Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Orthanc

2009-03-21T16:19:15Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Orthanc in the Second Age.jpg|thumb|200px|''Orthanc in the [[Second Age]]'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]{{Transcribed|Orthanc_tengwar.png|Orthanc|Tengwar, Sindarin mode}}
'''Orthanc''' is the black tower of [[Isengard]].
== History ==

Orthanc was built during the [[Third Age]] by the [[Númenórean|Númenóreans]] of [[Gondor]] out of a single piece of stone by an unknown process and then hardened. No known weapon could harm it. Orthanc rose up 500 feet above the plain of Isengard, and ended in four sharp peaks. Its only entrance was at the top of a high stair, and above that was a small window.

Orthanc housed one of the [[palantíri]] of the South Kingdom, and was guarded by a special warden until Isengard was mostly abandoned by Gondor around the time of foundation of [[Rohan]]. After that the tower was locked.

When [[Beren, Steward of Gondor|Beren]], [[Ruling Steward]] of Gondor gave [[Isengard]] to [[Saruman]], he also gave the keys to Orthanc to the [[Istari|Wizard]]. Saruman made it his base of operations during his search for the [[One Ring]] and later his attack on [[Rohan]] during the [[War of the Ring]].
After Saruman's defeat he was confronted by [[Théoden]] King, [[Gandalf]] and [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]], at which time [[Gríma Wormtongue]], Saruman's servant, threw the Palantír at the group trying to kill them. Saruman was then locked in Orthanc and guarded by [[Treebeard]], but subsequently escaped.

During the [[Fourth Age]] Orthanc was searched by Aragorn King Elessar, and he found there many heirlooms of [[Isildur]], among them the original [[Elendilmir]], the Star of [[Arnor]], which proved that Saruman had found (and probably destroyed) Isildur's remains. Aragorn also found there a casket which obviously had been intended to hold the [[One Ring|Ring]].

== Description ==
[[Image:J.R.R._Tolkien_-_Orthanc.jpg|left|thumb|200px|''Orthanc'' by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]]]
{{quote|A great ring-wall of stone, like towering cliffs, stood out from the shelter of the mountain-side, from which it ran and then returned again... one who passed in and came at length out of the echoing tunnel, beheld a plain, a great circle, somewhat hollowed like a vast shallow bowl: a mile it measured from rim to rim. Once it had been green and filled with avenues, and groves of fruitful trees, watered by streams that flowed from the mountains to a lake. But no green thing grew there in the latter days of Saruman. The roads were paved with stone-flags dark and hard; and beside their borders instead of trees there marched long lines of pillars, some of marble, some of copper and of iron, joined by heavy chains."...to the centre all the roads ran between their chains. There stood a tower of marvelous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of [[Men]], but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills. A peak and isle of rock it was, black and gleaming hard: four mighty piers of many-sided stone were welded into one, but near the summit they opened into gaping horns, their pinnacles sharp as the points of spears, keen-edged as knives. Between them was a narrow space, and there upon a floor of polished stone, written with strange signs, a man might stand five hundred feet above the plain.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Road to Isengard]]"}}
==Etymology==
''Orthanc'' displays a curious double etymology since it has a meaning both in [[Old English]] and Tolkien's constructed language [[Sindarin]].

In Sindarin, it means for "Mount Fang", containing root ''[[or]]'' and the word ''[[anc]]'' "jaw". In Old English (used to render [[Rohirric]]) ''orþanc'' or ''orþonc'' means "intelligence, understanding, mind; cleverness, skill; skillful work, mechanical art".

Tolkien gave both etymologies as valid and co-existing in [[Middle-earth]], and said that the [[Rohirrim]] reinterpreted and understood the word as such in their languages.

However another curiosity arises in that although Old English is used to "translate" Rohirric, the Rohirrim did not speak Old English per se. We can suppose that while "orthanc" was an actual word in Sindarin, it also had a different meaning in original Rohirric (although its etymology is not given) and "coincidentally" also in Old English.

[[Category:Towers]]
[[Category:Isengard and Saruman]]

Anc

2009-03-21T16:13:18Z

Temp:

'''Anc''' is a [[Sindarin]] word meaning ''jaw''.

==Etymology==
[[Primitive Elvish]] *''ankâ'', [[root]] A-[[NAK]].
==Cognates==
*[[Quenya]] ''[[anca]]''
==See also==
*[[Orthanc]]

[[Category:Sindarin nouns]]

Orthanc

2009-03-21T16:11:35Z

Temp:

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Orthanc in the Second Age.jpg|thumb|200px|''Orthanc in the [[Second Age]]'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]{{Transcribed|Orthanc_tengwar.png|Orthanc|Tengwar, Sindarin mode}}
'''Orthanc''' is the black tower of [[Isengard]].
== History ==

Orthanc was built during the [[Third Age]] by the [[Númenórean|Númenóreans]] of [[Gondor]] out of a single piece of stone by an unknown process and then hardened. No known weapon could harm it. Orthanc rose up 500 feet above the plain of Isengard, and ended in four sharp peaks. Its only entrance was at the top of a high stair, and above that was a small window.

Orthanc housed one of the [[palantíri]] of the South Kingdom, and was guarded by a special warden until Isengard was mostly abandoned by Gondor around the time of foundation of [[Rohan]]. After that the tower was locked.

When [[Beren, Steward of Gondor|Beren]], [[Ruling Steward]] of Gondor gave [[Isengard]] to [[Saruman]], he also gave the keys to Orthanc to the [[Istari|Wizard]]. Saruman made it his base of operations during his search for the [[One Ring]] and later his attack on [[Rohan]] during the [[War of the Ring]].
After Saruman's defeat he was confronted by [[Théoden]] King, [[Gandalf]] and [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]], at which time [[Gríma Wormtongue]], Saruman's servant, threw the Palantír at the group trying to kill them. Saruman was then locked in Orthanc and guarded by [[Treebeard]], but subsequently escaped.

During the [[Fourth Age]] Orthanc was searched by Aragorn King Elessar, and he found there many heirlooms of [[Isildur]], among them the original [[Elendilmir]], the Star of [[Arnor]], which proved that Saruman had found (and probably destroyed) Isildur's remains. Aragorn also found there a casket which obviously had been intended to hold the [[One Ring|Ring]].

== Description ==
[[Image:J.R.R._Tolkien_-_Orthanc.jpg|left|thumb|200px|''Orthanc'' by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]]]
{{quote|A great ring-wall of stone, like towering cliffs, stood out from the shelter of the mountain-side, from which it ran and then returned again... one who passed in and came at length out of the echoing tunnel, beheld a plain, a great circle, somewhat hollowed like a vast shallow bowl: a mile it measured from rim to rim. Once it had been green and filled with avenues, and groves of fruitful trees, watered by streams that flowed from the mountains to a lake. But no green thing grew there in the latter days of Saruman. The roads were paved with stone-flags dark and hard; and beside their borders instead of trees there marched long lines of pillars, some of marble, some of copper and of iron, joined by heavy chains."...to the centre all the roads ran between their chains. There stood a tower of marvelous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of [[Men]], but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills. A peak and isle of rock it was, black and gleaming hard: four mighty piers of many-sided stone were welded into one, but near the summit they opened into gaping horns, their pinnacles sharp as the points of spears, keen-edged as knives. Between them was a narrow space, and there upon a floor of polished stone, written with strange signs, a man might stand five hundred feet above the plain.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Road to Isengard]]"}}
==Etymology==
''Orthanc'' displays a curious double etymology since it has a meaning both in [[Old English]] and Tolkien's constructed language [[Sindarin]].

In Sindarin, it means for "Mount Fang", containing root ''[[or]]'' and the word ''[[anc]]'' "jaw". In Old English (used to render [[Rohirric]]) it can be translated as "Cunning Mind".

Tolkien gave both etymologies as valid and co-existing and said that the [[Rohirrim]] reinterpreted and understood the word as such in their languages.

However another curiosity arises in that although Old English is used to "translate" Rohirric, the Rohirrim did not speak Old English per se. We can suppose that while "orthanc" was an actual word in Sindarin, it also had a different meaning in original Rohirric (although its etymology is not given) and "coincidentally" also in Old English.

[[Category:Towers]]
[[Category:Isengard and Saruman]]

Orthanc

2009-03-21T16:03:07Z

Temp: /* History */

{{Transcribed|Orthanc_tengwar.png|Orthanc|Tengwar, Sindarin mode}}

'''Orthanc''' is the black tower of [[Isengard]]. According to [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], its name is both [[Sindarin]] for "Mount Fang", and [[Rohirric]] for "Cunning Mind". The latter is more likely to be its real meaning, as the word ''orthanc'' is a real [[Old English]] word (Old English being the linguistic basis for Rohirric); the Sindarin name being no more than a poetic coincidence.

== History ==
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Orthanc in the Second Age.jpg|thumb|200px|''Orthanc in the [[Second Age]]'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Orthanc was built during the [[Third Age]] by the [[Númenórean|Númenóreans]] of [[Gondor]] out of a single piece of stone by an unknown process and then hardened. No known weapon could harm it. Orthanc rose up 500 feet above the plain of Isengard, and ended in four sharp peaks. Its only entrance was at the top of a high stair, and above that was a small window.

Orthanc housed one of the [[palantíri]] of the South Kingdom, and was guarded by a special warden until Isengard was mostly abandoned by Gondor around the time of foundation of [[Rohan]]. After that the tower was locked.

When [[Beren, Steward of Gondor|Beren]], [[Ruling Steward]] of Gondor gave [[Isengard]] to [[Saruman]], he also gave the keys to Orthanc to the [[Istari|Wizard]]. Saruman made it his base of operations during his search for the [[One Ring]] and later his attack on [[Rohan]] during the [[War of the Ring]].
After Saruman's defeat he was confronted by [[Théoden]] King, [[Gandalf]] and [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]], at which time [[Gríma Wormtongue]], Saruman's servant, threw the Palantír at the group trying to kill them. Saruman was then locked in Orthanc and guarded by [[Treebeard]], but subsequently escaped.

During the [[Fourth Age]] Orthanc was searched by Aragorn King Elessar, and he found there many heirlooms of [[Isildur]], among them the original [[Elendilmir]], the Star of [[Arnor]], which proved that Saruman had found (and probably destroyed) Isildur's remains. Aragorn also found there a casket which obviously had been intended to hold the [[One Ring|Ring]].

== Description ==
[[Image:J.R.R._Tolkien_-_Orthanc.jpg|left|thumb|200px|''Orthanc'' by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]]]
{{quote|A great ring-wall of stone, like towering cliffs, stood out from the shelter of the mountain-side, from which it ran and then returned again... one who passed in and came at length out of the echoing tunnel, beheld a plain, a great circle, somewhat hollowed like a vast shallow bowl: a mile it measured from rim to rim. Once it had been green and filled with avenues, and groves of fruitful trees, watered by streams that flowed from the mountains to a lake. But no green thing grew there in the latter days of Saruman. The roads were paved with stone-flags dark and hard; and beside their borders instead of trees there marched long lines of pillars, some of marble, some of copper and of iron, joined by heavy chains."...to the centre all the roads ran between their chains. There stood a tower of marvelous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of [[Men]], but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills. A peak and isle of rock it was, black and gleaming hard: four mighty piers of many-sided stone were welded into one, but near the summit they opened into gaping horns, their pinnacles sharp as the points of spears, keen-edged as knives. Between them was a narrow space, and there upon a floor of polished stone, written with strange signs, a man might stand five hundred feet above the plain.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Road to Isengard]]"}}

[[Category:Towers]]
[[Category:Isengard and Saruman]]

Tomb of Elendil

2009-03-21T16:01:03Z

Temp:

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Oathtaking of Cirion and Eorl.jpg|thumb]]
The '''Tomb of [[Elendil]]''' was the tomb of the first King of [[Arnor]] and of [[Gondor]] built by [[Isildur]] on [[Eilenaer]], the mid-point of the Kingdom while the Kingdom endured.

Its location was a secret kept for many centuries among the [[Kings of Gondor]] and the [[Stewards]]. At Isildur's command, the hill would be a hallow and none would disturb it other than a heir of Elendil. The King should visit the hallow from time to time, especially when he felt the need of wisdom in days of danger or distress. It was also the place where he should bring his heir full-grown to manhood, and tell him of the making of the hallow and other matters that he should know.

The Stewards were considered to have the rights and duties of the King, so they too followed this tradition even after the time of Kings, although they visited the place seldomly.

On this site, [[Cirion]] made his oath of alliance between [[Gondor]] and the [[Éothéod]] with [[Eorl]].

When [[Rohan]] was founded, Cirion judged that the "Tradition of Isildur" was now made void: The hallow was no longer "at the midpoint" and Gondor was not the Kingdom as it was when Isildur spoke. Cirion removed the casket that Isildur had set within the mound and sent it to the [[Hallows]] of [[Minas Tirith]].

