien and east of the river Anduin were abandoned by Gondor.<ref name="Northmen">{{UT|Northmen}}</ref><ref name="Narmacil II">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Narmacil II</ref>

In {{TA|1899}}, Marhwini warned [[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|King Calimehtar]] that the [[Wainriders]] were plotting to raid [[Calenardhon]] over the [[Undeeps]]. Calimehtar, therefore, provoked the Wainriders out of Ithilien, and his horsemen, joined by a large [[éored]] led by [[Marhwini]], drove the Wainriders back.<ref name="Cirion" /><ref name="Calimehtar">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Calimehtar</ref>

In {{TA|1944}}, [[Wainriders]] from [[Rhûn]] made an alliance with the [[Haradrim]], and a dual attack on Ithilien was launched. While the Wainriders assaulted Ithilien from the north, the armies of the Haradrim crossed the [[Poros]] and invaded [[South Ithilien]]. The Gondorian [[Captain of the Southern Army|Captain]] [[Earnil II|Eärnil]] leading Gondor's inferior [[Southern Army]], defeated the Haradrim, and then turned north, [[Battle of the Camp|took]] the Wainriders by surprise and pushed many of them into the swamplands of the [[Dead Marshes]].<ref name="Ondoher">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Ondoher and King Eärnil</ref>

===Desertion===
When Minas Ithil was captured by Mordor in {{TA|2002}} after a three year [[Second Fall of Minas Ithil|long siege]], it was renamed [[Minas Morgul]], the Tower of Black Sorcery, a place of dread, and many of the people that still remained in Ithilien deserted it.<ref name="Ondoher" />

During the [[Watchful Peace]], the lords of Morgul had secretly bred the [[Uruk-hai]], and in {{TA|2475}} these creatures assailed and overran Ithilien and captured [[Osgiliath]]. [[Boromir (Steward of Gondor)|Boromir]] defeated the host of Morgul and regained Ithilien. However, from that time on no people dwelt in the ruined city of Osgiliath.<ref name="stew">{{App|Stewards}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Terrace at Henneth Annûn.jpg|left|thumb|''The Terrace at Henneth Annûn'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
[[Amon Dîn]] was used as a fortified outpost in [[Anorien]], and it kept watch over the passage into North Ithilien from [[Dagorlad]], as well as any attempted crossings of the [[Anduin]] near [[Cair Andros]].<ref name="Cirion">{{UT|Cirion}}, (iii) Cirion and Eorl and note 35</ref><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 510</ref>

In the days of Steward [[Túrin II]], Ithilien was infested by [[Mordor-orcs]] and more people fled west over the [[Anduin]]; only the hardiest people remained in the land.<ref name="stew" />

In {{TA|2885}}, Ithilien was invaded in great strength by [[Haradrim]] that had occupied [[South Gondor]]. With the aid of King [[Folcwine]] of [[Rohan]], Túrin II won a victory at the [[Crossings of Poros]], though the princes [[Fastred (son of Folcwine)|Fastred]] and [[Folcred]] were slain.<ref name="TA" />

Most of the remaining people of Ithilien fled across the [[Anduin]] to escape further attacks by [[Uruks]] from Mordor ({{TA|2901}}),<ref name="TA" /> but Túrin II still kept scouts there, operating out of secret refuges such as [[Henneth Annûn]]. [[Sauron]] returned to [[Mordor]] in {{TA|2951}}, and the last remaining people of Ithilien fled over the [[Anduin]] when [[Mount Doom]] erupted in {{TA|2954}}.<ref name="TA" /><ref name="stew" /> The [[Rammas Echor]] was constructed as part of the necessary defences of [[Gondor]] after Ithilien fell under the shadow of the Enemy, probably during the days of Steward [[Ecthelion II]].<ref name="MT" /><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 546</ref> The descendants of the people who had dwelt in Ithilien formed the corps of the [[Rangers of Ithilien]].<ref name="Herbs" />

===War of the Ring===
During the [[War of the Ring]], in early March {{TA|3019}}, [[Faramir]] the son of the Steward [[Denethor]], was leading the [[Rangers of Ithilien]] to ambush Haradrim who would pass through Ithilien.<ref name="Herbs" /> After that [[Gollum]] led [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] through Ithilien on their way to [[Cirith Ungol]] and into Mordor, and Faramir allowed them to continue when he was satisfied they were not agents of [[Sauron]].
[[File:John Howe - The Mumakil of Harad.jpg|200px|thumb|''The Mumakil of Harad'' by [[John Howe]]]]
When the [[Host of the West]] marched on the [[Morannon]], their scouts, men from [[Henneth Annûn]] led by [[Mablung (ranger of Ithilien)|Mablung]] discovered an ambush by Orcs and Easterlings that lay hidden in Ithilien at the same place where Faramir and his men had previously ambushed the men of Harad. The ambush was quickly turned when horsemen bypassed the Orcs and Easterlings and attacked them on their flank and from behind.<ref>{{RK|V10}}</ref>

===Later history===
After the fall of Sauron Faramir retained the title of Steward. In addition, King Aragorn gave Ithilien to Faramir to be his princedom and ordered him to live in [[Emyn Arnen]] as the [[Prince of Ithilien]]. Minas Morgul was destroyed and not repopulated.<ref>{{RK|Steward}}</ref> Faramir married [[Éowyn]] after the funeral of King Théoden in {{TA|3019}}.<ref name="partings">{{RK|Partings}}</ref><ref name="chief">{{App|Chief}}</ref> As the march-warden of Gondor in its main eastern outpost the Prince of Ithilien had the duty to rehabilitate the lost territory and to clear it from Orcs and outlaws.<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 634</ref><ref>{{L|244}}</ref>

After the fall of Sauron, Legolas brought south some of the [[Elves of Mirkwood]] where they dwelt in Ithilien, it becoming once again the fairest country in all the Westlands.<ref name="durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> Legolas devised gardens for the house of Faramir and Éowyn in Emyn Arnen.<ref>{{PM|Elendil}}, Commentary, The Stewards of Gondor, entry for Steward Faramir</ref> After King Aragorn died, Legolas built a grey ship and sailed from Ithilien to the West, reportedly taking Gimli with him.<ref name="durin" /><ref>{{app|Later}}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Ithilien.mp3|Ardamir}}
''Ithilien'' is a [[Sindarin]] name. It means "land of the moon".<ref name="Ithilien" /> It is a compound of [[Ithil]] ("Moon")<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''[[sil]]''</ref> and the plural form ''[[-nd|ien]]'' of the place name suffix ''-ian(d)''.<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry S '''Eregion'''. p. 42</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-3354952041.html|articlename=S. ''Ithilien'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=06 February 2022}}</ref>

The name does not refer to the moon or the climate, but is related to the 'heraldic' name of [[Isildur]], the son of [[Elendil]]. It is the counterpart of [[Anorien]], the "Land of the Sun".<ref name="Nomenclature" />

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''[[1987]]-[[1996|96]]: ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
:The ''[[Sea-Lords of Gondor]] - Pelargir and Lebennin'' campaign module contains a detailed map that includes Ithilien.

:The ''[[Southern Gondor: The Land]]'' module contains information about settlements and sites, the history, geography, flora and fauna, inhabitants, politics and power and warcraft of Harithilien. It is mentioned that the Emyn Arnen define the boundary dividing Harithilien (South Ithilien) from Forithilien (North Ithilien).

:In the ''[[The Tower of Cirith Ungol and Shelob's Lair]]'' module there are five adventures that take place in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, Shelob's Lair and the surrounding area. It is mentioned that the river Ithilduin (later renamed to Morgulduin) divides Ithilien into Northern and Southern provinces.

:In the ''[[Ghosts of the Southern Anduin]]'' adventure module there are four adventures that take place in and around the town of Bar-en-Tinnen in Ithilien (renamed to Bar-en-Dinnen in ''Southern Gondor: The Land'').

:In the ''[[Gates of Mordor (book)|Gates of Mordor]]'' adventure module there are two adventures that take place in North Ithilien and one adventure that takes place in [[Durthang]] in the northern Ephel Dúath.

:The ''[[Minas Ithil (book)|Minas Ithil]]'' city module contains detailed information about Minas Ithil (later renamed to Minas Morgul) in T.A. 1640 and three adventures that take place in Minas Ithil.

:''[[The Kin-strife]] campaign module contains detailed information about Minas Ithil (later renamed to Minas Morgul) during the time of the [[Kin-strife]] and three adventures that take place in Minas Ithil.''

'''2015: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Ithilien (North) map.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Map of North Ithilien in''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'' ]]

:Ithilien is split into two game regions, each covering the portion located either north or south of the Cross-roads. Unlike other similar cases in the game, the separation is chronological as well as geographical: South Ithilien is story-wise set before the [[Siege of Gondor]] begins in full, while North Ithilien is set after the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], with the [[Army of the West|Host of the West]] marching towards the [[Black Gate]].

[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Ithilien (South) map.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Map of South Ithilien in''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'' ]]
In the South Ithilien, the main stronghold of the [[Rangers of Ithilien]] is ''Bâr Hurin'' commanded by [[Anborn]], which is later overrun during the war. In the North Ithilien, ''Bâr Aroth'' and ''Bâr Tarnaher'' are similarly overrun, while ''Aelin Veren'' was only briefly passed by and has since been reclaimed from the Enemy. The secrecy of [[Henneth Annûn]] has been abandoned, as it is used to support the Host of the West during its march and would serve no further purpose should its mission fail.

{{references}}
{{FellowshipRoute}}
[[Category:Gondor]]
[[Category:Noldorin locations]]
[[Category:Regions of Gondor]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/regions/gondor/ithilien]]

Oath of Eorl

2026-05-01T17:41:14Z

AmonGwareth:

[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Oathtaking of Cirion and Eorl 2020.jpg|300px|thumb|''The Oathtaking of Cirion and Eorl'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
{{Quote|In happy hour did Eorl ride from the North, and never has any league of peoples been more blessed, so that neither has ever failed the other, nor shall fail.|'' [[Aragorn]] to [[Éomer]] to in [[The Return of the Ring]]'', "[[The Steward and the King]]"}}

The '''Oath of Eorl''', also called the '''Oath of Cirion'''<ref>{{VT|42a}}, p. 20</ref> and the '''Oath of Cirion and Eorl'''<ref>{{UT|11c}}, third paragraph, "No alliance of peoples…Riders of the Mark</ref>, was the alliance sworn between the nations of [[Rohan]] and [[Gondor]].<ref name="Eorl">{{UT|Eorl}}</ref>

Also agreed was whenever help was needed, the two kingdoms would aid each other.<ref name="Eorl" /> The signal that help was needed was the [[Red Arrow]], a symbol of danger. For faster communication between the two allies, the [[warning beacons of Gondor]] were used. These beacons were placed on seven hills along the northern ridge of the [[White Mountains]].

==History==
===The Oath===
The Oath was first sworn in {{TA|2510}} by [[Cirion]], the twelfth Ruling Steward of Gondor, and by [[Eorl]], King of the [[Éothéod]] (later first King of Rohan) following the [[Battle of the Field of Celebrant]]. The Oath stated that the province of [[Calenardhon]] would be forever of Rohan, established its borders, and an alliance between the kingdoms. The two rulers swore their oaths on the [[Halifirien]] hill at the site of the [[Tomb of Elendil]].<ref name="Eorl" />

Eorl spoke his oath in [[Rohanese]]:

{{blockquote|Hear now all peoples who bow not to the Shadow in the East, by the gift of the Lord of the Mundburg we will come to dwell in the land that he names Calenardhon, and therefore I vow in my own name and on behalf of the Éothéod of the North that between us and the Great People of the West there shall be friendship for ever: their enemies shall be our enemies, their need shall be our need, and whatsoever evil, or threat, or assault may come upon them we will aid them to the utmost end of our strength. This vow shall descend to my heirs, all such as may come after me in our new land, and let them keep it in faith unbroken, lest the Shadow fall upon them and they become accursed.|Eorl}}<ref name="Eorl" />

In addition to his oath, Cirion spoke an invocation in [[Quenya]] and the [[Westron|Common Speech]], calling the [[Valar]] and [[Ilúvatar|Eru]] to witness the oaths that were taken:

{{blockquote|Vanda sina termaruva Elenna-nóreo alcar enyalien ar Elendil Vorondo voronwë. Nai tiruvantes i hárar mahalmassen mi Númen ar i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar eä tennoio.|Cirion}}<ref name="Eorl" />

Which in Westron translates to "This oath shall stand in memory of the glory of the Land of the Star, and of the faith of Elendil the Faithful, in the keeping of those who sit upon the thrones of the West and of the One who is above all thrones for ever."<ref name="Eorl" />

Eru's name was very rarely invoked in oaths,<ref name="Note">{{UT|8e}}, note 44</ref> and indeed had not been since the time of the [[Last Alliance]].<ref name="Eorl" /> Among people of Númenórean descent, it was held that only the King could call upon Eru, but Cirion had that authority as Steward and regent for the King.<ref name="Note" />

===Later history===
In {{TA|2710}}, King [[Déor]] asked the help of [[Egalmoth (Steward of Gondor)|Steward Egalmoth]] to drive off the [[Dunlendings]] from the occupied [[Ring of Isengard]], but the Steward was unable to send help,<ref>{{UT|Isen}}</ref> possibly because of a renewed war against the [[Orcs]].<ref>{{PM|Elendil}}, manuscript C, The Ruling Stewards of Gondor, 18. Egalmoth p. 205</ref>

During the rule of [[Beren (Steward of Gondor)|Beren]], both nations were overwhelmed; Gondor by the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] and Rohan by the Dunlendings, and couldn't help each other. However, after the [[Long Winter]], as the Rohirrim started to repel the invaders, Gondor sent help from both west and east of the [[White Mountains]] to assist them.<ref>{{App|Stewards}}</ref><ref>{{App|Eorl}}</ref>
[[File:Peter Xavier Price - And They Clasped Hand in Hand.jpg|thumb|''And they clasped hand in hand'' by [[Peter Xavier Price]]]]
Gondor sent great help to King [[Folcwine]], who reconquered the [[west-march]] from the Dunlendings. In {{TA|2885}}, when [[Ithilien]] was invaded in great strength, Folcwine sent many men, led by his twin prince sons, to Gondor. With their aid Steward [[Túrin II]] won a victory at the [[Crossings of Poros]], though the princes [[Fastred (son of Folcwine)|Fastred]] and [[Folcred]] were slain.<ref>{{App|Mark}}</ref>

During the [[War of the Ring]], the [[Red Arrow]] was brought to King [[Théoden]] of Rohan by [[Hirgon|a messenger of Gondor]] while [[Minas Tirith]] was besieged by [[Sauron]], and Théoden rode out with the [[Muster of Rohan]] to the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]].

The Oath was renewed by [[Aragorn]] and [[Éomer]] upon their accessions to the thrones of Gondor and Rohan.

==External links==
*[http://glaemscrafu.jrrvf.com/english/cirion.html Text, translation and audio] at [[Glǽmscrafu]]

{{references}}
[[Category:Oaths and prophecies]]
[[Category:Quenya texts]]
[[Category:Third Age]]
[[de:Eid von Eorl]]
[[fr:encyclo/evenements/3a/serment d eorl]]
[[fi:Cirionin vala]]

Folcwine

2026-05-01T17:37:49Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */

{{infobox character
| people=[[Rohirrim|Rohir]]
| name=Folcwine
| image=Steamey - King Folcwine Says Goodbye to His Sons.jpg
| caption="King Folcwine Says Goodbye to His Sons" by [[:Category:Images by Steamey|Steamey]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[King of Rohan]]
| position=
| location=[[Rohan]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Rohanese]] and [[Westron]]
| birth={{TA|2830}}
| birthlocation=
| rule={{TA|2864}} – {{TA|2903|n}}
| death={{TA|2903}}
| deathlocation=
| age=73
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Eorl]]
| parentage=[[Folca]]
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=[[Folcred]], [[Fastred (son of Folcwine)|Fastred]], unnamed daughter, [[Fengel]]
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Folcwine''' ([[Third Age]] {{TA|2830|n}} – {{TA|2903|n}}, aged 73 years) was the fourteenth [[King of Rohan]].

==History==
Folcwine was the son of [[Folca]] "The Hunter", and great-grandfather of [[Théoden]]. Aided by [[Gondor]], he drove out [[Dunlendings]] who occupied the area between [[Adorn]] and [[Isen]] and recovered that area.

In {{TA|2885}} he also fulfilled the [[Oath of Eorl]] and sent many Rohirrim to the aid of Gondor against the [[Haradrim]]. However, his twin sons [[Folcred]] and [[Fastred (son of Folcwine)|Fastred]] were both killed in that war, and Folcwine was succeeded by his youngest child, [[Fengel]].<ref>{{App|Stewards}}</ref><ref>{{App|Eorl}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Folcwine'' is an [[Old English]] name. It means "friend of the people" and is composed of ''folc'' ("folk" or "people") and ''wine'' ("friend").<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 644</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | WAL | | | | | | |WAL=[[Walda]] ''{{TA|2780|n}} - {{TA|2851|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | FOL | | | | | | |FOL=[[Folca]] ''{{TA|2804|n}} - {{TA|2864|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | FOL | | | | | | |FOL='''FOLCWINE''' ''{{TA|2830|n}} - {{TA|2903|n}}''}}
{{familytree | |,|-|-|-|v|-|^|-|v|-|-|-|.| |}}
{{familytree | FOL | | FAS | | DAU | | FEN |FOL=[[Folcred]] ''{{TA|2858|n}} - {{TA|2885|n}}''†|FAS=[[Fastred (son of Folcwine)|Fastred]] ''{{TA|2858|n}} - {{TA|2885|n}}''†|DAU=''daughter'' ''unknown''|FEN=[[Fengel]] ''{{TA|2870|n}} - {{TA|2953|n}}''}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|(| |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | DAU | | THE |DAU=''two daughters'' ''unknown''|THE=[[Thengel]] ''{{TA|2905|n}} - {{TA|2980|n}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=rohirrim
| house=House of Eorl
| born={{TA|2830}}
| died={{TA|2903}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Folca]]
| list=14th [[King of Rohan]]
| dates={{TA|2864}} – {{TA|2903|n}}
| next=[[Fengel]]
}}
{{seq-end}}
{{rohankings}}
[[Category:Kings of Rohan]]
[[Category:Old English names]]
[[Category:Rohirrim]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Folcwine]]
[[fi:Folcwine]]

Éored

2026-05-01T17:37:02Z

AmonGwareth: grammar and punctuation.

[[File:The Lord of the Rings (film series) - Éored Warrior.jpg|thumb|250px|right|An [[Éored]] Warrior - [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]]]
An '''Éored''' was a division of the [[Rohirrim]] consisting of a considerable body of men, fully trained for war, who might serve for a specific term or sometimes as a permanent group. In the early history of [[Rohan]], the number could vary, but in the days of King [[Folcwine]], a "full Éored" was defined as 120 men (including its captain) and was one hundredth part of the Full Muster of the Riders of the Mark."<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, note 36</ref> In times of war each [[First Marshal of the Riddermark|Marshal of the Mark]] had as part of his "household" an Éored ready for battle that he could use at his own discretion. If the king were riding to war, his Éored was called "the King's Company".<ref>{{UT|Isen}}, Appendix (ii)</ref>

In {{TA|1899}}, when King [[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|Calimehtar]] of [[Gondor]] fought the [[Wainriders]],<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref> his cavalry joined with a great Éored led by [[Marhwini]] to attack the enemy in the flank and rear (this was when an Éored did not have a strictly determined size).<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, ''The Northmen and the Wainriders''</ref>

In {{TA|3019}}, the Éored that [[Éomer]] used to pursue the [[Orcs]] to the border of [[Fangorn Forest]] had 120 men - [[Legolas]] counted 105 and Éomer stated that 15 men had been lost (and 12 horses).<ref>{{TT|III2}}</ref> Later, when King [[Théoden]] rode to [[Minas Tirith]], [[Elfhelm]] commanded the Éored in which [[Dernhelm]] (and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]]) rode.<ref>{{RK|V5}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The word "''Éored''" actually was used by the [[Old English|Anglo-Saxon]]s to denote a division.

{{References}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eored}}
[[Category:Armies]]
[[Category:Rohirrim]]
[[de:Éored]]
[[fi:Éored]]

Faramir

2026-04-30T17:16:32Z

AmonGwareth: Lots of grammar and punctuation edits.

{{short description|First Prince of Ithilien and last ruling Steward of Gondor}}
{{disambig-more|Faramir|[[Faramir (disambiguation)]]}}
{{infobox character
| people=[[Gondorians|Gondorian]]
| name=Faramir
| image=Anke Eißmann - Faramir.jpg
| caption="Faramir" by [[Anke Eißmann]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Steward of Gondor]], [[Prince of Ithilien]], [[Lord of Emyn Arnen]]
| position=[[Captain of Gondor]] [[Captain of the White Tower]]
| location=[[Ithilien]], [[Gondor]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Westron]], [[Sindarin]]
| birth={{TA|2983}}
| birthlocation=
| rule={{TA|3019}} - {{FoA|82}} (84 years)
| death={{FoA|82}}
| deathlocation=
| age=120
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Húrin]]
| parentage=[[Denethor|Denethor II]] and [[Finduilas (wife of Denethor)|Finduilas]]
| siblings=[[Boromir]]
| spouse=[[Éowyn]]
| children=[[Elboron]]<ref name="Elboron">{{PM|Elendil}}, p. 221</ref>
| gender=Male
| height=Tall<ref name="Herbs">{{TT|Herbs}}</ref>
| hair=Raven<ref name="Steward">{{RK|Steward}}</ref>
| eyes=Grey<ref name="Window"/>
| clothing=Green gauntlets, green hood and mask, green and brown clothing<ref name="Herbs"/>
| weapons=Sword,<ref name="Herbs"/> nail-knife,<ref name="Forbidden">{{TT|Pool}}</ref>
| steed=
}}
{{quote|[Faramir] is bold, more bold than many deem; for in these days men are slow to believe that a captain can be wise and learned in the scrolls of lore and song, as he is, and yet a man of hardihood and swift judgement in the field. But such is Faramir. Less reckless and eager than [[Boromir]], but not less resolute.|[[Beregond]] in ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[Minas Tirith]]"}}
'''Faramir''' was the last [[Ruling Steward|Ruling]] [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward of Gondor]] and the first [[Prince of Ithilien]].

The second of [[Denethor]]'s two sons, Faramir was briefly the [[Ruling Steward]] after his father's death. Upon the arrival of the true king, King [[Aragorn|Aragorn Elessar]], he laid down his office, but Elessar renewed the hereditary appointment of Steward as the advisor to the King. Faramir was also appointed Prince of Ithilien.<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}, p. 207</ref>

==History==
Faramir was born in {{TA|2983}}, five years after [[Boromir]]. Faramir was five when his mother [[Finduilas (wife of Denethor)|Finduilas]] died. When that happened, Boromir and Faramir formed a great bond with each other.
[[File:Catherine Chmiel - Brothers study.jpg|left|thumb|''Brothers study'' by Catherine Chmiel]]
He grew to become a brave warrior admired by his soldiers, although unlike his brother, he did not care much for battle and arms and needless danger. He gained wisdom from [[Gandalf|Gandalf's]] teachings, who occasionally visited [[Minas Tirith]], and loved lore and music; his gentle nature (and love of Gandalf) displeased his father. Although Denethor grew cold, grim, and favoured Boromir over him, there was no rivalry between the brothers; Boromir was always his helper and protector.<ref name="stew">{{App|Stewards}}</ref>

Twice Faramir had a [[Seek for the Sword that was broken|prophetic dream]] and didn't speak about it, until he saw it again with his brother. [[20 June|The following day]] saw [[Sauron's attack on Osgiliath]], which started the [[War of the Ring]]. The two brothers commanded the defences of [[Osgiliath]]. They protected the last bridge across the [[Anduin]] until it was destroyed. Only the two brothers, along with two other soldiers, survived by swimming.<ref name="council">{{FR|Council}}</ref>

Seeking clues for the dream, Boromir set out for [[Rivendell]].<ref name="council" /> Faramir never heard from his brother again, until the [[Great Horn]] was heard in Minas Tirith, and a few days later he saw Boromir dead in a funeral boat, prepared by [[Fellowship of the Ring|his companions]], floating in the Anduin.<ref name="appB">{{App|Great}}</ref>

On [[1 March]], his father sent him for an errand in Ithilien, where Faramir went to command the [[Rangers of Ithilien]].<ref name="appB" />
===In Ithilien===
[[File:John Howe - Faramir 02.jpg|thumb|left|''Faramir'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Faramir acted as a ranger harassing the [[Haradrim]] and keeping evil things out of Ithilien from [[Minas Morgul]]. During one such raid, he found [[Frodo Baggins]], [[Samwise Gamgee]], and [[Gollum]] observing an attack by his rangers on a column of [[Haradrim]]. The former two were captured as spies by the rangers, though Gollum eluded them. Frodo was questioned by Faramir concerning their errand. Frodo recounted the journeys of the Fellowship and its members but referred to the [[Quest of the Ring|purpose]] of his travels only cryptically. During the questioning, he denied knowledge of Gollum but revealed that he travelled with both Aragorn, the [[Heir of Isildur]], and Boromir.<ref>{{TT|IV4}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Window on the West.jpg|thumb|''The Window on the West'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Faramir informed Frodo of Boromir's death, implying Frodo's involvement in it, though Frodo had not known of Boromir's death until that very moment. Unsure of how to deal with his captives, Faramir led Frodo and Sam, blindfolded, to [[Henneth Annûn]]. There he questioned them further in private, learning that the hobbits' errand was linked to the 'Isildur's bane' that had sent Boromir to Rivendell in the first place. Eager to earn their trust, Faramir delivered his famous oath, saying that he "...would not take this thing, if it lay by the highway. Not were Minas Tirith falling in ruin and I alone could save her, so, using the weapon of the Dark Lord for her good and my glory. No, I do not wish for such triumphs". However, in a slip up, Samwise revealed the nature of 'Isildur's bane' and so Faramir was tested, just as Boromir had been, by the lure of [[The One Ring|the Ring]]. Where Boromir failed, Faramir succeeded, leading Samwise to remark that Faramir had "shown [his] quality".<ref>{{TT|IV5}}</ref>

During the night, Faramir's watch spotted Gollum fishing in the Forbidden Pool. Faramir called Frodo to him who confessed to the part of Gollum in their errand, begging Faramir not to slay him. Gollum was caught and questioned and then surrendered to Frodo. [[8 March|The following morning,]]<ref name="appB" /> Faramir released Frodo and Sam (with Gollum), but warned them strongly against taking the pass of [[Cirith Ungol]].<ref>{{TT|IV6}}</ref> Faramir with his men also left the refuge [[9 March|the next day]].<ref name="appB" />

===In Pelennor/Minas Tirith===
Faramir returned to Osgiliath, supervising the defence there. However, he retreated over the [[Pelennor Fields]] to report to Denethor on [[10 March]]<ref name="appB" /> and was almost caught by the [[Nazgûl]] on their [[Fell beasts]], but was ultimately saved by Gandalf. Faramir reached Minas Tirith, telling Denethor and Gandalf of what befell in Ithilien, but [[11 March|the next day]] he departed to Osgiliath<ref name="appB" /> to supervise the defences at his father's bidding. In this venture the host of the [[Witch-king]] came upon Osgiliath; and on [[12 March]], Faramir retreated to the [[Causeway Forts]].<ref name="appB" /> He was struck down by the [[Black Breath]], and only a sortie by [[Imrahil]] and his knights saved the wounded soldiers (including Faramir) from that onset. On [[13 March]], they were brought to Minas Tirith.<ref name="appB" /><ref>{{RK|V4}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Sun Unveiled.jpg|thumb|''The Sun Unveiled'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Faramir remained out of action for the rest of the War of the Ring. During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], Denethor planned to burn his stricken son alongside him, finally giving in to despair. Faramir was once again saved by Gandalf, though Denethor completed his suicide.<ref>{{RK|V7}}</ref> After this, he was taken to the [[Houses of Healing]] and healed by Aragorn after the battle.<ref>{{RK|V8}}</ref> Faramir spent the rest of the war recovering in the Houses of Healing, where he met [[Éowyn]], who also grievously wounded.<ref name="RK|VI5">{{RK|VI5}}</ref> The two fell in love and were married after the war.<ref>{{RK|VI6}}</ref>

===After the War of the Ring===
After the destruction of the One Ring and the [[Battle of the Morannon]], Faramir, as Steward, led the ceremony in the crowning of Aragorn as King of Gondor and Arnor.<ref name="RK|VI5" /> Aragorn reinstated the original role of the [[Stewards of Gondor|Stewards]] before the failing of the [[Kings of Gondor]] and made Faramir the Prince of Ithilien. As Prince of Ithilien, Faramir was one of the two Chief Commanders of King Elessar and his duty was to guard and maintain the eastern borders of Gondor. He also defeated the remaining enemies and cleansed the [[Morgul Vale]].

Faramir and Éowyn settled down in [[Emyn Arnen]], a range of hills in Ithilien in sight of Minas Tirith, and Faramir became the [[Lord of Emyn Arnen]]. He and Éowyn had at least one son named [[Elboron]],<ref name="Elboron" /> who followed his father as Steward and Prince of Ithilien when Faramir died in the year {{FoA|82}}. Faramir lived to be 120 years old, due to the large percentage of pure [[Dúnedain]] ancestry he possessed as a member of the Gondorian nobility.<ref>{{App|South}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Faramir'' is never glossed, and neither is indicated if it is [[Quenya]] or [[Sindarin]].

As all the Kings of Gondor and their heirs had names in Quenya,<ref>{{App|F1ii}}</ref> and the name is also attested as a name of the royal family (in the case of [[Faramir (son of Ondoher)|Faramir]] son of [[Ondoher]]) the name apparently is Quenya.