The green mound remained as the memorial and even when the hill (now known as [[Amon Anwar]]) had become a [[Beacon hill]], it was still a place of reverence to Gondor and to the Rohirrim, who named it in their own tongue Halifirien, the Holy Mount.

[[Category:Graves]]

Tomb of Elendil

2009-03-21T16:00:13Z

Temp:

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Oathtaking of Cirion and Eorl.jpg|thumb]]
The '''Tomb of [[Elendil]]''' was the tomb of the first King of [[Arnor]] and of [[Gondor]] built by [[Isildur]] on [[Eilenaer]], the mid-point of the Kingdom while the Kingdom endured.

Its location was a secret kept for many centuries among the [[Kings of Gondor]] and the [[Stewards]]. At Isildur's command, the hill would be a hallow and none would disturb it other than a heir of Elendil. The King should visit the hallow from time to time, especially when he felt the need of wisdom in days of danger or distress. It was also the place where he should bring his heir full-grown to manhood, and tell him of the making of the hallow and other matters that he should know.

The Stewards were considered to have the rights and duties of the King, so they too followed this tradition even after the time of Kings, although they visited the place seldomly.

On this site, [[Cirion]] made his oath of alliance between [[Gondor]] and the [[Éothéod]] with [[Eorl]].

When [[Rohan]] was founded, Cirion judged that the "Tradition of Isildur" was now made void: The hallow was no longer "at the midpoint" and Gondor was not the Kingdom as it was when Isildur spoke. Cirion removed the casket that Isildur had set within the mound and sent it to the [[Hallows]] of [[Minas Tirith]].

The green mound remained as the memorial and even when the hill (now known as [[Amon Anwar]] had become a [[Beacon hill]], it was still a place of reverence to Gondor and to the Rohirrim, who named it in their own tongue Halifirien, the Holy Mount.

[[Category:Graves]]

Halifirien

2009-03-21T15:58:27Z

Temp:

'''Amon Anwar''' ([[Sindarin|S.]] ''[[amon]]'' "hill" + ''[[anwar]]'' "awe") was the original [[Sindarin]] name for the hill known to the [[Rohirrim]] as the '''Halifirien''' ([[Rohirric|Roh.]] ''[[halig]]'' "holy" + ''[[firgen]]'' "mountain") because the secret [[Tomb of Elendil]] lay there for many centuries.

The last of the beacon-hills of [[Gondor]], it was originally named [[Eilenaer]] and stood on the borders of the land of [[Rohan]].

[[Category:Beacons of Gondor]]
[[de:Halifirien]]
[[fi:Amon Anwar]]

Gundabad

2009-03-21T15:43:20Z

Temp:

{{sources}}
'''Mount Gundabad''' was a mountain at the northern end of the [[Misty Mountains]].

==History==
According to the [[Dwarves]], [[Durin]] the Deathless, eldest of the [[Fathers of the Dwarves]], awoke at Mount Gundabad in the north of the Misty Mountains shortly after the [[Awakening of the Elves]]. Mount Gundabad remained a sacred holy site to the Dwarves ever after and a meeting place with the other Fathers of the Dwarves.

In the [[Third Age]], the [[Orcs]] of [[Angmar]] claimed it as their capital, which was one of the reasons for the Dwarves' special hatred of this people. After the fall of Angmar Gundabad remained an Orc stronghold, until it was [[Second Sacking of Gundabad|cleaned]] of Orcs during the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. But the Orcs repopulated it over the next two hundred years, although after the [[Battle of Five Armies]], there probably weren't as many.

Mount Gundabad was the rally point of the armies of [[Bolg]] the Goblin chieftain, who would later go on to fight the Battle of Five Armies.

==Etymology==
''Gundabad'' is a [[Khuzdul]] word of unknown meaning. The first element is probably ''Gund'', meaning "excavated tunnel".

[[Category:Mountains]]
[[Category:Orc-Dwellings]]
[[Category:Khuzdul words]]
[[Category:Dwarven Realms]]

[[de:Gundabad]]
[[fi:Gundabadin Vuori]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:41:55Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains. They harassed the regions around them and eventually occupied [[Moria]].

==History==
Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]] they must have done the [[First Sacking of Gundabad]] and drove out the [[Dwarves]]. [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command they ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]] in early [[Third Age]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound until her sons rescued her.

[[Image:Mikel Janin - Battle of Azanulbizar.jpeg|left|thumb|The Battle of Azanulbizar]]
Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] the Dwarves attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Second Sacking of Gundabad|sacking]] [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

[[Image:Capucine Mazille - The Battle of Five Armies.jpg|thumb|Orcs against Elves and Dwarves in the [[Battle of Five Armies]]]]
After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

In [[Third Age 2989]] [[Balin]] left the [[Lonely Mountain]] and entered Moria with other Dwarves to start a colony. The Orcs responded and about [[Third Age 2994|2994]], the entire expeditionary force was besieged and destroyed

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:39:27Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains. They harassed the regions around them and eventually occupied [[Moria]].
==History==
Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound until her sons rescued her.

[[Image:Mikel Janin - Battle of Azanulbizar.jpeg|left|thumb|The Battle of Azanulbizar]]
Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] the Dwarves attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Second Sacking of Gundabad|sacking]] [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

[[Image:Capucine Mazille - The Battle of Five Armies.jpg|thumb|Orcs against Elves and Dwarves in the [[Battle of Five Armies]]]]
After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

In [[Third Age 2989]] [[Balin]] left the [[Lonely Mountain]] and entered Moria with other Dwarves to start a colony. The Orcs responded and about [[Third Age 2994|2994]], the entire expeditionary force was besieged and destroyed

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:36:39Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains. They harassed the regions around them and eventually occupied [[Moria]].
==History==
Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by [[Elrond]]

[[Image:Mikel Janin - Battle of Azanulbizar.jpeg|left|thumb|The Battle of Azanulbizar]]
Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] the Dwarves attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Second Sacking of Gundabad|sacking]] [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

[[Image:Capucine Mazille - The Battle of Five Armies.jpg|thumb|Orcs against Elves and Dwarves in the [[Battle of Five Armies]]]]
After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

In [[Third Age 2989]] [[Balin]] left the [[Lonely Mountain]] and entered Moria with other Dwarves to start a colony. The Orcs responded and about [[Third Age 2994|2994]], the entire expeditionary force was besieged and destroyed

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:34:29Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains. They harassed the regions around them and eventually occupied [[Moria]].
==History==
Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by [[Elrond]]

[[Image:Mikel Janin - Battle of Azanulbizar.jpeg|300px|thumb|The Battle of Azanulbizar]]
Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] the Dwarves attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Second Sacking of Gundabad|sacking]] [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

In [[Third Age 2989]] [[Balin]] left the [[Lonely Mountain]] and entered Moria with other Dwarves to start a colony. The Orcs responded and about [[Third Age 2994|2994]], the entire expeditionary force was besieged and destroyed

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

War of the Dwarves and Orcs

2009-03-21T15:33:57Z

Temp:

{{War
| previous= [[War of the Dwarves and Dragons]]
| next=[[War of the Ring]]
| name=War of the Dwarves and Orcs
| image=[[Image:Mikel Janin - Battle of Azanulbizar.jpeg|300px]]
| begin=[[Third Age 2763 | 2763]] TA
| end=[[Third Age 2799 | 2799]] TA
| place=The northern [[Misty Mountains]] and [[Mount Gundabad]]
| result=Dwarves virtually wipe out the Orcs of the Misty Mountains, but suffer heavy casualites themselves in the final battle.
| battles=[[Second Sacking of Gundabad]], various battles in mines, strongholds, and colonies, [[Battle of Azanulbizar]].
|side1=Dwarves of all Seven Houses, Longbeards, Firebeards, Broadbeams, Blacklocks, Stonefoots, Ironfists, and Stiffbeards.
|side2=Orcs from all over the Misty Mountains, possibly some Trolls.
|commanders1=King [[Thráin II]], [[Thorin Oakenshield]], [[Náin son of Grór]], various generals and/or kings or lords of the other houses.
|commanders2=[[Azog]] and possibly various other Orc-chieftains.
|}}

The '''War of the Dwarves and Orcs''' was a great war fought between the two races.

== Backround ==

The War began when the elderly exiled [[Dwarves|Dwarf]] King [[Thrór]], heir of [[Durin]], after living many years in poverty wandered alone into [[Moria]] and was murdered by [[Azog]] the [[Orcs|Orc]] chieftain in [[Third Age 2790]]. But his friend [[Nár]] let go by Azog to tell his people never to come to Moria.

When Nár returned to the king's son [[Thráin II]], he told him of his father's murder. Thráin sat for seven days without eating or sleeping, until he stood and said "This cannot be borne!". Thus began the war.

From 2790 to [[Third Age 2793|2793]] the ''Longbeards'' that were [[Durin's folk]] responded to this tragedy by gathering their forces, and calling on all the other Houses of the Dwarves for war, but it took them three years to fully gather their strength.

== Beginning ==
In 2793 they attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south.

Little is known about the war, but we do know most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines and tunnels of the Misty Mountains, where Dwarves excel in combat.

== The Final Battle ==
The war climaxed in 2799, when the final battle was fought in the valley outside the eastern gates of Moria, the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The Dwarves finally won this notoriously bloody encounter when reinforcements arrived late on the scene from the [[Iron Hills]].

After the battle, King [[Thráin]] wanted to enter Moria and reclaim it, but the Dwarves not of Durin's folk refused, saying that the city was not their Fathers' House, and they had honoured Thrór's memory by fighting, and this was enough. [[Dáin II Ironfoot]] also warned Thráin that [[Durin's Bane]] still dwelt within Khazad-dûm, and that forces beyond the Dwarves would have to defeat it before they could reenter the city.

== Aftermath and Repercussions ==
The war was very costly for the Dwarves. Half of those involved in Nanduhirion were killed and possibly a couple thousand more were killed throughout the rest of the war. [[Náin son of Grór]], [[Frerin]] second son of [[Thráin II]], and [[Fundin]] the father of [[Balin]] were among the more noted casualties. Thráin II himself lost an eye, and Thorin was wounded when his shield broke and he had to use an oak branch to defend himself. This led to his later name [[Thorin Oakenshield]].

During the conflict many many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations.

Other effects of the war were that the Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]].
150 years later the Orcs of the North were beginning to recover, but their population was further reduced during the [[Battle of Five Armies]] in 2941, where [[Bolg]] son of Azog tried to avenge his father, and in the process destroying three fourths of the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]].

It is probable that without the War the later [[War of the Ring]] would have been lost in the north, and the [[Ring-bearer]] might never have made it south to [[Mordor]].

== Noteable Veterans ==
*Thráin II
*Thorin Oakenshield, and Frerin
*Fundin, [[Balin]], and possibly [[Dwalin]]
*[[Glóin son of Gróin|Glóin]], and possibly [[Óin]], and [[Gróin]]
*Náin, and Dáin II Ironfoot

== See Also ==
*[[Battle of Azanulbizar]]
*[[Second Sacking of Gundabad]]

== Sources ==
*''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[Appendix A]]
*''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]''
[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:33:37Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains. They harassed the regions around them and eventually occupied [[Moria]].
==History==
Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by [[Elrond]]

Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] the Dwarves attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Second Sacking of Gundabad|sacking]] [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

In [[Third Age 2989]] [[Balin]] left the [[Lonely Mountain]] and entered Moria with other Dwarves to start a colony. The Orcs responded and about [[Third Age 2994|2994]], the entire expeditionary force was besieged and destroyed

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:32:20Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains. They harassed the regions around them and eventually occupied [[Moria]].
==History==
Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by [[Elrond]]

Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] the Dwarves attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

In [[Third Age 2989]] [[Balin]] left the [[Lonely Mountain]] and entered Moria with other Dwarves to start a colony. The Orcs responded and about [[Third Age 2994|2994]], the entire expeditionary force was besieged and destroyed

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:30:34Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by [[Elrond]]

Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] they attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

In [[Third Age 2989]] [[Balin]] left the [[Lonely Mountain]] and entered Moria with other Dwarves to start a colony. The Orcs responded and about [[Third Age 2994|2994]], the entire expeditionary force was besieged and destroyed

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:28:05Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by [[Elrond]]

Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]. In [[Third Age 2793]] they attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south. Most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines. During the conflict many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations. The war ended with the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] where Azog himself was slain.

The Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]]. Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

War of the Dwarves and Orcs

2009-03-21T15:25:10Z

Temp:

{{War
| previous= [[War of the Dwarves and Dragons]]
| next=[[War of the Ring]]
| name=War of the Dwarves and Orcs
| image=
| begin=[[Third Age 2763 | 2763]] TA
| end=[[Third Age 2799 | 2799]] TA
| place=The northern [[Misty Mountains]] and [[Mount Gundabad]]
| result=Dwarves virtually wipe out the Orcs of the Misty Mountains, but suffer heavy casualites themselves in the final battle.
| battles=[[Second Sacking of Gundabad]], various battles in mines, strongholds, and colonies, [[Battle of Azanulbizar]].
|side1=Dwarves of all Seven Houses, Longbeards, Firebeards, Broadbeams, Blacklocks, Stonefoots, Ironfists, and Stiffbeards.
|side2=Orcs from all over the Misty Mountains, possibly some Trolls.
|commanders1=King [[Thráin II]], [[Thorin Oakenshield]], [[Náin son of Grór]], various generals and/or kings or lords of the other houses.
|commanders2=[[Azog]] and possibly various other Orc-chieftains.
|}}

The '''War of the Dwarves and Orcs''' was a great war fought between the two races.

== Backround ==

The War began when the elderly exiled [[Dwarves|Dwarf]] King [[Thrór]], heir of [[Durin]], after living many years in poverty wandered alone into [[Moria]] and was murdered by [[Azog]] the [[Orcs|Orc]] chieftain in [[Third Age 2790]]. But his friend [[Nár]] let go by Azog to tell his people never to come to Moria.

When Nár returned to the king's son [[Thráin II]], he told him of his father's murder. Thráin sat for seven days without eating or sleeping, until he stood and said "This cannot be borne!". Thus began the war.

From 2790 to [[Third Age 2793|2793]] the ''Longbeards'' that were [[Durin's folk]] responded to this tragedy by gathering their forces, and calling on all the other Houses of the Dwarves for war, but it took them three years to fully gather their strength.

== Beginning ==
In 2793 they attacked, assailing and/or sacking one by one all the Orc-holds they could from [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north, to the [[Gladden Fields]] in the south.

Little is known about the war, but we do know most of the war was fought underground, in the great mines and tunnels of the Misty Mountains, where Dwarves excel in combat.

== The Final Battle ==
The war climaxed in 2799, when the final battle was fought in the valley outside the eastern gates of Moria, the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. The Dwarves finally won this notoriously bloody encounter when reinforcements arrived late on the scene from the [[Iron Hills]].

After the battle, King [[Thráin]] wanted to enter Moria and reclaim it, but the Dwarves not of Durin's folk refused, saying that the city was not their Fathers' House, and they had honoured Thrór's memory by fighting, and this was enough. [[Dáin II Ironfoot]] also warned Thráin that [[Durin's Bane]] still dwelt within Khazad-dûm, and that forces beyond the Dwarves would have to defeat it before they could reenter the city.

== Aftermath and Repercussions ==
The war was very costly for the Dwarves. Half of those involved in Nanduhirion were killed and possibly a couple thousand more were killed throughout the rest of the war. [[Náin son of Grór]], [[Frerin]] second son of [[Thráin II]], and [[Fundin]] the father of [[Balin]] were among the more noted casualties. Thráin II himself lost an eye, and Thorin was wounded when his shield broke and he had to use an oak branch to defend himself. This led to his later name [[Thorin Oakenshield]].

During the conflict many many thousands of Orcs fleeing south through [[Rohan]], trying to claim a refuge in the [[White Mountains]] beyond, troubled the Rohirrim for two generations.

Other effects of the war were that the Orcs of the Misty Mountains virtually disappeared as a threat for [[Eriador]] and [[Wilderland]].
150 years later the Orcs of the North were beginning to recover, but their population was further reduced during the [[Battle of Five Armies]] in 2941, where [[Bolg]] son of Azog tried to avenge his father, and in the process destroying three fourths of the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]].

It is probable that without the War the later [[War of the Ring]] would have been lost in the north, and the [[Ring-bearer]] might never have made it south to [[Mordor]].

== Noteable Veterans ==
*Thráin II
*Thorin Oakenshield, and Frerin
*Fundin, [[Balin]], and possibly [[Dwalin]]
*[[Glóin son of Gróin|Glóin]], and possibly [[Óin]], and [[Gróin]]
*Náin, and Dáin II Ironfoot

== See Also ==
*[[Battle of Azanulbizar]]
*[[Second Sacking of Gundabad]]

== Sources ==
*''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[Appendix A]]
*''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]''
[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:20:57Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. In [[Third Age 2509]], on a trip to [[Lórien in Middle-earth|Lórien]] to visit her parents, [[Celebrian]] was waylaid by Orcs in the [[Redhorn Pass]]. She was captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by [[Elrond]]

Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the [[Longbeards]], and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], in which Azog himself was slain.

Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs of the Misty Mountains became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:17:53Z

Temp:

[[Image:John Howe - The Great Goblin.jpg|thumb|The Orcs of the Misty Mountains led Thorin and Company to the Great Goblin]]
The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the Longbeards, and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], in which Azog himself was slain.

Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs of the Misty Mountains became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Goblin]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped with [[Gandalf]]'s help, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:15:07Z

Temp:

The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the Longbeards, and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], in which Azog himself was slain.

Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs of the Misty Mountains became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Orc]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.
[[category:Orcs|Orcs]]

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:14:03Z

Temp:

The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the Longbeards, and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], in which Azog himself was slain.

Around [[Third Age 2747]] the Orcs of the Misty Mountains became more bold, daring to invade [[Eriador]]. The [[Rangers of the North]] fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the [[Shire]]. They were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]], who killed their leader [[Golfimbul]] in the [[Battle of Greenfields]].

After that War, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Orc]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, for example, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:11:37Z

Temp:

The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the Longbeards, and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], in which Azog himself was slain.

After that War, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Orc]], captured [[Thorin and Company]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, for example, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.

Orcs of the Misty Mountains

2009-03-21T15:10:23Z

Temp: New page: The '''Orcs of the Misty Mountains''' were a tribe of Orcs settled in the tunnels of the mountains. Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. Sauron must...

The '''Orcs of the [[Misty Mountains]]''' were a tribe of [[Orcs]] settled in the tunnels of the mountains.

Their origin, and when they settled those tunnels is not known. [[Sauron]] must have taken at least some control over them when he settled in [[Mordor]]. By the end of the [[Second Age]], [[Orcs of Mordor]] had come among them, and under their command the Orcs of the Mountains ambushed and killed [[Isildur]] at the [[Battle of Gladden Fields]].

After the fall of [[Moria]] in [[Third Age 1981]], Orcs of the Misty Mountains entered and occupied its ruins. Long afterwards, Moria became the seat of an Orc-chieftain named [[Azog]] who slew King [[Thrór]] of the Longbeards, and so started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], in which Azog himself was slain.

After that War, the Orcs lurked among the Misty Mountains, and in [[Third Age 2941]], a group of them led by the [[Great Orc]], captured [[Thorin and Co]] in the [[High Pass]]. They escaped, killing the Great Goblin in the process. Soon after, Azog's son, [[Bolg]] united the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and led them east to fight the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. That battle ended in defeat for the Orcs, and left the Misty Mountains free of them for many years afterwards.

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], the Orcs of the Mountains reclaimed Moria but fell under the command of Sauron and [[Saruman]]. There were Orcs from the Misty Mountains, for example, in the party that captured Merry and Pippin at [[Parth Galen]].

Legend says that the [[Longbeards]] eventually succeeded in recapturing Moria, so the power of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains must have waned considerably after the Third Age if they survived at all.

Rangers of the North

2009-03-21T15:01:01Z

Temp:

{{Claimed|[[User:Theoden1]]}}
'''Rangers of the North''' or simply the [[Rangers]], were the northern wandering people of [[Eriador]], the last remnant of the [[Dúnedain of Arnor]] who had once peopled the [[North-kingdom]] of [[Arnor]]. They protected the lands they wandered although their secretiveness made other peoples consider them dangerous and distrustful in [[Bree]] and [[Shire]], where they were known as "Watchers".

They were grim in appearance and were usually dressed in grey or dark green, with a cloak-clasp shaped like an 6-pointed star.

The term 'Rangers of the North' was used most often by those who lived in the southern lands of [[Rohan]] and [[Gondor]], perhaps to distinguish this people from their distant cousins, the [[Rangers of Ithilien]]. Like the Rangers of the North, these were also Dúnedain, but they belonged to the [[South-kingdom]] of [[Gondor]], and their ancestors had been divided from the Northern Dúnedain for some three thousand years.
==History==
The Dúnedain of Arnor dwindled after the breaking of Arnor into three kingdoms and the wars with [[Angmar]]. [[Cardolan]] and [[Rhudaur]] soon fell and only the petty-kingdom of [[Arthedain]] maintained the noble line of [[Isildur]]. Finally, that too was destroyed in the [[Battle of Fornost]] and [[Arvedui]], the last King of Arthedain was lost in the sea.

Arvedui's son and heir, [[Aranarth]] claimed the title of the [[Chieftain of the Dúnedain|Chieftain]], who would rule the remnants of his people. Each of the Chieftains could trace his descent back to the [[Kings of Arnor]] and ultimately to Isildur himself. Each Chieftain would be secretly born and grow in [[Rivendell]] with [[Elrond]], who also kept in his keeping the heirlooms of their house: the [[Ring of Barahir]], the shards of [[Narsil]], the [[Star of Elendil]], and the [[Sceptre of Annúminas]].

The Rangers became a secretive wandering and nomadic people around [[Eriador]], far from Sauron's spies, little known or remembered, and their deeds were seldom recorded. The [[Watchful Peace]] followed the loss of Arnor and after its end, the enemies concentrated mostly against [[Rhovanion]] and [[Gondor]]. During that time, the Rangers fought minor battles and skirmishes against [[orcs]] and [[wolves]] in order to keep the region safe. The [[hobbits]] of the [[Shire]] flourished under their protection.

During the rule of [[Arassuil]], the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] became more bold, daring to invade Eriador. The Rangers fought many battles trying to hold them back, but one party managed to reach the Shire, but were fought off by a party of brave Hobbits under [[Bandobras Took]] in [[Third Age 2747]]. Soon after, the [[Long Winter]] arrived and many lives were lost, and [[Gandalf]] and the Rangers had to help the Hobbits of the Shire survive.

In [[Third Age 2911]], during [[Argonui]]'s rule, the [[Fell Winter]] began with the [[Brandywine]] freezing over. This was a catalyst for [[White Wolves]] invading Eriador from the North which must have harassed the Rangers. In the last year of his reign, great floods devastated [[Enedwaith]] and [[Minhiriath]] leaving [[Tharbad]] ruined and deserted. The following years were peaceful although [[Arador]] was killed by [[hill-trolls]] and his son [[Arathorn II]] was killed while hunting orcs.

Arathorn's son, [[Aragorn II]] succeeded him, who between [[Third Age 2957|2957]] to [[Third Age 2980|2980]] took great journeys, serving in the armies of King [[Thengel]] of [[Rohan]], and Steward [[Ecthelion II]] of Gondor. Many of his tasks weakened [[Sauron]] and his allies, during the [[War of the Ring]] helped the West survive.

At that time Aragorn's Rangers were scattered and diminished. When [[Halbarad]] led a troop of the Rangers into the south to Aragorn's aid in the War, he could muster no more than thirty in this company who fought in the [[Battle of Pelennor Fields]].

Aragorn eventually became King Elessar of the [[Reunited Kingdom]] and the Rangers became once more a united people under the line of [[Elendil]] in the [[Fourth Age]].

== Portrayal in Adaptations ==
'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Rangers of the North are called simply Rangers in the game. They were some scattered about Middle-earth, but there were also many who were organized. There was a group that [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]] led to keep track of the Enemy's movement during ''[[Stirrings in the Darkness]]''.

[[Category:Rangers]]
[[Category:Dúnedain of the North]]

The Silmarillion

2009-01-25T11:58:23Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

{{expansion}}
{{book
|title=The Silmarillion
|image=[[Image:Silmarillioncover.jpg]]
|author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]
|date=[[2004]]
|format=Hardcover
|pages=386
|isbn=0618391118
|amazon=http://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618391118/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4874231-7435249?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181617326&sr=8-1
|amazonprice=$35.00
}}
{{quote|The Silmarillion is the history of the War of the Exiled Elves against the Enemy, which all takes place in the North-west of the world (Middle-earth). Several tales of victory and tragedy are caught up in it; but it ends with catastrophe, and the passing of the Ancient World|J.R.R. Tolkien}}

'''''The Silmarillion''''' is a collection of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] works, edited and published posthumously by his son [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher R. Tolkien]], with assistance from fantasy fiction writer [[Guy Gavriel Kay]].