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | PRI | | | | | | STE | | | | | | | | |PRI=[[Princes of Dol Amroth|''Princes of Dol Amroth'']]|STE=[[Ruling Steward|''Ruling Stewards of Gondor'']]}}
{{familytree | | | | | |:| | | | | | | |:| | | | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | ADR | | | | | | ECT | | | | | | ROH |ADR=[[Adrahil]] ''{{TA|2917|n}} - {{TA|3010|n}}''|ECT=[[Ecthelion II]] ''{{TA|2886|n}} - {{TA|2984|n}}''|ROH=[[Kings of Rohan|''Kings of Rohan'']]}}
{{familytree | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | | | | | |:| |}}
{{familytree | IVR | | IMR | | FIN |y| DEN | | EOM |y| THE |IVR=[[Ivriniel]] ''b. {{TA|2947|n}}''|IMR=[[Imrahil]] ''{{TA|2955|n}} - {{FoA|34}}''|FIN=[[Finduilas (wife of Denethor)|Finduilas]] ''{{TA|2950|n}} - {{TA|2988|n}}''|DEN=[[Denethor|Denethor II]] ''{{TA|2930|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|EOM=[[Éomund]] ''d. {{TA|3002|n}}''†|THE=[[Théodwyn]] ''{{TA|2963|n}} - {{TA|3002|n}}''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | |)|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | BOR | | FAR |y| EOW | | |BOR=[[Boromir]] ''{{TA|2978|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|FAR='''FARAMIR''' ''{{TA|2983|n}} - {{FoA|82}}''|EOW=[[Éowyn]] ''b. {{TA|2995|n}}''}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ELB | | | | |ELB=[[Elboron]] ''unknown''}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ELB | | | | |ELB=[[Barahir (grandson of Faramir)|Barahir]] ''unknown'' <ref group="note">It is not certain that Barahir was the son of Elboron.</ref>}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Description==
Faramir was tall<ref>{{TT|Herbs}}: The tall green man laughed grimly. ‘I am Faramir, Captain of Gondor,’ he said.</ref><ref>{{RK|Steward}}: She guessed that this tall man, both stern and gentle, might think her merely wayward, like a child that has not the firmness of mind to go on with a dull task to the end.</ref> and beardless.<ref>{{NM|Beards}}: I myself imagined Aragorn, Denethor, Imrahil, Boromir, Faramir as beardless. [Some had beards] but not Denethor, Boromir, Faramir, Aragorn, Isildur, or other Númenórean chieftains.</ref> He closely resembled his brother, [[Boromir]].<ref>{{RK|Siege}}: Pippin gazing at him saw how closely he resembled his brother Boromir</ref>

==Inspiration==
Faramir was, in the words of Tolkien, "modest, fair-minded and scrupulously just, and very merciful".<ref>{{L|244}}</ref> His appearance toward the end of ''[[The Two Towers]]'' apparently was as much of a surprise to Tolkien as it is to his readers. "I am sure I did not invent him," he wrote. "I did not even want him, though I like him".<ref>{{L|66}}</ref>

Faramir in many ways speaks for Tolkien, who was an officer in the British Army during [[World War I]], when he says, for example, "I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness... I love only that which they defend".<ref name="Window">{{TT|Window}}</ref> Much later, Tolkien would write, "As far as any character is 'like me', it is Faramir".<ref>{{L|180}}</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:War in Middle Earth - Faramir.png|Faramir in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]''
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Faramir2.jpg|Faramir (presumably) in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings (film series) - Faramir.jpg|Faramir in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Faramir.jpg|Faramir in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
File:Andrea Piparo - Faramir, the Ranger.jpg|Faramir in ''[[War of the Ring: The Card Game]]''
</gallery>

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:Faramir's role has been omitted. However, a young black-haired man is shown at Aragorn's coronation, sitting on a horse beside Éowyn. It can be guessed that this is a cameo of Faramir. Whether he had at any time a larger part, that was cut for time restraints, is unknown.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Faramir is voiced by [[Andrew Seear]]. Because Boromir already named him during the Council of Elrond - in the book, he is simply called "my brother" - much of the mystery surrounding Faramir's first appearance is lost to the attentive listener. His flight from the Nazgûl across the Pelennor is also omitted. However, unlike some adaptations Faramir's recovery in the Houses of Healing and his budding romance with Éowyn are included, as is his role at Aragorn's coronation.

'''1988: ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth]]'':'''
:Faramir is portrayed as a blond, bearded man. He can be controlled by the player.

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Faramir is played by Friedhelm Ptok.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:[[David Wenham]] plays Faramir in this adaptation. He does not at first let Frodo, Sam, and Gollum go, but decides to bring them and the Ring to Gondor. He takes them west to Osgiliath, crossing the river Anduin, and not until the Ringwraiths attack the city does he release them. Many fans of the book criticise this change, saying that it seriously damages the character, who is meant to emulate the medieval chivalric code and contrast with Boromir. [[Peter Jackson]]'s explanation is that he needed another adventure to delay Frodo and Sam, because the episode at Cirith Ungol was moved to the third movie, and so a new climax was needed. Another explanation often cited is that it was felt that for dramatic reasons it was necessary to show character ''development'', which meant that Faramir had to go through some kind of struggle or difficult decision. Jackson also argued that it was necessary for Faramir to be tempted by the Ring because everyone else was tempted, and letting Faramir be immune would be inconsistent, at least in the eyes of a film audience, and would weaken the films' portrayal of the Ring. However, despite these comments, Aragorn still resists the Ring easily at the end of the first movie, which acts as a contradiction to Jackson's claim.

:In the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (extended edition)|Extended Edition]], Jackson has included a flashback scene showing that Denethor has been neglecting him and favouring Boromir, so that Faramir wanted to please his father by bringing him the Ring. The relationship is similarly strained in the books, but there his father's favouritism does not seem to affect his decisions in Ithilien. On the whole, however, new Extended Edition scenes with Faramir brought the character closer to the sympathetic treatment of the books.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Faramir's role in this film is largely faithful to that in the book.

'''2002-2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Faramir is provided by Jozef Vajda. The same actor also portrayed Faramir's brother Boromir earlier in the radio series.

'''2015: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Faramir's role in the War of the Ring is relatively minor in the game, as by the time the player reaches Minas Tirith Faramir has already been wounded and lies in a fever. His first prominent appearance is not until King Elessar's coronation. Afterwards, Aragorn charges the Steward and the Rangers of Ithilien with cleansing the evil of Minas Morgul and the Morgul Vale. Faramir leads the Rangers to establish several camps outside the dead city. Eventually he joins [[Damrod]]'s team inside the walls Minas Morgul itself, working to combat the evil on the upper levels of the city.

{{notes}}
{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race= gondorian
| house= [[House of Húrin]]
| born={{TA|2983}}
| died={{FoA|82}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Denethor|Denethor II]]
| list=27th [[Ruling Steward|Ruling Steward of Gondor]] (''de jure'')
| dates=[[15 March]] - [[1 May]], {{TA|3019}}
| next=Position abolished
| nvac=None
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Vacant
| prev=[[Mardil|Mardil Voronwë]], 969 years earlier
| list=[[Steward of Gondor|Steward to the King of Gondor]]
| dates=[[1 May]], {{TA|3019}} - {{FoA|82}}
| next=[[Elboron]]
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
| prev=New title
| list=[[Prince of Ithilien]]
| dates=[[1 May]], {{TA|3019}} - {{FoA|82}}
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{rulingstewards}}
{{lordoftheringsfilms}}
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Fourth Age characters]]
[[Category:Gondorians]]
[[Category:House of Húrin]]
[[Category:Rangers]]
[[Category:Ruling stewards]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[Category:Stewards]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]
[[de:Faramir (Sohn von Denethor II.)]]
[[fi:Faramir]]

Canon

2026-04-29T07:29:15Z

AmonGwareth:

{{rewrite}}
{{sources}}
{{disambig-two|the general concept of canon regarding Tolkien's work|Tolkien Gateway policy page|[[Tolkien Gateway:Canon policy]]}}
[[File:Donato Giancola - J.R.R.Tolkien Portrait.jpg|thumb|''J.R.R.Tolkien'' by [[Donato Giancola]]]]
'''Canon''' is a term to refer to consistent "absolute truth" in literature, religion and fiction, in contrast to apocryphal tales of "lesser" significance and value. Many sophisticated works of fiction have some canon that refers to the corpus of the officially-released works and aims to internal consistency. For a full definition, see [[Wikipedia:Canon (fiction)]].

It is difficult to speak of what is "true" in the context of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[legendarium]], or which texts should be considered part of the '''canon'''.

==Publication history==

{{quote|...there are Tolkien's latest thoughts, his best thoughts, and his published thoughts and these are not necessarily the same.|''[[Tolkien's Legendarium|Tolkien's Legendarium: Essays on The History of Middle-earth]]''}}

There are various reasons that make the idea of a Tolkien canon problematic:

*Tolkien worked on Middle-earth over the course of decades, making substantial changes. Readers may remember, for example, the differences between ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings'' with regard to [[Gandalf]] and the [[Elves]].{{fact}} Moreover, toward the end of his life the focus of his writing shifted from pure storytelling to more philosophical concerns, which led to a considerable shift in tone and content.{{fact}}

*Tolkien's writing is laden with details and hints, which can be contradictory, especially in the posthumously published works. Such information should not take precedence over more explicit statements elsewhere, but it can help to flesh out our understanding of Middle-earth (even if it does at times add confusion). In general, the '''revised''' versions of ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings'' are considered canon, but the matter is more complex with ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' and other posthumous texts.

*To add to the confusion, in some cases, Tolkien intentionally left some gaps in his works. In [[Letter 144]], he provided both an explanation and an example of this, writing that ''"even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. [[Tom Bombadil]] is one (intentionally)."'' Giving an incomplete picture in this way can be frustrating, but it also makes the invented world feel more natural.

{{blockquote|I am doubtful myself about the undertaking. Part of the attraction of the [[The Lord of the Rings|L.R.]] is, I think, due to the glimpses of a large history in the background: an attraction like that of viewing far off an unvisited island, or seeing the towers of a distant city gleaming in a sunlit mist. To go there is to destroy the magic, unless new unattainable vistas are again revealed. Also many of the older legends are purely 'mythological', and nearly all are grim and tragic: a long account of the disasters that destroyed the beauty of the Ancient World, from the darkening of [[Valinor]] to the Downfall of [[Númenor]] and the flight of [[Elendil]].|[[Letter 247]], [[20 September]] [[1963]]}}

As only ''[[The Hobbit]]'', ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'' were published during Tolkien's lifetime, some argue only those works should be considered "true" canon with respect to Tolkien's publication history.{{fact}} Tolkien himself considered the published works as "fixed" and tried not to introduce new concepts that would contradict or alter them, while he continued to revise some unpublished material for most of his life.{{fact}} However, Tolkien's publication history was complicated, and was not related to his views on canon.{{fact}}

''The Hobbit'' was revised twice, and ''The Lord of The Rings'' once during Tolkien's lifetime. The reasons for the revisions to 1950 revised edition of ''The Hobbit'' were not related to canonicity, but instead were designed to make the book more consistent with ''The Lord of the Rings''. When The Hobbit was first published in the 1930s, Tolkien had not been planning to write the later work, and so some details were inconsistent. The [[the One Ring|ring]] that Bilbo obtained, for example was not related to [[Sauron]] in the [[The Hobbit 1st edition|original edition]]. It was simply a magic ring that could make the wearer invisible. In anticipation of the publication of its sequel, Tolkien had to rewrite parts of ''The Hobbit'' to make it consistent with ''The Lord of the Rings.''

In Tolkien's commentary in the [[The Lord of the Rings Appendices|Appendices]] of ''The Lord of The Rings'', where he presented the work itself as being a [[Red Book of Westmarch|translation of mythology]] written down ''in'' the world of Arda, subject to errors and other inaccuracies of those fictional characters who "wrote" the material Tolkien is "translating." Similarly, ''The Hobbit'' is said to be a translation of a memoir written by Bilbo Baggins, and it is commonly thought that a degree of unreliable narration is intentionally presented at different parts of the story. This particular element was added by Tolkien to provide an in-universe explanation for the inconsistencies between the first edition of ''The Hobbit'' and later editions.

It is worth noting that the term "mythology" or "legends" as used by Tolkien in reference to his work does '''not''' mean it shouldn't be considered a formal part of canon or inherently unreliable. Tolkien conceived all of his writing as part of a vast "mythology" which he had originally intended to replace the lost myths and legends of his homeland of England.{{fact}} As time went on, he abandoned the idea of writing a mythology for England and instead came to see his work as a vast corpus of mythology, stories, history and legends for his own invented world.{{fact}} As a result of this, all his writings relating to Middle-earth are known collectively as ''The Legendarium''.{{fact}}

[[Christopher Tolkien]] kept as closely as possible to the material his father wrote when ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' was published, and stated he had kept it as consistent as possible because his father considered the account of the forging of the Rings and the Downfall of Númenor to be "essential background to The Hobbit and its sequel" <ref name=":0">Letter 131 to Milton Waldman- Unknown Date, 1951</ref>

J.R.R Tolkien also left a comprehensive and detailed summary of ''The Silmarillion,'' which he wrote in [[Letter 131]] to his friend [[Milton Waldman]], and this reveals that the version published by Christopher is largely unchanged in its major details and events.

{{Blockquote|The cycles begin with a cosmogonical myth: the Music of the Ainur. God and the Valar (or powers: Englished as gods) are revealed.

It moves then swiftly to the History of the Elves, or the Silmarillion proper; to the world as we perceive it, but of course transfigured in a still half-mythical mode: that is it deals with rational incarnate creatures of more or less comparable stature with our own. The Knowledge of the Creation Drama was incomplete: incomplete in each individual 'god', and incomplete if all the knowledge of the pantheon were pooled. For (partly to redress the evil of the rebel Melkor, partly for the completion of all in an ultimate finesse of detail) the Creator had not revealed all.

So, proceeding, the Elves have a fall, before their 'history' can become storial. (The first fall of Man, for reasons explained, nowhere appears – Men do not come on the stage until all that is long past, and there is only a rumour that for a while they fell under the domination of the Enemy and that some repented.) The main body of the tale, the Silmarillion proper, is about the fall of the most gifted kindred of the Elves, their exile from Valinor (a kind of Paradise, the home of the Gods) in the furthest West, their re-entry into Middle-earth, the land of their birth but long under the rule of the Enemy, and their strife with him, the power of Evil still visibly incarnate. It receives its name because the events are all threaded upon the fate and significance of the Silmarilli ('radiance of pure light') or Primeval Jewels.

The chief of the stories of the Silmarillion, and the one most fully treated is the Story of Beren and Lúthien the Elfmaiden. There are other stories almost equally full in treatment, and equally independent and yet linked to the general history. There is the Children of Húrin, the tragic tale of Túrin Turambar and his sister Níniel ...

There is the Fall of Gondolin: the chief Elvish stronghold. And the tale, or tales, of Earendil the Wanderer. He is important as the person who brings the Silmarillion to its end, and as providing in his offspring the main links to and persons in the tales of later Ages.

The next cycle deals (or would deal) with the Second Age. But it is on Earth a dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told. In the great battles against the First Enemy the lands were broken and ruined, and the West of Middle-earth became desolate. We learn that the Exiled Elves were, if not commanded, at least sternly counselled to return into the West, and there be at peace. They were not to dwell permanently in Valinor again, but in the Lonely Isle of Eresseëa within sight of the Blessed Realm. The Men of the Three Houses were rewarded for their valour and faithful alliance, by being allowed to dwell 'western-most of all mortals', in the great 'Atlantis' isle of Númenóre.

The Elves of Eregion made Three supremely beautiful and powerful rings, almost solely of their own imagination, and directed to the preservation of beauty:
But secretly in the subterranean Fire, in his own Black Land, Sauron made One Ring, the Ruling Ring that contained the powers of all the others, and controlled them, so that its wearer could see the thoughts of all those that used the lesser rings, could govern all that they did, and in the end could utterly enslave them.

He reckoned, however, without the wisdom and subtle perceptions of
the Elves. The moment he assumed the One, they were aware of it, and of his secret purpose, and were afraid. They hid the Three Rings, so that not even Sauron ever discovered where they were and they remained unsullied. The others they tried to destroy.
In the resulting war between Sauron and the Elves Middle-earth, especially in the west, was further ruined.

The Downfall of Númenor, the Second Fall of Man , brings on the catastrophic end, not only of the Second Age, but of the Old World, the primeval world of legend (envisaged as flat and bounded).
So the end of the Second Age draws on in a major catastrophe; but it is not yet quite concluded.

The Second Age ends with the Last Alliance (of Elves and Men), and the great siege of Mordor.
It ends with the overthrow of Sauron and destruction of the second visible incarnation of evil. But at a cost, and with one disastrous mistake. Gilgalad and Elendil are slain in the act of slaying Sauron. Isildur, Elendil's son, cuts die ring from Sauron's hand, and his power departs, and his spirit flees into the shadows.
But the evil begins to work. Isildur claims the Ring as his own, as 'the Weregild of his father', and refuses to cast it into the Fire nearby. He marches away, but is drowned in the Great River, and the Ring is lost, passing out of all knowledge. But it is not unmade, and the Dark Tower built with its aid still stands, empty but not destroyed. So ends the Second Age with the coming of the Númenórean realms and the passing of the last kingship of the High Elves|- Letter 131 to Milton Waldman- Unknown date probably 1951 }} Throughout his commentaries in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher has pointed out any discrepancies between his editorial decisions and alterations and later additions or revisions his father intended to make to small details about people, places and things in the text. He pointed out where different versions existed, or changes had been made by his father.

The chapters in the published ''Silmarillion'' about the ruin of [[Doriath]] and the fall of [[Gondolin]], especially the former, were edited by Christopher Tolkien and [[Guy Gavriel Kay]], to fill in some gaps in the available draft material{{fact}}, and therefore may not represent J.R.R. Tolkien's own ideas about how those stories should have been be compiled and completed. ''The Fall of Gondolin'' was abandoned by J.R.R Tolkien and never finished, so Christopher and Kay had to complete it and write a proper ending.{{fact}}

''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' consists of essays and stories composed at various times. Many were written before ''The Lord of the Rings'' and some were written afterwards. Most were generally consistent with ''The Lord of the Rings'', although some of the stories were set in the First and Second Age and did not relate directly to ''The Lord of the Rings'' because they were written years before. Galadriel does not appear in any of the early versions of stories like ''The Children of Hurin'', for example, even though parts of it are set in Doriath because her character was not created until later.

The book contains a chapter entitled ''The History of Galadriel and Celeborn'', which chronicles Galadriel and Celeborn's movements in the Second Age as well as their involvement in some of the events of the First Age. There are different versions of some parts and events of the story. It also contains a section on the nature of the Istari, and a details account of the battle of Gladden Fields. The differences between some differing versions of some of the material, especially relating to Galadriel and Celeborn does create some inconsistencies, but as a whole Unfinished Tales is consistent with Tolkien's finished work.

The various texts published in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' date from all periods of Tolkien's life and generally exclude the more finished sections used for the published works.

Towards the end of his life, Tolkien described the tales of the ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' as legends, chiefly those of Men but blended with those of the Sindar. As such the tales could contain a various traditions and accounts passed down through time, embellished in literary tradition.<ref>{{L|325}}</ref><ref>{{PM|XI}}</ref><ref>{{PM|XIII}}</ref> Tolkien had, at several points suggested he the described the ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Hobbit'' in a similar way. Indeed, he considered everything he wrote to be set "body of mythology" or set of legends, so the term "legend" should not be considered evidence that he didn't want ''The Silmarillion'' to be counted alongside the rest of his work. Since, as already stated, Tolkien considered parts of the ''The Silmarillion'' to be "essential background" to ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings.''<ref name=":0" />

==Determining a priority==
When handling two or more inconsistent elements of Tolkien's Legendarium, there are at least two (sometimes overlapping, sometimes conflicting) rules of thumb according to which a [[Tolkienist]] can apply criticism and determine which is more valid over the other.
;Final intent
:This principle follows the axiom that Tolkien's Legendarium is a work that was revised towards maturity and refinement, therefore later ideas are more valid than earlier ones. For example, in one of his [[Last Writings]] (q.v.) near the end of his life, Tolkien wrote that the [[Blue Wizards]] played a big role in the [[East]]. This can be considered the "final word" on the matter, obsoleting an earlier idea (stated in [[Letter 211]]) that they fell like Saruman.
;Height intent
:This principle considers that by the writing of ''The Lord of the Rings'' the Legendarium had reached its peak of maturity. Afterwards, Tolkien's personal and unpublished writings presented a "decline" and were mainly experiments with philosophical matters of Arda, which sometimes contradicted the established works. These were eventually abandoned or left unfinished. Such concepts include the [[Round World version of the Silmarillion]], or the [[1960]] partial rewrite of ''The Hobbit''.

==Individual Issues==
===Gil-galad===
An example of the canon question is the lineage of [[Gil-galad]]. In the published ''Silmarillion'' he is said to be the son of [[Fingon]], but as disclosed in ''[[The War of the Jewels]]'' Tolkien considered many arrangements before apparently deciding that he was the son of [[Orodreth]], who would then also be displaced as a son of [[Finarfin]] and turned into Finarfin's grandson instead. Also, most people think [[Finwë]] had three children, all sons; [[Fëanor]] by his first wife [[Míriel]], and [[Fingolfin]] and [[Finarfin]] by [[Indis]]. However, this is incorrect, since he also had two daughters, [[Findis]] and [[Írimë]], by his second wife (Findis was in fact Finwë's first child by Indis), thus Finwë had five children. If the published ''Silmarillion'' is taken as canon all later material must be discarded, but if the later writings by Tolkien are taken as canon the ''Silmarillion'' must be rewritten, a task which Christopher Tolkien had stated he would not do as he was then retired.{{fact}} So we are left with a ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' which contradicts the original author's intentions in some minor details, but which is the only authoritative narrative in existence for most of the stories and narratives which remain unaltered. The latter third of the ''Quenta Silmarillion'' in particular was never rewritten by Tolkien as a whole after the early narrative of his youth.

===''The Hobbit''===
A further problem is reconciling ''The Hobbit'' with ''The Lord of the Rings''. In 1947, Tolkien suggested to his publisher, [[Allen and Unwin|George Allen & Unwin]], that ''The Hobbit'' required revision to make it more consistent with the then nearly finished sequel. In 1950, Tolkien was surprised to be informed that the publisher had incorporated his 1947 suggestions into a new edition of ''The Hobbit''. When he received the proofs for this update he subsequently altered some of the as-yet unpublished material in ''The Lord of the Rings'' to more fully conform to the changes Allen & Unwin had made to ''The Hobbit''.{{fact}}

Among inconsistencies which survived into the second edition, [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] and the [[Dwarves]] took far too long to reach [[Rivendell]] when a map from ''The Lord of the Rings'' was used to gauge the distance, which can only be explained with great difficulty if at all.{{fact}} There are additional problems as well, such as the exact location of the [[Trolls|Troll]] encounter. When he began writing ''The Hobbit'' Tolkien did not intend for it to be part of his Middle-earth mythology, but was simply populating an imaginary landscape with characters and locations for a children's adventure story. Nonetheless, for his own amusement, Tolkien borrowed several references to his unpublished mythology to give the story a sense of depth. Thus Gandalf and [[Thorin]] wield swords from [[Gondolin]], and [[Elrond]], ruler of Rivendell, is [[Half-elven]].

{{references}}
==External links==
*{{WP|Middle-earth canon}}
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/TolkParish.html Essay on Tolkienian canon] by Steuard Jensen
**[http://tolkien.slimy.com/publist.html List of Middle-earth books] with notes about suggested canonicity (part of the above site)
*"[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/04/26/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-canon/ A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Canon]" by [[Michael Martinez]]
[[Category:Fandom]]

Canon

2026-04-29T07:27:01Z

AmonGwareth:

{{rewrite}}
{{sources}}
{{disambig-two|the general concept of canon regarding Tolkien's work|Tolkien Gateway policy page|[[Tolkien Gateway:Canon policy]]}}
[[File:Donato Giancola - J.R.R.Tolkien Portrait.jpg|thumb|''J.R.R.Tolkien'' by [[Donato Giancola]]]]
'''Canon''' is a term to refer to consistent "absolute truth" in literature, religion and fiction, in contrast to apocryphal tales of "lesser" significance and value. Many sophisticated works of fiction have some canon that refers to the corpus of the officially-released works and aims to internal consistency. For a full definition, see [[Wikipedia:Canon (fiction)]].

It is difficult to speak of what is "true" in the context of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[legendarium]], or which texts should be considered part of the '''canon'''.

==Publication history==

{{quote|...there are Tolkien's latest thoughts, his best thoughts, and his published thoughts and these are not necessarily the same.|''[[Tolkien's Legendarium|Tolkien's Legendarium: Essays on The History of Middle-earth]]''}}

There are various reasons that make the idea of a Tolkien canon problematic:

*Tolkien worked on Middle-earth over the course of decades, making substantial changes. Readers may remember, for example, the differences between ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings'' with regard to [[Gandalf]] and the [[Elves]].{{fact}} Moreover, toward the end of his life the focus of his writing shifted from pure storytelling to more philosophical concerns, which led to a considerable shift in tone and content.{{fact}}

*Tolkien's writing is laden with details and hints, which can be contradictory, especially in the posthumously published work. Such information should not take precedence over more explicit statements elsewhere, but it can help to flesh out our understanding of Middle-earth (even if it does at times add confusion). In general, the '''revised''' versions of ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings'' are considered canon, but with ''The Silmarillion'' and other posthumous texts the matter is more complex.

*To add to the confusion, in some cases, Tolkien intentionally left some gaps in his works. In [[Letter 144]] he provided both an explanation and an example of this, writing that ''"even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. [[Tom Bombadil]] is one (intentionally)."'' Giving an incomplete picture in this way can be frustrating, but it also makes the invented world feel more natural.

{{blockquote|I am doubtful myself about the undertaking. Part of the attraction of the [[The Lord of the Rings|L.R.]] is, I think, due to the glimpses of a large history in the background: an attraction like that of viewing far off an unvisited island, or seeing the towers of a distant city gleaming in a sunlit mist. To go there is to destroy the magic, unless new unattainable vistas are again revealed. Also many of the older legends are purely 'mythological', and nearly all are grim and tragic: a long account of the disasters that destroyed the beauty of the Ancient World, from the darkening of [[Valinor]] to the Downfall of [[Númenor]] and the flight of [[Elendil]].|[[Letter 247]], [[20 September]] [[1963]]}}

As only ''[[The Hobbit]]'', ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'' were published during Tolkien's lifetime, some argue only those works should be considered "true" canon with respect to Tolkien's publication history.{{fact}} Tolkien himself considered the published works as "fixed" and tried not to introduce new concepts that would contradict or alter them, while he continued to revise some unpublished material for most of his life.{{fact}} However, Tolkien's publication history was complicated, and was not related to his views on canon.{{fact}}

''The Hobbit'' was revised twice, and ''The Lord of The Rings'' once during Tolkien's lifetime. The reasons for the revisions to 1950 revised edition of ''The Hobbit'' were not related to canonicity, but instead were designed to make the book more consistent with ''The Lord of the Rings''. When The Hobbit was first published in the 1930s, Tolkien had not been planning to write the later work, and so some details were inconsistent. The [[the One Ring|ring]] that Bilbo obtained, for example was not related to [[Sauron]] in the [[The Hobbit 1st edition|original edition]]. It was simply a magic ring that could make the wearer invisible. In anticipation of the publication of its sequel, Tolkien had to rewrite parts of ''The Hobbit'' to make it consistent with ''The Lord of the Rings.''

In Tolkien's commentary in the [[The Lord of the Rings Appendices|Appendices]] of ''The Lord of The Rings'', where he presented the work itself as being a [[Red Book of Westmarch|translation of mythology]] written down ''in'' the world of Arda, subject to errors and other inaccuracies of those fictional characters who "wrote" the material Tolkien is "translating." Similarly, ''The Hobbit'' is said to be a translation of a memoir written by Bilbo Baggins, and it is commonly thought that a degree of unreliable narration is intentionally presented at different parts of the story. This particular element was added by Tolkien to provide an in-universe explanation for the inconsistencies between the first edition of ''The Hobbit'' and later editions.

It is worth noting that the term "mythology" or "legends" as used by Tolkien in reference to his work does '''not''' mean it shouldn't be considered a formal part of canon or inherently unreliable. Tolkien conceived all of his writing as part of a vast "mythology" which he had originally intended to replace the lost myths and legends of his homeland of England.{{fact}} As time went on, he abandoned the idea of writing a mythology for England and instead came to see his work as a vast corpus of mythology, stories, history and legends for his own invented world.{{fact}} As a result of this, all his writings relating to Middle-earth are known collectively as ''The Legendarium''.{{fact}}

[[Christopher Tolkien]] kept as closely as possible to the material his father wrote when ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' was published, and stated he had kept it as consistent as possible because his father considered the account of the forging of the Rings and the Downfall of Númenor to be "essential background to The Hobbit and its sequel" <ref name=":0">Letter 131 to Milton Waldman- Unknown Date, 1951</ref>

J.R.R Tolkien also left a comprehensive and detailed summary of ''The Silmarillion,'' which he wrote in [[Letter 131]] to his friend [[Milton Waldman]], and this reveals that the version published by Christopher is largely unchanged in its major details and events.

{{Blockquote|The cycles begin with a cosmogonical myth: the Music of the Ainur. God and the Valar (or powers: Englished as gods) are revealed.

It moves then swiftly to the History of the Elves, or the Silmarillion proper; to the world as we perceive it, but of course transfigured in a still half-mythical mode: that is it deals with rational incarnate creatures of more or less comparable stature with our own. The Knowledge of the Creation Drama was incomplete: incomplete in each individual 'god', and incomplete if all the knowledge of the pantheon were pooled. For (partly to redress the evil of the rebel Melkor, partly for the completion of all in an ultimate finesse of detail) the Creator had not revealed all.

So, proceeding, the Elves have a fall, before their 'history' can become storial. (The first fall of Man, for reasons explained, nowhere appears – Men do not come on the stage until all that is long past, and there is only a rumour that for a while they fell under the domination of the Enemy and that some repented.) The main body of the tale, the Silmarillion proper, is about the fall of the most gifted kindred of the Elves, their exile from Valinor (a kind of Paradise, the home of the Gods) in the furthest West, their re-entry into Middle-earth, the land of their birth but long under the rule of the Enemy, and their strife with him, the power of Evil still visibly incarnate. It receives its name because the events are all threaded upon the fate and significance of the Silmarilli ('radiance of pure light') or Primeval Jewels.

The chief of the stories of the Silmarillion, and the one most fully treated is the Story of Beren and Lúthien the Elfmaiden. There are other stories almost equally full in treatment, and equally independent and yet linked to the general history. There is the Children of Húrin, the tragic tale of Túrin Turambar and his sister Níniel ...

There is the Fall of Gondolin: the chief Elvish stronghold. And the tale, or tales, of Earendil the Wanderer. He is important as the person who brings the Silmarillion to its end, and as providing in his offspring the main links to and persons in the tales of later Ages.

The next cycle deals (or would deal) with the Second Age. But it is on Earth a dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told. In the great battles against the First Enemy the lands were broken and ruined, and the West of Middle-earth became desolate. We learn that the Exiled Elves were, if not commanded, at least sternly counselled to return into the West, and there be at peace. They were not to dwell permanently in Valinor again, but in the Lonely Isle of Eresseëa within sight of the Blessed Realm. The Men of the Three Houses were rewarded for their valour and faithful alliance, by being allowed to dwell 'western-most of all mortals', in the great 'Atlantis' isle of Númenóre.

The Elves of Eregion made Three supremely beautiful and powerful rings, almost solely of their own imagination, and directed to the preservation of beauty:
But secretly in the subterranean Fire, in his own Black Land, Sauron made One Ring, the Ruling Ring that contained the powers of all the others, and controlled them, so that its wearer could see the thoughts of all those that used the lesser rings, could govern all that they did, and in the end could utterly enslave them.

He reckoned, however, without the wisdom and subtle perceptions of
the Elves. The moment he assumed the One, they were aware of it, and of his secret purpose, and were afraid. They hid the Three Rings, so that not even Sauron ever discovered where they were and they remained unsullied. The others they tried to destroy.
In the resulting war between Sauron and the Elves Middle-earth, especially in the west, was further ruined.

The Downfall of Númenor, the Second Fall of Man , brings on the catastrophic end, not only of the Second Age, but of the Old World, the primeval world of legend (envisaged as flat and bounded).
So the end of the Second Age draws on in a major catastrophe; but it is not yet quite concluded.

The Second Age ends with the Last Alliance (of Elves and Men), and the great siege of Mordor.
It ends with the overthrow of Sauron and destruction of the second visible incarnation of evil. But at a cost, and with one disastrous mistake. Gilgalad and Elendil are slain in the act of slaying Sauron. Isildur, Elendil's son, cuts die ring from Sauron's hand, and his power departs, and his spirit flees into the shadows.
But the evil begins to work. Isildur claims the Ring as his own, as 'the Weregild of his father', and refuses to cast it into the Fire nearby. He marches away, but is drowned in the Great River, and the Ring is lost, passing out of all knowledge. But it is not unmade, and the Dark Tower built with its aid still stands, empty but not destroyed. So ends the Second Age with the coming of the Númenórean realms and the passing of the last kingship of the High Elves|- Letter 131 to Milton Waldman- Unknown date probably 1951 }} Throughout his commentaries in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher has pointed out any discrepancies between his editorial decisions and alterations and later additions or revisions his father intended to make to small details about people, places and things in the text. He pointed out where different versions existed, or changes had been made by his father.

The chapters in the published ''Silmarillion'' about the ruin of [[Doriath]] and the fall of [[Gondolin]], especially the former, were edited by Christopher Tolkien and [[Guy Gavriel Kay]], to fill in some gaps in the available draft material{{fact}}, and therefore may not represent J.R.R. Tolkien's own ideas about how those stories should have been be compiled and completed. ''The Fall of Gondolin'' was abandoned by J.R.R Tolkien and never finished, so Christopher and Kay had to complete it and write a proper ending.{{fact}}

''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' consists of essays and stories composed at various times. Many were written before ''The Lord of the Rings'' and some were written afterwards. Most were generally consistent with ''The Lord of the Rings'', although some of the stories were set in the First and Second Age and did not relate directly to ''The Lord of the Rings'' because they were written years before. Galadriel does not appear in any of the early versions of stories like ''The Children of Hurin'', for example, even though parts of it are set in Doriath because her character was not created until later.

The book contains a chapter entitled ''The History of Galadriel and Celeborn'', which chronicles Galadriel and Celeborn's movements in the Second Age as well as their involvement in some of the events of the First Age. There are different versions of some parts and events of the story. It also contains a section on the nature of the Istari, and a details account of the battle of Gladden Fields. The differences between some differing versions of some of the material, especially relating to Galadriel and Celeborn does create some inconsistencies, but as a whole Unfinished Tales is consistent with Tolkien's finished work.

The various texts published in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' date from all periods of Tolkien's life and generally exclude the more finished sections used for the published works.

Towards the end of his life, Tolkien described the tales of the ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' as legends, chiefly those of Men but blended with those of the Sindar. As such the tales could contain a various traditions and accounts passed down through time, embellished in literary tradition.<ref>{{L|325}}</ref><ref>{{PM|XI}}</ref><ref>{{PM|XIII}}</ref> Tolkien had, at several points suggested he the described the ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Hobbit'' in a similar way. Indeed, he considered everything he wrote to be set "body of mythology" or set of legends, so the term "legend" should not be considered evidence that he didn't want ''The Silmarillion'' to be counted alongside the rest of his work. Since, as already stated, Tolkien considered parts of the ''The Silmarillion'' to be "essential background" to ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings.''<ref name=":0" />

==Determining a priority==
When handling two or more inconsistent elements of Tolkien's Legendarium, there are at least two (sometimes overlapping, sometimes conflicting) rules of thumb according to which a [[Tolkienist]] can apply criticism and determine which is more valid over the other.
;Final intent
:This principle follows the axiom that Tolkien's Legendarium is a work that was revised towards maturity and refinement, therefore later ideas are more valid than earlier ones. For example, in one of his [[Last Writings]] (q.v.) near the end of his life, Tolkien wrote that the [[Blue Wizards]] played a big role in the [[East]]. This can be considered the "final word" on the matter, obsoleting an earlier idea (stated in [[Letter 211]]) that they fell like Saruman.
;Height intent
:This principle considers that by the writing of ''The Lord of the Rings'' the Legendarium had reached its peak of maturity. Afterwards, Tolkien's personal and unpublished writings presented a "decline" and were mainly experiments with philosophical matters of Arda, which sometimes contradicted the established works. These were eventually abandoned or left unfinished. Such concepts include the [[Round World version of the Silmarillion]], or the [[1960]] partial rewrite of ''The Hobbit''.

==Individual Issues==
===Gil-galad===
An example of the canon question is the lineage of [[Gil-galad]]. In the published ''Silmarillion'' he is said to be the son of [[Fingon]], but as disclosed in ''[[The War of the Jewels]]'' Tolkien considered many arrangements before apparently deciding that he was the son of [[Orodreth]], who would then also be displaced as a son of [[Finarfin]] and turned into Finarfin's grandson instead. Also, most people think [[Finwë]] had three children, all sons; [[Fëanor]] by his first wife [[Míriel]], and [[Fingolfin]] and [[Finarfin]] by [[Indis]]. However, this is incorrect, since he also had two daughters, [[Findis]] and [[Írimë]], by his second wife (Findis was in fact Finwë's first child by Indis), thus Finwë had five children. If the published ''Silmarillion'' is taken as canon all later material must be discarded, but if the later writings by Tolkien are taken as canon the ''Silmarillion'' must be rewritten, a task which Christopher Tolkien had stated he would not do as he was then retired.{{fact}} So we are left with a ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' which contradicts the original author's intentions in some minor details, but which is the only authoritative narrative in existence for most of the stories and narratives which remain unaltered. The latter third of the ''Quenta Silmarillion'' in particular was never rewritten by Tolkien as a whole after the early narrative of his youth.

===''The Hobbit''===
A further problem is reconciling ''The Hobbit'' with ''The Lord of the Rings''. In 1947, Tolkien suggested to his publisher, [[Allen and Unwin|George Allen & Unwin]], that ''The Hobbit'' required revision to make it more consistent with the then nearly finished sequel. In 1950, Tolkien was surprised to be informed that the publisher had incorporated his 1947 suggestions into a new edition of ''The Hobbit''. When he received the proofs for this update he subsequently altered some of the as-yet unpublished material in ''The Lord of the Rings'' to more fully conform to the changes Allen & Unwin had made to ''The Hobbit''.{{fact}}

Among inconsistencies which survived into the second edition, [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] and the [[Dwarves]] took far too long to reach [[Rivendell]] when a map from ''The Lord of the Rings'' was used to gauge the distance, which can only be explained with great difficulty if at all.{{fact}} There are additional problems as well, such as the exact location of the [[Trolls|Troll]] encounter. When he began writing ''The Hobbit'' Tolkien did not intend for it to be part of his Middle-earth mythology, but was simply populating an imaginary landscape with characters and locations for a children's adventure story. Nonetheless, for his own amusement, Tolkien borrowed several references to his unpublished mythology to give the story a sense of depth. Thus Gandalf and [[Thorin]] wield swords from [[Gondolin]], and [[Elrond]], ruler of Rivendell, is [[Half-elven]].

{{references}}
==External links==
*{{WP|Middle-earth canon}}
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/TolkParish.html Essay on Tolkienian canon] by Steuard Jensen
**[http://tolkien.slimy.com/publist.html List of Middle-earth books] with notes about suggested canonicity (part of the above site)
*"[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/04/26/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-canon/ A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Canon]" by [[Michael Martinez]]
[[Category:Fandom]]

High Pass

2026-04-24T06:16:29Z

AmonGwareth: /* Portrayals in Adaptations */

{{location infobox
| name=High Pass
| image=J.R.R. Tolkien - The Mountain-path (Colored by H.E. Riddett).png
| caption="The Mountain-path" (coloured) by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Pass of Imladris, Cirith Forn en Andrath
| location=[[Misty Mountains]] above [[Rivendell]]
| type=Mountain pass
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''High Pass''', also known as the '''Pass of Imladris'''<ref name="DisasterNote14">{{UT|7a}}, note 14</ref> or '''''Cirith Forn en Andrath'''''<ref name="Gladden">{{UT|Gladden}}, second paragraph</ref>,<ref name="Index">{{UT|Index}}, entry ''* Cirith Forn en Andrath''</ref> was a pass over the [[Misty Mountains]] east of the elven refuge of [[Rivendell]].<ref>{{HM|UI}}, entry ''High Pass'', p. 207</ref> Somewhere close to Rivendell<ref name="Gladden" /> a long, hard and dangerous path climbed into the mountains until it reached the mountain under which laid [[Goblin-town]] on its way to the High Pass.<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> From the High Pass the ancient [[Old Forest Road]] descended to the [[Vales of Anduin]] to the river [[Anduin]] and then on into [[Mirkwood]] forest.<ref name="DisasterNote14" /><ref>{{FR|Map}}</ref>

There were two passes near Goblin-town: the High Pass and another pass that was easier to travel. The main gate of Goblin-town was located near the easier pass. Because the [[Orcs]] of Goblin-town had often caught travellers who spent the night near the main gate at the easier pass, travellers stopped using this pass and used the High Pass instead. However, the Orcs created a new entrance in a cave near the High Pass.<ref name="Pan">{{H|Pan}}, "But their main gate used to come out on a different pass [...]"</ref>

==History==
In {{SA|3434}}<ref>{{App|SA}}, entry for the year 3434, p. 1084</ref> the main part of the army of [[Gil-galad]], along with [[Isildur]] and part of the army of [[Arnor]], used the High Pass, as well as the [[Redhorn Gate|pass]] of [[Caradhras]], to cross the Misty Mountains on their march to [[Mordor]] in the War of the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]<ref>{{UT|7a}}, note 20</ref>. After this war [[Isildur]] was slain on his way back from [[Gondor]] to Rivendell at the [[Gladden Fields]] by [[Orcs]] that had been sent there before the [[War of the Last Alliance]] by [[Sauron]] to watch the passes.<ref>{{UT|Gladden}}</ref>

In the [[Third Age]], the High Pass became dangerous again because of the Orcs. Only after the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], which nearly wiped out all of the Orcs of the mountains, did it become safe again. Nevertheless, in {{TA|2940}}, the goblins of [[Goblin-town]] had burrowed their way back to it, and [[Bilbo Baggins]] and the Dwarves of [[Thorin]] were captured there the next year during the [[Quest of Erebor]].<ref name="Hill" />

During the [[War of the Ring]], [[Grimbeorn|Grimbeorn the Old]] and the [[Beornings]] kept the High Pass open,<ref>{{FR|Meetings}}, p. 228</ref> but the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] ignored the High Pass because the eastern side of the Misty Mountains had become too dangerous.

==Other names==
The High Pass was also known as the '''''Pass of Imladris'''''.<ref name="Index" />

In [[Sindarin]],<ref name="Eldamo">{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-1075852477.html|articlename=S. ''Cirith Forn en Andrath'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=28 June 2023}}</ref> the pass was called '''''Cirith Forn en Andrath''''' ("The High-climbing Pass of the North").<ref name="Index" /> Paul Strack suggests that the name is a combination of ''[[cirith]]'' ("pass"), ''[[forod|forn]]'' ("north"), ''[[en]]'' ("of the") and ''[[andrath#Etymology|andrath]]'' ("long climb").<ref name="Eldamo" />

==Other versions of the legendarium==
The translation of ''Cirith Forn en Andrath'' as "the high-climbing pass of the north" seems to be either a loose gloss or even an error, since elsewhere in ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' ''andrath'' is definitively translated as "long climb",<ref>{{UT|7a}}, note 4, p. 278</ref> and ''an(d)'' is definitively stated to mean "long".<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''an(d)''</ref>

In the draft for the chapter, "[[The Ring Goes South]]", [[Elrond]] gave a name for both the High Pass and the [[Front Porch|Goblin Gate]], which was ''Annerchin''.<ref>{{RS|Ring}}, pp. 416, 432</ref>

==Portrayals in Adaptations==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - High Pass.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The High Pass in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'']]
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The High Pass can be found in the region of the Misty Mountains and is divided into two areas: the Northern High Pass and the Southern High Pass. The mountain pass to the [[Vales of Anduin]] to the east was reopened by the [[Beornings]] following the [[War of the Ring]].

'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:The Dwarves take the High Pass, but they do so without Gandalf. They end up in the middle of a fight between [[Stone-giants]].

{{references}}
{{companyroute}}
[[Category:Passes]]
[[de:Hoher Pass]]
[[fi:Ylä-Sola]]

High Pass

2026-04-24T06:15:05Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */

{{location infobox
| name=High Pass
| image=J.R.R. Tolkien - The Mountain-path (Colored by H.E. Riddett).png
| caption="The Mountain-path" (coloured) by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Pass of Imladris, Cirith Forn en Andrath
| location=[[Misty Mountains]] above [[Rivendell]]
| type=Mountain pass
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''High Pass''', also known as the '''Pass of Imladris'''<ref name="DisasterNote14">{{UT|7a}}, note 14</ref> or '''''Cirith Forn en Andrath'''''<ref name="Gladden">{{UT|Gladden}}, second paragraph</ref>,<ref name="Index">{{UT|Index}}, entry ''* Cirith Forn en Andrath''</ref> was a pass over the [[Misty Mountains]] east of the elven refuge of [[Rivendell]].<ref>{{HM|UI}}, entry ''High Pass'', p. 207</ref> Somewhere close to Rivendell<ref name="Gladden" /> a long, hard and dangerous path climbed into the mountains until it reached the mountain under which laid [[Goblin-town]] on its way to the High Pass.<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> From the High Pass the ancient [[Old Forest Road]] descended to the [[Vales of Anduin]] to the river [[Anduin]] and then on into [[Mirkwood]] forest.<ref name="DisasterNote14" /><ref>{{FR|Map}}</ref>

There were two passes near Goblin-town: the High Pass and another pass that was easier to travel. The main gate of Goblin-town was located near the easier pass. Because the [[Orcs]] of Goblin-town had often caught travellers who spent the night near the main gate at the easier pass, travellers stopped using this pass and used the High Pass instead. However, the Orcs created a new entrance in a cave near the High Pass.<ref name="Pan">{{H|Pan}}, "But their main gate used to come out on a different pass [...]"</ref>

==History==
In {{SA|3434}}<ref>{{App|SA}}, entry for the year 3434, p. 1084</ref> the main part of the army of [[Gil-galad]], along with [[Isildur]] and part of the army of [[Arnor]], used the High Pass, as well as the [[Redhorn Gate|pass]] of [[Caradhras]], to cross the Misty Mountains on their march to [[Mordor]] in the War of the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]<ref>{{UT|7a}}, note 20</ref>. After this war [[Isildur]] was slain on his way back from [[Gondor]] to Rivendell at the [[Gladden Fields]] by [[Orcs]] that had been sent there before the [[War of the Last Alliance]] by [[Sauron]] to watch the passes.<ref>{{UT|Gladden}}</ref>

In the [[Third Age]], the High Pass became dangerous again because of the Orcs. Only after the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], which nearly wiped out all of the Orcs of the mountains, did it become safe again. Nevertheless, in {{TA|2940}}, the goblins of [[Goblin-town]] had burrowed their way back to it, and [[Bilbo Baggins]] and the Dwarves of [[Thorin]] were captured there the next year during the [[Quest of Erebor]].<ref name="Hill" />

During the [[War of the Ring]], [[Grimbeorn|Grimbeorn the Old]] and the [[Beornings]] kept the High Pass open,<ref>{{FR|Meetings}}, p. 228</ref> but the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] ignored the High Pass because the eastern side of the Misty Mountains had become too dangerous.

==Other names==
The High Pass was also known as the '''''Pass of Imladris'''''.<ref name="Index" />

In [[Sindarin]],<ref name="Eldamo">{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-1075852477.html|articlename=S. ''Cirith Forn en Andrath'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=28 June 2023}}</ref> the pass was called '''''Cirith Forn en Andrath''''' ("The High-climbing Pass of the North").<ref name="Index" /> Paul Strack suggests that the name is a combination of ''[[cirith]]'' ("pass"), ''[[forod|forn]]'' ("north"), ''[[en]]'' ("of the") and ''[[andrath#Etymology|andrath]]'' ("long climb").<ref name="Eldamo" />

==Other versions of the legendarium==
The translation of ''Cirith Forn en Andrath'' as "the high-climbing pass of the north" seems to be either a loose gloss or even an error, since elsewhere in ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' ''andrath'' is definitively translated as "long climb",<ref>{{UT|7a}}, note 4, p. 278</ref> and ''an(d)'' is definitively stated to mean "long".<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''an(d)''</ref>

In the draft for the chapter, "[[The Ring Goes South]]", [[Elrond]] gave a name for both the High Pass and the [[Front Porch|Goblin Gate]], which was ''Annerchin''.<ref>{{RS|Ring}}, pp. 416, 432</ref>

==Portrayals in Adaptations==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - High Pass.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The High Pass in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'']]
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The High Pass can be found in the region of the Misty Mountains and is divided into two areas: the Northern High Pass and the Southern High Pass. The mountain pass to the [[Vales of Anduin]] to the east was reopened by the [[Beornings]] following the [[War of the Ring]].

'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:The Dwarves take the High Pass, but without Gandalf. They end up in the middle of a fight between [[Stone-giants]].

{{references}}
{{companyroute}}
[[Category:Passes]]
[[de:Hoher Pass]]
[[fi:Ylä-Sola]]

Lond Daer

2026-04-23T07:20:21Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */ Tharbad was a fortified town rather a large city, no?

{{merge|Vinyalondë}}

{{location infobox
| name=Lond Daer Enedh
| image=Pete Fenlon - Lond Daer.jpg
| caption=Lond Daer shown on [[Pete Fenlon]]'s map of [[Middle-earth]] produced for [[Middle-earth Role Playing]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=[[Eriador]], in [[Enedwaith]], at the estuary of the [[Gwathló]] river
| type=Harbour
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Men]]
| created=Between {{SA|750}} and {{SA|800}}
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
'''Lond Daer Enedh''' (also spelt '''Ened''') was a great harbour in [[Eriador]] founded by the [[Númenóreans]].

==History==
Originally, the harbour, under the name '''''[[Vinyalondë]]''''', or "New Haven", was founded by [[Númenor]]'s crown prince [[Tar-Aldarion|Aldarion]] on the estuary of the river [[Gwathló]], between {{SA|750}} and {{SA|800|n}}.<ref>{{UT|4a}}, ''Chronology''</ref><ref>{{UT|Map}}</ref>

The Númenórean hunger for ever more wealth shifted focus to the establishment of newer havens to the south, [[Pelargir]] and [[Umbar]]. Following this, the haven was one of several major ports in Middle-earth, and was known as Lond Daer Enedh, or "Great Middle Haven", between the [[Grey Havens]] and Pelargir.<ref group="note">[[Christopher Tolkien]] identifies Vinyalonde with Lond Daer, the different names appearing in different texts. He considers that the new name refers to a much later time, after the building of Pelargir, so this article concentrates on the later history of the location.</ref> Despite this, Númenor still maintained traffic on the [[Gwathló]] as far as the fortified town of [[Tharbad]], and Lond Daer was expanded and fortified.<ref name="6d">{{UT|6d}}</ref>{{rp|p. 264}}

After the [[Downfall of Númenor]], [[Elendil]] founded the realm of [[Arnor]] in the lands north of Lond Daer, which was still part of the safest and most efficient route between the [[Realms in Exile]] by sea, in conjunction with [[Tharbad]] and the [[Great Road]]; but as Lond Daer fell into ruin,<ref group="note">It is not explained why "The ancient sea-port and its great quays were ruinous", but the cataclysm of the Downfall could have been the cause.</ref> Tharbad succeeded it in importance.<ref name="6d" />{{rp|p. 264}}

==Etymology==
''Lond Daer Enedh'' is [[Sindarin]] for "Great Middle Haven",<ref name="6d">{{UT|6d}}</ref>{{rp|264}} clearly composed of ''[[lond]]'' ("haven"), ''[[daer]]'' ("great, large") and ''[[enedh]]'' ("middle").

{{references|n}}
==External links==
*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2013/09/17/when-was-lond-daer-enedh-abandoned/ When Was Lond Daer Enedh Abandoned?] by [[Michael Martinez]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages]]
[[Category:Eriador]]
[[Category:Harbours]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]

Lond Daer

2026-04-23T07:18:48Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */ grammar

{{merge|Vinyalondë}}

{{location infobox
| name=Lond Daer Enedh
| image=Pete Fenlon - Lond Daer.jpg
| caption=Lond Daer shown on [[Pete Fenlon]]'s map of [[Middle-earth]] produced for [[Middle-earth Role Playing]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=[[Eriador]], in [[Enedwaith]], at the estuary of the [[Gwathló]] river
| type=Harbour
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Men]]
| created=Between {{SA|750}} and {{SA|800}}
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
'''Lond Daer Enedh''' (also spelt '''Ened''') was a great harbour in [[Eriador]] founded by the [[Númenóreans]].

==History==
Originally, the harbour, under the name '''''[[Vinyalondë]]''''', or "New Haven", was founded by [[Númenor]]'s crown prince [[Tar-Aldarion|Aldarion]] on the estuary of the river [[Gwathló]], between {{SA|750}} and {{SA|800|n}}.<ref>{{UT|4a}}, ''Chronology''</ref><ref>{{UT|Map}}</ref>

The Númenórean hunger for ever more wealth shifted focus to the establishment of newer havens to the south, [[Pelargir]] and [[Umbar]]. Following this, the haven was one of several major ports in Middle-earth, and was known as Lond Daer Enedh, or "Great Middle Haven", between the [[Grey Havens]] and Pelargir.<ref group="note">[[Christopher Tolkien]] identifies Vinyalonde with Lond Daer, the different names appearing in different texts. He considers that the new name refers to a much later time, after the building of Pelargir, so this article concentrates on the later history of the location.</ref> Despite this, Númenor still maintained traffic on the [[Gwathló]] as far as the city of [[Tharbad]], and Lond Daer was expanded and fortified.<ref name="6d">{{UT|6d}}</ref>{{rp|p. 264}}

After the [[Downfall of Númenor]], [[Elendil]] founded the realm of [[Arnor]] in the lands north of Lond Daer, which was still part of the safest and most efficient route between the [[Realms in Exile]] by sea, in conjunction with [[Tharbad]] and the [[Great Road]]; but as Lond Daer fell into ruin,<ref group="note">It is not explained why "The ancient sea-port and its great quays were ruinous", but the cataclysm of the Downfall could have been the cause.</ref> Tharbad succeeded it in importance.<ref name="6d" />{{rp|p. 264}}

==Etymology==
''Lond Daer Enedh'' is [[Sindarin]] for "Great Middle Haven",<ref name="6d">{{UT|6d}}</ref>{{rp|264}} clearly composed of ''[[lond]]'' ("haven"), ''[[daer]]'' ("great, large") and ''[[enedh]]'' ("middle").

{{references|n}}
==External links==
*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2013/09/17/when-was-lond-daer-enedh-abandoned/ When Was Lond Daer Enedh Abandoned?] by [[Michael Martinez]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages]]
[[Category:Eriador]]
[[Category:Harbours]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]

Dunlendings

2026-04-23T05:16:57Z

AmonGwareth: /* Origins */ wording

{{people infobox
| name=Dunlendings
| image = Turner Mohan - Men of Dunland.jpg
| caption="Men of Dunland" by [[:Category:Images by Turner Mohan|Turner Mohan]]
| pronun=
| othernames=''Gwathuirim'' ([[Sindarin|S]])
| origin=
| location=[[Dunland]]
| affiliation=[[Sauron]], [[Saruman]]
| rivalry=[[Rohirrim]]
| language=[[Dunlendish]]; some could speak "broken" [[Westron]].<ref>{{App|F1}}</ref>
| members=[[Freca]], [[Wulf]], [[Squint-eyed southerner]]
| lifespan=
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=Dark
| skin=Dark
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}

'''Dunlendings''', also known as the '''Gwathuirim''', were the ferocious, tall and vicious [[men]] that lived in [[Dunland]], close to [[Rohan]]. Also called the ''Wild Men of Dunland'', they had long been enemies of the [[Rohirrim]], because they were jealous that the rich lands of the old [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] province of Calenardhon were granted by the Gondorians to the Rohirrim instead of them.

==History==
===Origins===
{{seealso|Pre-Númenóreans}}
The ancestors of the Dunlendings were also the ancestors of the [[Haladin]],<ref name="PM|Atani">{{PM|Atani}}, p. 314</ref> the second of the Three Houses of the [[Edain]] who were reclusive, kept separate from the [[House of Bëor|Bëorians]] or the [[House of Hador|Hadorians]] and their language was different from [[Taliska|those spoken]] by the other Edain.

Those who remained in [[Eriador]], settled upon either side of the [[Gwathló]] or in the [[White Mountains|Ered Nimrais]]; later [[Gondorian]] historians recognised those in [[Minhiriath]] were especially akin to the Haladin.

In the [[Second Age]] those peoples ranged over much of future [[Gondor]] and [[Eriador]], and dwelt in the forests of the shorelands. But the [[Númenóreans]] returning to [[Middle-earth]] treated them ruthlessly and devastated their forests. While the [[Men of the Mountains]] survived in isolated places, others (overcoming their fear of the Elves) fled from Minhiriath into [[Eryn Vorn]]; those from [[Enedhwaith]] took refuge in the eastern mountains that would become [[Dunland]].<ref>{{UT|6d}}</ref> Some moved even further north until they reached what became the [[Bree-land]], and they were the [[Men of Bree]] who would eventually be absorbed into [[Arnor]].

===Third Age===
[[File:John Howe - Dunlending.jpg|thumb|''Dunlending'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Because of the Númenórean advance, those peoples, including the Dunlendings, remained bitter enemies of the [[West]].<ref name="PM|Atani" /> The hostility of the Dunlendings prevented the [[Dúnedain]] from populating permanent settlements in Enedhwaith except in the fortified town of [[Tharbad]].<ref name="note76">{{PM|XNotes}}, note 76</ref>

While some of the [[Pre-Númenóreans]] were absorbed into the population of Gondor and Arnor, the Dunlendings remained unaffected, independent and even unfriendly to the Dúnedain, holding their own manners and [[Dunlendish|language]].<ref name="OfMen">{{App|Men}}, p. 1130</ref> However the Dunlendings also remained hostile to those with [[Orc]]-blood.<ref>{{UT|Hunt}}</ref> The Dunlendings also dwelled alongside the [[Stoors|Stoor]] Hobbits during their [[Wandering Days]] and the latter even formed a related language to theirs.<ref>{{App|Hobbits}}, p. 1130</ref>

The Dunlendings suffered from the [[Great Plague]] less than other peoples owing to their isolation<ref name="OfMen" /> and were still found in the foothills of the Misty Mountains. By the time of the [[Ruling Stewards]] they ceased to be subjects of Gondor and, being surrounded by barbarous folk,<ref name="GC">{{UT|Galadriel}}</ref> they moved to settle the region of [[Calenardhon]] as Gondor ceased to man the garrisons during the [[Watchful Peace]].<ref name="Isen">{{UT|Isen}}</ref>

Some Dunlendings approached the Gondorian fortress of [[Isengard|Angrenost]] that was manned by a small garrison led by a hereditary Gondorian chieftain, the [[Lord of Isengard]], and mingled with the Gondorians. With time the line of the original chieftains eventually failed.<ref name="Isen" />

===Arrival of the Rohirrim===
[[Image:Angelo Montanini - Dunlendings.jpg|thumb|right|''Dunlendings'' by [[Angelo Montanini]]]]
In {{TA|2510}} Gondor granted Calenardhon to the [[Éothéod]] who came from [[Rhovanion]] and the wild hillmen and herd-folk whom the Dunlendings viewed as competitors and usurpers. As the ensuing enmity did not concern the [[Stewards of Gondor]], the Dunlendings kept hostilities to the [[Rohirrim]] and attacked whenever the latter were weak or in trouble.<ref name="Isen" />

Because of their connections, the people of Isengard remained friendlier to the Dunlendings than to the 'wild Northmen', allowing them to settle in and around the [[Ring of Isengard]]. Eventually the Dunlendings seized control of the fortress and killed any of the ancient guards who didn't merge with them.<ref name="Isen" />

[[Kings of Rohan|Kings]] [[Brego]] and [[Aldor]] drove the Dunlendings out of [[Rohan]] beyond the Isen until Enedhwaith. After the death of King Aldor, and as Isengard became more friendly to them, the Dunlendings passed and settled northern [[Westfold]], the mountain glens around the Ring, and southern eaves of [[Fangorn Forest]], becoming openly hostile.<ref name="Isen" /> In some places, the two peoples mingled in some peaceful circumstances; and the dark-haired Landlord [[Freca]] from the lands near [[Adorn]] had Dunlendish blood.<ref name="Mark">{{App|Mark}}</ref>

During the reign of King [[Déor]], they began raiding over the Isen; when it became clear that the raiders were coming from near Isengard, in {{TA|2710}} Déor led an expedition to the north. He found and defeated a host of Dunlendings, but discovered that Isengard was hostile. He was unable to drive them out as [[Egalmoth (Steward of Gondor)|Steward Egalmoth]] could not send help.<ref name="Isen" /> The occupation lasted through the reign of King [[Gram]] and they continued to raid and harass the Rohirrim.<ref name="Mark" />

===Usurpation===
The worst of these incidents was when Freca's son, [[Wulf]], allied with the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] who were in turn stirred by [[Sauron]], keeping safe his properties at [[Adorn]]. Joining his kin from outside of Rohan with enemies of Gondor that had landed in the mouths of [[Lefnui]] and Isen, Rohan was invaded from the East, the Isen and Isengard, and finally Wulf took [[Edoras]] in {{TA|2758}}. Gondor, fighting Corsair fleets, could not help<ref name="Mark" /> as the people of Rohan survived the crisis due to the leadership of King [[Helm|Helm Hammerhand]], the usurping Dunlendings were reduced after the [[Long Winter]] and finished off by [[Fréaláf]]. The Rohirrim now kept a strong force in North Westfold.<ref name="Isen" />

Eventually many Dunlendings were found later in the Westfold of Rohan, until [[Folcwine]], aided by Gondor, reconquered it.<ref name="Mark" /> But the people remaining between [[Isen]] and [[Adorn]] were largely of mixed blood, and not loyal to Edoras.<ref name="Isen" />

The Dunlendings were employed by the [[wizard]] [[Saruman]] to serve Sauron's purposes by attacking and raiding the cities and settlements of Rohan. Since [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] had corrupted the mind of King [[Théoden]], the fighting men of the Rohirrim were absent for the most part. As a result, the Dunlendings easily overpowered the old men and young boys who remained.