==Overview==
''The Silmarillion'' comprises five parts:
# ''The [[Ainulindalë]]'' - the creation of Eä, Tolkien's universe.
# ''The [[Valaquenta]]'' - a brief description of the [[Valar]] and [[Maiar]], the supernatural beings
# ''The [[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' - the history of the events before and during the First Age, which forms the bulk of the collection.
## [[Of the Beginning of Days]]
## [[Of Aulë and Yavanna]]
## [[Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor]]
## [[Of Thingol and Melian]]
## [[Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië]]
## [[Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor]]
## [[Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Darkening of Valinor]]
## [[Of the Flight of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Sindar]]
## [[Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor]]
## [[Of Men]]
## [[Of the Return of the Noldor]]
## [[Of Beleriand and Its Realms]]
## [[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]
## [[Of Maeglin]]
## [[Of the Coming of Men into the West]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]
## [[Of Beren and Lúthien]]
## [[Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]
## [[Of Túrin Turambar]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Doriath]]
## [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin]]
## [[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]
# ''The [[Akallabêth]]'' - the history of the Second Age
# ''[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''

This five-part work is also informally associated by some readers with Bilbo's three-volume ''Translations from the Elvish'', mentioned in ''The Lord of the Rings''.

These five parts were initially separate works, but it was the elder Tolkien's express wish that they be published together. Because J.R.R. Tolkien died before he could complete a full rewrite of the various legends, Christopher scavenged material from his father's older drafts to fill out the book. In a few cases, he completely devised new material.

''The Silmarillion'', along with other collections of Tolkien's works, such as ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'', form a comprehensive, yet incomplete narrative that describes the universe within which ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' take place. ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' is a twelve-volume examination of the processes which led to the publication of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Silmarillion''.

''The Silmarillion'' is a complex work that explores a wide array of themes inspired by many ancient, medieval, and modern sources, including the Finnish ''[[Kalevala]]'', the Hebrew Bible, Norse sagas, Greek mythology, Celtic mythology, and [[World War I]]. For instance, the name of the supreme being, [[Ilúvatar]] (Father of All) is clearly borrowed from Norse mythology. The archaic style and ''gravitas'' of the ''Ainulindalë'' resembles that of the Old Testament. The island civilization of [[Númenor]] is reminiscent of [[Atlantis]]—one of the names Tolkien gave that land was Atalantë, although he gave it an [[Elvish]] etymology.

Among the notable chapters in the book are:
*"Of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]]"
*"Turin Turambar (closely associated with [[Narn i Hîn Húrin|Narn i Hîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin]] in ''Unfinished Tales'' and ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'')" 
*"Of Tuor and The Fall of [[Gondolin]]"

==Development of the text==
The earliest drafts of ''The Silmarillion'' date back to as early as 1925, when Tolkien wrote a 'Sketch of the Mythology'. However, the concepts for characters, themes, and specific stories were developed starting in 1917 when Tolkien, then a British officer stationed in France during [[World War I]] was laid up in a military field hospital with trench fever. At the time, he called his collection of nascent stories [[The Book of Lost Tales]]. These stories comprised an English mythology intended to explain the origins of English history and culture (as Greek mythology explains the origins of Greek history and culture).

Many years after the war, encouraged by the success of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien submitted an incomplete but more fully developed version of [[The Silmarillion]] to his publisher, but they rejected the work as being obscure and "too Celtic". The publisher, George Allen & Unwin, instead asked Tolkien to write a sequel to ''The Hobbit'', which became his significant novel ''The Lord of the Rings''.

But Tolkien never fully abandoned ''The Silmarillion''. In fact, he regarded it as the most important of his works, seeing in its tales the genesis of [[Middle-earth]] and later events as told in ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He renewed work on [[The Silmarillion]] after completing ''The Lord of the Rings'', when he greatly desired to publish the two works together. But when it became clear that would not be possible, Tolkien turned his full attention back to preparing ''The Lord of the Rings'' for publication.

In the late 1950s he again began work on ''The Silmarillion'', but much of his writing from this time is concerned not as much with the narratives themselves as with the theological and philosophical underpinnings of the work. During this time he wrote extensively on such topics as the nature of evil in Arda, the origin of Orcs, the customs of the Elves, the nature and means of Elvish rebirth, and the "flat" world and the myth of the Sun. Serious doubts had entered about some of the fundamental aspects of the work that had gone back to the earliest versions of the stories, and it seems that he felt the need to solve these problems before he could produce the "final" version of ''The Silmarillion''. In any event, with one or two exceptions, he never did much work on the narratives in the remaining years of his life.

==After Tolkien's death==
For several years after his father's death, Christopher Tolkien compiled a ''Silmarillion'' narrative. Christopher's intentions seem to have been mostly to use the latest writings of his father's that he could, and to keep as much internal consistency (and consistency with ''The Lord of the Rings'') as possible. As explained in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher drew upon numerous sources for his narrative, relying on post-LoTR works where possible, but ultmately reaching back as far as the 1917 ''Book of Lost Tales'' to fill in portions of the narrative which his father had planned to write but never addressed. In one later chapter of the "Quenta Silmarillion" which had not been touched since the early 1930s he had to construct a narrative practically from scratch. The final result, which included genealogies, maps, an index and the first-ever released Elvish word list was published in 1977.

Due to Christopher's extensive explanations (in [[The History of Middle-earth]]) of how he compiled the published work, much of ''The Silmarillion'' has been debated by the hardcore fans. Christopher's task is generally accepted as very difficult given the state of his father's texts at the time of his death: some critical texts were no longer in the Tolkien family's possession, and Christopher's task compelled him to rush through much of the material. Christopher reveals in later volumes of [[The History of Middle-earth]] many divergent ideas which do not agree with the published version. Christopher Tolkien has suggested that, had he taken more time and had access to all the texts, he might have produced a substantially different work. But he was compelled by considerable pressure and demand from his father's readers and publishers to produce something publishable as quickly as possible. One must remember this version is more a product of the son than of the father.

In October 1996, Christopher Tolkien commissioned illustrator [[Ted Nasmith]] to create full-page full-colour artwork for the first illustrated edition of ''The Silmarillion''. It was published in 1998, and followed in 2004 by a second edition (ISBN 0618391118) featuring corrections and additional artwork by Nasmith.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Christopher Tolkien published most of his father's Middle-Earth-related writings as the 12-volume ''History of Middle-earth'' series.

In addition to the source material and earlier drafts of several portions of ''The Lord of the Rings'', these books greatly expand on the original material published in ''The Silmarillion'', and in many cases diverge from it. There is much that Tolkien intended to revise but only sketched out in notes, and some new texts surfaced after the publication of ''The Silmarillion''.

==Editions==
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, [[1977]]
* George Allen & Unwin for Methuen Publications, 1st edition, presentation copy, [[1977]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1978]]
* Unwin Paperbacks, 1st paperback edition, [[1979]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1981]]
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, Collector's Edition, [[1982]]
* Unicorn/Unwin Paperbacks, 2nd Edition, [[1983]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1990]]
* [[HarperCollins]], 1st edition, [[1992]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1992]]
* [[The Folio Society]], Folio Edition, [[1997]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, 1999 Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, Collector's Box Edition, [[2001]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[2000]]
* Voyager, Voyager Classics Edition, [[2002]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Edition, [[2002]]
* The Folio Society, Deluxe Folio Society Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Illustrated Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2006 Edition, [[2006]]
* HarperCollins, 30th Anniversary Edition [[2007]]

==Etymology==
''Silmarillion'' is [[Quenya]] plural genitive of the word "Silmaril", therefore it means "of the Silmarils".

It could be either a contraction of the full title ''Quenta Silmarillion'' ("Tale of the Silmarils") or also a 'Genitive of reference' (in Ancient Greek) used for "about" expressions. The Silmarillion chapter names themselves are an example of this genitive in poetic English (''Of'' the Sindar, ''Of'' Men) where "of" replaces "about" or "concerning". In that case, ''Silmarillion'' means "Of/About the Silmarils".

A similar device is seen in Latin, with the book title ''[[Wikipedia:De Bello Gallico|De Bello Gallico]]'' ("Of/About the Gaulish War").

''Silmarillion'' also brings in mind the ''[[Wikipedia:Mabinogion|Mabinogion]]'', another mythological book, mainly due to its rhyming title.

==External links==
===Reviews===
* [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/23/books/tolkien-silmarillion.html NY Times Review]

[[Category:Books|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by Christopher Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:The Silmarillion]]

[[de:Das Silmarillion]]
[[fi:Silmarillion]]

The Silmarillion

2009-01-25T11:53:25Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

{{expansion}}
{{book
|title=The Silmarillion
|image=[[Image:Silmarillioncover.jpg]]
|author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]
|date=[[2004]]
|format=Hardcover
|pages=386
|isbn=0618391118
|amazon=http://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618391118/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4874231-7435249?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181617326&sr=8-1
|amazonprice=$35.00
}}
{{quote|The Silmarillion is the history of the War of the Exiled Elves against the Enemy, which all takes place in the North-west of the world (Middle-earth). Several tales of victory and tragedy are caught up in it; but it ends with catastrophe, and the passing of the Ancient World|J.R.R. Tolkien}}

'''''The Silmarillion''''' is a collection of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] works, edited and published posthumously by his son [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher R. Tolkien]], with assistance from fantasy fiction writer [[Guy Gavriel Kay]].

==Overview==
''The Silmarillion'' comprises five parts:
# ''The [[Ainulindalë]]'' - the creation of Eä, Tolkien's universe.
# ''The [[Valaquenta]]'' - a brief description of the [[Valar]] and [[Maiar]], the supernatural beings
# ''The [[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' - the history of the events before and during the First Age, which forms the bulk of the collection.
## [[Of the Beginning of Days]]
## [[Of Aulë and Yavanna]]
## [[Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor]]
## [[Of Thingol and Melian]]
## [[Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië]]
## [[Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor]]
## [[Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Darkening of Valinor]]
## [[Of the Flight of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Sindar]]
## [[Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor]]
## [[Of Men]]
## [[Of the Return of the Noldor]]
## [[Of Beleriand and Its Realms]]
## [[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]
## [[Of Maeglin]]
## [[Of the Coming of Men into the West]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]
## [[Of Beren and Lúthien]]
## [[Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]
## [[Of Túrin Turambar]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Doriath]]
## [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin]]
## [[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]
# ''The [[Akallabêth]]'' - the history of the Second Age
# ''[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''

This five-part work is also informally associated by some readers with Bilbo's three-volume ''Translations from the Elvish'', mentioned in ''The Lord of the Rings''.

These five parts were initially separate works, but it was the elder Tolkien's express wish that they be published together. Because J.R.R. Tolkien died before he could complete a full rewrite of the various legends, Christopher scavenged material from his father's older drafts to fill out the book. In a few cases, he completely devised new material.

''The Silmarillion'', along with other collections of Tolkien's works, such as ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'', form a comprehensive, yet incomplete narrative that describes the universe within which ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' take place. ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' is a twelve-volume examination of the processes which led to the publication of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Silmarillion''.

''The Silmarillion'' is a complex work that explores a wide array of themes inspired by many ancient, medieval, and modern sources, including the Finnish ''[[Kalevala]]'', the Hebrew Bible, Norse sagas, Greek mythology, Celtic mythology, and [[World War I]]. For instance, the name of the supreme being, [[Ilúvatar]] (Father of All) is clearly borrowed from Norse mythology. The archaic style and ''gravitas'' of the ''Ainulindalë'' resembles that of the Old Testament. The island civilization of [[Númenor]] is reminiscent of [[Atlantis]]—one of the names Tolkien gave that land was Atalantë, although he gave it an [[Elvish]] etymology.

Among the notable chapters in the book are:
*"Of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]]"
*"Turin Turambar (closely associated with [[Narn i Hîn Húrin|Narn i Hîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin]] in ''Unfinished Tales'' and ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'')" 
*"Of Tuor and The Fall of [[Gondolin]]"

==Development of the text==
The earliest drafts of ''The Silmarillion'' date back to as early as 1925, when Tolkien wrote a 'Sketch of the Mythology'. However, the concepts for characters, themes, and specific stories were developed starting in 1917 when Tolkien, then a British officer stationed in France during [[World War I]] was laid up in a military field hospital with trench fever. At the time, he called his collection of nascent stories [[The Book of Lost Tales]]. These stories comprised an English mythology intended to explain the origins of English history and culture (as Greek mythology explains the origins of Greek history and culture).

Many years after the war, encouraged by the success of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien submitted an incomplete but more fully developed version of [[The Silmarillion]] to his publisher, but they rejected the work as being obscure and "too Celtic". The publisher, George Allen & Unwin, instead asked Tolkien to write a sequel to ''The Hobbit'', which became his significant novel ''The Lord of the Rings''.

But Tolkien never fully abandoned ''The Silmarillion''. In fact, he regarded it as the most important of his works, seeing in its tales the genesis of [[Middle-earth]] and later events as told in ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He renewed work on [[The Silmarillion]] after completing ''The Lord of the Rings'', when he greatly desired to publish the two works together. But when it became clear that would not be possible, Tolkien turned his full attention back to preparing ''The Lord of the Rings'' for publication.

In the late 1950s he again began work on ''The Silmarillion'', but much of his writing from this time is concerned not as much with the narratives themselves as with the theological and philosophical underpinnings of the work. During this time he wrote extensively on such topics as the nature of evil in Arda, the origin of Orcs, the customs of the Elves, the nature and means of Elvish rebirth, and the "flat" world and the myth of the Sun. Serious doubts had entered about some of the fundamental aspects of the work that had gone back to the earliest versions of the stories, and it seems that he felt the need to solve these problems before he could produce the "final" version of ''The Silmarillion''. In any event, with one or two exceptions, he never did much work on the narratives in the remaining years of his life.

==After Tolkien's death==
For several years after his father's death, Christopher Tolkien compiled a ''Silmarillion'' narrative. Christopher's intentions seem to have been mostly to use the latest writings of his father's that he could, and to keep as much internal consistency (and consistency with ''The Lord of the Rings'') as possible. As explained in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher drew upon numerous sources for his narrative, relying on post-LoTR works where possible, but ultmately reaching back as far as the 1917 ''Book of Lost Tales'' to fill in portions of the narrative which his father had planned to write but never addressed. In one later chapter of the "Quenta Silmarillion" which had not been touched since the early 1930s he had to construct a narrative practically from scratch. The final result, which included genealogies, maps, an index and the first-ever released Elvish word list was published in 1977.

Due to Christopher's extensive explanations (in [[The History of Middle-earth]]) of how he compiled the published work, much of ''The Silmarillion'' has been debated by the hardcore fans. Christopher's task is generally accepted as very difficult given the state of his father's texts at the time of his death: some critical texts were no longer in the Tolkien family's possession, and Christopher's task compelled him to rush through much of the material. Christopher reveals in later volumes of [[The History of Middle-earth]] many divergent ideas which do not agree with the published version. Christopher Tolkien has suggested that, had he taken more time and had access to all the texts, he might have produced a substantially different work. But he was compelled by considerable pressure and demand from his father's readers and publishers to produce something publishable as quickly as possible. One must remember this version is more a product of the son than of the father.

In October 1996, Christopher Tolkien commissioned illustrator [[Ted Nasmith]] to create full-page full-colour artwork for the first illustrated edition of ''The Silmarillion''. It was published in 1998, and followed in 2004 by a second edition (ISBN 0618391118) featuring corrections and additional artwork by Nasmith.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Christopher Tolkien published most of his father's Middle-Earth-related writings as the 12-volume ''History of Middle-earth'' series.

In addition to the source material and earlier drafts of several portions of ''The Lord of the Rings'', these books greatly expand on the original material published in ''The Silmarillion'', and in many cases diverge from it. There is much that Tolkien intended to revise but only sketched out in notes, and some new texts surfaced after the publication of ''The Silmarillion''.

==Editions==
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, [[1977]]
* George Allen & Unwin for Methuen Publications, 1st edition, presentation copy, [[1977]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1978]]
* Unwin Paperbacks, 1st paperback edition, [[1979]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1981]]
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, Collector's Edition, [[1982]]
* Unicorn/Unwin Paperbacks, 2nd Edition, [[1983]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1990]]
* [[HarperCollins]], 1st edition, [[1992]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1992]]
* [[The Folio Society]], Folio Edition, [[1997]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, 1999 Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, Collector's Box Edition, [[2001]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[2000]]
* Voyager, Voyager Classics Edition, [[2002]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Edition, [[2002]]
* The Folio Society, Deluxe Folio Society Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Illustrated Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2006 Edition, [[2006]]
* HarperCollins, 30th Anniversary Edition [[2007]]

==Etymology==
''Silmarillion'' is [[Quenya]] plural genitive of the word "Silmaril", therefore it means "of the Silmarils".

It could be either a contraction of the full title ''Quenta Silmarillion'' ("Tale of the Silmarils") or also a 'Genitive of reference' (in Ancient Greek) used for "about" expressions; it is also used in poetic English where "of" replaces "about" or "concerning"; the Silmarillion chapter names themselves are an example (''Of'' the Sindar, ''Of'' Men)

A similar device is seen in Latin, with the book title ''[[Wikipedia:De Bello Gallico|De Bello Gallico]]'' ("Of the Gaulish War" = "About the Gaulish War").

''Silmarillion'' also brings in mind the ''[[Wikipedia:Mabinogion|Mabinogion]]'', another mythological book, mainly due to its rhyming title.

==External links==
===Reviews===
* [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/23/books/tolkien-silmarillion.html NY Times Review]

[[Category:Books|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by Christopher Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:The Silmarillion]]

[[de:Das Silmarillion]]
[[fi:Silmarillion]]

The Silmarillion

2009-01-25T11:45:11Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

{{expansion}}
{{book
|title=The Silmarillion
|image=[[Image:Silmarillioncover.jpg]]
|author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]
|date=[[2004]]
|format=Hardcover
|pages=386
|isbn=0618391118
|amazon=http://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618391118/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4874231-7435249?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181617326&sr=8-1
|amazonprice=$35.00
}}
{{quote|The Silmarillion is the history of the War of the Exiled Elves against the Enemy, which all takes place in the North-west of the world (Middle-earth). Several tales of victory and tragedy are caught up in it; but it ends with catastrophe, and the passing of the Ancient World|J.R.R. Tolkien}}

'''''The Silmarillion''''' is a collection of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] works, edited and published posthumously by his son [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher R. Tolkien]], with assistance from fantasy fiction writer [[Guy Gavriel Kay]].

==Overview==
''The Silmarillion'' comprises five parts:
# ''The [[Ainulindalë]]'' - the creation of Eä, Tolkien's universe.
# ''The [[Valaquenta]]'' - a brief description of the [[Valar]] and [[Maiar]], the supernatural beings
# ''The [[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' - the history of the events before and during the First Age, which forms the bulk of the collection.
## [[Of the Beginning of Days]]
## [[Of Aulë and Yavanna]]
## [[Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor]]
## [[Of Thingol and Melian]]
## [[Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië]]
## [[Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor]]
## [[Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Darkening of Valinor]]
## [[Of the Flight of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Sindar]]
## [[Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor]]
## [[Of Men]]
## [[Of the Return of the Noldor]]
## [[Of Beleriand and Its Realms]]
## [[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]
## [[Of Maeglin]]
## [[Of the Coming of Men into the West]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]
## [[Of Beren and Lúthien]]
## [[Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]
## [[Of Túrin Turambar]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Doriath]]
## [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin]]
## [[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]
# ''The [[Akallabêth]]'' - the history of the Second Age
# ''[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''

This five-part work is also informally associated by some readers with Bilbo's three-volume ''Translations from the Elvish'', mentioned in ''The Lord of the Rings''.

These five parts were initially separate works, but it was the elder Tolkien's express wish that they be published together. Because J.R.R. Tolkien died before he could complete a full rewrite of the various legends, Christopher scavenged material from his father's older drafts to fill out the book. In a few cases, he completely devised new material.

''The Silmarillion'', along with other collections of Tolkien's works, such as ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'', form a comprehensive, yet incomplete narrative that describes the universe within which ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' take place. ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' is a twelve-volume examination of the processes which led to the publication of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Silmarillion''.

''The Silmarillion'' is a complex work that explores a wide array of themes inspired by many ancient, medieval, and modern sources, including the Finnish ''[[Kalevala]]'', the Hebrew Bible, Norse sagas, Greek mythology, Celtic mythology, and [[World War I]]. For instance, the name of the supreme being, [[Ilúvatar]] (Father of All) is clearly borrowed from Norse mythology. The archaic style and ''gravitas'' of the ''Ainulindalë'' resembles that of the Old Testament. The island civilization of [[Númenor]] is reminiscent of [[Atlantis]]—one of the names Tolkien gave that land was Atalantë, although he gave it an [[Elvish]] etymology.

Among the notable chapters in the book are:
*"Of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]]"
*"Turin Turambar (closely associated with [[Narn i Hîn Húrin|Narn i Hîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin]] in ''Unfinished Tales'' and ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'')" 
*"Of Tuor and The Fall of [[Gondolin]]"

==Development of the text==
The earliest drafts of ''The Silmarillion'' date back to as early as 1925, when Tolkien wrote a 'Sketch of the Mythology'. However, the concepts for characters, themes, and specific stories were developed starting in 1917 when Tolkien, then a British officer stationed in France during [[World War I]] was laid up in a military field hospital with trench fever. At the time, he called his collection of nascent stories [[The Book of Lost Tales]]. These stories comprised an English mythology intended to explain the origins of English history and culture (as Greek mythology explains the origins of Greek history and culture).

Many years after the war, encouraged by the success of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien submitted an incomplete but more fully developed version of [[The Silmarillion]] to his publisher, but they rejected the work as being obscure and "too Celtic". The publisher, George Allen & Unwin, instead asked Tolkien to write a sequel to ''The Hobbit'', which became his significant novel ''The Lord of the Rings''.

But Tolkien never fully abandoned ''The Silmarillion''. In fact, he regarded it as the most important of his works, seeing in its tales the genesis of [[Middle-earth]] and later events as told in ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He renewed work on [[The Silmarillion]] after completing ''The Lord of the Rings'', when he greatly desired to publish the two works together. But when it became clear that would not be possible, Tolkien turned his full attention back to preparing ''The Lord of the Rings'' for publication.

In the late 1950s he again began work on ''The Silmarillion'', but much of his writing from this time is concerned not as much with the narratives themselves as with the theological and philosophical underpinnings of the work. During this time he wrote extensively on such topics as the nature of evil in Arda, the origin of Orcs, the customs of the Elves, the nature and means of Elvish rebirth, and the "flat" world and the myth of the Sun. Serious doubts had entered about some of the fundamental aspects of the work that had gone back to the earliest versions of the stories, and it seems that he felt the need to solve these problems before he could produce the "final" version of ''The Silmarillion''. In any event, with one or two exceptions, he never did much work on the narratives in the remaining years of his life.

==After Tolkien's death==
For several years after his father's death, Christopher Tolkien compiled a ''Silmarillion'' narrative. Christopher's intentions seem to have been mostly to use the latest writings of his father's that he could, and to keep as much internal consistency (and consistency with ''The Lord of the Rings'') as possible. As explained in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher drew upon numerous sources for his narrative, relying on post-LoTR works where possible, but ultmately reaching back as far as the 1917 ''Book of Lost Tales'' to fill in portions of the narrative which his father had planned to write but never addressed. In one later chapter of the "Quenta Silmarillion" which had not been touched since the early 1930s he had to construct a narrative practically from scratch. The final result, which included genealogies, maps, an index and the first-ever released Elvish word list was published in 1977.

Due to Christopher's extensive explanations (in [[The History of Middle-earth]]) of how he compiled the published work, much of ''The Silmarillion'' has been debated by the hardcore fans. Christopher's task is generally accepted as very difficult given the state of his father's texts at the time of his death: some critical texts were no longer in the Tolkien family's possession, and Christopher's task compelled him to rush through much of the material. Christopher reveals in later volumes of [[The History of Middle-earth]] many divergent ideas which do not agree with the published version. Christopher Tolkien has suggested that, had he taken more time and had access to all the texts, he might have produced a substantially different work. But he was compelled by considerable pressure and demand from his father's readers and publishers to produce something publishable as quickly as possible. One must remember this version is more a product of the son than of the father.

In October 1996, Christopher Tolkien commissioned illustrator [[Ted Nasmith]] to create full-page full-colour artwork for the first illustrated edition of ''The Silmarillion''. It was published in 1998, and followed in 2004 by a second edition (ISBN 0618391118) featuring corrections and additional artwork by Nasmith.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Christopher Tolkien published most of his father's Middle-Earth-related writings as the 12-volume ''History of Middle-earth'' series.

In addition to the source material and earlier drafts of several portions of ''The Lord of the Rings'', these books greatly expand on the original material published in ''The Silmarillion'', and in many cases diverge from it. There is much that Tolkien intended to revise but only sketched out in notes, and some new texts surfaced after the publication of ''The Silmarillion''.

==Editions==
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, [[1977]]
* George Allen & Unwin for Methuen Publications, 1st edition, presentation copy, [[1977]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1978]]
* Unwin Paperbacks, 1st paperback edition, [[1979]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1981]]
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, Collector's Edition, [[1982]]
* Unicorn/Unwin Paperbacks, 2nd Edition, [[1983]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1990]]
* [[HarperCollins]], 1st edition, [[1992]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1992]]
* [[The Folio Society]], Folio Edition, [[1997]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, 1999 Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, Collector's Box Edition, [[2001]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[2000]]
* Voyager, Voyager Classics Edition, [[2002]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Edition, [[2002]]
* The Folio Society, Deluxe Folio Society Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Illustrated Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2006 Edition, [[2006]]
* HarperCollins, 30th Anniversary Edition [[2007]]

==Etymology==
''Silmarillion'' is [[Quenya]] plural genitive of the word "Silmaril", therefore it means "of the Silmarils".