Wild Men were also present at the [[Battle of the Hornburg]] (Battle of Helm's Deep), as well as [[Half-orcs]], derived from [[Orcs]] and the [[Men]] of Dunland. The fighting was vicious, but the Dunlendings surrendered after [[Gandalf]] appeared. In contrast, the Orcs fled into the forest of [[Fangorn Forest|Fangorn]] and were destroyed by [[Huorns]].

[[Saruman]]'s defeat at Isengard put a stop to Dunlending aggression in Rohan. However, the [[Battle of Bywater|Scouring of the Shire]] by Saruman, under the alias of [[Sharkey]], was carried out with the backing of a considerable number of Dunlendings.

==Etymology==
''Dunlendings'' is a name in [[Rohanese]]<ref name="Dunlendings">{{HM|N}}, p. 755, entry "Dunlendings"</ref> (represented by [[Old English]]<ref>{{App|Translation}}, p. 1136</ref>) given to them by the [[Rohirrim]], which refers to the people's swarthy and dark-haired appearance.<ref name="OfMen">{{App|Men}}, p. 1130</ref> The name ''Dunlendings'' contains the [[Old English|English]] element ''dunn'',<ref name="OfMen" /> which means "dark, dusky, dull-hued".<ref name="Dunlendings" /><ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 769, entry "Dunland"</ref> The name appears to be derived from ''Dunland'' and the suffix ''-ings'', which denotes a people-group (as in ''[[Rohirrim|Eorlings]]'', ''[[Bardings]]'', ''[[Beornings]]'', etc.).

A [[Sindarin]] name for the Dunlendings was '''''Gwathuirim'''''.<ref name="note76" /> It is suggested that the name ''Gwathuirim'' contain the elements ''[[gwathui]]'' ("shadowy") + ''[[-rim]]'' ("people").<ref name="Eldamo">{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=http://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-391631781.html|articlename=S. ''Gwathuirim'' coll.|website=Eldamo|accessed=10 March 2022}}</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In an earlier draft of the chapter Flotsam and Jetsam Aragorn comments that the regiments of rather tall, dark-haired, not particularly evil-looking men that Merry watched coming from Isengard to attack Rohan are Dunlanders. Aragorn describes them as an upland folk from the west of the Misty Mountains, remnants of the old peoples that once dwelt in Rohan and all about to the north and south of the White Mountains (which were called Black Mountains in this earlier draft).<ref>{{WR|1|IV}}, p. 51 and p. 52</ref> In the earliest draft of the chapter the Muster of Rohan it is mentioned that the forgotten men who built [[Dunharrow]] went away to mingle with the people of Dunland or the folk of Lebennin. It is also mentioned that some folk reckoned as Rohirrim and that spoke the language of Rohan, but dark with grey eyes with the blood of the forgotten men in their veins lived at Dunharrow. In this earliest draft no Pûkel-men are mentioned.<ref>{{WR|3|II}}, (ii) The Muster of Rohan, draft A, p. 236</ref> In a later draft it is also mentioned that Dunlanders came to the muster at Dunharrow to fight against the forces of Sauron.<ref>{{WR|3|II}}, (ii) The Muster of Rohan, draft F, p. 247 and draft G. p. 249</ref> In an outline for Book Five some folk from Dunland come to Minas Tirith to join Gondor in the fight against Sauron.<ref>{{WR|3|II}}, (iii) Sketches for Book Five, p. 253</ref>

==Inspiration==
It is possible that the rivalry between the primitive Dunlendings and the blond-haired, pseudo-Anglo-Saxon Rohirrim who migrated into the lands neighbouring them was meant by Tolkien to be analogous to the real life conflicts that arose between the Anglo-Saxons in England and neighbouring [[Celtic]] peoples.

This is supported by the fact that placenames of [[Bree-land]] like [[Bree]],<ref>{{HM|N}}, pp. 766 entry '''Bree'''</ref><ref>{{HM|UI}}, p. 16 entry ''Bree''</ref> [[Archet]]<ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 765 entry '''Archet'''</ref> and [[Combe]]<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 150</ref> are Celtic. The [[Stoors|Stoor]] [[Hobbits]] (who had stayed long in [[Dunland]]<ref>{{App|TA}}, entries for the year 1150 and ''c.'' 1630, pp. 1085</ref>), have Celtic elements in their names,<ref name="Translation">{{App|Translation}}, p. 1135</ref> such as [[Gorhendad Oldbuck|Gorhendad]]<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 115</ref> or [[Saradoc Brandybuck|Saradoc]].<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 422</ref><ref>{{FR|Hobbits}}, p. 6 "the folk of the Marish, and of Buckland, [...] came for the most part later into the Shire from south-away; and they sill had many peculiar names"</ref> Tolkien mentioned that the survival of traces of the older language of the Stoors and the Bree-men resembled the survival of Celtic elements in England.<ref name="Translation" />

==Portrayals in adaptations==
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Dunlendings.jpg|thumb|left|Men and Women of Dunland]]
:The Dunlendings are not a unified entity, but rather a collection of clans named after their spirit animal (ox, boar, stag, falcon, dragon etc.) who often raid one another, with some weaker clans either enslaved or outright wiped out. Many wish to see all of Dunland unified as one and that dream was exploited by [[Saruman]], although not all clans joined with him and many oppose his influence either openly or in secret. Large clans span over multiple villages, and each village is led by a hereditary "Brenin" advised by a council of "Brehures". Most Dunlendings are simple farmers and herdsmen and their buildings are made of wood, straw and raw stone. All Dunlending men and women of age feature prominent facial tattoo markings.

'''2024: ''[[The War of the Rohirrim]]'':'''
:A deliberate distinction was made by the filmmakers between the "Dunlendings", men of the [[West-march]] who had Dunlendish ancestry but were on the same technological level as the [[Rohirrim]], and the "Wild Men" or the "Hill Tribes", much more rugged and less sophisticated inhabitants of [[Dunland]] proper. They are presented as distinct parts of [[Wulf]]'s army during the battle of [[Edoras]] and the siege of the [[Hornburg]].<ref name="Art Of">''[[The Art of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim]]''</ref>

{{references}}
[[Category:Dunlendings| ]]
[[Category:Servants of Saruman]]
[[Category:Servants of Sauron]]
[[de:Dunländer]]
[[fr:encyclo:peuples:hommes:dunlendings]]
[[fi:Mustainmaalaiset]]
[[pt-br:Terrapardenses]]

Dunlendings

2026-04-23T05:15:03Z

AmonGwareth: /* Origins */ grammar

{{people infobox
| name=Dunlendings
| image = Turner Mohan - Men of Dunland.jpg
| caption="Men of Dunland" by [[:Category:Images by Turner Mohan|Turner Mohan]]
| pronun=
| othernames=''Gwathuirim'' ([[Sindarin|S]])
| origin=
| location=[[Dunland]]
| affiliation=[[Sauron]], [[Saruman]]
| rivalry=[[Rohirrim]]
| language=[[Dunlendish]]; some could speak "broken" [[Westron]].<ref>{{App|F1}}</ref>
| members=[[Freca]], [[Wulf]], [[Squint-eyed southerner]]
| lifespan=
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=Dark
| skin=Dark
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}

'''Dunlendings''', also known as the '''Gwathuirim''', were the ferocious, tall and vicious [[men]] that lived in [[Dunland]], close to [[Rohan]]. Also called the ''Wild Men of Dunland'', they had long been enemies of the [[Rohirrim]], because they were jealous that the rich lands of the old [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] province of Calenardhon were granted by the Gondorians to the Rohirrim instead of them.

==History==
===Origins===
{{seealso|Pre-Númenóreans}}
The ancestors of the Dunlendings were also the ancestors of the [[Haladin]],<ref name="PM|Atani">{{PM|Atani}}, p. 314</ref> the second of the Three Houses of the [[Edain]] who were reclusive, kept separate from the [[House of Bëor|Bëorians]] or the [[House of Hador|Hadorians]] and their language was different from [[Taliska|those spoken]] by the other Edain.

Those who remained in [[Eriador]], settled upon either side of the [[Gwathló]] or in the [[White Mountains|Ered Nimrais]]; later [[Gondorian]] historians recognised those in [[Minhiriath]] were especially akin to the Haladin.

In the [[Second Age]] those peoples ranged over much of future [[Gondor]] and [[Eriador]], and dwelt in the forests of the shorelands. But the [[Númenóreans]] returning to [[Middle-earth]] treated them ruthlessly and devastated their forests. While the [[Men of the Mountains]] survived in isolated places, others (overcoming their fear of the Elves) fled from Minhiriath into [[Eryn Vorn]]; those from [[Enedhwaith]] took refuge in the eastern mountains that would become [[Dunland]].<ref>{{UT|6d}}</ref> Some moved even further north until they reached what became the [[Bree-land]], those were the [[Men of Bree]] who would be absorbed into [[Arnor]].

===Third Age===
[[File:John Howe - Dunlending.jpg|thumb|''Dunlending'' by [[John Howe]]]]
Because of the Númenórean advance, those peoples, including the Dunlendings, remained bitter enemies of the [[West]].<ref name="PM|Atani" /> The hostility of the Dunlendings prevented the [[Dúnedain]] from populating permanent settlements in Enedhwaith except in the fortified town of [[Tharbad]].<ref name="note76">{{PM|XNotes}}, note 76</ref>

While some of the [[Pre-Númenóreans]] were absorbed into the population of Gondor and Arnor, the Dunlendings remained unaffected, independent and even unfriendly to the Dúnedain, holding their own manners and [[Dunlendish|language]].<ref name="OfMen">{{App|Men}}, p. 1130</ref> However the Dunlendings also remained hostile to those with [[Orc]]-blood.<ref>{{UT|Hunt}}</ref> The Dunlendings also dwelled alongside the [[Stoors|Stoor]] Hobbits during their [[Wandering Days]] and the latter even formed a related language to theirs.<ref>{{App|Hobbits}}, p. 1130</ref>

The Dunlendings suffered from the [[Great Plague]] less than other peoples owing to their isolation<ref name="OfMen" /> and were still found in the foothills of the Misty Mountains. By the time of the [[Ruling Stewards]] they ceased to be subjects of Gondor and, being surrounded by barbarous folk,<ref name="GC">{{UT|Galadriel}}</ref> they moved to settle the region of [[Calenardhon]] as Gondor ceased to man the garrisons during the [[Watchful Peace]].<ref name="Isen">{{UT|Isen}}</ref>

Some Dunlendings approached the Gondorian fortress of [[Isengard|Angrenost]] that was manned by a small garrison led by a hereditary Gondorian chieftain, the [[Lord of Isengard]], and mingled with the Gondorians. With time the line of the original chieftains eventually failed.<ref name="Isen" />

===Arrival of the Rohirrim===
[[Image:Angelo Montanini - Dunlendings.jpg|thumb|right|''Dunlendings'' by [[Angelo Montanini]]]]
In {{TA|2510}} Gondor granted Calenardhon to the [[Éothéod]] who came from [[Rhovanion]] and the wild hillmen and herd-folk whom the Dunlendings viewed as competitors and usurpers. As the ensuing enmity did not concern the [[Stewards of Gondor]], the Dunlendings kept hostilities to the [[Rohirrim]] and attacked whenever the latter were weak or in trouble.<ref name="Isen" />

Because of their connections, the people of Isengard remained friendlier to the Dunlendings than to the 'wild Northmen', allowing them to settle in and around the [[Ring of Isengard]]. Eventually the Dunlendings seized control of the fortress and killed any of the ancient guards who didn't merge with them.<ref name="Isen" />

[[Kings of Rohan|Kings]] [[Brego]] and [[Aldor]] drove the Dunlendings out of [[Rohan]] beyond the Isen until Enedhwaith. After the death of King Aldor, and as Isengard became more friendly to them, the Dunlendings passed and settled northern [[Westfold]], the mountain glens around the Ring, and southern eaves of [[Fangorn Forest]], becoming openly hostile.<ref name="Isen" /> In some places, the two peoples mingled in some peaceful circumstances; and the dark-haired Landlord [[Freca]] from the lands near [[Adorn]] had Dunlendish blood.<ref name="Mark">{{App|Mark}}</ref>

During the reign of King [[Déor]], they began raiding over the Isen; when it became clear that the raiders were coming from near Isengard, in {{TA|2710}} Déor led an expedition to the north. He found and defeated a host of Dunlendings, but discovered that Isengard was hostile. He was unable to drive them out as [[Egalmoth (Steward of Gondor)|Steward Egalmoth]] could not send help.<ref name="Isen" /> The occupation lasted through the reign of King [[Gram]] and they continued to raid and harass the Rohirrim.<ref name="Mark" />

===Usurpation===
The worst of these incidents was when Freca's son, [[Wulf]], allied with the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] who were in turn stirred by [[Sauron]], keeping safe his properties at [[Adorn]]. Joining his kin from outside of Rohan with enemies of Gondor that had landed in the mouths of [[Lefnui]] and Isen, Rohan was invaded from the East, the Isen and Isengard, and finally Wulf took [[Edoras]] in {{TA|2758}}. Gondor, fighting Corsair fleets, could not help<ref name="Mark" /> as the people of Rohan survived the crisis due to the leadership of King [[Helm|Helm Hammerhand]], the usurping Dunlendings were reduced after the [[Long Winter]] and finished off by [[Fréaláf]]. The Rohirrim now kept a strong force in North Westfold.<ref name="Isen" />

Eventually many Dunlendings were found later in the Westfold of Rohan, until [[Folcwine]], aided by Gondor, reconquered it.<ref name="Mark" /> But the people remaining between [[Isen]] and [[Adorn]] were largely of mixed blood, and not loyal to Edoras.<ref name="Isen" />

The Dunlendings were employed by the [[wizard]] [[Saruman]] to serve Sauron's purposes by attacking and raiding the cities and settlements of Rohan. Since [[Gríma|Gríma Wormtongue]] had corrupted the mind of King [[Théoden]], the fighting men of the Rohirrim were absent for the most part. As a result, the Dunlendings easily overpowered the old men and young boys who remained.

Wild Men were also present at the [[Battle of the Hornburg]] (Battle of Helm's Deep), as well as [[Half-orcs]], derived from [[Orcs]] and the [[Men]] of Dunland. The fighting was vicious, but the Dunlendings surrendered after [[Gandalf]] appeared. In contrast, the Orcs fled into the forest of [[Fangorn Forest|Fangorn]] and were destroyed by [[Huorns]].

[[Saruman]]'s defeat at Isengard put a stop to Dunlending aggression in Rohan. However, the [[Battle of Bywater|Scouring of the Shire]] by Saruman, under the alias of [[Sharkey]], was carried out with the backing of a considerable number of Dunlendings.

==Etymology==
''Dunlendings'' is a name in [[Rohanese]]<ref name="Dunlendings">{{HM|N}}, p. 755, entry "Dunlendings"</ref> (represented by [[Old English]]<ref>{{App|Translation}}, p. 1136</ref>) given to them by the [[Rohirrim]], which refers to the people's swarthy and dark-haired appearance.<ref name="OfMen">{{App|Men}}, p. 1130</ref> The name ''Dunlendings'' contains the [[Old English|English]] element ''dunn'',<ref name="OfMen" /> which means "dark, dusky, dull-hued".<ref name="Dunlendings" /><ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 769, entry "Dunland"</ref> The name appears to be derived from ''Dunland'' and the suffix ''-ings'', which denotes a people-group (as in ''[[Rohirrim|Eorlings]]'', ''[[Bardings]]'', ''[[Beornings]]'', etc.).

A [[Sindarin]] name for the Dunlendings was '''''Gwathuirim'''''.<ref name="note76" /> It is suggested that the name ''Gwathuirim'' contain the elements ''[[gwathui]]'' ("shadowy") + ''[[-rim]]'' ("people").<ref name="Eldamo">{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=http://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-391631781.html|articlename=S. ''Gwathuirim'' coll.|website=Eldamo|accessed=10 March 2022}}</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In an earlier draft of the chapter Flotsam and Jetsam Aragorn comments that the regiments of rather tall, dark-haired, not particularly evil-looking men that Merry watched coming from Isengard to attack Rohan are Dunlanders. Aragorn describes them as an upland folk from the west of the Misty Mountains, remnants of the old peoples that once dwelt in Rohan and all about to the north and south of the White Mountains (which were called Black Mountains in this earlier draft).<ref>{{WR|1|IV}}, p. 51 and p. 52</ref> In the earliest draft of the chapter the Muster of Rohan it is mentioned that the forgotten men who built [[Dunharrow]] went away to mingle with the people of Dunland or the folk of Lebennin. It is also mentioned that some folk reckoned as Rohirrim and that spoke the language of Rohan, but dark with grey eyes with the blood of the forgotten men in their veins lived at Dunharrow. In this earliest draft no Pûkel-men are mentioned.<ref>{{WR|3|II}}, (ii) The Muster of Rohan, draft A, p. 236</ref> In a later draft it is also mentioned that Dunlanders came to the muster at Dunharrow to fight against the forces of Sauron.<ref>{{WR|3|II}}, (ii) The Muster of Rohan, draft F, p. 247 and draft G. p. 249</ref> In an outline for Book Five some folk from Dunland come to Minas Tirith to join Gondor in the fight against Sauron.<ref>{{WR|3|II}}, (iii) Sketches for Book Five, p. 253</ref>

==Inspiration==
It is possible that the rivalry between the primitive Dunlendings and the blond-haired, pseudo-Anglo-Saxon Rohirrim who migrated into the lands neighbouring them was meant by Tolkien to be analogous to the real life conflicts that arose between the Anglo-Saxons in England and neighbouring [[Celtic]] peoples.

This is supported by the fact that placenames of [[Bree-land]] like [[Bree]],<ref>{{HM|N}}, pp. 766 entry '''Bree'''</ref><ref>{{HM|UI}}, p. 16 entry ''Bree''</ref> [[Archet]]<ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 765 entry '''Archet'''</ref> and [[Combe]]<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 150</ref> are Celtic. The [[Stoors|Stoor]] [[Hobbits]] (who had stayed long in [[Dunland]]<ref>{{App|TA}}, entries for the year 1150 and ''c.'' 1630, pp. 1085</ref>), have Celtic elements in their names,<ref name="Translation">{{App|Translation}}, p. 1135</ref> such as [[Gorhendad Oldbuck|Gorhendad]]<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 115</ref> or [[Saradoc Brandybuck|Saradoc]].<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 422</ref><ref>{{FR|Hobbits}}, p. 6 "the folk of the Marish, and of Buckland, [...] came for the most part later into the Shire from south-away; and they sill had many peculiar names"</ref> Tolkien mentioned that the survival of traces of the older language of the Stoors and the Bree-men resembled the survival of Celtic elements in England.<ref name="Translation" />

==Portrayals in adaptations==
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Dunlendings.jpg|thumb|left|Men and Women of Dunland]]
:The Dunlendings are not a unified entity, but rather a collection of clans named after their spirit animal (ox, boar, stag, falcon, dragon etc.) who often raid one another, with some weaker clans either enslaved or outright wiped out. Many wish to see all of Dunland unified as one and that dream was exploited by [[Saruman]], although not all clans joined with him and many oppose his influence either openly or in secret. Large clans span over multiple villages, and each village is led by a hereditary "Brenin" advised by a council of "Brehures". Most Dunlendings are simple farmers and herdsmen and their buildings are made of wood, straw and raw stone. All Dunlending men and women of age feature prominent facial tattoo markings.

'''2024: ''[[The War of the Rohirrim]]'':'''
:A deliberate distinction was made by the filmmakers between the "Dunlendings", men of the [[West-march]] who had Dunlendish ancestry but were on the same technological level as the [[Rohirrim]], and the "Wild Men" or the "Hill Tribes", much more rugged and less sophisticated inhabitants of [[Dunland]] proper. They are presented as distinct parts of [[Wulf]]'s army during the battle of [[Edoras]] and the siege of the [[Hornburg]].<ref name="Art Of">''[[The Art of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim]]''</ref>

{{references}}
[[Category:Dunlendings| ]]
[[Category:Servants of Saruman]]
[[Category:Servants of Sauron]]
[[de:Dunländer]]
[[fr:encyclo:peuples:hommes:dunlendings]]
[[fi:Mustainmaalaiset]]
[[pt-br:Terrapardenses]]

Three Rings

2026-04-19T04:06:25Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */

{{object infobox
| name=Three Rings
| image=J.R.R. Tolkien - Three Rings.png
| caption=Composite of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s illustrations of the Three Rings from his ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' dustcover design
| pronun=
| othernames=[[Narya]], [[Nenya]], and [[Vilya]]
| location=
| owner=
| type=Rings
| appearance=
| creator=[[Celebrimbor]]
| created=ca. {{SA|1590}}.<ref name="SA"/>
| createdlocation=[[Eregion]]
| destroyer=
| destroyed=
| destroyedlocation=
| notablefor=
| audio=
| audiocaption=
| gallery=the Three Rings
}}
{{quote|And of all the Elven-rings Sauron most desired to possess them, for those who had them in their keeping could ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world.|''[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''}}

The '''Three Rings''' were magical artifacts, three of the [[Rings of Power]]. They were forged by [[Celebrimbor]] and granted the power to preserve<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref><ref name="L131">{{L|131}}</ref><ref name="L144">{{L|144}}</ref><ref name="Council">{{FR|Council}}, p. 268</ref> the beauty<ref name="L131" /> of things by stopping change and warding off the decay of time<ref>{{L|181}}</ref> and postponing the weariness of the world.<ref name="Rings" /> They had the greatest power of the Rings of Power. The Three Rings were named '''[[Vilya]]''', '''[[Narya]]''', and '''[[Nenya]]''' after the principal elements of air, fire, and water (respectively).<ref name="Rings" />

The other [[Rings of Power]] had powers, which were more directly derived from Sauron, like making their wearers invisible or making things from the invisible world visible for their wearers, but the Three Rings did not make their wearers invisible.<ref name="L131" /> [[Sauron]] did not assist in their making nor ever did he touch them, and his taint was not directly upon them, but, as they were partly created according to the craft taught by him,<ref name="L144" /> they were under the control of [[The One Ring]].<ref name="Rings" /><ref name="L144" />

==Names and descriptions==
*'''[[Nenya]]''', the '''Ring of Adamant'''<ref name="Mirror">{{FR|II7}}</ref> and the '''Ring of Water''',<ref name="Rings" /> was made of ''[[mithril]]'' with a stone of adamant;<ref name="Rings" /> it was the chief of the Three,<ref>{{UT|Galadriel}}, p. 251</ref> originally — and only ever — worn by [[Galadriel]].
*'''[[Narya]]''', the '''Ring of Fire''' and the '''Red Ring''', set with a ruby,<ref name="Rings" /> originally worn by [[Círdan]]<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}</ref><ref name="Rings" /> who gave it to [[Gandalf]].<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>
*'''[[Vilya]]''', the '''Ring of Sapphire''', '''Blue Ring''', and the '''Ring of Air''', and mightiest of the Three,<ref name="Grey">{{RK|Havens}}</ref> a ring of gold with a sapphire stone,<ref name="Rings" /> originally worn by [[Gil-galad]] but given to [[Elrond]].<ref name="Rings" />

The Rings were named after the three principal elements, each matching the colour of their stones. They were originally given to the three greatest [[Eldar]] in [[Middle-earth]] at that time.<ref name="SA" /><ref name="Rings" /> Their names also match the fates of the three [[Silmarils]].<ref group="note">[[Eärendil]] kept one in the sky, [[Maedhros]] cast one with himself in deep fire, and [[Maglor]] either threw one into the sea or cast himself with it into the sea.</ref><ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref><ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[Concerning ... 'The Hoard']]''</ref> However, not much is known about their specific powers and whether they had anything to do with each element.

==History==
After "[[Annatar]]" taught and assisted the [[Gwaith-i-Mirdain]] with creating the [[Rings of Power]], he left [[Eregion]]. Celebrimbor went on to forge another Three Rings alone, with the knowledge he had gained from Annatar. This was completed by around {{SA|1590}}.<ref name="SA" /> These Three were "unsullied," never touched by the hand of Sauron.<ref name="Rings" /> Sauron learned of their making, and desired to possess these Three over all the others.<ref name="Rings" />

When Sauron created the One Ring, the Elves who wore the Rings of Power heard his voice, realized they had been deceived, and took off their rings.<ref name="Rings" />
[[File:Jenny Dolfen - Ringbearers.jpg|thumb|''Ringbearers'' by [[Jenny Dolfen]]]]
As the Elves failed him, Sauron [[War of the Elves and Sauron|waged war]] against Eregion in {{SA|1693}}. Celebrimbor immediately sent his three rings away for safekeeping:<ref name="SA" /> he gave Nenya to [[Galadriel]] in [[Lothlórien]], who advised him to send the other two to [[Lindon]], away from Sauron. He gave Vilya to [[High King of the Noldor|High King]] [[Gil-galad]] and Narya to [[Círdan]].<ref name="Rings" />

Sauron succeeded in claiming the Rings of Power. But the Three remained outside his grasp and their whereabouts were seldom revealed.

After Sauron's defeat in the [[War of the Last Alliance]] at the end of the [[Second Age]], the [[Keepers of the Three Rings]] were free to wear them. During the [[Third Age]], the Rings were not idle.<ref>{{FR|Council}}, Elrond's words to Gloin</ref> They were used to create enclaves of peace and protection where memory and beauty were preserved from wear and decay.<ref name="Rings" /><ref name="L131" />

During the [[War of the Ring]], [[Frodo Baggins]] found out that Galadriel held Nenya, using it to preserve [[Lothlórien]] from withering, and [[Aragorn]] reprimanded him for revealing this. The other two rings were revealed at the end of the Third Age, after Frodo destroyed [[the One Ring]], and the Dark Lord Sauron was completely overthrown. It transpired that [[Elrond]] had wielded [[Vilya]] and presumably used its powers to keep [[Rivendell]] a haven safe from attack. It was [[Gandalf]] who wielded [[Narya]], given to him by [[Círdan]].<ref>{{UT|Istari}}, p. 389</ref>

With the destruction of the One Ring on [[25 March]] {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry for the year 3019, March 25, p. 1094</ref> the Three Rings lost their power.<ref name="L144" /><ref name="Council" /><ref>{{RK|Steward}}, p. 971</ref> Not being able to hold back time and preserve the High-elven lore and beauty, their bearers, in the [[Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings]], left [[Middle-earth]] with the Three Rings on the [[White Ship]] on [[29 September]] {{TA|3021}}.<ref>{{App|Chief}}, entry for the year 3021, September 29, p. 1096</ref><ref>{{RK|Havens}}, pp. 1028-30</ref> The [[Third Age]] ended and the [[Dominion of Men]] began.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In an early version of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' the Three Rings were known as [[Kemen]], [[Eär|Ëar]], and [[Menel]]. <ref>excerpt from MS. Tolkien, 3/1/12. published in {{HM|RC}}, "The Grey Haven", p. 671</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="250px" heights="150px">
File:The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) - Three Rings.png|[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Three Rings.jpg|[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]
File:The Rings of Power (TV series) - Three Elven Rings.png|[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power|''The Rings of Power'' Amazon series]]
</gallery>
===Films===
'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'']]:'''
:In the introduction of the movie, the Three Rings are said to be made "for the tall Elf Kings" as three unidentified silhouettes are seen holding and lifting the Rings.

'''2001-3: [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]:'''
:In the prologue to the [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring|first film]], the Three Rings are show briefly being borne by [[Galadriel]], [[Gil-galad]] and [[Círdan]]; later in the film Galadriel reveals to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] that she possesses [[Nenya]]. In the final film, although [[Gandalf]] can be seen wearing [[Narya]], its significance is never stated.

'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:In the [[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (extended edition)|Extended Edition]] of the film, we see Narya on Gandalf's finger as an [[Orcs|Orc]] attempts to cut off his hand in an attempt to claim it for [[Sauron]]. However, Galadriel arrives to rescue Gandalf and vanquishes the Orc in the nick of time. She can be seen wielding Nenya on her finger throughout the scene. During the subsequent battle against the [[Nazgûl]], Vilya can be glimpsed on Elrond's finger.

===Television===
'''2022: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]'', Season One:'''
:'''Episode 8: ''[[Alloyed]]'':'''
:In this adaptation, various events found in the books are compressed, rearranged and/or omitted. The Three Rings are forged immediately after the departure of Annatar/[[Sauron]] from Eregion, but the other sixteen Rings of Power are either not discussed or not yet created. In this version, the Three Rings are not presented as the culmination of the [[Gwaith-i-Mírdain|Elven-smiths]]' prior work on rings. The new, magical properties of [[mithril]] made up for the series serve as the main representation of all [[Magic|magical craft]] done by the Elven-smiths.
:The concept that became the Three Rings was first thought of as a crown to be put upon the [[Gil-Galad|High King Gil-Galad]]'s brow, as they needed something circular to keep the power going in an unbroken round. Yet, since there ultimately was not enough [[mithril]] to do this, the concept changed to something smaller: two [[Rings of Power]]. After Galadriel found out about [[Halbrand]] being Sauron from an [[Lambengolmor|Elven Loremaster]], she tells [[Celebrimbor|Lord Celebrimbor]] that they cannot make two rings, for she says that "one will only corrupt" and that "two will always divide." "With three," Celebrimbor responds, "there is balance."
:However, at the same time, Celebrimbor reveals that the mithril will not bond with the lesser ores, unless they be pure, naming [[gold]] and [[silver]] from [[Valinor]] as an example, but clearly meaning that he needs [[Finrod|Finrod's dagger]]. Galadriel somewhat reluctantly agrees. When the melting is done, Galadriel states that the power that they craft here must be solely for the [[Elves]]. Upon taking the melted dagger out of the furnace and onto a spinning device, Elrond provides the mithril ore that [[Durin IV|Prince Durin IV]] had given him as a token of their friendship. The mithril melts into the dagger, and the liquid is poured into three small steel cups to outline the physical appearance of the future rings. These outlines are then taken by the Elven-smiths, and bent into the shape of the Three Rings. Celebrimbor then binds jewels to each ring. The Ring's names and properties are never mentioned.

===Other===
'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Frodo learns from Galadriel that Elrond is the bearer of Vilya. Both she and Elrond refrain from divulging the whereabouts of Narya.

{{references|notes}}
{{rings}}
[[Category:Rings and jewels]]
[[de:Elbenringe]]
[[fr:encyclo/artefacts/bijoux/anneaux/trois anneaux]]
[[fi:Kolme Sormusta]]
[[pt-br:Três Anéis]]

Rings of Power

2026-04-18T02:42:46Z

AmonGwareth: /* Creation */ tense

{{disambig-more|Rings of Power|[[Rings of Power (disambiguation)]]}}
[[File:Alan Lee - The Forging of the Ring.jpg|thumb|200px|''The Forging of the Ring'' by [[Alan Lee]]]]
{{quote|In those days the smiths of [[Ost-in-Edhil]] surpassed all that they had contrived before; and they took thought, and they made Rings of Power. [...] Now the Elves made many rings; but secretly Sauron made [[One Ring]] to rule all the others, and their power was bound up with it, to be subject wholly to it and to last only so long as it too should last.|''[[The Silmarillion]]'', "[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]"}}

The '''Rings of Power''' were rings created by the [[Elves]] of [[Eregion]], nineteen '''Great Rings''' with knowledge obtained from [[Sauron]], and several of them with Sauron aiding the creation. Sauron forged the twentieth Great Ring, called the One Ring or the Ruling Ring, secretly in the fires of [[Mount Doom]].

==Twenty Rings==
*The sixteen Rings of Power forged under Annatar's guidance:
**Sauron gave some six Rings to the Dwarf-kings, although according to Dwarvish tradition the Elves already gave [[Ring of Thrór|another]] to [[Durin III]]. The Dwarves used their ''[[Seven Rings]]'' to establish their treasure hoards, but Sauron was unable to force the Dwarven bearers to submit. It is believed that the dwarves' natural hardiness, and the fact that it was only the more powerful dwarf lords who possessed them, made them resistant to Sauron's control, yet allowed them to accumulate treasure. The [[Ring of Thrór|final ring]] to leave the possession of the dwarves occurred when [[Thráin|Thráin II]] was captured.
**The ''[[Nine Rings]]'' were divided amongst those evil-hearted men who saw their abilities increase and became sorcerers and Kings among Men. They gained longevity but then faded away to become the Nazgûl, the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]], dominated under Sauron's will.
*The ''[[Three Rings]]'' of the Elves were forged by [[Celebrimbor]] alone, and were never touched by Sauron. They were made last, however, and their forging involved some of the arts taught by "Annatar". Thus they too were bound to the One Ring to some extent. They were named [[Narya]] the Ring of Fire, [[Nenya]] the Ring of Water, and [[Vilya]] the Ring of Air; they remained hidden from Sauron.
*The ''One Ring'', secretly forged by Sauron in the heart of [[Mount Doom]], had the power to dominate the sixteen rings owned by Dwarves and Men. His domain over the other rings was incomplete, but he placed a large amount of his own power into it at its forging, a necessity that later led to his downfall at [[Frodo Baggins]]' hands.

The Three Rings, the Seven Rings and the Nine Rings were all set with their proper gem, but the One Ring was round and unadorned like the lesser rings of Power.<ref>{{FR|Council}}, p. 251</ref>

A verse that summarizes the Great Rings and their ownership is an important part of the lore of Middle-earth. It translates as follows:

{{blockquote|Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, 
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, 
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, 
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne 
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie 
One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, 
One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them 
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.|[[Ring-verse]]}}

==History==
===Creation===

[[File:Ralph Damiani - The Forging.jpg|thumb|''The Forging'' by [[:Category:Images by Ralph Damiani|Ralph Damiani]]]]
Around {{SA|1200}}, Sauron started to corrupt the [[Elves]].<ref name="B">{{App|B1}}</ref> He did not manage to approach [[Gil-galad]] and [[Elrond]] but he had better luck with the Elven-smiths of [[Eregion]]. The [[Gwaith-i-Mírdain]] of [[Eregion]] were mostly [[Noldor]], and wished to have the same joys in [[Middle-earth]] as the Elves who had returned to [[Valinor]]. Sauron therefore presented himself as "[[Annatar]]", an emissary from the [[Valar]],<ref name="Rings">{{S|Rings}}</ref> and tempted the Elves by offering the knowledge to transform Middle-earth.

Annatar taught the smiths the knowledge of how to create Rings, which would grant the Elves that wore them certain powers. At first the Elves created some lesser rings, which were only essays in the craft before it was full-grown. In approximately {{SA|1500}}, the greater sixteen were created.<ref name="B" /> When Annatar departed from Eregion, [[Celebrimbor]] went on to forge the [[Three Rings]] using the knowledge he had gained from him, but without his involvement, and finished them around {{SA|1590}}.

Sauron then created the [[One Ring]] around {{SA|1600|n}}, alone, in the heart of [[Mount Doom]]. Its purpose was to rule over all the other rings, and Sauron put a great part of his power into it. The Elves, upon the creation of the One Ring, heard Sauron speak the spell, and realized they had been betrayed.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref>

===Advent of Sauron===
As soon as Sauron put on the One, the bearers of the Three became aware of him and took them off in fear and anger. They defied Sauron and refused to use the Rings. Seeing this, Sauron attempted to claim the Rings to distribute them to other peoples; he [[War of the Elves and Sauron|waged War against the Elves]], and although the Elves fought valiantly, Eregion was destroyed. Celebrimbor however managed to salvage the Three he created himself and secretly gave them to [[Gil-galad]], [[Círdan]], and [[Galadriel]]. They were originally given to the three greatest [[Eldar]] in [[Middle-earth]] at that time.<ref name="B" /><ref name="Rings" /> During the [[Sack of Eregion]], Sauron took the Nine Rings and other lesser works from them; but he could not find the rest. Then [[Celebrimbor]] was put to torment, and he revealed the existence of the Seven Rings.<ref>{{UT|Galadriel}}</ref>

Sauron then distributed them to Lords who desired secret power beyond their nature, hoping to bring them under his sway; [[Men]] who were the readiest to his will, became powerful sorcerers and Kings; and [[Dwarves]] who grew greedier and augmented their treasures. As Sauron had to do with their making, he easily perverted and accursed the Rings, betraying those who wore them.<ref name="Rings" />

The Mannish lords who held the Nine were consumed by them and entered the [[wraith-world]], becoming the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]], servants of Sauron without will. The Dwarves who held the Seven were largely (but not totally) unaffected, but the wrath and greed brought upon them brought evils that benefitted Sauron. The Three were always held by the Elves, and [[Gandalf]] upon his arrival.<ref name="Rings" />

===Final disposition===
During the [[Third Age]], four of the Seven were destroyed during the Dwarves' conflicts with [[Dragons]], and after Sauron's return he recaptured the remaining three, the [[Ring of Thrór|last]] from [[Thráin|Thráin II]]. The Nine he took back from his [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]], and they were still in his possession at the time of the [[War of the Ring]].

Nothing is known of the fate of the [[lesser rings]], made as essays to the craft, but, according to [[Gandalf]], still dangerous for mortals that might have found them.<ref name="Shadow">{{FR|Shadow}}</ref>

The One was lost and refound until it was destroyed in the [[Cracks of Doom|Crack of Doom]]. With its destruction, the existing Rings were freed from Sauron's control, but may have lost their power altogether. They were presumably buried in the ruins of [[Barad-dûr]], or perhaps simply faded, while the (powerless) Three were taken with their bearers to [[Aman]].

==Characteristics==
===Powers and properties===
The Rings of Power all had certain common properties. The Elves of Eregion created the rings to preserve their lands, attempting to make them as beautiful as [[Valinor]]. Thus, a primary power of the rings was to prevent and decelerate decay and change. The rings also increased a bearer's own natural powers, seemingly granting '[[magic]]' abilities.<ref name="L131">{{L|131}}</ref>
[[File:Jef Murray - In Her Father's Garden.jpg|thumb|''In her father's garden'' by [[Jef Murray]]]]
According to [[Gandalf]], a Ring of Power has the ability to "look after itself". A bearer of a Ring was unable to abandon it, but a ring could "decide" to abandon its wearer as the One Ring did many times in order to get back to Sauron.<ref name="Shadow" />{{rp|55}} The One Ring specifically had such power of lust that nobody had the will to try to injure it<ref name="L131" /> (even though it was indestructible itself).

Additionally, the One Ring, along with the Seven and the Nine, had the ability to tap into the [[Unseen]] at different degrees. The One could completely shift the wearer to the Spirit World, rendering the material body invisible to mortals.<ref name="L131" /> Men who wore a Ring of Power caused the wearer to ''fade'' and turn into a permanently invisible [[Wraiths|wraith]]<ref name="Shadow" />{{rp|51}} under Sauron's domination.<ref name="Shadow" />{{rp|47}}

The [[Dwarves]] however were more resistant to most of these effects. They could hardly be dominated, it was hard to read their thoughts and they could not be turned into wraiths. They mostly suffered under an increased wrath and lust for gold and only used their Seven Rings to increase their wealth. It was said that a golden ring was the foundation on which each of the Seven Hoards of the Dwarf-kings of old.<ref name="Rings" />

The Three did not make their wearers invisible<ref name="L131" /> (though a wearer could make the ring itself invisible<ref>{{FR|Mirror}}</ref>). A wearer of one of the Three gained the power to heal and preserve, in many different ways, whatever they controlled. Galadriel's and Elrond's Rings allowed them to fend off Sauron and protect and preserve [[Lothlórien]] and [[Rivendell]]. [[Narya]] also had the power to inspire hope and courage in others.<ref>{{App|B2}}, [[Cirdan]]'s words to [[Gandalf]]</ref>

===The One Ring===
{{main|One Ring}}
For the One Ring to have the ability to control The Three, it was necessary for Sauron to allow a significant amount of his power and will to flow into it during its forging. As it was the Master Ring, whoever mastered the One also had control over the other rings, the works done through them, and also could perceive and control the thoughts of anyone wearing another ring. But Sauron never managed to do so, because as soon as he wore it upon his finger, the Elves became aware of him.<ref name="Rings" />

The wearer also was able to understand speech in languages the wearer did not know, or at least able to understand the [[Black Speech]].<ref>{{TT|Choices}}</ref>

Any bearer could use its power, though it would take time, determination, skill, and knowledge to do so. However the Ring corrupted the heart and mind, making its wearer obsessed with it.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - The Fellowship of the Ring 2.jpg|thumb|The One Ring and the Three in the [[The Lord of the Rings/Original dust-jacket designs|dust-jacket]] design for ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]]]
In an early draft of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', there were many different elements related to the Rings of Power:<ref>{{RS|Gollum}}, p. 78</ref>
*Not the Elves of Eregion, but the dark master made many rings and distributed them to ensnare others. The Elves did not have three, but had many rings. There is no mentioning of the Elves discovering the intent of the Lord of the Rings and taking off their rings. Instead, it is mentioned that there were now many [[Ring-wraiths|Elf-wraiths]].
*The [[Goblins]] had some rings and their wraiths are very evil and totally under the command of the dark master.
*The elements that the Dwarves had seven rings, that they only turned them greedy and that a golden ring was the foundation of each of the seven hoards of the Dwarves were already present. However, it is not mentioned that the dwarves were hard to dominate, that their thoughts could not be read or that they could not be turned into wraiths, it is only said that their rings could not make them invisible.
*Instead of nine rings, Men had received three rings, but had found other rings in secret places that had been thrown away by Elf-wraiths. The men-wraiths were servants of the dark master and brought their rings back to him. Instead of Isildur the ring that was later found by Bilbo fell of the hand of an Elf, but the other elements that he fled from his pursuers in a war and that the ring betrayed him and fell from his hand when he swam across a river so that he became visible to Goblins that killed him are already present in this draft.
*Instead of a [[hobbit]] called [[Déagol]], a hobbit called Dígol found the ring and used its effect to turn him invisible for malicious purposes, turned to muttering to himself so that he was called ''Gollum'' and was told to go into exile by his relatives.

In an earlier draft it is mentioned that when overcome by the Ring you turn permanently invisible, everything becomes very faint for you, you can smell more clearly than you can hear or see, and you turn into a ringwraith under the command of the Lord of the Rings. It is also mentioned that you do not have the power to turn things invisible and that your clothes are visible.<ref>{{RS|Gollum}}, p. 75</ref>

==Inspiration==
The Rings were the background story as fleshed out by Tolkien, out of the Ring that appeared in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. The lore of the Rings (especially the One) is often compared to ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen|The Ring of the Nibelung]]'', although Tolkien denounced any direct inspiration.<ref>{{L|229}}, "Both rings were round, and there the resemblance ceases."</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|Ralph Bakshi's ''The Lord of the Rings'']]:'''
:In the introduction of the movie, the Rings are portrayed as a purely Elven conception and creation, which the Elves generously gave to the Dwarves and Men. It was when Sauron 'learned of the Ring-making' when he forged the One Ring.
:It contrasts the canonical account according to which the Rings were always a part of Sauron's plan, and Sauron distributed them to the Dwarves and Men after the Elves turned against him.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:In the [[Prologue: One Ring to Rule Them All...|Prologue]], narrated by [[Galadriel]], the 19 initial Rings were shown being given to the [[Elves]], [[Men]], and [[Dwarves]]. The introduction states that all of these ring-holders were deceived by Sauron, who created the One Ring to rule them all.

'''2017: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Alongside the One Ring and the Three, names are also given to the Seven and the Nine:

:*The Seven rings of the Dwarves are given as Taurya, Sindya, Tínya, Tulcya, Úrya, Vanya, and Angya (the [[Ring of Thrór|Ring of Durin]]).
:*The Nine rings of Men are named Sâkhla, Adâsh, Orôm (the ring of the [[Khamûl|Lieutenant of Dol Guldur]]), Jûru, Mêbat, Khânto, Sapthân, Nitîr, and Ûri (the ring of the [[Witch-king]]).

'''2022: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]: Season One'''
:'''Episode 9: ''[[Alloyed]]'''''
:All the lore related to the forging of the Rings of Power under the guidance of [[Annatar]] is ignored. No [[lesser rings]], nor any of the sixteen Rings is made before the Three Rings. Instead of the Three being the only ones unmarred by Sauron's intervention, they are the only ones done under [[Halbrand]]'s guidance. All the [[Magic|magical craft]] done by the [[Gwaith-i-Mírdain|Elven-smiths]] is reduced to the magical properties of [[mithril]] made up for the series.

==External links==
*[https://brownmath.com/general/ringfaq.htm FAQ of the Rings] by Stan Brown
*[https://middle-earth.xenite.org/who-were-the-rings-of-power-made-for/ Who Were the Rings of Power Made For?] by [[Michael Martinez]]

{{references}}
{{rings}}
[[Category:Rings and jewels]]
[[de:Ringe der Macht]]
[[fr:encyclo/artefacts/bijoux/anneaux/anneaux de pouvoir]]
[[fi:Mahtisormukset]]

Galadriel's messages

2026-04-17T07:21:12Z

AmonGwareth:

{{unnamed}}
'''[[Galadriel]]'s messages''' were messages given by Galadriel to [[Gandalf]] the White during his stay in [[Lothlórien]] after his [[Battle of the Peak|battle]] with the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog]]. She bade him deliver them to [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]], and [[Gimli]], which Gandalf accomplished when he met them at last in [[Fangorn Forest]].<ref>{{TT|III5}}, p. 502-3</ref> Aragorn's message was prophetic in nature, referring to the meeting of the [[Grey Company]] and his taking of the [[Paths of the Dead]]. Legolas's message would prove to be a warning, for when he was at [[Pelargir]] he heard the cry of the gulls, which awakened the [[Sea-longing]] dormant in the hearts of Elves.<ref>{{RK|Debate}}, p. 873</ref> Gimli's message was one of encouragement, for he bore three locks of Galadriel's hair.<ref>{{FR|Farewell}}, p. 376</ref>

'''Aragorn'''
<poem style="font-style:italic; margin-left:20px;">
Where now are the Dúnedain, Elessar, Elessar?
Why do thy kinsfolk wander afar?
Near is the hour when the Lost should come forth,
And the Grey Company ride from the North.
But dark is the path appointed for thee:
The Dead watch the road that leads to the Sea.
</poem>
'''Legolas'''
<poem style="font-style:italic; margin-left:20px;">
Legolas Greenleaf long under tree
In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea!
If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore,
Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more.
</poem>
'''Gimli'''
<poem style="font-style:italic; margin-left:20px;">
Lock-bearer, wherever thou goest my thought goes with thee.
But have a care to lay thine axe to the right tree!"
</poem>

{{references}}
[[Category:Poems in The Two Towers]]
[[Category:Oaths and prophecies]]

Lenwë

2026-04-17T07:20:02Z

AmonGwareth: /* Other versions of the legendarium */ grammar and wording.

{{short description|First leader of the Nandor}}
{{infobox character
| name=Lenwë
| script={{tengwar|}}
| people=[[Nandor|Nando]]
| image=Šárka Škorpíková - Nandor.jpg
| caption="Nandor" by [[:Category:Images by Šárka Škorpíková|Šárka Škorpíková]]
| pronun=[[Quenya|Q]], pron. {{IPA|[ˈlɛnwɛ]}}
| othernames=''Denweg'' ([[Nandorin|N]]) ''Denwego''
| titles=
| position=Leader of the [[Nandor]]
| location=
| affiliation=
| language=
| birth=between {{YT|1050}} and {{YT|1115|n}}<ref name=Ama>{{AA|62}}, p. 83</ref>
| birthlocation=
| rule=from {{YT|1115}}<ref name=Ama/> to unknown date
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=[[Denethor (son of Lenwë)|Denethor]]
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}

'''Lenwë''' was the first leader of the [[Nandor]], the [[Eldar]] who started the [[Great March]], but repented and forsook it before entering into [[Beleriand]]. He was the father of [[Denethor]], the leader of the [[Green-elves]] who would later enter Beleriand and befriend [[Thingol]].

==History==
Though [[Noldor]]in histories remember him as "Lenwë", his actual name was likely '''*Denwego''', or '''Denweg''' in the [[Nandorin]] language.<ref name="q&e_foot">{{WJ|Author}}</ref>{{rp|note 17}} He was a [[Teleri|Teler]] of the host of [[Olwë]].<ref>{{MR|P2g}}</ref>{{rp|§62}}

Denweg journeyed with the Eldar until reaching the River [[Anduin]], where they established the settlement of [[Atyamar]]. Many of the Eldar enjoyed their life at Atyamar, as it was safe and rich in flowers and food. Though their chiefs urged them on, they were unwilling to leave. Eventually, the weather worsened and the winters become hard, and the chiefs gave an order to advance across the Anduin the following Spring; many among the Teleri, however, fought this. When the time came to cross, a great company under the leadership of Denweg, over 3,000 Eldar from the total population of about 28,000, refused and chose to remain at Atyamar. These folk became known as the Nandor.<ref>{{NM|March}}</ref>

It was said that many Nandor remained at Atyamar for thousands of years, though others migrated south down the Anduin and settled on the shores south of the [[White Mountains]], especially in later [[Belfalas]]. Others went on along the coasts until a number, including Denweg's son Denethor, came up into southeast Beleriand.<ref>{{NM|Foot}}</ref>{{rp|VII The March of the Quendi, fn2}}

==Etymology==
''Lenwë'' is a [[Quenya]] word meaning "leaving, departure". It was derived from the ''✶ledmē'', which included the [[root]] ''LED'' ("go").<ref name="pe17">{{PE|17}}</ref>{{rp|51}}

''Denwego'' probably meant "lithe-and-active" from ''✶dene-'' ("thin and strong", "pliant", "lithe")<ref name="q&e_foot">{{WJ|Author}}</ref>{{rp|note 17}} and ''WEG'' ("live", "be active").<ref name="pe17" />{{rp|190}}

==Other names==
In earlier versions of the legendarium the character was initially named '''''Dan'''''.<ref>{{SM|VN}}</ref>{{rp|note 14}} This became revised to '''''Dân''''' in the tongue of his people, but he was known as '''''Nano''''' otherwise.<ref>{{MR|P2g}}</ref>{{rp|§62}} The meanings of these names are not glossed.

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| LEN |LEN='''LENWË''' ''b. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |!| | |}}
{{familytree| DEN |DEN=[[Denethor (son of Lenwë)|Denethor]] ''d. {{YT|1497}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In ''[[The Later Annals of Valinor]]'', ''Dan'' was from a company of Noldoli (Noldor) who forsook the host of [[Finwë]] early in the Great Journey and turned south. However, these lands they found were dark and barren due to never having been visited by the [[Valar]], and the sky was scant in stars. After they turned back north, they then marched west with much wandering and grief. Of these people some under [Denithor >] Denethor eventually came to Beleriand. The people of Dan became known as the ''Danians''. This entry was a later addition to the annals, made by [[Pengolod]], as this was not known to [[Rúmil]].<ref>{{LR|AV}}</ref><ref group="note">This was originally stated in ''[[The Earliest Annals of Valinor]]'', though with less details</ref>

In ''[[The Lhammas]]'' the followers of Dan were briefly emended from Noldorin of the host of Finwë, to ''Lindarin'' ([[Vanyar]]in) of the host of [[Ingwë]].<ref>{{LR|Lhammas}}</ref>

In the ''[[Annals of Aman]]'', ''Nano's'' people forsook the journey at the time of the crossing of the Anduin and the crossing of the Misty Mountains. Nano then led his people south down the river and passed out of knowledge of the Eldar. The year for this was 1115.<ref>{{MR|P2g}}</ref>{{rp|§62}}

In ''[[Quendi and Eldar]]'', his people explicitly rejected crossing the Misty Mountains.<ref>{{WJ|AC}}</ref>

{{references|note}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenwe}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| name=Lenwë
| race=nandor
| house=
| born=Between {{YT|1050}} and {{YT|1115|n}}
| died=
}}
{{seq
| prow=
| pvac=None
| prev=New position
| list=Leader of the [[Nandor]]
| dates={{YT|1115}} - unknown
| next=Unknown
| nvac=
| nrow=
}}
{{seq-end}}

[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Nandor]]
[[Category:Nelyar]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[Category:Rulers in Middle-earth]]
[[de:Lenwe]]
[[fi:Lenwë]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/elfes/teleri/nandor/lenwe]]

Lenwë

2026-04-17T07:13:48Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */ "Teleri" is plural, "Teler" is the singular form.

{{short description|First leader of the Nandor}}
{{infobox character
| name=Lenwë
| script={{tengwar|}}
| people=[[Nandor|Nando]]
| image=Šárka Škorpíková - Nandor.jpg
| caption="Nandor" by [[:Category:Images by Šárka Škorpíková|Šárka Škorpíková]]
| pronun=[[Quenya|Q]], pron. {{IPA|[ˈlɛnwɛ]}}
| othernames=''Denweg'' ([[Nandorin|N]]) ''Denwego''
| titles=
| position=Leader of the [[Nandor]]
| location=
| affiliation=
| language=
| birth=between {{YT|1050}} and {{YT|1115|n}}<ref name=Ama>{{AA|62}}, p. 83</ref>
| birthlocation=
| rule=from {{YT|1115}}<ref name=Ama/> to unknown date
| death=
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=[[Denethor (son of Lenwë)|Denethor]]
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}

'''Lenwë''' was the first leader of the [[Nandor]], the [[Eldar]] who started the [[Great March]], but repented and forsook it before entering into [[Beleriand]]. He was the father of [[Denethor]], the leader of the [[Green-elves]] who would later enter Beleriand and befriend [[Thingol]].

==History==
Though [[Noldor]]in histories remember him as "Lenwë", his actual name was likely '''*Denwego''', or '''Denweg''' in the [[Nandorin]] language.<ref name="q&e_foot">{{WJ|Author}}</ref>{{rp|note 17}} He was a [[Teleri|Teler]] of the host of [[Olwë]].<ref>{{MR|P2g}}</ref>{{rp|§62}}

Denweg journeyed with the Eldar until reaching the River [[Anduin]], where they established the settlement of [[Atyamar]]. Many of the Eldar enjoyed their life at Atyamar, as it was safe and rich in flowers and food. Though their chiefs urged them on, they were unwilling to leave. Eventually, the weather worsened and the winters become hard, and the chiefs gave an order to advance across the Anduin the following Spring; many among the Teleri, however, fought this. When the time came to cross, a great company under the leadership of Denweg, over 3,000 Eldar from the total population of about 28,000, refused and chose to remain at Atyamar. These folk became known as the Nandor.<ref>{{NM|March}}</ref>

It was said that many Nandor remained at Atyamar for thousands of years, though others migrated south down the Anduin and settled on the shores south of the [[White Mountains]], especially in later [[Belfalas]]. Others went on along the coasts until a number, including Denweg's son Denethor, came up into southeast Beleriand.<ref>{{NM|Foot}}</ref>{{rp|VII The March of the Quendi, fn2}}

==Etymology==
''Lenwë'' is a [[Quenya]] word meaning "leaving, departure". It was derived from the ''✶ledmē'', which included the [[root]] ''LED'' ("go").<ref name="pe17">{{PE|17}}</ref>{{rp|51}}

''Denwego'' probably meant "lithe-and-active" from ''✶dene-'' ("thin and strong", "pliant", "lithe")<ref name="q&e_foot">{{WJ|Author}}</ref>{{rp|note 17}} and ''WEG'' ("live", "be active").<ref name="pe17" />{{rp|190}}

==Other names==
In earlier versions of the legendarium the character was initially named '''''Dan'''''.<ref>{{SM|VN}}</ref>{{rp|note 14}} This became revised to '''''Dân''''' in the tongue of his people, but he was known as '''''Nano''''' otherwise.<ref>{{MR|P2g}}</ref>{{rp|§62}} The meanings of these names are not glossed.

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| LEN |LEN='''LENWË''' ''b. {{YT}}''}}
{{familytree| |!| | |}}
{{familytree| DEN |DEN=[[Denethor (son of Lenwë)|Denethor]] ''d. {{YT|1497}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In ''[[The Later Annals of Valinor]]'', ''Dan'' was from a company of Noldoli (Noldor) who forsook the host of [[Finwë]] early in the Great Journey and turned south. These lands they found were dark and barren however, due to never having been visited by the [[Valar]] and the sky being scant in stars. After they turned back north, they then marched west with much wandering and grief. Of these people some under [Denithor >] Denethor eventually came to Beleriand. The people of Dan became known as the ''Danians''. This entry was a later addition to the annals, made by [[Pengolod]], as these it was not known to [[Rúmil]].<ref>{{LR|AV}}</ref><ref group="note">This was originally stated in ''[[The Earliest Annals of Valinor]]'', though with less details</ref>

In ''[[The Lhammas]]'' the followers of Dan were briefly emended from Noldorin of the host of Finwë, to ''Lindarin'' ([[Vanyar]]in) of the host of [[Ingwë]].<ref>{{LR|Lhammas}}</ref>

In the ''[[Annals of Aman]]'', ''Nano's'' people forsook the journey at the time of the crossing of the Anduin and the crossing of the Misty Mountains. Nano then led his people south down the river and passed out of knowledge of the Eldar. The year for this was 1115.<ref>{{MR|P2g}}</ref>{{rp|§62}}

In ''[[Quendi and Eldar]]'', his people explicitly rejected crossing the Misty Mountains.<ref>{{WJ|AC}}</ref>

{{references|note}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenwe}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| name=Lenwë
| race=nandor
| house=
| born=Between {{YT|1050}} and {{YT|1115|n}}
| died=
}}
{{seq
| prow=
| pvac=None
| prev=New position
| list=Leader of the [[Nandor]]
| dates={{YT|1115}} - unknown
| next=Unknown
| nvac=
| nrow=
}}
{{seq-end}}

[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Nandor]]
[[Category:Nelyar]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[Category:Rulers in Middle-earth]]
[[de:Lenwe]]
[[fi:Lenwë]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/elfes/teleri/nandor/lenwe]]

File:Morgoth Angainor.jpg

2026-04-14T17:33:44Z

AmonGwareth: Depicts Tulkas subduing Morgoth with the great chain, Angainor. Art by Kip Rasmussen.

== Summary ==
Depicts Tulkas subduing Morgoth with the great chain, Angainor. Art by Kip Rasmussen.

Inner Seas

2026-03-25T07:14:42Z

AmonGwareth: some more grammar fixes!

'''Inner Seas''' is a concept that refers to different bodies of water in different Ages of [[Arda]].

==Inner Seas in the earliest times of Arda==
In the very beginning of Arda the Inner Seas referred to [[Belegaer]] and the [[East Sea]], the oceans between the two outer continents ([[Aman]] in the West and the [[Land of the Sun]] in the East) and [[Middle-earth]] proper, as opposed to the [[Outer Sea]] that extended from the edges to the nether side of Arda.

When [[Ulmo]] came to Arda with his [[Maiar]], he gave to [[Ossë]] and [[Uinen]] "the government of the waves and the movements of the Inner Seas", while he personally abode in the Outer Sea.<ref>{{S|1}}</ref>

In the [[Ambarkanta]], the Inner Seas, or "the ancient seas", are described as laying "in troughs" between the central continent and the western and eastern lands, and their waters only spilled into the chasm in the north and south, where they had no shores.<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}, p. 238.</ref>

==Inner seas in the Second Age==
When the [[Dúnedain]] could not go very far to the West from [[Númenor]] because of the [[Ban of the Valar]], they were told to sail eastward from North to South and they eventually "came even into the inner seas, and sailed about Middle-earth and glimpsed from their high prows the [[Gates of Morning]] in the East".<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

These "inner seas" were reached ''from'' the Belegaer and therefore must have referred to something else than the great Inner Seas of the beginning of days.

The answer may be found from the [[Ambarkanta maps|Ambarkanta Map V]] which depicts the geography of Arda after the destruction of the [[Lamps of the Valar]]:<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}, p. 251.</ref> in the places where the Lamps stood, two great bodies of water had formed, the "Inland Sea", or the [[Sea of Helcar]] in the North, and the "East Sea" in the South. The East Sea, to the south of which was the [[Dark Land]], offered a route from the Belegaer to the great eastern ocean – also named as the [[East Sea]], in the Ambarkanta Map IV.<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}, p. 249.</ref>

Note that the "East Sea" of the Ambarkanta Map V was named as "Inner Seas" by [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] in the map that describes the voyages of the Dúnedain in the Second Age, obviously based on the mention in the ''[[Akallabêth]]'' and disregarding the name Tolkien himself gave to the sea.<ref>Karen Wynn Fonstad, ''[[Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', Revised Edition, p. 45.</ref>

{{references}}

[[Category:Seas and oceans]]
[[fi:Sisämeret]]

Inner Seas

2026-03-25T07:12:39Z

AmonGwareth: /* Inner seas in the Second Age */ grammar

'''Inner Seas''' is a concept that refers to different bodies of water in different Ages of [[Arda]].

==Inner Seas in the earliest times of Arda==
The Inner Seas in the very beginning of Arda were [[Belegaer]] and the [[East Sea]], the two oceans between the two outer continents ([[Aman]] in the West and the [[Land of the Sun]] in the East), and [[Middle-earth]] proper, contrary to the [[Outer Sea]] that extended from the edges to the nether side of Arda.

When [[Ulmo]] came to Arda with his [[Maiar]], he gave to [[Ossë]] and [[Uinen]] "the government of the waves and the movements of the Inner Seas", while he personally abode in the Outer Sea.<ref>{{S|1}}</ref>

In the [[Ambarkanta]] the Inner Seas, or "the ancient seas", are described as laying "in troughs" between the central continent and the western and eastern lands, and their waters only spilled into the chasm in north and south, where they had no shores.<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}, p. 238.</ref>

==Inner seas in the Second Age==
When the [[Dúnedain]] could not go very far to the West from [[Númenor]] because of the [[Ban of the Valar]], they were told to sail eastward from North to South and they eventually "came even into the inner seas, and sailed about Middle-earth and glimpsed from their high prows the [[Gates of Morning]] in the East".<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

These "inner seas" were reached ''from'' the Belegaer and therefore must have referred to something else than the great Inner Seas of the beginning of days.