It could be either a contraction of the full title ''Quenta Silmarillion'' "Tale of the Silmarils" but it could also be a 'Genitive of reference'. This device is seen in languages such as Ancient Greek and poetic English where genitive is used for expressions like ''about/concerning''; the Silmarillion chapter names themselves are an example, where ''of'' is used instead of ''about'': ''Of'' the Sindar, ''Of'' Men etc.

A similar device is seen in Latin, with the book title ''[[Wikipedia:De Bello Gallico|De Bello Gallico]]'' "Of the Gaulish War" = "About the Gaulish War".

''Silmarillion'' also brings in mind the ''[[Wikipedia:Mabinogion|Mabinogion]]'', another mythological book, mainly due to its rhyming title.

==External links==
===Reviews===
* [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/23/books/tolkien-silmarillion.html NY Times Review]

[[Category:Books|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by Christopher Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:The Silmarillion]]

[[de:Das Silmarillion]]
[[fi:Silmarillion]]

The Silmarillion

2009-01-25T11:43:04Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

{{expansion}}
{{book
|title=The Silmarillion
|image=[[Image:Silmarillioncover.jpg]]
|author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]
|date=[[2004]]
|format=Hardcover
|pages=386
|isbn=0618391118
|amazon=http://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618391118/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4874231-7435249?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181617326&sr=8-1
|amazonprice=$35.00
}}
{{quote|The Silmarillion is the history of the War of the Exiled Elves against the Enemy, which all takes place in the North-west of the world (Middle-earth). Several tales of victory and tragedy are caught up in it; but it ends with catastrophe, and the passing of the Ancient World|J.R.R. Tolkien}}

'''''The Silmarillion''''' is a collection of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] works, edited and published posthumously by his son [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher R. Tolkien]], with assistance from fantasy fiction writer [[Guy Gavriel Kay]].

==Overview==
''The Silmarillion'' comprises five parts:
# ''The [[Ainulindalë]]'' - the creation of Eä, Tolkien's universe.
# ''The [[Valaquenta]]'' - a brief description of the [[Valar]] and [[Maiar]], the supernatural beings
# ''The [[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' - the history of the events before and during the First Age, which forms the bulk of the collection.
## [[Of the Beginning of Days]]
## [[Of Aulë and Yavanna]]
## [[Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor]]
## [[Of Thingol and Melian]]
## [[Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië]]
## [[Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor]]
## [[Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Darkening of Valinor]]
## [[Of the Flight of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Sindar]]
## [[Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor]]
## [[Of Men]]
## [[Of the Return of the Noldor]]
## [[Of Beleriand and Its Realms]]
## [[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]
## [[Of Maeglin]]
## [[Of the Coming of Men into the West]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]
## [[Of Beren and Lúthien]]
## [[Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]
## [[Of Túrin Turambar]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Doriath]]
## [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin]]
## [[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]
# ''The [[Akallabêth]]'' - the history of the Second Age
# ''[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''

This five-part work is also informally associated by some readers with Bilbo's three-volume ''Translations from the Elvish'', mentioned in ''The Lord of the Rings''.

These five parts were initially separate works, but it was the elder Tolkien's express wish that they be published together. Because J.R.R. Tolkien died before he could complete a full rewrite of the various legends, Christopher scavenged material from his father's older drafts to fill out the book. In a few cases, he completely devised new material.

''The Silmarillion'', along with other collections of Tolkien's works, such as ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'', form a comprehensive, yet incomplete narrative that describes the universe within which ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' take place. ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' is a twelve-volume examination of the processes which led to the publication of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Silmarillion''.

''The Silmarillion'' is a complex work that explores a wide array of themes inspired by many ancient, medieval, and modern sources, including the Finnish ''[[Kalevala]]'', the Hebrew Bible, Norse sagas, Greek mythology, Celtic mythology, and [[World War I]]. For instance, the name of the supreme being, [[Ilúvatar]] (Father of All) is clearly borrowed from Norse mythology. The archaic style and ''gravitas'' of the ''Ainulindalë'' resembles that of the Old Testament. The island civilization of [[Númenor]] is reminiscent of [[Atlantis]]—one of the names Tolkien gave that land was Atalantë, although he gave it an [[Elvish]] etymology.

Among the notable chapters in the book are:
*"Of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]]"
*"Turin Turambar (closely associated with [[Narn i Hîn Húrin|Narn i Hîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin]] in ''Unfinished Tales'' and ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'')" 
*"Of Tuor and The Fall of [[Gondolin]]"

==Development of the text==
The earliest drafts of ''The Silmarillion'' date back to as early as 1925, when Tolkien wrote a 'Sketch of the Mythology'. However, the concepts for characters, themes, and specific stories were developed starting in 1917 when Tolkien, then a British officer stationed in France during [[World War I]] was laid up in a military field hospital with trench fever. At the time, he called his collection of nascent stories [[The Book of Lost Tales]]. These stories comprised an English mythology intended to explain the origins of English history and culture (as Greek mythology explains the origins of Greek history and culture).

Many years after the war, encouraged by the success of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien submitted an incomplete but more fully developed version of [[The Silmarillion]] to his publisher, but they rejected the work as being obscure and "too Celtic". The publisher, George Allen & Unwin, instead asked Tolkien to write a sequel to ''The Hobbit'', which became his significant novel ''The Lord of the Rings''.

But Tolkien never fully abandoned ''The Silmarillion''. In fact, he regarded it as the most important of his works, seeing in its tales the genesis of [[Middle-earth]] and later events as told in ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He renewed work on [[The Silmarillion]] after completing ''The Lord of the Rings'', when he greatly desired to publish the two works together. But when it became clear that would not be possible, Tolkien turned his full attention back to preparing ''The Lord of the Rings'' for publication.

In the late 1950s he again began work on ''The Silmarillion'', but much of his writing from this time is concerned not as much with the narratives themselves as with the theological and philosophical underpinnings of the work. During this time he wrote extensively on such topics as the nature of evil in Arda, the origin of Orcs, the customs of the Elves, the nature and means of Elvish rebirth, and the "flat" world and the myth of the Sun. Serious doubts had entered about some of the fundamental aspects of the work that had gone back to the earliest versions of the stories, and it seems that he felt the need to solve these problems before he could produce the "final" version of ''The Silmarillion''. In any event, with one or two exceptions, he never did much work on the narratives in the remaining years of his life.

==After Tolkien's death==
For several years after his father's death, Christopher Tolkien compiled a ''Silmarillion'' narrative. Christopher's intentions seem to have been mostly to use the latest writings of his father's that he could, and to keep as much internal consistency (and consistency with ''The Lord of the Rings'') as possible. As explained in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher drew upon numerous sources for his narrative, relying on post-LoTR works where possible, but ultmately reaching back as far as the 1917 ''Book of Lost Tales'' to fill in portions of the narrative which his father had planned to write but never addressed. In one later chapter of the "Quenta Silmarillion" which had not been touched since the early 1930s he had to construct a narrative practically from scratch. The final result, which included genealogies, maps, an index and the first-ever released Elvish word list was published in 1977.

Due to Christopher's extensive explanations (in [[The History of Middle-earth]]) of how he compiled the published work, much of ''The Silmarillion'' has been debated by the hardcore fans. Christopher's task is generally accepted as very difficult given the state of his father's texts at the time of his death: some critical texts were no longer in the Tolkien family's possession, and Christopher's task compelled him to rush through much of the material. Christopher reveals in later volumes of [[The History of Middle-earth]] many divergent ideas which do not agree with the published version. Christopher Tolkien has suggested that, had he taken more time and had access to all the texts, he might have produced a substantially different work. But he was compelled by considerable pressure and demand from his father's readers and publishers to produce something publishable as quickly as possible. One must remember this version is more a product of the son than of the father.

In October 1996, Christopher Tolkien commissioned illustrator [[Ted Nasmith]] to create full-page full-colour artwork for the first illustrated edition of ''The Silmarillion''. It was published in 1998, and followed in 2004 by a second edition (ISBN 0618391118) featuring corrections and additional artwork by Nasmith.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Christopher Tolkien published most of his father's Middle-Earth-related writings as the 12-volume ''History of Middle-earth'' series.

In addition to the source material and earlier drafts of several portions of ''The Lord of the Rings'', these books greatly expand on the original material published in ''The Silmarillion'', and in many cases diverge from it. There is much that Tolkien intended to revise but only sketched out in notes, and some new texts surfaced after the publication of ''The Silmarillion''.

==Editions==
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, [[1977]]
* George Allen & Unwin for Methuen Publications, 1st edition, presentation copy, [[1977]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1978]]
* Unwin Paperbacks, 1st paperback edition, [[1979]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1981]]
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, Collector's Edition, [[1982]]
* Unicorn/Unwin Paperbacks, 2nd Edition, [[1983]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1990]]
* [[HarperCollins]], 1st edition, [[1992]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1992]]
* [[The Folio Society]], Folio Edition, [[1997]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, 1999 Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, Collector's Box Edition, [[2001]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[2000]]
* Voyager, Voyager Classics Edition, [[2002]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Edition, [[2002]]
* The Folio Society, Deluxe Folio Society Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Illustrated Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2006 Edition, [[2006]]
* HarperCollins, 30th Anniversary Edition [[2007]]

==Etymology==
''Silmarillion'' is [[Quenya]] plural genitive of the word "Silmaril", therefore it means "of the Silmarils".

It could be either a contraction of the full title ''Quenta Silmarillion'' "Tale of the Silmarils" but it could also be a 'Genitive of reference' seen in languages such as Ancient Greek and poetic English where genitive is used for expressions like ''about/concerning''; the Silmarillion chapter names themselves are an example, where ''of'' is used instead of ''about'': '''Of''' the Sindar, '''Of''' Men etc.

A similar device is seen in Latin, with the book title ''[[Wikipedia:De Bello Gallico|De Bello Gallico]]'' "Of the Gaulish War" = "About the Gaulish War".

''Silmarillion'' also brings in mind the ''[[Wikipedia:Mabinogion|Mabinogion]]'', another mythological book, mainly due to its rhyming title.

==External links==
===Reviews===
* [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/23/books/tolkien-silmarillion.html NY Times Review]

[[Category:Books|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by Christopher Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:The Silmarillion]]

[[de:Das Silmarillion]]
[[fi:Silmarillion]]

The Silmarillion

2009-01-25T11:37:02Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

{{expansion}}
{{book
|title=The Silmarillion
|image=[[Image:Silmarillioncover.jpg]]
|author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]
|date=[[2004]]
|format=Hardcover
|pages=386
|isbn=0618391118
|amazon=http://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618391118/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4874231-7435249?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181617326&sr=8-1
|amazonprice=$35.00
}}
{{quote|The Silmarillion is the history of the War of the Exiled Elves against the Enemy, which all takes place in the North-west of the world (Middle-earth). Several tales of victory and tragedy are caught up in it; but it ends with catastrophe, and the passing of the Ancient World|J.R.R. Tolkien}}

'''''The Silmarillion''''' is a collection of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] works, edited and published posthumously by his son [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher R. Tolkien]], with assistance from fantasy fiction writer [[Guy Gavriel Kay]].

==Overview==
''The Silmarillion'' comprises five parts:
# ''The [[Ainulindalë]]'' - the creation of Eä, Tolkien's universe.
# ''The [[Valaquenta]]'' - a brief description of the [[Valar]] and [[Maiar]], the supernatural beings
# ''The [[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' - the history of the events before and during the First Age, which forms the bulk of the collection.
## [[Of the Beginning of Days]]
## [[Of Aulë and Yavanna]]
## [[Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor]]
## [[Of Thingol and Melian]]
## [[Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië]]
## [[Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor]]
## [[Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Darkening of Valinor]]
## [[Of the Flight of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Sindar]]
## [[Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor]]
## [[Of Men]]
## [[Of the Return of the Noldor]]
## [[Of Beleriand and Its Realms]]
## [[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]
## [[Of Maeglin]]
## [[Of the Coming of Men into the West]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]
## [[Of Beren and Lúthien]]
## [[Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]
## [[Of Túrin Turambar]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Doriath]]
## [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin]]
## [[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]
# ''The [[Akallabêth]]'' - the history of the Second Age
# ''[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''

This five-part work is also informally associated by some readers with Bilbo's three-volume ''Translations from the Elvish'', mentioned in ''The Lord of the Rings''.

These five parts were initially separate works, but it was the elder Tolkien's express wish that they be published together. Because J.R.R. Tolkien died before he could complete a full rewrite of the various legends, Christopher scavenged material from his father's older drafts to fill out the book. In a few cases, he completely devised new material.

''The Silmarillion'', along with other collections of Tolkien's works, such as ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'', form a comprehensive, yet incomplete narrative that describes the universe within which ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' take place. ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' is a twelve-volume examination of the processes which led to the publication of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Silmarillion''.

''The Silmarillion'' is a complex work that explores a wide array of themes inspired by many ancient, medieval, and modern sources, including the Finnish ''[[Kalevala]]'', the Hebrew Bible, Norse sagas, Greek mythology, Celtic mythology, and [[World War I]]. For instance, the name of the supreme being, [[Ilúvatar]] (Father of All) is clearly borrowed from Norse mythology. The archaic style and ''gravitas'' of the ''Ainulindalë'' resembles that of the Old Testament. The island civilization of [[Númenor]] is reminiscent of [[Atlantis]]—one of the names Tolkien gave that land was Atalantë, although he gave it an [[Elvish]] etymology.

Among the notable chapters in the book are:
*"Of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]]"
*"Turin Turambar (closely associated with [[Narn i Hîn Húrin|Narn i Hîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin]] in ''Unfinished Tales'' and ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'')" 
*"Of Tuor and The Fall of [[Gondolin]]"

==Development of the text==
The earliest drafts of ''The Silmarillion'' date back to as early as 1925, when Tolkien wrote a 'Sketch of the Mythology'. However, the concepts for characters, themes, and specific stories were developed starting in 1917 when Tolkien, then a British officer stationed in France during [[World War I]] was laid up in a military field hospital with trench fever. At the time, he called his collection of nascent stories [[The Book of Lost Tales]]. These stories comprised an English mythology intended to explain the origins of English history and culture (as Greek mythology explains the origins of Greek history and culture).

Many years after the war, encouraged by the success of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien submitted an incomplete but more fully developed version of [[The Silmarillion]] to his publisher, but they rejected the work as being obscure and "too Celtic". The publisher, George Allen & Unwin, instead asked Tolkien to write a sequel to ''The Hobbit'', which became his significant novel ''The Lord of the Rings''.

But Tolkien never fully abandoned ''The Silmarillion''. In fact, he regarded it as the most important of his works, seeing in its tales the genesis of [[Middle-earth]] and later events as told in ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He renewed work on [[The Silmarillion]] after completing ''The Lord of the Rings'', when he greatly desired to publish the two works together. But when it became clear that would not be possible, Tolkien turned his full attention back to preparing ''The Lord of the Rings'' for publication.

In the late 1950s he again began work on ''The Silmarillion'', but much of his writing from this time is concerned not as much with the narratives themselves as with the theological and philosophical underpinnings of the work. During this time he wrote extensively on such topics as the nature of evil in Arda, the origin of Orcs, the customs of the Elves, the nature and means of Elvish rebirth, and the "flat" world and the myth of the Sun. Serious doubts had entered about some of the fundamental aspects of the work that had gone back to the earliest versions of the stories, and it seems that he felt the need to solve these problems before he could produce the "final" version of ''The Silmarillion''. In any event, with one or two exceptions, he never did much work on the narratives in the remaining years of his life.

==After Tolkien's death==
For several years after his father's death, Christopher Tolkien compiled a ''Silmarillion'' narrative. Christopher's intentions seem to have been mostly to use the latest writings of his father's that he could, and to keep as much internal consistency (and consistency with ''The Lord of the Rings'') as possible. As explained in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher drew upon numerous sources for his narrative, relying on post-LoTR works where possible, but ultmately reaching back as far as the 1917 ''Book of Lost Tales'' to fill in portions of the narrative which his father had planned to write but never addressed. In one later chapter of the "Quenta Silmarillion" which had not been touched since the early 1930s he had to construct a narrative practically from scratch. The final result, which included genealogies, maps, an index and the first-ever released Elvish word list was published in 1977.

Due to Christopher's extensive explanations (in [[The History of Middle-earth]]) of how he compiled the published work, much of ''The Silmarillion'' has been debated by the hardcore fans. Christopher's task is generally accepted as very difficult given the state of his father's texts at the time of his death: some critical texts were no longer in the Tolkien family's possession, and Christopher's task compelled him to rush through much of the material. Christopher reveals in later volumes of [[The History of Middle-earth]] many divergent ideas which do not agree with the published version. Christopher Tolkien has suggested that, had he taken more time and had access to all the texts, he might have produced a substantially different work. But he was compelled by considerable pressure and demand from his father's readers and publishers to produce something publishable as quickly as possible. One must remember this version is more a product of the son than of the father.

In October 1996, Christopher Tolkien commissioned illustrator [[Ted Nasmith]] to create full-page full-colour artwork for the first illustrated edition of ''The Silmarillion''. It was published in 1998, and followed in 2004 by a second edition (ISBN 0618391118) featuring corrections and additional artwork by Nasmith.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Christopher Tolkien published most of his father's Middle-Earth-related writings as the 12-volume ''History of Middle-earth'' series.

In addition to the source material and earlier drafts of several portions of ''The Lord of the Rings'', these books greatly expand on the original material published in ''The Silmarillion'', and in many cases diverge from it. There is much that Tolkien intended to revise but only sketched out in notes, and some new texts surfaced after the publication of ''The Silmarillion''.

==Editions==
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, [[1977]]
* George Allen & Unwin for Methuen Publications, 1st edition, presentation copy, [[1977]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1978]]
* Unwin Paperbacks, 1st paperback edition, [[1979]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1981]]
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, Collector's Edition, [[1982]]
* Unicorn/Unwin Paperbacks, 2nd Edition, [[1983]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1990]]
* [[HarperCollins]], 1st edition, [[1992]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1992]]
* [[The Folio Society]], Folio Edition, [[1997]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, 1999 Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, Collector's Box Edition, [[2001]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[2000]]
* Voyager, Voyager Classics Edition, [[2002]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Edition, [[2002]]
* The Folio Society, Deluxe Folio Society Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Illustrated Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2006 Edition, [[2006]]
* HarperCollins, 30th Anniversary Edition [[2007]]

==Etymology==
''Silmarillion'' is [[Quenya]] plural genitive of the word "Silmaril", therefore it means "of the Silmarils".

It could be either a contraction of the full title ''Quenta Silmarillion'' "Tale of the Silmarils" but it could also be a 'Genitive of reference' seen in Ancient Greek; this can be seen also in archaic English where genitive ''of'' is used instead of ''about'', like the Silmarillion chapter names themselves (''Of'' the Sindar, ''Of'' Men etc). A similar device is seen in Latin, with the book title ''[[Wikipedia:De Bello Gallico|De Bello Gallico]]'' "Of the Gaulish War"/"About the Gaulish War".

''Silmarillion'' also brings in mind the ''[[Wikipedia:Mabinogion|Mabinogion]]'', another mythological book with rhyming title.

==External links==
===Reviews===
* [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/23/books/tolkien-silmarillion.html NY Times Review]

[[Category:Books|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by Christopher Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:The Silmarillion]]

[[de:Das Silmarillion]]
[[fi:Silmarillion]]

The Silmarillion

2009-01-25T11:33:43Z

Temp: /* External links */

{{expansion}}
{{book
|title=The Silmarillion
|image=[[Image:Silmarillioncover.jpg]]
|author=[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]
|date=[[2004]]
|format=Hardcover
|pages=386
|isbn=0618391118
|amazon=http://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618391118/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4874231-7435249?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181617326&sr=8-1
|amazonprice=$35.00
}}
{{quote|The Silmarillion is the history of the War of the Exiled Elves against the Enemy, which all takes place in the North-west of the world (Middle-earth). Several tales of victory and tragedy are caught up in it; but it ends with catastrophe, and the passing of the Ancient World|J.R.R. Tolkien}}

'''''The Silmarillion''''' is a collection of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] works, edited and published posthumously by his son [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher R. Tolkien]], with assistance from fantasy fiction writer [[Guy Gavriel Kay]].

==Overview==
''The Silmarillion'' comprises five parts:
# ''The [[Ainulindalë]]'' - the creation of Eä, Tolkien's universe.
# ''The [[Valaquenta]]'' - a brief description of the [[Valar]] and [[Maiar]], the supernatural beings
# ''The [[Quenta Silmarillion]]'' - the history of the events before and during the First Age, which forms the bulk of the collection.
## [[Of the Beginning of Days]]
## [[Of Aulë and Yavanna]]
## [[Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor]]
## [[Of Thingol and Melian]]
## [[Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië]]
## [[Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor]]
## [[Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Darkening of Valinor]]
## [[Of the Flight of the Noldor]]
## [[Of the Sindar]]
## [[Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor]]
## [[Of Men]]
## [[Of the Return of the Noldor]]
## [[Of Beleriand and Its Realms]]
## [[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]
## [[Of Maeglin]]
## [[Of the Coming of Men into the West]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin]]
## [[Of Beren and Lúthien]]
## [[Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]
## [[Of Túrin Turambar]]
## [[Of the Ruin of Doriath]]
## [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin]]
## [[Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath]]
# ''The [[Akallabêth]]'' - the history of the Second Age
# ''[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]''

This five-part work is also informally associated by some readers with Bilbo's three-volume ''Translations from the Elvish'', mentioned in ''The Lord of the Rings''.

These five parts were initially separate works, but it was the elder Tolkien's express wish that they be published together. Because J.R.R. Tolkien died before he could complete a full rewrite of the various legends, Christopher scavenged material from his father's older drafts to fill out the book. In a few cases, he completely devised new material.

''The Silmarillion'', along with other collections of Tolkien's works, such as ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Tom Bombadil]]'', and ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'', form a comprehensive, yet incomplete narrative that describes the universe within which ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' take place. ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'' is a twelve-volume examination of the processes which led to the publication of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Silmarillion''.

''The Silmarillion'' is a complex work that explores a wide array of themes inspired by many ancient, medieval, and modern sources, including the Finnish ''[[Kalevala]]'', the Hebrew Bible, Norse sagas, Greek mythology, Celtic mythology, and [[World War I]]. For instance, the name of the supreme being, [[Ilúvatar]] (Father of All) is clearly borrowed from Norse mythology. The archaic style and ''gravitas'' of the ''Ainulindalë'' resembles that of the Old Testament. The island civilization of [[Númenor]] is reminiscent of [[Atlantis]]—one of the names Tolkien gave that land was Atalantë, although he gave it an [[Elvish]] etymology.

Among the notable chapters in the book are:
*"Of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]]"
*"Turin Turambar (closely associated with [[Narn i Hîn Húrin|Narn i Hîn Húrin: The Tale of the Children of Húrin]] in ''Unfinished Tales'' and ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'')" 
*"Of Tuor and The Fall of [[Gondolin]]"

==Development of the text==
The earliest drafts of ''The Silmarillion'' date back to as early as 1925, when Tolkien wrote a 'Sketch of the Mythology'. However, the concepts for characters, themes, and specific stories were developed starting in 1917 when Tolkien, then a British officer stationed in France during [[World War I]] was laid up in a military field hospital with trench fever. At the time, he called his collection of nascent stories [[The Book of Lost Tales]]. These stories comprised an English mythology intended to explain the origins of English history and culture (as Greek mythology explains the origins of Greek history and culture).

Many years after the war, encouraged by the success of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Tolkien submitted an incomplete but more fully developed version of [[The Silmarillion]] to his publisher, but they rejected the work as being obscure and "too Celtic". The publisher, George Allen & Unwin, instead asked Tolkien to write a sequel to ''The Hobbit'', which became his significant novel ''The Lord of the Rings''.

But Tolkien never fully abandoned ''The Silmarillion''. In fact, he regarded it as the most important of his works, seeing in its tales the genesis of [[Middle-earth]] and later events as told in ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He renewed work on [[The Silmarillion]] after completing ''The Lord of the Rings'', when he greatly desired to publish the two works together. But when it became clear that would not be possible, Tolkien turned his full attention back to preparing ''The Lord of the Rings'' for publication.

In the late 1950s he again began work on ''The Silmarillion'', but much of his writing from this time is concerned not as much with the narratives themselves as with the theological and philosophical underpinnings of the work. During this time he wrote extensively on such topics as the nature of evil in Arda, the origin of Orcs, the customs of the Elves, the nature and means of Elvish rebirth, and the "flat" world and the myth of the Sun. Serious doubts had entered about some of the fundamental aspects of the work that had gone back to the earliest versions of the stories, and it seems that he felt the need to solve these problems before he could produce the "final" version of ''The Silmarillion''. In any event, with one or two exceptions, he never did much work on the narratives in the remaining years of his life.