The answer may be found from the [[Ambarkanta maps|Ambarkanta Map V]] which depicts the geography of Arda after the destruction of the [[Lamps of the Valar]]:<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}, p. 251.</ref> in the places where the Lamps stood, two great bodies of water had formed, the "Inland Sea", or the [[Sea of Helcar]] in the North, and the "East Sea" in the South. The East Sea, to the south of which was the [[Dark Land]], offered a route from the Belegaer to the great eastern ocean – also named as the [[East Sea]], in the Ambarkanta Map IV.<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}, p. 249.</ref>

Note that the "East Sea" of the Ambarkanta Map V was named as "Inner Seas" by [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] in the map that describes the voyages of the Dúnedain in the Second Age, obviously based on the mention in the ''[[Akallabêth]]'' and disregarding the name Tolkien himself gave to the sea.<ref>Karen Wynn Fonstad, ''[[Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', Revised Edition, p. 45.</ref>

{{references}}

[[Category:Seas and oceans]]
[[fi:Sisämeret]]

Gwindor

2026-03-13T06:04:08Z

AmonGwareth: better wording

{{infobox character
| people=[[Noldor|Noldo]]
| name=Gwindor
| image=Kimberly - Gwindor.jpg
| caption="Gwindor" by [[:Category:Images by Kimberly|Kimberly]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=Prince of [[Nargothrond]]
| position=
| location=[[Nargothrond]], [[Barad Eithel]], [[Anfauglith]], [[Angband]], [[Taur-nu-Fuin]], [[Pools of Ivrin]], [[Tumhalad]]
| affiliation=[[Elves of Nargothrond]] [[Stone-gangs|Stone-gang]] [[Angband|of Angband]]
| language=[[Quenya]] and [[Sindarin]]
| birth=After {{FA|52}}
| birthlocation=[[Nargothrond]]<ref name=NRG>{{CH|9}}, p. 157</ref>
| rule=
| death={{FA|495}}
| deathlocation=[[Tumhalad]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=[[Guilin]]
| siblings=[[Gelmir (son of Guilin)|Gelmir]]
| spouse=Betrothed to [[Finduilas]]; never married
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=Dark
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=Sword
| steed=
}}
{{Quote|Once I was Gwindor son of Guilin, a lord of Nargothrond, until I went to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and was enslaved in Angband.|''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', "[[Of Túrin Turambar]]"}}

'''Gwindor''' was a prince of the [[Elves of Nargothrond]]. He was most notable for his actions at the start of the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]] and his later relationship with [[Túrin]].

==History==
Gwindor was born in [[Nargothrond]]<ref name="NRG" /> to [[Guilin]] and was the brother of [[Gelmir (son of Guilin)|Gelmir]]. He was considered a bold leader, and the scout who scoured most far afield of all the folk of Nargothrond.<ref>{{LB|1d}}</ref> He was betrothed to [[Finduilas]] the daughter of [[Orodreth]].

===Battle of Unnumbered Tears and thralldom===
His brother was lost during the [[Dagor Bragollach]], and wishing to avenge this loss, he joined the [[Union of Maedhros]] and followed [[Fingon]] to battle.

During the assault, Gwindor led a small company of Elves of Nargothrond stationed at [[Barad Eithel]]. But the hosts of [[Morgoth]] were prepared; they brought his brother, still alive, then mutilated and slew him in front of the company. At the sight of Gelmir's mangled corpse, he charged on the plains of [[Anfauglith]], and thus beginning the battle of [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]. It is said that Morgoth trembled as his company pounded on his gates, but he had ambushed the company within Angband itself, and all but Gwindor were slain.<ref>{{S|Fifth}}</ref>

He spent fourteen years as a captive slave in Angband where the strength and beauty of his body were ruined. At some point, he received a small sword from another Elf who worked in the forges and, while working in a [[Thrall-Noldoli|stone-gang]], turned suddenly on the guards. Though he lost a hand in that fight, he managed to escape and fled southwards, eventually reaching [[Taur-nu-Fuin]].<ref>{{CH|9}}</ref>

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beleg is Slain.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Beleg is Slain'']]
As Gwindor lay exhausted, he was found by [[Beleg]] who was looking for his friend [[Túrin]]. Gwindor helped Beleg locate the [[Orc]]-band that had captured Túrin, and they freed him. But Túrin thought Beleg was an Orc and killed him before realizing his mistake. Gwindor consoled Túrin in his grief and led him to Nargothrond.

===Return to Nargothrond===
Túrin was admitted in the Elven realm thanks to Gwindor, but now Gwindor was worn out and did not have the power he once had before his capture. "Agarwaen" (Túrin's name while he stayed there) gained much influence among the Elves of Nargothrond and even Finduilas fell in love with him, a fact that Gwindor accepted without bitterness for Túrin. Believing that Finduilas would save Túrin from his fate, Gwindor revealed Agarwaen's identity to Finduilas, while he tried to persuade Túrin to return her feelings.

But when Túrin talked about open warfare upon Morgoth's forces, Gwindor could see the incoming doom of Nargothrond approach and counselled against this, only to be ignored. Orodreth the [[King of Nargothrond]] built a bridge, which not only eliminated the defence provided by the river [[Narog]], but also revealed the location of the Kingdom.

Indeed, Gwindor was right and [[Glaurung]] with a band of Orcs came. The Elves were driven towards the plain of [[Tumhalad]], where most of them, including King Orodreth and Gwindor, were slain in [[Battle of Tumhalad|battle]]. Before dying, he assigned the protection of Finduilas to Túrin, and informed him that she alone could save him from the Curse of Morgoth; however his warning was not heeded, as Túrin failed to protect her.<ref>{{S|Turin}}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Gwindor.mp3|Ardamir}}
The name is not explained, however in ''[[The Etymologies]]'', the name-element ''-dor'' (a compounded form of [[Noldorin]] ''[[taur]]'') has the sense of "king, master".<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entry "TA", "TA3"</ref>

It has been suggested that the first element of the name could be ''gwind'' "pale blue".<ref>{{webcite|website=EoA|articleurl=http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/g/gwindor.html|articlename=Gwindor}}, citing {{LR|Etymologies}}, entry "WIN"</ref>


It has been suggested by Paul Strack and David Salo that the ''Gwindor'' is a [[Sindarin]] name could be derived from a combination of the elements ''[[gwain]]'' ("new") + ''[[-dor]]'' ("lord").<ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://eldamo.org/content/words/word-3281252999.html|articlename=S. ''Gwindor'' m.|website=[[Eldamo]]|accessed=27 August 2022}}</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | GUI | | | |GUI=[[Guilin]] ''b. {{FA}}''}}
{{familytree| |,|-|^|-|.| | |}}
{{familytree| GWI | | GEL | |GWI='''GWINDOR''' ''d. {{FA|495}}''|GEL=[[Gelmir (son of Guilin)|Gelmir]] ''d. {{FA|472}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
===Book of Lost Tales===
In ''[[Turambar and the Foalókë]]'', he is initially named '''''Flinding''''', son of ''Duilin'', and serves the same role as an escaped thrall of Melko who assists in rescuing Túrin and eventually guiding him to the caves of the Rodothlim.<ref name="foaloke">{{LT2|II}}</ref>

There is no relation stated between him and ''Failivrin'', daughter of [[Galweg]], who would become Finduilas.<ref name="foaloke" />

Flinding was only lightly injured during the pitched battle with the Orcs (what would become the Battle of Tumhalad), and aided Túrin in carrying the mortally wounded Orodreth back to the caves. He then stood beside Túrin in protecting the dwelling of Galweg from the ransacking Orcs until he was felled by an arrow to the eye.<ref name="foaloke" />

===Lays of Beleriand===
In ''[[The Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', after escaping from the mines of Melkor, Flinding first crossed the [[Plains of Drouth]] before entering Taur-nu-Fuin. There his feet were entangled and he became enmeshed in its mazes, and he was taken by madness and wandered witless until he was heard by Orcs and pursued. The Orcs eventually found him, "grovelled fainting" and "cowering" and took him back to their camp. There he saw their spoils, countless chained captives (including Elfin maids), and Túrin held in baleful bonds. While in a bleeding swoon, the Orcs threw Flinding on the "dung and slough" of their lair, but he then escaped "as a crawling worm on belly cowering".

Beleg insisted that Flinding show him the way to the Orc camp, which Flinding initially declined, stating that fear fettered him, and he would prefer to die in the dark, dazed and forwandered, than return to that anguish; he even claimed that he did not know the way. Beleg then admonished Flinding, reminding him of the might, mirth and renown of the Gnomes of Nargothrond. At this, Flinding fought the fear in his heart and started to lead Beleg to the Orc camp.<ref name="beleg">{{LB|1c}}</ref>

===Later works===
In ''[[The Earliest Annals of Beleriand]]'' he is renamed to '''''Findor''' son of Fuilin'', and then a final time to ''Gwindor son of Guilin''.<ref>{{SM|7In}}, p. 312, note 40</ref>

{{References}}

[[Category:Characters in The Book of Lost Tales]]
[[Category:Characters in The Children of Húrin]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Noldor]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]

[[de:Gwindor]]
[[fi:Gwindor]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:elfes:noldor:gwindor]]

Gwindor

2026-03-13T06:02:42Z

AmonGwareth: grammar

{{infobox character
| people=[[Noldor|Noldo]]
| name=Gwindor
| image=Kimberly - Gwindor.jpg
| caption="Gwindor" by [[:Category:Images by Kimberly|Kimberly]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=Prince of [[Nargothrond]]
| position=
| location=[[Nargothrond]], [[Barad Eithel]], [[Anfauglith]], [[Angband]], [[Taur-nu-Fuin]], [[Pools of Ivrin]], [[Tumhalad]]
| affiliation=[[Elves of Nargothrond]] [[Stone-gangs|Stone-gang]] [[Angband|of Angband]]
| language=[[Quenya]] and [[Sindarin]]
| birth=After {{FA|52}}
| birthlocation=[[Nargothrond]]<ref name=NRG>{{CH|9}}, p. 157</ref>
| rule=
| death={{FA|495}}
| deathlocation=[[Tumhalad]]
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=
| parentage=[[Guilin]]
| siblings=[[Gelmir (son of Guilin)|Gelmir]]
| spouse=Betrothed to [[Finduilas]]; never married
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=Dark
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=Sword
| steed=
}}
{{Quote|Once I was Gwindor son of Guilin, a lord of Nargothrond, until I went to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and was enslaved in Angband.|''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', "[[Of Túrin Turambar]]"}}

'''Gwindor''' was a prince of the [[Elves of Nargothrond]]. He was most notable for his actions at the start of the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]] and his later relationship with [[Túrin]].

==History==
Gwindor was born in [[Nargothrond]]<ref name="NRG" /> to [[Guilin]] and was the brother of [[Gelmir (son of Guilin)|Gelmir]]. He was considered a bold leader, and the scout who scoured most far afield of all the folk of Nargothrond.<ref>{{LB|1d}}</ref> He was betrothed to [[Finduilas]] the daughter of [[Orodreth]].

===Battle of Unnumbered Tears and thralldom===
His brother was lost during the [[Dagor Bragollach]], and wishing to avenge this loss, he joined the [[Union of Maedhros]] and followed [[Fingon]] to battle.

During the assault, Gwindor led a small company of Elves of Nargothrond stationed at [[Barad Eithel]]. But the hosts of [[Morgoth]] were prepared; they brought his brother, still alive, then mutilated and slew him in front of the company. At the sight of Gelmir's mangled corpse, he charged on the plains of [[Anfauglith]], and thus beginning the battle of [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]. It is said that Morgoth trembled as his company pounded on his gates, but he had ambushed the company within Angband itself, and all but Gwindor were slain.<ref>{{S|Fifth}}</ref>

He spent fourteen years as a captive slave in Angband where the strength and beauty of his body were ruined. At some point, he received a small sword from another Elf who worked in the forges and, while working in a [[Thrall-Noldoli|stone-gang]], turned suddenly on the guards. Though he lost a hand in that fight, he managed to escape and fled southwards, eventually reaching [[Taur-nu-Fuin]].<ref>{{CH|9}}</ref>

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beleg is Slain.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Beleg is Slain'']]
As Gwindor lay exhausted, he was found by [[Beleg]] who was looking for his friend [[Túrin]]. Gwindor helped Beleg locate the [[Orc]]-band that had captured Túrin, and they freed him. But Túrin thought Beleg was an Orc and killed him before realizing his mistake. Gwindor consoled Túrin in his grief and led him to Nargothrond.

===Return to Nargothrond===
Túrin was admitted in the Elven realm thanks to Gwindor, but now Gwindor was worn out and did not have the power he once had before his capture. "Agarwaen" (Túrin's name while he stayed there) gained much influence among the Elves of Nargothrond and even Finduilas fell in love with him, a fact that Gwindor accepted without bitterness for Túrin. Believing that Finduilas would save Túrin from his fate, Gwindor revealed Agarwaen's identity to Finduilas, while he tried to persuade Túrin to return her feelings.

But when Túrin talked about open warfare upon Morgoth's forces, Gwindor could see the incoming doom of Nargothrond approach and counselled against this, only to be ignored. Orodreth the [[King of Nargothrond]] built a bridge, which not only eliminated the defence provided by the river [[Narog]], but also revealed the location of the Kingdom.

Indeed, Gwindor was right and [[Glaurung]] with a band of Orcs came. The Elves were driven towards the plain of [[Tumhalad]], where most of them, including King Orodreth and Gwindor, were slain in [[Battle of Tumhalad|battle]]. Before dying, he assigned the protection of Finduilas to Túrin, and that she alone could save him from the Curse of Morgoth; however his [[foresight]] did not come to be, as Túrin failed to protect her.<ref>{{S|Turin}}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Gwindor.mp3|Ardamir}}
The name is not explained, however in ''[[The Etymologies]]'', the name-element ''-dor'' (a compounded form of [[Noldorin]] ''[[taur]]'') has the sense of "king, master".<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entry "TA", "TA3"</ref>

It has been suggested that the first element of the name could be ''gwind'' "pale blue".<ref>{{webcite|website=EoA|articleurl=http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/g/gwindor.html|articlename=Gwindor}}, citing {{LR|Etymologies}}, entry "WIN"</ref>


It has been suggested by Paul Strack and David Salo that the ''Gwindor'' is a [[Sindarin]] name could be derived from a combination of the elements ''[[gwain]]'' ("new") + ''[[-dor]]'' ("lord").<ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://eldamo.org/content/words/word-3281252999.html|articlename=S. ''Gwindor'' m.|website=[[Eldamo]]|accessed=27 August 2022}}</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | GUI | | | |GUI=[[Guilin]] ''b. {{FA}}''}}
{{familytree| |,|-|^|-|.| | |}}
{{familytree| GWI | | GEL | |GWI='''GWINDOR''' ''d. {{FA|495}}''|GEL=[[Gelmir (son of Guilin)|Gelmir]] ''d. {{FA|472}}''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Other versions of the legendarium==
===Book of Lost Tales===
In ''[[Turambar and the Foalókë]]'', he is initially named '''''Flinding''''', son of ''Duilin'', and serves the same role as an escaped thrall of Melko who assists in rescuing Túrin and eventually guiding him to the caves of the Rodothlim.<ref name="foaloke">{{LT2|II}}</ref>

There is no relation stated between him and ''Failivrin'', daughter of [[Galweg]], who would become Finduilas.<ref name="foaloke" />

Flinding was only lightly injured during the pitched battle with the Orcs (what would become the Battle of Tumhalad), and aided Túrin in carrying the mortally wounded Orodreth back to the caves. He then stood beside Túrin in protecting the dwelling of Galweg from the ransacking Orcs until he was felled by an arrow to the eye.<ref name="foaloke" />

===Lays of Beleriand===
In ''[[The Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', after escaping from the mines of Melkor, Flinding first crossed the [[Plains of Drouth]] before entering Taur-nu-Fuin. There his feet were entangled and he became enmeshed in its mazes, and he was taken by madness and wandered witless until he was heard by Orcs and pursued. The Orcs eventually found him, "grovelled fainting" and "cowering" and took him back to their camp. There he saw their spoils, countless chained captives (including Elfin maids), and Túrin held in baleful bonds. While in a bleeding swoon, the Orcs threw Flinding on the "dung and slough" of their lair, but he then escaped "as a crawling worm on belly cowering".

Beleg insisted that Flinding show him the way to the Orc camp, which Flinding initially declined, stating that fear fettered him, and he would prefer to die in the dark, dazed and forwandered, than return to that anguish; he even claimed that he did not know the way. Beleg then admonished Flinding, reminding him of the might, mirth and renown of the Gnomes of Nargothrond. At this, Flinding fought the fear in his heart and started to lead Beleg to the Orc camp.<ref name="beleg">{{LB|1c}}</ref>

===Later works===
In ''[[The Earliest Annals of Beleriand]]'' he is renamed to '''''Findor''' son of Fuilin'', and then a final time to ''Gwindor son of Guilin''.<ref>{{SM|7In}}, p. 312, note 40</ref>

{{References}}

[[Category:Characters in The Book of Lost Tales]]
[[Category:Characters in The Children of Húrin]]
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:First Age characters]]
[[Category:Noldor]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]

[[de:Gwindor]]
[[fi:Gwindor]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:elfes:noldor:gwindor]]

Fëanorian lamps

2026-03-13T06:01:26Z

AmonGwareth: grammar

{{disambig-more|Fëanorian|[[Fëanorian (disambiguation)]]}}
{{object infobox
| name=Fëanorian lamps
| image = Peter Xavier Price - Gelmir with the Noldorin Lamp.jpg
| caption="Gelmir with the Noldorin Lamp" by [[Peter Xavier Price]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=[[Valinor]], later [[Middle-earth]]
| owner=[[Noldor]]
| type=Object
| appearance=Blue flame in a white crystal
| creator=[[Fëanor]] (inventor)
| created=
| createdlocation=
| destroyer=
| destroyed=
| destroyedlocation=
| notablefor=
}}
{{quote|...they were made of old in [[Valinor]], and neither wind nor water could quench them, and when they were unhooded they sent forth a clear blue light from a flame imprisoned in white crystal.|''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', [[Of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin]]}}

'''Fëanorian lamps''' were lamps which emitted a blue light from a flame within a white crystal. They are described as "crystals hung in a fine chain net, the crystals being ever shining with an inner blue radiance". The lamps were created in [[Valinor]], and the flame could not be extinguished by wind or water. The [[Noldor]] were famous for the flames, but unfortunately the craft was lost with them. [[Gelmir (messenger of Círdan)|Gelmir]] possessed one of these lamps when he met [[Tuor]].<ref>{{UT|Tuor}}</ref>

Some of the Noldor who had been captured by [[Morgoth]] and put to work in his mines had Fëanorian lamps with them. [[Gwindor]] was one of these enslaved Elves, and when he escaped he took with him one of these lamps.<ref name="CH9">{{CH|9}}</ref>

[[File:Ted Nasmith - Tuor, Gelmir, and Arminas.jpg|thumb|right|190px|"Tuor, Gelmir, and Arminas" by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]

In the [[Third Age]], the [[Galadhrim|Elves of Lothlórien]] used similar devices: small lamps that gave out slender silver beams.<ref>{{FR|Lorien}}</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
The lamps were part of the [[legendarium]] from very early stages, but [[Christopher Tolkien]] did not mention them in the published ''[[Silmarillion]]''. For example, in one version of the story, [[Túrin Turambar]] recognised the face of [[Beleg]] whom he had slain by the light of Gwindor's lamp;<ref>{{UT|Tuor}}, p. 51, note 2</ref> yet in the version included in the ''Silmarillion'', it was lightning which revealed Beleg's face to Túrin.<ref name="CH9" />

A detailed description of the nature of the lamps is described in the early ''[[Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', when Beleg finds Gwindor in the forest of [[Taur-nu-Fuin (Dorthonion)|Taur-nu-Fuin]] after seeing his lamp shining in the distance:

{{blockquote|But little lanterns   of lucent crystal 
and silver cold   with subtlest cunning 
they strangely fashioned,   and steadfast a flame 
burnt unblinking   there blue and pale, 
unquenched for ever.   The craft that lit them 
was the jewel-makers'   most jealous secret. 
Not Morgoth's might,   nor meed nor torment 
them vowed, availed   to reveal that lore; 
yet lights and lamps   of living radiance, 
many and magical,   they made for him. 
No dark could dim them   the deeps wandering; 
whose lode they lit   was lost seldom 
in groundless grot,   or gulfs far under.|''[[The Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', II. Beleg, vv. 787-799}}

This scene of Beleg finding Gwindor with one of these lamps was painted by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] and published in ''[[Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien]]'' (1979), [[:File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Fangorn Forest.jpg|no. 37]].

{{references}}
[[Category:Objects]]
[[de: Feanorische Lampen]]

Gaurwaith

2026-02-17T05:45:34Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */ grammar, spelling, and syntax.

{{disambig-two|Túrin's outlaw-band|[[Barahir]]'s outlaw-band|[[Barahir's outlaws]]}}
{{organization infobox
| name=Gaurwaith
| image = Alan Lee - Túrin Among the Outlaws.jpg
| caption="Túrin Among the Outlaws" by [[Alan Lee]]
| pronun={{respell|gour|weyeth}}
| othernames=the Outlaws
| founded=
| founder=
| purpose=
| members=[[Forweg]], [[Túrin|Neithan the Wronged]] (Túrin), [[Beleg]], [[Andróg]], [[Ulrad]], [[Algund]], [[Orleg]], [[Andvír]], and 54 others
| location=[[Forest of Brethil]], [[Amon Rûdh]], [[Dor-Cúarthol]]
| disbanded={{FA|489}} [[Amon Rûdh]]
| notablefor=
}}

The '''Gaurwaith''' ([[Sindarin|S.]] '''Wolf-Men''') was the name given to the outlaw-band that [[Túrin]] joined in the woodlands beyond the western borders of [[Doriath]] during the [[First Age]], and of which he became the captain.<ref name="Outlaws">{{CH|6}}</ref> The Gaurwaith were destroyed during the battle on [[Amon Rûdh]].<ref>{{CH|8}}</ref>

==History==
It is not known when the group of outlaws was formed, but it was possibly some time after the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]. The fellowship was comprised of outcasts, some being houseless and desperate [[Men]] that had fled from battle or their ruined homes, while others were Men who have committed evil deeds. While the outlaws originally numbered sixty men, they had dwindled to around fifty men, and the woodmen of [[Brethil]] feared them just as much as [[Wolves]] and [[Orcs]]. The captain of the fellowship was [[Forweg]], a man from [[Dor-lómin]], before he was killed and replaced by [[Túrin]].<ref name="Outlaws" />
[[File:Anke Eißmann - Forweg's end.jpg|thumb|200px|left|''Forweg's end'' by [[Anke Eißmann]]]]

The group found [[Túrin]] entering their haunts south of the [[Taeglin]] and soon encircled and questioned him. One of the outlaws fired his bow at Túrin, but Túrin quickly dodged the oncoming arrow and killed him with a stone throw. Túrin offered his service to the band, which Forweg accepted. The outlaws asked for his name and Túrin answered [[Neithan]] (the wronged), and he was thenceforth called by that name.<ref name="Outlaws" />

In the spring of the following year the Gaurwaith were camped in the woods around the Taeglin near the homesteads of the woodmen that still lived there. Túrin spotted a woman fleeing through the woods and slew her pursuer realising it was too late that it was Forweg. [[Andróg]] soon followed afterwards and was shocked to see Forweg dead and challenged Túrin but he was enraged with the actions of the outlaws amongst their own people. Túrin returned to the camp announcing that Forweg is dead by his hands and that they should choose a new captain. Andróg returned to the camp with Forweg’s weapons and told the others what had happened to Forweg and the woman. Túrin declared himself the captain of the fellowship and with the insistence of Andróg the others accepted noting that Túrin’s skill is highest among all of them. Túrin led the Gaurwaith west away from [[Doriath]] and the woodmen.<ref name="Outlaws" />

The Gaurwaith were aware of an Orc-host near them as they were resting in a cave and had noticed that the [[Orcs]] had captives and plunder from the homesteads of the woodmen. Túrin and [[Orleg]] went to spy on them but were discovered and pursued. Orleg was shot down by many arrows while Túrin led the orcs away from the outlaw’s cavern. Three days passed and the outlaws wished to depart from the cavern but Andróg who was left in charge by Túrin advised against it. [[Beleg]], who had been tracking the outlaws, stood before the outlaws and they left in fear. Andróg came behind him and cast a noose about him. The outlaws tied him onto a tree beside the cave and questioned him but Beleg only answered that he wished to speak to his friend Neithan. Andróg believed him to be a spy of the King of Doriath and wished to slay him there but [[Algund]] spoke against him and counseled him that the captain may return. They left Beleg tied to the tree without food and water for two days until Túrin returned and Beleg was cut loose. Túrin was glad to see his old friend again and Beleg gave news of the [[Thingol|king]]’s pardon over the death of [[Saeros]] and begged him to return with him to Doriath. But Túrin refused as he was proud and the next day Beleg departed for [[Menegroth]].<ref name="Outlaws" />
[[File:Steamey - Mîm, Túrin and the Gaurwaith.jpg|thumb|''Mîm, Túrin and the Gaurwaith'' by Steamy]]
The Orcs were in greater number than before and there was little safety for the Gaurwaith who were often hunted by them. Túrin decided to find a secure stronghold in which the group could take shelter and store provisions against winter and hunger and he led his men south away from the Teiglin. Then the group captured [[Mîm]] one of the last [[Petty-dwarves]] and he begged for mercy at the captain Túrin. Túrin released Mîm for a ransom and so Mîm offered to share his dwelling to the outlaws and Mîm brought them to [[Amon Rûdh]], the Bald Hill. Once entering the home of Mîm they found his son [[Khîm]] lay dead from an arrow let loose by Andróg the night before. He was made to break his bow and swore never to use it by Mîm though Andróg was displeased to do so.

The Gaurwaith dwelt for some time peacefully in Mîm’s house which was named [[Bar-en-Danwedh]], the House of Ransom and learned of its many halls and passageways. Andróg discovered the hidden stair that led to the summit of the hill but he told no one. Beleg returned to Túrin and the Gaurwaith bearing a great pack to help them, among them the [[Helm of Hador]] and [[Lembas]] bread.

The following year more Orcs came down out of the North passing through the [[Crossings of the Taeglin]] and into the land that was watched by the red hill. Túrin now put on again the Helm of Hador and with Beleg in their company they harassed the Orcs, the Gaurwaith now only had less than fifty men but the valour of Túrin made it seem like they were a host to their enemies. The Gaurwaith were joined by many men and their power grew and many forts and camps were established around Amon Rûdh. The land between the Taeglin and the west march of Doriath was named [[Dor-Cúarthol]] and Túrin now named himself [[Gorthol]], the Dread Helm and took lordship of the land. Andróg wielded the bow again but he was poisoned by an orc arrow and thus fulfilled the curse of Mîm. However Beleg healed Andróg of his wound and the hatred of Mîm grew.

In the winter of the same year Mîm betrayed the Gaurwaith and led the Orcs to the secrect place. During the [[Sack of Bar-en-Danwedh]], many of the Gaurwaith were slain by arrows and in this moment Andróg revealed to Túrin and Beleg the hidden stair that led to the summit. Andróg was mortally wounded by an arrow in the head. Túrin and Beleg reached the summit with only ten men left. They made a last stand against the Orcs until they were all slain save Túrin and Beleg.

==Etymology==
''Gaurwaith'' is a [[Sindarin]] name,<ref name="Eldamo">{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-3567487573.html|articlename=S. ''Gaurwaith'' pn.|website=Eldamo|accessed=03 November 2022}}</ref> which means "Wolf-men",<ref>{{UT|Index}}, entry ''* Gaurwaith''</ref> obviously a combination of ''[[gaur]]'' ("werewolf") and ''[[gwaith]]'' ("people").<ref name="Eldamo" />

{{references}}
{{Gaurwaith}}

[[Category:Edain]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Sindarin demonyms]]
[[de:Die Geächteten]]
[[fi:Gaurwaith]]
[[fi:Susimiehet]]

The Nature of Middle-earth

2026-02-05T18:32:24Z

AmonGwareth:

{{short description|2021 book edited by Carl F. Hostetter}}
{{book
| title= The Nature of Middle-earth: Late Writings on the Lands, Inhabitants, and Metaphysics of Middle-earth
| image = The Nature of Middle-earth hardcover.jpg
| author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| editor=[[Carl F. Hostetter]]
| publisher=[[HarperCollins]]
| date=[[2 September]] [[2021]]
| format=Hardcover; deluxe edition
| pages=464
| isbn=0008387923
| precededby=[[The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien]] (2020)
| followedby=[[The Fall of Númenor]] (2022)
}}
'''''The Nature of Middle-earth: Late Writings on the Lands, Inhabitants, and Metaphysics of Middle-earth''''' is a compilation of minor writings by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], edited by [[Carl F. Hostetter]] and published in [[2021]] in a single book.

Its many texts discuss a variety of topics related to [[Middle-earth]], such as its "nature" and landscapes, the characteristics of different [[Portal:Characters|races]], theology, chronology, and many other miscellaneous matters in Tolkien's [[legendarium]]. Most of these writings were previously [[unpublished material]], but some had been already published in the linguistic journals ''[[Parma Eldalamberon]]'' and ''[[Vinyar Tengwar]]''.

==From the publisher==
{{blockquote|The first ever publication of J.R.R. Tolkien's final writings on [[Middle-earth]], covering a wide-range of subjects, and the perfect next read for those who have enjoyed ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' and the ''[[The History of Middle-earth|History of Middle-earth]]'' series and are hungry for more.}}

{{blockquote|''The Nature of Middle-earth'' comprises numerous late (c. 1959-73) and previously unpublished writings by J.R.R. Tolkien on the "nature" of Middle-earth, in both chief senses of that word: both metaphysical and natural/historical. 
It is for Tolkien fans, readers, and scholars interested in learning more about Tolkien's own views on Middle-earth. It will appeal in particular to those readers who enjoyed ''Unfinished Tales'', and some of the later volumes of the ''History of Middle-earth''. Indeed, many of the texts to be included are closely associated with materials published in those places, and were sent to Hostetter, specifically, in photocopy by [[Christopher Tolkien]] for potential publication. 
Much as ''Unfinished Tales'' forms an unofficial thirteenth volume of the ''History of Middle-earth'', this new book will sit very nicely alongside as an unofficial 14th volume. Of particular note, given the impending [[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‎|Amazon series]], are several texts detailing the lands, flora, and fauna of [[Númenor]], and the lives of [[Númenóreans]].<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-nature-of-middle-earth-j-r-r-tolkien?variant=39278611365966|articlename=The Nature of Middle-earth|website=HarperCollins|accessed=1 September 2021}}</ref>}}

==Contents==
<div style="-moz-column-width: 400px; -webkit-column-width: 400px; column-width: 400px; -moz-column-gap: 15px; -webkit-column-gap: 15px; column-gap: 15px; -webkit-column-rule: 1px solid #cccccc; -moz-column-rule: 1px solid #cccccc; column-rule: 1px solid #cccccc;">
*Foreword
*Editorial Practices

*'''Part One: Time and Ageing'''
**Introduction
*#The Valian Year
*#Valinorian Time-Divisions
*#Of the Time in Arda
*#Time-scales
*#Natural Youth and Growth of the Quendi
*#The Awaking of the Quendi
*#The March of the Quendi
*#Eldarin Traditions Concerning the "Awakening"
*#Time-scales and Rates of Growth
*#Difficulties in Chronology
*#Ageing of Elves
*#Concerning the Quendi in their Mode of Life and Growth
*#Key Dates
*#Calculation of the Increase of the Quendi
*#A Generational Scheme
*#Note on the Youth of Growth of the Quendi
*#Generational Schemes
*#Elvish Ages & Númenórean
*#Elvish Life-cycles
*#Time and its Perception
*#Notes on Elvish Time-reference
*#[[The Annals of Aman|A Fragment from ''The Annals of Aman'']]
*#[[The Grey Annals|A Fragment from ''The Grey Annals'']]

*'''Part Two: Body, Mind, and Spirit'''
**Introduction
*#Beauty and Goodness
*#Gender and Sex
*#Eldarin Hands, Fingers, and Numerals
*#Hair
*#Beards
*#Descriptions of Characters
*#Mind-Pictures
*#Knowledge and Memory
*#''[[Ósanwe-kenta]]''
*#Notes on ''Órë''
*#[[Fate and Free Will]]
*#The Knowledge of the Valar
*#Spirit
*#The Visible Forms of the Valar and Maiar
*#Elvish Reincarnation
*#From ''The Statute of Finwë and Míriel''
*#Death

*'''Part Three: The World, its Lands, and its Inhabitants'''
**Introduction
*#Dark and Light
*#The Primal Impulse
*#Powers of the Valar
*#The Making of ''Lembas''
*#Note on Elvish Economy
*#Dwellings in Middle-earth
*#The Founding of Nargothrond
*#Manwë's Ban
*#Elvish Journeys on Horseback
*#Rider to "The White Rider"
*#Lives of the Númenóreans
*#The Ageing of Númenóreans
*#Of the Land and Beasts of Númenor
*#Note on the Consumption of Mushrooms
*#The Númenórean Catastrophe & End of "Physical" Aman
*#Galadriel and Celeborn
*#Silvan Elves and Silvan Elvish
*#Note on the Delay of Gil-galad and the Númenóreans
*#Note on Dwarvish Voices
*#Note on the Dwarf Road
*#[[The Hunt for the Ring|From ''The Hunt for the Ring'']]
*#[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]

*'''Appendices'''
**Metaphysical and Theological Themes
**Glossary and Index of Quenya Terms

*Index
</div>

==Publication history and gallery==
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="125px" heights="125px">
File:The Nature of Middle-earth hardcover.jpg|2021 hardcover
File:The Nature of Middle-earth deluxe.jpeg|2021 hardcover deluxe edition
File:The Nature of Middle-earth 2023.jpg|2023 paperback
File:The Nature of Middle-earth 2025.jpg|2025 paperback
</gallery>
*[[HarperCollins]] hardcover ([[2021]]), pp. 464. ISBN 0008387923
*[[HarperCollins]] hardcover with slipcase ([[2021]]), ISBN 0008440573
*[[HarperCollins]] paperback ([[2023]]), ISBN 000838794X
**2023 paperback edition, 3rd impression ([[2025]])

==External links==
*[https://elvish.org/errata/NoMe-Errata.pdf Addenda and Corrigenda] to ''The Nature of Middle-earth''
*[https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/comments/plp345/i_am_carl_hostetter_editor_of_the_nature_of/ "Ask me Anything" with Carl Hostetter] on Reddit
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24qgQDW1s9Y&ab_channel=NerdoftheRings An interview with Carl Hostetter] on Youtube

*[https://www.elvish.org/Tengwestie/articles/DeRosarioMartinez/natureofmiddleearthreview.phtml A commentary on the book] by Helios De Rosario Martínez, at [https://www.elvish.org/Tengwestie/ Tengwestië]
*[http://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol13/iss1/5/ A book review], by [[Douglas C. Kane]]
*[https://www.deviantart.com/airyyn/art/Nature-of-Middle-earth-datation-of-the-texts-975744677 An infography] showing the content of the book chronologically ordered, by [[User:Airyn|Airyn]]

{{references}}
{{Publishedmajorbooks}}
{{title|italics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nature of Middle-earth, The}}
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien]]
[[Category:Fiction books]]
[[Category:Posthumous publications]]
[[Category:Publications by title]]
[[de:Natur und Wesen von Mittelerde]]
[[fi:The Nature of Middle-earth]]

Boldog

2026-02-05T18:18:28Z

AmonGwareth: grammar

{{Quote|Melkor had corrupted many spirits — some great as [[Sauron]], or less as Balrogs. The least could have been primitive Orcs.|''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', "[[Myths Transformed]]", Text X')}}

'''Boldog''' was an [[Orcs|Orc]]-name<ref>{{MR|Index}}</ref> that was given to [[Maiar]] that took on the physical form of a primitive [[Orc]].<ref>{{MR|P5X}}, Author's note</ref>

==History==
Boldog was a title taken by many of the servants of [[Morgoth]] that appeared multiple times during the [[Battles of Beleriand]].<ref name="ORC">{{MR|P5X}}, Author's footnote</ref> While some bearers of the Boldog title may have been no more than ''"delusions and phantoms"'', many others that bore the name took on shapes that mocked and degraded [[Elves]] and [[Men]].<ref>{{MR|P5X}}</ref> These ''"Orc-formed Maiar"'' were said to be ''"only less formidable than the [[Balrogs]]"''.<ref name="ORC" />

Boldogs were apparently, similar to [[Melian]], capable of embodied procreation. Doing so, however, would make them more and more earthbound, unable to return to spirit-state. Due to this diminishment, when they were slain they would be dwindle in force and be 'damned' and reduced to impotence.<ref>{{MR|P5VII}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Boldog'' is [[Noldorin]] for "Torment-slayer", from ''baul'' ("torment") and ''daug'' ("warrior").<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entries "ÑGWAL", "NDAK"</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
[[File:Tom Loback - Thingol fights Boldog.jpg|thumb|right|''Thingol fights Boldog'' by [[:Category:Images by Tom Loback|Tom Loback]]]]

According to the early version of the [[Legendarium]] within the ''[[Lay of Leithian]]'',<ref>{{LB|Index}}</ref> '''Boldog''' was the name of an Orc-captain that was the leader of a raid into the [[Dimbar|north-marches]] of [[Doriath]] and tasked by [[Morgoth]] to capture [[Lúthien]] and bring her to [[Angband]], for reasons undisclosed. However, the [[Iathrim]] defeated the invading army<ref>{{LB|C12}}</ref> with Boldog himself being slain by [[Thingol]].<ref>{{LB|3U}}</ref> Some time later, when [[Finrod]], [[Beren]], [[Edrahil]] and their companions were brought before [[Thû]] clad within Orc-form, they said that they were a part of the army under the command of Boldog, and had urgent news to deliver to [[Thangorodrim]] - but Thû saw through their disguise, revealing to them that Boldog was slain.<ref>{{LB|C7}}</ref>

{{references}}

{{ainur}}
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Noldorin names]]
[[Category:Orcs]]
[[Category:Servants of Melkor]]
[[Category:Titles]]

[[de:Boldog]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:orques:boldog]]

David Day

2026-02-04T18:39:58Z

AmonGwareth: added comma

{{author infobox
| image=
| name=David Day
| born=[[14 October]] [[1947]]<ref name="Goodreads">{{webcite|website=[http://www.goodreads.com goodreads]|articleurl=http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4945.David_Day|articlename=David Day (Author of A Tolkien Bestiary)|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref>
| died=
| education=[[wikipedia:University of Victoria|University of Victoria]]<ref name="Goodreads"/>
| occupation=Author
| location=Canada
| website=[http://www.daviddaybooks.com DavidDayBooks.com]
}}
'''David Day''' is a Canadian author who has written a number of books, many of them are [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]-related. Primarily known for his reference books, starting with ''[[A Tolkien Bestiary]]'' in [[1978]], Day's books have sold over 3 million copies, and have been published in over 120 different editions in over 20 languages.<ref>{{webcite|articleurl=http://www.abcbookworld.com/view_author.php?id=489|articlename=DAY, David|website=[http://www.abcbookworld.com/ ABC Bookworld]|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref>

Despite the selling numbers, Day is notable for his tendency to fabricate false or inaccurate information in his writings, and his books have been repeatedly criticized by the Tolkien community.

Day rejects the charge of inaccuracy, though he accepts that his reference books have been repackaged and reprinted by publishers under different titles.<ref name="Website">{{webcite|website=[http://www.daviddaybooks.com/ David Day's site]|articleurl=http://www.daviddaybooks.com/about2.html|articlename=Books to read|accessed=5 May 2021}}</ref>

==Reputation within the Tolkien community==
[[The Tolkien Society]] does not recommend any of Day's books in their suggested readings (preferring [[Robert Foster]]'s ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'' instead)<ref>{{webcite|website=TS|articleurl=http://www.tolkiensociety.org/author/books-about-tolkien/|articlename=Books about Tolkien|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref> whilst [[David Bratman]], editor of the ''[[Tolkien Studies (journal)|Tolkien Studies]]'' journal, makes the same suggestion that David Day's books are "Not Recommended".<ref>{{webcite|website=[https://www.dbratman.net/ David Bratman's Home Page]|articleurl=https://www.dbratman.net/tolkien_bib.html|articlename=Recommended books on Tolkien|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref> Troels Forchammer noted in his blog that "''Day is infamous in Tolkien circles for his creative re-interpretation of Tolkien's work''"<ref>{{webcite|website=[http://parmarkenta.blogspot.co.uk Parma-kenta]|articleurl=http://parmarkenta.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/tolkien-transactions-xxxiii.html|articlename=Tolkien Transactions XXXIII|dated=1 February 2013|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref> whilst [[Michael Martinez]] made the sterner observation that "''In Tolkien scholarship the worst insult one could deliver at any point for many years was equivalent to 'That sounds like something David Day wrote'.''"<ref>{{webcite|website=[http://blog.tolkien-studies.com/ Tolkien Studies Blog]|articleurl=http://blog.tolkien-studies.com/2007/03/07/why-wikipedia-content-cannot-be-trusted/|articlename=Why Wikipedia Content Cannot Be Trusted|dated=7 March 2007|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref>

Tolkien Meta-FAQ author Steuard Jensen said about ''[[A Tolkien Bestiary]]'' that "''it is not wise to rely on this book for information on Tolkien's vision of Middle-earth''" and that "''it is important to be aware that a considerable number of other details in those vivid descriptions were invented by Day himself with little or no justification in the texts, and that these extrapolations are not distinguished from the justified facts in any way''".<ref name="FAQ">{{webcite|website=FAQ|articleurl=http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/DayBooks.html|articlename=Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref> In particular, ''[[A Tolkien Bestiary]]'' (and its derivative ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'') has been specifically criticised for its entries on [[Beren]], [[Giants]], [[long-worms]], [[Sauron]], [[Telcontar]]i.<ref name="FAQ" />

Most of the criticism have been to the encyclopedia style books. More recently ''The Battles of Tolkien'' has been described saying:

{{blockquote|One of the surprises to me is that this book contains genuinely new content; this isn’t just a rehashing of previous books. And the factual pieces of information on the battles and the characters are accurate: it was a pleasant surprise to me to find none of the painfully obvious errors that were common throughout the previous two books. Similarly, the chronologies – save for one inconsistency on the War of Wrath – were also accurate.|[[Shaun Gunner|Gunner, Shaun]]. "Review: ''The Battles of Tolkien''" in ''[[Amon Hen]]'' [[Amon Hen 267|267]]}}
Having acknowledged that the book contains fewer factual errors than earlier books by Day, the reviewer describes it as "not a work of reference, but an attempt at analysis" and describing the analysis as "a bunch of clichéd theories that failed to stretch beyond a child pointing at things and exclaiming 'This is like that!'."

==A problematic map of Arda==
''[[A Tolkien Bestiary]]'' (1979) and later works includes a (unfortunately widespread) map that intentionally gives an overall view of all the lands over all the ages in a composite image. It include the Lamps, the Trees Of The Valar, Númenor, Beleriand, and the Undying Lands which never existed all at the same time. The map is criticized for differences from Tolkien's own maps such as "Map V" from the [[Ambarkanta maps|''Ambarkanta'' maps]].<ref>{{webcite|author=Stentor Danielson|website=[http://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/ Journal of Tolkien Research]|articleurl=http://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1171&context=journaloftolkienresearch|articlename=Extending Arda: Mapping beyond the Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion|accessed=21 January 2015}}</ref>

''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]'' has Geography section called "The Evolution of Arda" that has 8 maps that does show the evolution of the world map throughout the ages.

The Tolkien community generally steers readers away from the Composite map and instead towards ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'' by [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] (1981, revised 1991).

==Oxonmoot controversy==
David Day attended [[Oxonmoot 2004]] yet failed to pay for his attendance. In the minutes of [[The Tolkien Society]] committee meeting held on 30 October 2004 it states that:

{{blockquote|Chris ''<nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Chris Crawshaw]], Chairman]'' has also written to David Day to ask him to pay his registration for Oxonmoot. She was instructed by the meeting to keep badgering him about this, since he seems to feel his 'celebrity' status exempts him from such mundane details|[[Amon Hen 191|''Amon Hen'' 191]], p. 19}}

Four months later in the minutes of a committee meeting held on the 26th February 2005, it is recorded:

{{blockquote|Since David Day has still not paid his registration for Oxonmoot, it was agreed that he should be blacklisted for future events.|[[Amon Hen 193|''Amon Hen'' 193]], p. 17}}

There are no other recorded incidents of [[The Tolkien Society]] blacklisting individuals from attending their events.

==Bibliography==
*[[1979]]: ''[[A Tolkien Bestiary]]''
**Also published as: ''Guide to Tolkien's World: A Bestiary'', ''Characters from Tolkien''
*[[1991]]: ''[[Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia]]''
*[[1993]]: ''[[A to Z of Tolkien]]''
**Also published as: ''The Tolkien Companion'', ''A Guide to Tolkien'', ''Tolkien: A Dictionary'', ''A Dictionary of Tolkien'' - (2013, "The World of Tolkien" set #1)
*[[1994]]: ''[[Tolkien's Ring]]''
*[[1997]]: ''[[The Hobbit Companion]]''
*[[2003]]: ''[[The World of Tolkien]]: Mythological Sources of Lord of the Rings''
*[[2015]]: ''[[An Atlas of Tolkien]]'' - ("The World of Tolkien" set #2)
*[[2016]]: ''[[The Battles of Tolkien]]'' - ("The World of Tolkien" set #3)
*[[2017]]: ''[[The Heroes of Tolkien]]'' - ("The World of Tolkien" set #4)
*[[2018]]: ''[[The Dark Powers of Tolkien]]'' - ("The World of Tolkien" set #5)
*[[2019]]: ''[[The Hobbits of Tolkien]]'' - ("The World of Tolkien" set #6)
*[[2019]]: ''[[An Encyclopedia of Tolkien]]: The history and mythology that inspired Tolkien's world''
**Also published as: ''A Dictionary of Sources of Tolkien: The history and mythology that inspired Tolkien's world''
*[[2019]]: ''[[The Illustrated World of Tolkien]]''
*[[2020]]: ''[[The Ring Legends of Tolkien]]'' - ("The World of Tolkien" set #7)
*[[2023]]: ''[[The Illustrated World of Tolkien: The Second Age]]''
;Others
*[[2001]]: ''The Hobbit Calendar 2002''
*[[2002]]: ''The Hobbit Calendar 2003''
*[[2020]]: "The World of Tolkien" boxed set (including 6 volumes, later 7)

<gallery mode="traditional" widths="150px" heights="150px">
File:The World of Tolkien 6 vol.jpg|6 volume boxed set
File:The World of Tolkien 7 vol.jpg|7 volume boxed set
</gallery>

==External links==
*[http://www.daviddaybooks.com '''Official website''']
*[http://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/David-Day/141023395 '''David Day at Simon & Schuster''']
*[http://www.thunderbaybooks.com/search/David%20Day/ '''David Day at Thunder Bay Books''']

{{references}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Day, David}}
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Canadian people]]
[[Category:People by name]]
[[de:David Day]]
[[fi:David Day]]

Valacirca

2026-02-04T17:53:18Z

AmonGwareth: More closely tied to what the published Silmarillion says.

{{short description|Constellation}}
'''Valacirca''' ([[Quenya|Q.]] "Sickle of the Valar") was one of the ancient [[constellations]] set in the heavens by [[Varda]] from the silver dews of [[Telperion]] to enlighten the awakening of the Elves. It was [[Seven Stars|seven stars]] set in the north as a challenge to [[Melkor]].<ref>{{S|3}}</ref>

In {{TA|2941}}<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref> when [[Bilbo Baggins]] came to the [[Long Lake]] (on the [[Nandor|Wood-elves]]' raft) he noticed the Valacirca twinkling in the north above the entry of the [[River Running]] into the lake.<ref name="Welcome">{{H|Welcome}}</ref>

On [[29 September]] {{TA|3018}}<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> [[Frodo Baggins]] looked out of the window in the hobbits' room in [[Bree]] and saw the Valacirca bright above the shoulder of [[Bree-hill]].<ref name="Strider">{{FR|I10}}</ref>

==Other names==
[[Elves]] and [[Men]] called it the ''Burning Briar''<ref>{{LR|Quenta}}</ref>. It was also referred to as the ''Wain'' in ''[[The Hobbit]]''<ref name="Welcome" /> and the ''Sickle'' in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''<ref name="Strider" />. The constellation is also known as ''the Plough'', a name used in British English to refer to the seven brightest stars in ''Ursa Major'',<ref>{{WP|Ursa Major}}</ref> known in American English as ''Big Dipper''. It is unclear whether the Dwarvish constellation ''[[Durin's Crown]]'', seen in the reflection of [[Mirrormere]],<ref>{{FR|II4}}</ref> is the ''Valacirca''.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
This constellation is the first to appear in the mythology that [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] began to develop in the [[1910]]s, giving it the name '''''Telpea Kalka''''' ("Silvern Sickle").<ref>{{PE|12}}, p. 47</ref>

In ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'' it is stated that "yet the Seven Stars were not set by Varda, being indeed the sparks from [[Aulë]]’s forge whose brightness in the ancient heavens urged Varda to make their rivals; yet this did she never achieve."<ref>{{LT1|V}}</ref>{{rp|144}}

It is referred to as the "Silver Bear" in the [[1915]] poem ''[[The Trees of Kortirion|Kortirion among the Trees]]''<ref>{{LT1|Kortirion1}}</ref> but was later amended to "Silver Wain" in a revision submitted to Rayner Unwin in [[1962]].<ref>{{LT1|Kortirion3}}</ref>

In ''[[The Etymologies]]'', the Q(u)enya names for the constellation were ''Valakirka'' ("Sickle of the Gods") and '''''Otselen''''' ("Seven Stars"), with the [[Noldorin]] cognates '''''Cerch iMbelain''''' and '''''Edegil''''' respectively.<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entries "OT", "KIRIK"</ref>

In the earliest map that Tolkien made for ''The Hobbit'' (referred to as Fimbulfambi's map by [[John D. Rateliff]] in ''[[The History of The Hobbit]]'') the compass rose used a tiny diagram of the Valacirca to indicate "North".<ref>{{HH|Pryftan}}, p. 21</ref>

==Inspiration==
Valacirca is identified as the [[wikipedia:Big Dipper|Big Dipper]].<ref>{{S|Index}}</ref>

{{references}}
{{cosmology}}
[[Category:Constellations]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[de:Valacirca]]
[[fr:/encyclo/geographie/astronomie/valacirca]]
[[fi:Valacirca]]

Isle of Balar

2026-02-02T22:00:04Z

AmonGwareth:

{{location infobox
| name=Isle of Balar
| image=Christopher Tolkien - Bay of Balar.jpg
| caption=Map drawn by [[Christopher Tolkien]] showing the Bay of Balar
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=South-west of the [[Bay of Balar]], on the edge of [[Belegaer]]
| type=Island
| description=Large islands, eastern tip of what was [[Tol Eressëa]]
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Eldar]], [[Edain]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''Isle of Balar''' was a refugee camp for the [[Eldar]] and [[Edain]] of [[Beleriand]].

The Isle of Balar was located in the great [[Bay of Balar]] to the south of [[Beleriand]].<ref>{{S|Map}}</ref> According to legend, it was the eastern tip of [[Tol Eressëa]], which had broken off when [[Ulmo]] ferried the [[Eldar]] to [[Aman]].<ref>{{S|Princes}}</ref> Great numbers of pearls could be found in the shallow waters about the island.<ref>{{S|Sindar}}</ref>

Before the [[Dagor Bragollach]], [[Elves of Nargothrond]], with ships built by the [[Falathrim]], explored the Isle of Balar, looking to it as a potential safe haven in time of need.<ref>{{S|14}}</ref> Some companies of the [[Gondolindrim]] had also been sent there by [[Turgon]] to build ships and send messengers to [[Aman]], but none of those ships ever arrived there and few of them returned.<ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>

During the [[Fall of the Falas]], some Falathrim survivors escaped the [[Havens of the Falas|Havens]] on ships, with [[Círdan]] and [[Gil-galad]]; they reached Balar, where they established a safe refuge, keeping also a foothold of ships at the [[Mouths of Sirion]]. Hearing this, Turgon once more sent messengers there asking for Círdan's help. Círdan built seven ships to send to the West, but no news of their fate came to Balar; and only one Elf, [[Voronwë]], survived and returned to [[Middle-earth]].<ref>{{S|Fifth}}</ref>

The two refugee camps remained in close contact, and [[Círdan]] assisted [[Eärendil]] of [[Arvernien]] in building the ship [[Vingilot]] ([[Vingilótë]]), with which he sought for [[Valinor]], to ask for the pardon of the [[Valar]].<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

Many of the Elves dwelling in the Isle of Balar went to [[Lindon]] until the [[Elves]] were summoned to [[Valinor]]. It is unknown whether or not the Isle of Balar survived beyond the First Age.

{{references}}
{{navigation
| title=Isle of Balar
| north-west=Belegaer
| north=[[Cape Balar]], [[Falas]] [[Arvernien]]
| north-east=[[Mouths of Sirion]], [[Nimbrethil]]
| west=[[Belegaer]]
| east=[[Bay of Balar]]
| south-west=Belegaer
| south=Belegaer
| south-east=Bay of Balar
|}}
[[Category:Beleriand]]
[[Category:Islands]]
[[de:Balar (Insel)]]
[[fi:Balarin Saari]]
[[fr:/encyclo/geographie/eaux/iles/ile_de_balar]]

Isle of Balar

2026-02-02T21:59:28Z

AmonGwareth: More grammar and wording fixes!

{{location infobox
| name=Isle of Balar
| image=Christopher Tolkien - Bay of Balar.jpg
| caption=Map drawn by [[Christopher Tolkien]] showing the Bay of Balar
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=South-west of the [[Bay of Balar]], on edge of [[Belegaer]]
| type=Island
| description=Large islands, eastern tip of what was [[Tol Eressëa]]
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Eldar]], [[Edain]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''Isle of Balar''' was a refugee camp for the [[Eldar]] and [[Edain]] of [[Beleriand]].

The Isle of Balar was located in the great [[Bay of Balar]] to the south of [[Beleriand]].<ref>{{S|Map}}</ref> According to legend, it was the eastern tip of [[Tol Eressëa]], which had broken off when [[Ulmo]] ferried the [[Eldar]] to [[Aman]].<ref>{{S|Princes}}</ref> Great numbers of pearls could be found in the shallow waters about the island.<ref>{{S|Sindar}}</ref>

Before the [[Dagor Bragollach]], [[Elves of Nargothrond]], with ships built by the [[Falathrim]], explored the Isle of Balar, looking to it as a potential safe haven in time of need.<ref>{{S|14}}</ref> Some companies of the [[Gondolindrim]] had also been sent there by [[Turgon]] to build ships and send messengers to [[Aman]], but none of those ships ever arrived there and few of them returned.<ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>

During the [[Fall of the Falas]], some Falathrim survivors escaped the [[Havens of the Falas|Havens]] on ships, with [[Círdan]] and [[Gil-galad]]; they reached Balar, where they established a safe refuge, keeping also a foothold of ships at the [[Mouths of Sirion]]. Hearing this, Turgon once more sent messengers there asking for Círdan's help. Círdan built seven ships to send to the West, but no news of their fate came to Balar; and only one Elf, [[Voronwë]], survived and returned to [[Middle-earth]].<ref>{{S|Fifth}}</ref>

The two refugee camps remained in close contact, and [[Círdan]] assisted [[Eärendil]] of [[Arvernien]] in building the ship [[Vingilot]] ([[Vingilótë]]), with which he sought for [[Valinor]], to ask for the pardon of the [[Valar]].<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

Many of the Elves dwelling in the Isle of Balar went to [[Lindon]] until the [[Elves]] were summoned to [[Valinor]]. It is unknown whether or not the Isle of Balar survived beyond the First Age.

{{references}}
{{navigation
| title=Isle of Balar
| north-west=Belegaer
| north=[[Cape Balar]], [[Falas]] [[Arvernien]]
| north-east=[[Mouths of Sirion]], [[Nimbrethil]]
| west=[[Belegaer]]
| east=[[Bay of Balar]]
| south-west=Belegaer
| south=Belegaer
| south-east=Bay of Balar
|}}
[[Category:Beleriand]]
[[Category:Islands]]
[[de:Balar (Insel)]]
[[fi:Balarin Saari]]
[[fr:/encyclo/geographie/eaux/iles/ile_de_balar]]

Isle of Balar

2026-02-02T07:28:49Z

AmonGwareth: Grammar and syntax.

{{location infobox
| name=Isle of Balar
| image=Christopher Tolkien - Bay of Balar.jpg
| caption=Map drawn by [[Christopher Tolkien]] showing the Bay of Balar
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=South-west of the [[Bay of Balar]], on edge of [[Belegaer]]
| type=Island
| description=Large islands, eastern tip of what was [[Tol Eressëa]]
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Eldar]], [[Edain]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''Isle of Balar''' was a refugee camp for the [[Eldar]] and [[Edain]] of [[Beleriand]].

The Isle of Balar was located in the great [[Bay of Balar]] to the south of [[Beleriand]],<ref>{{S|Map}}</ref> and according to legend it was the eastern tip of [[Tol Eressëa]] which had broken off when [[Ulmo]] ferried the [[Eldar]] to [[Aman]].<ref>{{S|Princes}}</ref> In the shallow waters about the island could be found great numbers of pearls.<ref>{{S|Sindar}}</ref>

Before the [[Dagor Bragollach]], [[Elves of Nargothrond]], with ships built by the [[Falathrim]], explored the Isle of Balar, looking to it as a potential safe haven in time of need.<ref>{{S|14}}</ref> Some companies of the [[Gondolindrim]] had also been sent there by [[Turgon]] to build ships and send messengers to [[Aman]]; but none of those ships ever arrived there and few of them returned.<ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>

During the [[Fall of the Falas]], some Falathrim survivors escaped the [[Havens of the Falas|Havens]] on ships, with [[Círdan]] and [[Gil-galad]]; they reached Balar, where they established a safe refuge, keeping also a foothold of ships at the [[Mouths of Sirion]]. Hearing this, Turgon once more sent messengers there asking for Círdan's help. Círdan built seven ships to send to the West, but of them no news came to Balar; only one Elf, [[Voronwë]], survived and returned to [[Middle-earth]].<ref>{{S|Fifth}}</ref>

The two refugee camps remained in close contact, and [[Círdan]] assisted [[Eärendil]] of [[Arvernien]] in building the ship [[Vingilot]] ([[Vingilótë]]), with which he sought for [[Valinor]], to ask for the pardon of the [[Valar]].<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

Many of the Elves dwelling in the Isle of Balar went to [[Lindon]] until the [[Elves]] were summoned to [[Valinor]]. It is unknown whether or not the Isle of Balar survived beyond the First Age.

{{references}}
{{navigation
| title=Isle of Balar
| north-west=Belegaer
| north=[[Cape Balar]], [[Falas]] [[Arvernien]]
| north-east=[[Mouths of Sirion]], [[Nimbrethil]]
| west=[[Belegaer]]
| east=[[Bay of Balar]]
| south-west=Belegaer
| south=Belegaer
| south-east=Bay of Balar
|}}
[[Category:Beleriand]]
[[Category:Islands]]
[[de:Balar (Insel)]]
[[fi:Balarin Saari]]
[[fr:/encyclo/geographie/eaux/iles/ile_de_balar]]

Iron Mountains

2026-01-26T03:24:27Z

AmonGwareth: Can someone else cite "Of Beleriand and Its Realms" here? I couldn't make it work for me!

[[File:Sage - Almaren.png|thumb|The crescent of the Iron Mountains guarding [[Utumno]] during the [[Spring of Arda]].]]
The '''Iron Mountains''' or '''Ered Engrin''' were an immense mountain range in the far north of [[Middle-earth]], stretching almost from one end of the continent to the other, though falling short of the sea on either side.<ref>{{LR|Quenta}}, p. 259</ref>

==History==
Of old the Iron Mountains came close to touching the [[Blue Mountains]] (''Ered Luin'') of the West and the Red Mountains (''[[Orocarni]]'') of the East,<ref>{{SM|A4}}</ref> but in the wars between the [[Valar]] and [[Morgoth|Melkor]] the mountain range was distorted. Melkor himself created the mountains as a fence for his citadel of [[Utumno]].

Melkor's great fortresses of [[Angband]] and [[Utumno]] were built in the mountains. North of the range lay the regions of ever-lasting cold.

After the [[War of Wrath]] the Iron Mountains were broken and disappeared, at least the part of their length that lay directly north of Beleriand.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], in her book ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', imagined that remnants of the Iron Mountains after the [[First Age]] could perhaps be all the northern mountain ranges of [[Eriador]] and [[Rhovanion]]: the [[Mountains of Angmar]], the [[Grey Mountains|Ered Mithrin]], and the [[Iron Hills]], still occupied by [[Orcs]] and [[Dragons]] until the [[Third Age]].<ref>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'' p. 78</ref> However, this depiction predates publication of ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'', where it is revealed that the Grey Mountains and Iron Hills existed in the First Age independently of the Iron Mountains. It was during this age that the [[Dwarves]] of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] first colonized the Iron Hills. They also considered the Grey Mountains, which lay between Khazad-dûm and the Iron Hills, to be part of their territory.<ref name="relations">{{PM|Relations}}, pp. 302-303</ref>

{{references}}

[[Category:Beleriand]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges]]

[[de:Ered Engrin]]
[[fi:Rautavuoret (Esiajat)]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/reliefs/montagnes de fer]]

Iron Mountains

2026-01-26T03:23:30Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */ This is from the first page of "Of Beleriand and Its Realms."

[[File:Sage - Almaren.png|thumb|The crescent of the Iron Mountains guarding [[Utumno]] during the [[Spring of Arda]].]]
The '''Iron Mountains''' or '''Ered Engrin''' were an immense mountain range in the far north of [[Middle-earth]], stretching almost from one end of the continent to the other, though falling short of the sea on either side.<ref>{{LR|Quenta}}, p. 259</ref>

==History==
Of old the Iron Mountains came close to touching the [[Blue Mountains]] (''Ered Luin'') of the West and the Red Mountains (''[[Orocarni]]'') of the East,<ref>{{SM|A4}}</ref> but in the wars between the [[Valar]] and [[Morgoth|Melkor]] the mountain range was distorted. Melkor himself created the mountains as a fence for his citadel of [[Utumno]].<ref group="of beleriand and its realms">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (ed.), ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', "''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'': [[Of Beleriand and its Realms]]"</ref>

Melkor's great fortresses of [[Angband]] and [[Utumno]] were built in the mountains. North of the range lay the regions of ever-lasting cold.

After the [[War of Wrath]] the Iron Mountains were broken and disappeared, at least the part of their length that lay directly north of Beleriand.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], in her book ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', imagined that remnants of the Iron Mountains after the [[First Age]] could perhaps be all the northern mountain ranges of [[Eriador]] and [[Rhovanion]]: the [[Mountains of Angmar]], the [[Grey Mountains|Ered Mithrin]], and the [[Iron Hills]], still occupied by [[Orcs]] and [[Dragons]] until the [[Third Age]].<ref>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'' p. 78</ref> However, this depiction predates publication of ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'', where it is revealed that the Grey Mountains and Iron Hills existed in the First Age independently of the Iron Mountains. It was during this age that the [[Dwarves]] of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] first colonized the Iron Hills. They also considered the Grey Mountains, which lay between Khazad-dûm and the Iron Hills, to be part of their territory.<ref name="relations">{{PM|Relations}}, pp. 302-303</ref>

{{references}}

[[Category:Beleriand]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges]]

[[de:Ered Engrin]]
[[fi:Rautavuoret (Esiajat)]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/reliefs/montagnes de fer]]

Forest of Region

2026-01-22T03:53:09Z

AmonGwareth: grammar

{{location infobox
| name= Region
| image=Christopher Tolkien - Forest of Region.jpg
| caption=
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location= Doriath
| type= Forest
| description=
| regions=
| towns=[[Menegroth]]
| inhabitants=[[Iathrim]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''Forest of Region''' was a forest, primarily made up of [[holly]]. Early in the [[First Age]], the [[Tatyar]] rested in its woods.<ref>{{S|Thingol}}</ref>

Populated by [[Sindar]], Region formed the southern and greater part of the Kingdom of [[Doriath]]. It was bounded by the rivers [[Aros]] and [[Esgalduin]], south of [[Dor Dínen]] and the [[Girdle of Melian]]. [[Menegroth]] lay in its forest.<ref>{{S|Map}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Region'' is given as [[Doriathrin]].<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}</ref> The base is the word ''[[reg]]'' ("holly tree"), with perhaps the toponymical ending ''[[-nd|-ion]]'' (*"holly-land") or a plural genitive ending ''[[-ion]]'' (as in [[Quenya]]), having the meaning *"(Land) of Hollies".<ref>{{webcite|website=Arda|author=[[Helge Fauskanger]]|articleurl=http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/doriath.htm|articlename=Doriathrin}}, entries '''regorn''', '''-ion''' where both possibilities are mentioned</ref>

Note that the name is unrelated to the English word "region (of land)", and thus is to be pronounced with a hard ''g''.<ref>{{App|Pronunciation}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Eregion]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Region}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Doriath]]
[[Category:Forests]]
[[de:Region]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/forets/beleriand/region]]
[[fi:Regionin metsä]]

Eagles

2026-01-12T06:04:12Z

AmonGwareth: /* Origin and nature */ grammar

{{race infobox
| name=Eagles
| image = J.R.R. Tolkien - Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes.jpg
| caption="Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes" by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| origin=Unknown (see [[Eagles#Origin and nature|below]])
| location=[[Taniquetil]] [[Crissaegrim]] [[Meneltarma]] [[Eagle's Eyrie]]
| affiliation=[[Manwë]]
| rivalry=
| language=[[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Westron]]
| people=
| members=[[Thorondor]], [[Great Eagle]], [[Gwaihir]], [[Landroval]], [[Meneldor]], [[Witnesses of Manwë]]
| lifespan=Unknown, but obviously very longeval<ref name=P1>{{WJ|P1}} p. 68</ref><ref group=note>Since Gwaihir and Landroval were said to have helped Thorondor in the escape of Beren and Lúthien ({{FA|466}}) and they were both alive at the time of the War of the Ring ({{TA|3019}}) that would make them at least 6,584 years old.</ref>
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=
| skin=
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
'''Eagles''', also known as '''Great Eagles''', were immense, sentient birds that served as messengers of [[Manwë]]. They were capable of speech and often helped [[Men]], [[Elves]] and [[Wizards]] in their efforts to defeat foes such as [[Morgoth]] and [[Sauron]].

==History==
===First Age===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety.jpg|thumb|''Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
At a command of Manwë, the Lord of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of the [[Thangorodrim]], the volcanoes above [[Angband]], for a time.<ref>{{S|Noldor}}</ref><ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref> While he lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]].

Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face after Morgoth's battle with [[Fingolfin]], and he carried Fingolfin's body to the [[Echoriath]], where he was buried by Fingon. Years later, three of the Great Eagles came to the aid of [[Beren]] and [[Lúthien]], bearing them away from Thangorodrim after both had drained their strength in the [[Quest for the Silmaril]].<ref>{{S|Beren}}</ref>

Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriad]] near [[Gondolin]]. There they became friends of [[Turgon]], bringing him news and keeping spies off their borders. Because of their guardianship, [[Orcs]] were unable to approach either the nearby mountains<ref name="Silm-TFG">{{S|Gondolin}}</ref> or the important ford of [[Brithiach]] to the south.<ref name="Tuor">{{UT|Tuor}}</ref>

They redoubled their watch after the coming of [[Tuor]],<ref>{{S|Doriath}}</ref> enabling Gondolin to remain undiscovered for the longest of all [[Elves|Elven]] realms. When the city [[Fall of Gondolin|fell]] at last, the Eagles of Thorondor protected the [[Exiles of Gondolin|survivors]], driving away the orcs that ambushed them at [[Cirith Thoronath]], the Eagles' Cleft north of Gondolin.<ref name="Silm-TFG" />

The Eagles fought alongside the [[Host of the Valar|army]] of the Valar, the [[Elves]], and the [[Edain]] during the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]]. After the appearance of winged [[dragons]], all the great birds gathered under Thorondor and aided [[Eärendil]], destroying the majority of the dragons.<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

===Second Age (Númenor)===
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the reign of [[Tar-Ancalimon]], when the [[Kings of Númenor]] became hostile to the Valar.

The [[Númenóreans]] believed that three Eagles, the '''[[Witnesses of Manwë]]''', were sent by Manwë to guard the summit of [[Meneltarma]]. These appeared whenever one approached the hallow and stayed in the sky during the [[Three Prayers]].

Many Eagles lived upon the hills around [[Sorontil]] in the north of the island.<ref>{{UT|Numenor}}</ref>

Eagle-shaped storm clouds, called the "Eagles of the Lords of the West", were sent by Manwë when he tried to reason with or threaten the Númenóreans.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

===Third Age===
By the end of the [[Third Age]], a colony of Eagles under the [[Great Eagle]] lived in the northern parts of the [[Misty Mountains]]. They mostly nested upon the eastward slopes not far from the [[High Pass]] leading from [[Rivendell]], and thus in the direct vicinity of the [[Goblin-town]] beneath; often afflicting the goblins and disrupting their plans.

These Eagles helped [[Radagast]] and the Elves of [[Rivendell]] in watching the land and in gathering news about the Orcs.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref><ref>{{FR|South}}</ref> However, as a result of feeding on the sheep of the local [[Woodmen]] of [[Mirkwood]], their relationship with Men was strained, causing them to fear men's bows.

The Eagles rescued [[Thorin and Company]] from a band of [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and [[Wargs]] and carried them to the [[Carrock]].<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref> Some days later, they spied the mustering of goblins all over the Mountains to be gathered under the Great Eagle in the [[Battle of Five Armies]] near [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. It was only with their help that the [[Dwarves]], [[Men]] and Elves managed to defeat the goblins.<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref> The Great Eagle became known as the [[King of All Birds]].

The Eagles appeared in great numbers at the [[Battle of the Morannon]], helping to fight against the [[Nazgûl]]. It was [[Gwaihir]], his brother [[Landroval]], and [[Meneldor]] who rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]] after [[the One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref>

==Other names==
'''''Thoron''''' is "eagle" in both [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]] (''soron'' in a Quenya without the [[Shibboleth of Fëanor]]).<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''thoron''</ref>

In [[Gnomish]], one of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s early conceptions of an [[Elvish|Elven]] language, a word for "eagle" is ''ioroth'' (poetic form ''ior''). A cognate of the same meaning in [[Qenya]] is the poetic ''ea(r)'' or ''earen''. Another Gnomish word for "an eagle" is ''thorn''.<ref>{{PE|11}}, pp. 51, 73</ref> The '''''Thornhoth''''' was the name for the eagle-folk in this early version.<ref name="Fall">{{LT2|III}}, p. 103</ref>

==Origin and nature==
Tolkien's view of the Eagle's nature alternated over time. In early stages, he considered the Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]]<ref>{{MR|Annals}} p. 138</ref>, while at other points he speculated that they may be beasts granted the ability to speak by the Valar.<ref name="MR409-11" />

In [[The Silmarillion]], Eagles are described as:<ref>{{S|Days}}</ref><ref>{{LR|Ainu}}</ref><ref>{{MR|P1a}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world.}}

In a text from c. 1959, Tolkien speculated that the Eagles and [[Huan]] could be Maiar, but that they could also be beasts elevated by the Valar to possess the ability to speak.<ref name="MR409-11">{{MR|Myths}} pp. 409-11</ref>

{{blockquote|But true 'rational' creatures, 'speaking peoples', are all of human / 'humanoid' form. Only the Valar and Maiar are intelligences that can assume forms of Arda at will. Huan and [[Sorontar]] could be Maiar - emissaries of Manwë. But unfortunately in 'The Lord of the Rings' Gwaehir and Landroval are said to be descendants of Sorontar.
(...)
In summary: I think it must be assumed that 'talking' is not necessarily the sign of the possession of a 'rational soul' or [[fëa]]. (...)
The same sort of thing may be said of Huan and the Eagles: they were taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level - but they still had no fëar.}}

In a later text, the Eagles were first envisioned by Manwë during the Music of the Ainur, and appeared before the awakening of the Elves.<ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref><ref name="Ents">{{WJ|Ents}}</ref>
{{blockquote|When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar, and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar, and some will dwell therein, and be held in reverence, and their just anger shall be feared (...) Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds? That also shall come to be by the heed of Ilúvatar, and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West.}}

In a later c. [[1970]] text, the "mighty speaking eagles" are definitively referred to as Maiar:<ref>{{NM|P3viii}}, Footnote #3, p. 308</ref>

{{blockquote|The most notable were those Maiar who took the form of the mighty speaking eagles that we hear of in the legends of the war of the Ñoldor against Melkor, and who remained in the West of Middle-earth until the fall of Sauron and the Dominion of Men, after which they are not heard of again.}}

=="Flying the Ring to Mount Doom"==
[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Foot of Mount Doom.jpg|thumb|Eagles flying to Mount Doom. Art by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]
Some readers have questioned why the Eagles simply didn't carry Frodo into Mordor and drop the [[The One Ring|One Ring]] in Mount Doom, or at least aid the Fellowship at some part of the journey, such as helping them avoiding the [[Redhorn Gate]] and [[Moria]].

In [[Letter 210]], Tolkien said that the Eagles were "not taxis," and reiterated that the Fellowship's mission depended upon secrecy, so depicting a long arduous journey on foot was required to maintain their stealthy approach. Tolkien further states that Eagles should be used carefully as a plot device, and described them as a "dangerous machine" that he used sparingly.<ref name="letter210">{{L|210}}</ref>

Tolkien wrote of the Eagles in explicit terms of [[eucatastrophe]] in [[Letter 89]], where he describes their coming to save the day in ''The Hobbit''.<ref name="letter89">{{L|89}}</ref> Since eucatastrophe is by nature unexpected, the Eagles by design would not and could not have been considered by the other characters as available or feasible options to take.

Furthermore, the Great Eagles would have been fairly obvious and defenseless to Sauron, who would have seen them coming from a distance and caused to quickly deduce their plan. Ringwraiths and their [[Fell beasts]] and/or Sauron's legions of archers and his siege machines would most likely have stopped the attempt upon spotting the Eagles in the vicinity of Mordor. Thus, a small party was needed to go on foot to minimize the risk of attracting notice.

==Inspiration==
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by Archibald Thorburn of an immature Golden Eagle, which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by T.A. Coward. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest version of the fall of Gondolin, the king of the Eagles, Thorndor (later Thorondor), had no love for Melko (later Melkor) because he had caught many Eagles and tortured them for the magic words that would enable him to fly (in order to challenge Manwë for command of the air). When the Eagles refused to reveal the magic words Melko cut off their wings in order to fashion a pair for himself, "but it availed not".<ref>{{LT2|III}}, p. 193</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
===Eagles in adaptations===
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:The War of the Rohirrim - Eagle and Héra.png|An Eagle in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim]]''
</gallery>
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The Eagles are associated with [[moths]]; while Gandalf is trapped on the summit of Orthanc, he whispers to a moth and lets it go. Later, when confronted by Saruman, the moth reappears; an Eagle (supposedly Gwaihir) arrives and Gandalf escapes on its back.
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Right before the Battle of the Morannon, Gandalf notices a moth flies near him. Then the Eagles appear and fly against the [[fell beasts]]. They pick up Frodo and Sam from the slopes of Orodruin.
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:As [[Thorin and Company]] are trapped in a falling tree by the band of [[Azog]] and their [[Wargs]], Gandalf uses a moth to summon them to his aid. They grasp the wargs and drop them onto the rocks or in the fire, pick up an unconscious Thorin, and save the protagonists from falling. Unlike in the book, they drop the characters on the [[Carrock]] and leave; as in the other film adaptations, the Eagles don't appear sentient and there is no dialogue between them and the characters.
'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:The Eagles participate in the battle, and upon their arrival one drops [[Beorn]] in bear-form into the field of battle. Radagast, who is implied to be responsible for their participation, also rides one into the battle.
'''2024: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]'':'''

'''2024: ''[[The War of the Rohirrim]]'':'''
:

==External links==
*[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Sean Crist: Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?]
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/History.html#Eagles Tolkien FAQ]
*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/10/11/is-there-an-in-story-explanation-for-why-the-eagles-rarely-participate-in-great-events/ Michael Martinez: Is there an in-story explanation for why the eagles rarely participate in great events?]

{{references|notes}}
[[Category:Eagles| ]]
[[Category:Races]]

[[de:Adler]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/faune/aigles]]
[[fi:Kotkat]]

Lobelia Sackville-Baggins

2026-01-02T23:26:30Z

AmonGwareth: /* History */

{{infobox character
| people=[[Hobbits|Hobbit]]
| name=Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
| image=Pierre Vanderweerd - Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.jpg
| caption="Lobelia Sackville-Baggins" by [[Pierre Vanderweerd]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Lobelia Bracegirdle Mistress Lobelia
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[Hardbottle]] [[Bag End]], [[Hobbiton]]
| affiliation=
| language= [[Westron]]
| birth={{SR|1318}}
| birthlocation=[[Hardbottle]]
| rule=
| death={{SR|1420}}
| deathlocation=
| age=102
| notablefor=
| family=[[Bracegirdle Family|Bracegirdle]]
| parentage=[[Blanco Bracegirdle]] and [[Primrose Boffin]]
| spouse=[[Otho Sackville-Baggins]]
| children=[[Lotho Sackville-Baggins]]
| siblings=[[Bruno Bracegirdle]]
| gender=Female
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=Umbrella
| steed=
}}
{{Quote|I'll give you Sharkey, you dirty thieving ruffians!|Lobelia Sackville-Baggins in ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[The Scouring of the Shire]]"}}
'''Lobelia Sackville-Baggins''', (née '''[[Bracegirdle Family|Bracegirdle]]''') was the second child, and only daughter of [[Primrose Bracegirdle|Primrose Boffin]] and [[Blanco Bracegirdle]] and then the wife of [[Otho Sackville-Baggins]], a distant relative of [[Bilbo Baggins]], known for her want of the hobbit-hole [[Bag End]].

==History==
Lobelia was born in [[Hardbottle]] to [[Primrose Bracegirdle|Primrose Boffin]] and [[Blanco Bracegirdle]] and the sister of [[Bruno Bracegirdle]]. Lobelia was renowned in the [[The Shire]] for her temper and greed. She later married [[Bilbo Baggins]]'s cousin [[Otho Sackville-Baggins]], and they had one child together, [[Lotho Sackville-Baggins|Lotho]], who was born in {{SR|1364}}.<ref name="Bag">{{App|Baggins}}</ref>

Her envy of [[Bag End]] was well-known; when Bilbo left for [[Quest for Erebor|his legendary journey]] in {{SR|1341}}<ref name="Return">{{H|Return}}</ref> she coveted Bag End and found an oportunity to steal some of Bilbo's spoons, as Bilbo suspected after his return, and Lobelia knew well his suspicions. Lobelia and Otho were furious when Bilbo made [[Frodo Baggins]] his heir, him being a more distant relative. However, he did invite them to [[Bilbo's Farewell Party|his farewell feast]], with magnificent invitations written with golden ink; Lobelia could not ignore it. The [[23 September|next day]] she and Otho came to Bag End, hearing that Bilbo's household was being given out, but Frodo said that what was directed to her was only a case of silver spoons. She took "the point", and took the gift. But later as Otho left, she was still there, investigating nooks and corners and tapping the floors, she had snatched some small valuable things in her umbrella, until Frodo relieved her and drove her out, as she shouted that he should also leave, being half [[Brandybuck Family|Brandybuck]], did not belong here. [[Gandalf]] later saw her driving a pony-trap towards [[Bywater]].<ref>{{FR|Party}}</ref>

Her angry words to Frodo turned out to be true: he decided to leave for [[Crickhollow]] (a ruse to escape the Shire) he sold Bag End to Lobelia by [[June]] {{TA|3018}}, but unfortunately Lobelia was now centennial, and Otho had died by then. The titles would pass to her on [[24 September]], but she went there [[23 September|the previous day]] with Lotho, and an inventory list to inspect that nothing she had paid for had been carried off to Buckland. She went right though her list, and in the end they departed with the spare key; Frodo said that his own would be left with the [[Gamgee Family]] and Lobelia reacted as if she thought that the Gamgees would rob the household the next day.<ref name="Company">{{FR|I3}}</ref>
[[File:Miriam Ellis - Lobelia rescued from the Lockholes.png|thumb|200px|left|"Lobelia rescued from [[Lockholes|the Lockholes]]" by [[Miriam Ellis]]]]
During the [[War of the Ring]], Lobelia was imprisoned in [[Lockholes]] for arguing with the [[Chief Shirriff|Chief]]'s Men, and attacking one of them with an umbrella.<ref name="Scouring">{{RK|Scouring}}</ref> After finding [[Fredegar Bolger]], Frodo finds Lobelia, old and frail. As Frodo lets her out, Lobelia was popular for the first time for bravely standing up to the [[Saruman]]'s [[Ruffians|Men]], receiving cheers and applauds. However, she was crushed to find out her son had been murdered whilst she was in prison. After the War of the Ring, Lobelia returned to her home village to live with the other [[Bracegirdle Family|Bracegirdle]]s, giving Bag End to Frodo. When she died in the Spring of {{TA|3020}}, she gave her money to Frodo to be used to help [[hobbits]] left homeless by Saruman and her son, which deeply moved Frodo.<ref name="Grey">{{RK|Havens}}</ref>

==Etymology==
[[Wikipedia:Lobelia|Lobelia]] is a genus of the bellflower family, named after [[Wikipedia:Matthias de L'Obel|Matthias de L'Obel]].<ref>{{HM|IE}}, "Giving of Names" p. 195</ref> Some species are commonly grown as garden flowers.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
===Lobelia in adaptations===
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (video game) - Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.JPG|Lobelia in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]
File:Cortney Skinner - Lobelia Sackville-Baggins (MECCG).jpg|Lobelia in ''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.jpg|Lobelia in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.jpg|Lobelia in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
File:The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey - Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.jpg|Lobelia in [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]
</gallery>

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:Although she is only named in passing, Diana Bishop plays Lobelia at Bilbo's 111th Birthday party. She and [[Otho Sackville-Baggins|Otho]] are given a brief exchange complaining about being part of "one gross", and questioning what "Frodo coming into his inheritance" means.

'''1995-8: ''[[Middle-earth Collectible Card Game]]'':'''
:In the expansion ''[[Middle-earth: Dark Minions|Dark Minions]]'', Lobelia appears as two different cards: "Mistress Lobelia" is a Resource Ally, and "Lobelia Sackville-Baggins" is an Agent.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tradecardsonline.com/im/searchCards|articlename=(Results from search for cards in the game Middle Earth)|dated=|website=[http://www.tradecardsonline.com/ Tradecardsoneline.com]|accessed=26 March 2014}}</ref>

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Lobelia (portrayed by [[Elizabeth Moody]]) appears briefly along with Otho in the Extended edition of the film, attempting to confront [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] during his [[Bilbo's Farewell Party|farewell party]], though Bilbo manages to elude their presence. In the theatrical release, Lobelia is only heard knocking at Bilbo's door before the farewell party.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:Lobelia (voiced by [[Jennifer Hale]]) appears in Bywater. Frodo has to give her the Bag End Deed as one of the first missions. When Frodo approaches her she insists he first warn [[Robin Smallburrow]] of the wolves in the Shire by ringing the warning bell. Frodo does so, before presenting an exhilirated Lobelia with the Bag End Deed.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Found outside [[Bag End]], Lobelia is involved in several quests dealing with surprises left for her by the previous owner.

'''[[2012]]: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:Lobelia is seen briefly in the [[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (extended edition)|Extended Edition]] (along with Otho) in the marketplace outside of the [[Green Dragon]] Inn. The character's costume is deliberately ostentatious to be "bright and show-offy" as "she aspires to the best dressed lady in Hobbiton".<ref>[[Daniel Falconer]], ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Chronicles: Art & Design]]'', p. 23</ref>

'''[[2014]]: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:She and Otho are also seen at the end of the film when Bilbo's possessions are being auctioned off as he returns to [[the Shire]]. Lobelia pretends not to know who Bilbo is, so he accuses her of being dishonest about it. She is portrayed by Erin Banks.

{{references}}
[[Category:Bracegirdle]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Hobbits]]
[[Category:Sackville-Baggins]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Lobelia Sackheim-Beutlin]]
[[fi:Lobelia Piukkapaula]]
[[fr:/encyclo/personnages/hobbits/sanglebuc/lobelia_sanglebuc]]

Ruffians

2025-12-30T09:34:55Z

AmonGwareth:

[[File:Ted Nasmith - Storming the Bank.jpg|thumb|''Storming the Bank'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
'''Ruffians''', also known in the [[Shire]] as '''[[Chief Shirriff|Chief]]'s Men''' or '''[[Sharkey]]'s Men''', were a group of [[Men|Men]] from the lands south of the Shire.

==History==
In the late autumn or early winter of {{TA|3018}}, a lot of Men, mostly ruffians, came to the Shire with great wagons from the south. These Men were working for [[Saruman]], and it was because of him and his interest in procuring [[pipe-weed]] for himself that they were traveling north. Some of them left to carry pipe-weed and other goods from the Shire back south to [[Isengard]], while others remained and helped [[Lotho Sackville-Baggins|Lotho]] take over the Shire. Soon even more Men came. They felled [[trees|trees,]] built sheds and houses for themselves across the Shire and ordered the hobbits around, taking what they wanted and suppressing any dissent.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.169}}</ref>

Around the same time some Men came to [[Bree]] up the [[Greenway]] from the south. While some of them were refugees, many were bad men.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.07.027}}</ref> Before the end of {{TA|3018}} the [[Bree-landers]] expelled the new-comers from Bree, but early in the {{TA|3019}} after a heavy snowfall these Men attacked Bree with the help of [[Harry Goatleaf]] and [[Bill Ferny]], who might have let them in. In a resulting [[Set-to in Bree|set-to]] five Bree-landers were killed, but the ruffians were defeated.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.07.029}}</ref> Some of them retreated to the woods beyond [[Archet]], where they lived as robbers,<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.07.030}}</ref> while some others, like Bill Ferny, joined their comrades in the Shire.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.019}}</ref>

Meanwhile in the Shire, soon after the New Year of {{TA|3019}}, Lotho declared himself the [[Chief Shirriff]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.170}}</ref> However, [[Paladin Took II|Paladin Took]], the [[Thain]] of the Shire, refused to acknowledge Lotho's authority and didn't let the ruffians to enter [[Tookland]]. This lead to skirmishes, in which three ruffians, as well as one or two hobbits, were shot. After that the ruffians became more ruthless.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.141}}</ref> On [[22 September|September 22]], {{TA|3019}}, when Sharkey himself came to the Shire and usurped Lotho, the actions of the ruffians became even harsher.<ref name=":0" /> By that time the Shire was occupied by about 300 ruffians,<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.137}}</ref> armed with whips, [[knives]], clubs and some [[bows]].<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.139}}</ref>

One of the leaders of the ruffians was killed<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.159}}</ref> and about a score of them<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.147}}</ref> were captured<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.160}}</ref> by the [[Shire-hobbits]] on [[2 November|November 2]], during the rebellion in Bywater. As a result of the [[Battle of Bywater]] on the next day, [[3 November|November 3]], nearly seventy more ruffians were killed and buried in the [[Battle Pit]], and a dozen imprisoned.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.198}}</ref> After that the southern gangs of ruffians offered little resistance and fled from the Shire, and those ruffians who were captured were shown to the borders.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.09.006}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Ruffian'' is an [[Modern English|English]] word that derives from the [[Wikipedia:Middle French|Middle French]] word ''rufian'', which itself derives from the [[Wikipedia:Italian language|Italian]] word ''ruffiano'' (“pimp”). The word ''Ruffian'' is defined as a "''scoundrel, rascal or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.''"<ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ruffian Ruffian] Wiktionary entry</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:[[John Bott]] portrays one of the Ruffians of the Chief's Men.

'''2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voices of two Ruffians of the Chief's Men are provided by Martin Vitek and Ivan Laca.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Ruffians of Sharkey's Men can be found in regions throughout central [[Eriador]], including [[Bree-land]] and the [[Shire]]. They are classified as "Brigands", a common type of enemy found across Middle-earth.

{{references}}

[[Category:Men]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Servants of Saruman]]

Ruffians

2025-12-30T09:33:50Z

AmonGwareth:

[[File:Ted Nasmith - Storming the Bank.jpg|thumb|''Storming the Bank'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
'''Ruffians''', also known in the [[Shire]] as '''[[Chief Shirriff|Chief]]'s Men''' or '''[[Sharkey]]'s Men''', were a group of [[Men|Men]] from the lands south of the Shire.

==History==
In the late autumn or early winter of {{TA|3018}}, a lot of Men, mostly ruffians, came to the Shire with great wagons from the south. These Men were working for [[Saruman]], and it was because of him that they were traveling north. Some of them left to carry [[pipe-weed]] and other goods from the Shire back south to [[Isengard]], while others remained and helped [[Lotho Sackville-Baggins|Lotho]] take over the Shire. Soon even more Men came. They felled [[trees|trees,]] built sheds and houses for themselves across the Shire and ordered the hobbits around, taking what they wanted and suppressing any dissent.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.169}}</ref>

Around the same time some Men came to [[Bree]] up the [[Greenway]] from the south. While some of them were refugees, many were bad men.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.07.027}}</ref> Before the end of {{TA|3018}} the [[Bree-landers]] expelled the new-comers from Bree, but early in the {{TA|3019}} after a heavy snowfall these Men attacked Bree with the help of [[Harry Goatleaf]] and [[Bill Ferny]], who might have let them in. In a resulting [[Set-to in Bree|set-to]] five Bree-landers were killed, but the ruffians were defeated.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.07.029}}</ref> Some of them retreated to the woods beyond [[Archet]], where they lived as robbers,<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.07.030}}</ref> while some others, like Bill Ferny, joined their comrades in the Shire.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.019}}</ref>

Meanwhile in the Shire, soon after the New Year of {{TA|3019}}, Lotho declared himself the [[Chief Shirriff]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.170}}</ref> However, [[Paladin Took II|Paladin Took]], the [[Thain]] of the Shire, refused to acknowledge Lotho's authority and didn't let the ruffians to enter [[Tookland]]. This lead to skirmishes, in which three ruffians, as well as one or two hobbits, were shot. After that the ruffians became more ruthless.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.141}}</ref> On [[22 September|September 22]], {{TA|3019}}, when Sharkey himself came to the Shire and usurped Lotho, the actions of the ruffians became even harsher.<ref name=":0" /> By that time the Shire was occupied by about 300 ruffians,<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.137}}</ref> armed with whips, [[knives]], clubs and some [[bows]].<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.139}}</ref>

One of the leaders of the ruffians was killed<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.159}}</ref> and about a score of them<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.147}}</ref> were captured<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.160}}</ref> by the [[Shire-hobbits]] on [[2 November|November 2]], during the rebellion in Bywater. As a result of the [[Battle of Bywater]] on the next day, [[3 November|November 3]], nearly seventy more ruffians were killed and buried in the [[Battle Pit]], and a dozen imprisoned.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.08.198}}</ref> After that the southern gangs of ruffians offered little resistance and fled from the Shire, and those ruffians who were captured were shown to the borders.<ref>{{Cite DTP|id=LR 6.09.006}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Ruffian'' is an [[Modern English|English]] word that derives from the [[Wikipedia:Middle French|Middle French]] word ''rufian'', which itself derives from the [[Wikipedia:Italian language|Italian]] word ''ruffiano'' (“pimp”). The word ''Ruffian'' is defined as a "''scoundrel, rascal or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.''"<ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ruffian Ruffian] Wiktionary entry</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:[[John Bott]] portrays one of the Ruffians of the Chief's Men.

'''2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voices of two Ruffians of the Chief's Men are provided by Martin Vitek and Ivan Laca.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Ruffians of Sharkey's Men can be found in regions throughout central [[Eriador]], including [[Bree-land]] and the [[Shire]]. They are classified as "Brigands", a common type of enemy found across Middle-earth.

{{references}}

[[Category:Men]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Servants of Saruman]]