==After Tolkien's death==
For several years after his father's death, Christopher Tolkien compiled a ''Silmarillion'' narrative. Christopher's intentions seem to have been mostly to use the latest writings of his father's that he could, and to keep as much internal consistency (and consistency with ''The Lord of the Rings'') as possible. As explained in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', Christopher drew upon numerous sources for his narrative, relying on post-LoTR works where possible, but ultmately reaching back as far as the 1917 ''Book of Lost Tales'' to fill in portions of the narrative which his father had planned to write but never addressed. In one later chapter of the "Quenta Silmarillion" which had not been touched since the early 1930s he had to construct a narrative practically from scratch. The final result, which included genealogies, maps, an index and the first-ever released Elvish word list was published in 1977.

Due to Christopher's extensive explanations (in [[The History of Middle-earth]]) of how he compiled the published work, much of ''The Silmarillion'' has been debated by the hardcore fans. Christopher's task is generally accepted as very difficult given the state of his father's texts at the time of his death: some critical texts were no longer in the Tolkien family's possession, and Christopher's task compelled him to rush through much of the material. Christopher reveals in later volumes of [[The History of Middle-earth]] many divergent ideas which do not agree with the published version. Christopher Tolkien has suggested that, had he taken more time and had access to all the texts, he might have produced a substantially different work. But he was compelled by considerable pressure and demand from his father's readers and publishers to produce something publishable as quickly as possible. One must remember this version is more a product of the son than of the father.

In October 1996, Christopher Tolkien commissioned illustrator [[Ted Nasmith]] to create full-page full-colour artwork for the first illustrated edition of ''The Silmarillion''. It was published in 1998, and followed in 2004 by a second edition (ISBN 0618391118) featuring corrections and additional artwork by Nasmith.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Christopher Tolkien published most of his father's Middle-Earth-related writings as the 12-volume ''History of Middle-earth'' series.

In addition to the source material and earlier drafts of several portions of ''The Lord of the Rings'', these books greatly expand on the original material published in ''The Silmarillion'', and in many cases diverge from it. There is much that Tolkien intended to revise but only sketched out in notes, and some new texts surfaced after the publication of ''The Silmarillion''.

==Editions==
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, [[1977]]
* George Allen & Unwin for Methuen Publications, 1st edition, presentation copy, [[1977]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1978]]
* Unwin Paperbacks, 1st paperback edition, [[1979]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1981]]
* George Allen & Unwin, 1st edition, Collector's Edition, [[1982]]
* Unicorn/Unwin Paperbacks, 2nd Edition, [[1983]]
* Guild Publishing, Guild Edition, [[1990]]
* [[HarperCollins]], 1st edition, [[1992]]
* Book Club Associates, BCA Edition, [[1992]]
* [[The Folio Society]], Folio Edition, [[1997]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Illustrated Edition, [[1998]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, 1999 Edition, [[1999]]
* HarperCollins, Collector's Box Edition, [[2001]]
* HarperCollins, Illustrated Edition, [[2000]]
* Voyager, Voyager Classics Edition, [[2002]]
* HarperCollins, Deluxe Edition, [[2002]]
* The Folio Society, Deluxe Folio Society Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2nd Illustrated Edition, [[2004]]
* HarperCollins, 2006 Edition, [[2006]]
* HarperCollins, 30th Anniversary Edition [[2007]]

==Etymology==
''Silmarillion'' is [[Quenya]] plural genitive of the word "Silmaril", therefore it means "of the Silmarils".

It could be either a contraction of the full title "Quenta Silmarillion" "Tale of the Silmarils" but it could also be 'Genitive of reference' seen in Ancient Greek; this can be seen also in archaic English where genitive ''of'' is used instead of ''about'', like the Silmarillion chapter names themselves (''Of'' the Sindar, ''Of'' Men etc). A similar device is seen in Latin, with the book title ''[[Wikipedia:De Bello Gallico|De Bello Gallico]]'' "Of the Gaulish War"/"About the Gaulish War".

''Silmarillion'' also brings in mind the ''[[Wikipedia:Mabinogion|Mabinogion]]'', another mythological book with rhyming title.
==External links==
===Reviews===
* [http://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/23/books/tolkien-silmarillion.html NY Times Review]

[[Category:Books|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Books by Christopher Tolkien|Silmarillion]]
[[Category:The Silmarillion]]

[[de:Das Silmarillion]]
[[fi:Silmarillion]]

Elvish

2009-01-17T12:24:57Z

Temp: /* Other Elvish languages */

'''Elvish''' is a word that refers to any of the languages of the [[Elves]], or all of them collectively. All of the Elven languages descend from the [[Primitive Quendian]].

Major splits and variations were a result of the [[Great March]] of the Elves and the other migrations of the following millennia.

*'''[[Primitive Quendian]]''' (language of the Elves in [[Cuiviénen]])
**'''[[Avarin]]'''
***'''Various Avarin languages''' (some later merged with Nandorin)
**'''[[Common Eldarin]]''' (the early language of all the [[Eldar]])
***'''[[Quenya]]''' (the language of the [[Ñoldor]] and the [[Vanyar]])
****''' ''[[Quendya]]'' (also ''Vanyarin Quenya'') ''' (daily tongue of the Vanyar: closest to archaic Quenya)
****''' ''[[Noldorin|Ñoldorin Quenya]]'' (also ''Exilic Quenya'') ''' (the "Elven Latin" of Middle-earth)
***'''[[Common Telerin]]''' (the early language of all the [[Lindar]])
****'''[[Telerin]]''' (the language of the [[Teleri]] who reached the [[Undying Lands]]; considered a dialect of Quenya, although of different branch)
****'''[[Nandorin]]''' (languages of the [[Nandor]] — some were influenced by Avarin)
*****'''Original language of [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]]'''
*****'''Original language of [[Lothlórien|Lórinand]]'''
****'''[[Sindarin]]''' (language of the [[Sindar]])
*****'''[[Doriathrin]]''' (dialect of [[Doriath]])
*****'''[[Falathrin]]''' (dialect of the [[Falas]] and [[Nargothrond]])
*****'''[[North Sindarin]]''' (dialects of [[Dorthonion]] and [[Hithlum]])

The Elves made use of the [[Tengwar]] and [[Cirth]] scripts for their languages.

===Pronunciation===
Tolkien used the Roman alphabet to write the names and words of Elvish origin in his works. Sindarin and Quenya have in most aspects very much the same rules in this pronunciation. Tolkien used the Roman letters having in mind "neutral" values, close to their original Latin ones: open, consistent and straightforward pronunciation, without glides.

The following table gives pronunciation for each letter or cluster in international phonetic script and examples:

'''Vowels'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"
!Letter / [[Digraph (orthography)|Digraph]]
!Pronunciation
!IPA
! Further comment
|-
|a
|as in f'''a'''ther, just short
|{{Unicode|[ɑ]}}
|never as in c'''a'''t
|-
|á
|as in f'''a'''ther
|{{Unicode|[ɑː]}}
|/
|-
|â
|(in Sindarin) as in f'''a'''ther, but even longer
|{{Unicode|[ɑːː]}}
|/
|-
|ae
|(in Sindarin) the vowels described for ''a'' and ''e'' in one syllable.
|{{Unicode|[ɑɛ̯]}}
|Similar to ''ai''
|-
|ai
|a diphthong, similar to that in '''e'''ye, but with short vowels
|{{Unicode|[ɑɪ̯]}}
|never as in r'''ai'''n
|-
|au
|''a'' and ''u'' run together in one syllable. Similar to the sound in h'''ou'''se
|{{Unicode|[ɑʊ̯]}}
|never as in s'''au'''ce
|-
|aw
|(in Sindarin) a common way to write ''au'' at the end of the word
|{{Unicode|[ɑʊ̯]}}
|/
|-
|e
|as in p'''e'''t
|{{Unicode|[ɛ]}}
|/
|-
|é
|the same vowel lengthened (and in Quenya more closed; as in German)
|S: {{Unicode|[ɛː]}}, Q: {{Unicode|[eː]}}
|Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound as in English r'''ai'''n
|-
|ê
|(in Sindarin) the vowel of p'''e'''t especially lengthened
|{{Unicode|[ɛːː]}}
|Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound as in English r'''ai'''n
|-
|ei
|as in '''ei'''ght
|{{Unicode|[ɛɪ̯]}}
|never as in '''ei'''ther (in neither pronunciation)
|-
|eu
|(in Quenya) ''e'' and ''u'' run together in one syllable
|{{Unicode|[ɛʊ̯]}}
|never as in English or German
|-
|i
|as in mach'''i'''ne, but short
|[i]
|not opened as in f'''i'''t
|-
|í
|as in mach'''i'''ne
|{{Unicode|[iː]}}
|/
|-
|î
|(in Sindarin) as in mach'''i'''ne, but especially lengthened
|{{Unicode|[iːː]}}
|/
|-
|iu
|(in Quenya) ''i'' and ''u'' run together in one syllable
|{{Unicode|[iʊ̯]}}
|later by men often as in English '''you'''
|-
|o
|open as in British g'''o'''t
|{{Unicode|[ɔ]}}
|/
|-
|ó
|the same vowel lengthened (and in Quenya more closed; as in German)
|S: {{Unicode|[ɔː]}}, Q: {{Unicode|[oː]}}
|Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound of "long" English c'''o'''ld
|-
|ô
|(in Sindarin) the same vowel especially lengthened
|{{Unicode|[ɔːː]}}
|Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound of "long" English c'''o'''ld
|-
|oi
|(in Quenya) as in English c'''oi'''n
|{{Unicode|[ɔɪ̯]}}
|/
|-
|oe
|(in Sindarin) the vowels described for ''o'' and ''e'' in one syllable.
|{{Unicode|[ɔɛ̯]}}
|Similar to ''oi''. Cf. '''œ'''!
|-
|œ
|(in Sindarin) as in German G'''ö'''tter
|[œ]
|in published writing often '''oe''' has falsely been used, as in ''Nírnaeth Arnoediad''!
|-
|u
|as in c'''oo'''l, but shorter
|[u]
|not opened as in b'''oo'''k
|-
|ú
|as in c'''oo'''l
|{{Unicode|[uː]}}
|/
|-
|û
|(in Sindarin) the same vowel as above, but especially lengthened
|{{Unicode|[uːː]}}
|/
|-
|y
|(in Sindarin) as in French l'''u'''ne or German s'''ü'''ß, but short
|[y]
|not found in English
|-
|ý
|(in Sindarin) as in French l'''u'''ne or German s'''ü'''ß
|{{Unicode|[yː]}}
|/
|-
|ŷ
|(in Sindarin) as in French l'''u'''ne or German s'''ü'''ß, but even longer
|{{Unicode|[yːː]}}
|not found in English
|}

'''Consonants''' (differing from English)
* The letter ''c'' is always pronounced like the letter ''k'', even before ''i'' and ''e''.; for instance, ''[[Celeborn]]'' is pronounced ''Keleborn'', and [[Cirth]] is pronounced ''Kirth''.
* The letter ''g'' is never pronounced in the soft form, as in ''giant''. For instance, ''Region'' is pronounced unlike the English word ''region''.
* The letter ''r'' is lightly trilled, as in Spanish.
* The digraph ''dh'', as in ''Caradhras'', is pronounced like the ''th'' in ''this''.
* The digraph ''ch'', as in ''Orch'', is pronounced as in German ''ach''.

It's important to remember that, while most samples of the Elvish language are written with the Latin alphabet, within the fiction the languages were written using [[Tengwar]], or occasionally carved in [[Cirth]]. Tengwar can however be used to write many other languages.

'''See also:''' [[Languages]] of [[Middle-earth]]

==Other versions of the legendarium==
Tolkien envisioned many versions during the process of writing, even that Elves were taught speech by [[Oromë]]. In the [[Lhammas]], Tolkien provides this relationship

*Valarin
**Aulean
***[[Khuzdul]]
**Oromian
***Primitive Elvish
****Qenya
****[[Solosimpi]]n
*****[[Ilkorin]]
****[[Old Noldorin]]/Kornoldorin
*****[[Noldorin]] (influenced by Ilkorin)

==Other Elvish languages==
Since Tolkien, others have invented Elvish languages in their own fiction.

*''Darnassian'' and ''Thalassian'', the languages of the Elves in the ''Warcraft'' universe.
* ''Ssamath'', the language of the Dark Elves or Drow of Dungeons & Dragons settings
* ''Common Elvish'', the language of the surface Elves of D&D
* ''Eltharin'', the language of the elves of Warhammer
** ''Fan-Eltharin'', the language of the Wood Elves
** ''Tar-Eltharin'', the language of the Sea Elves and High Elves
** ''Drukh-Eltharin'', the language of the Dark Elves
* Elvish language of Andrzej Sapkowski's ''Hexer'' saga, based on Welsh and English
* ''The Ancient Language'' The language of the elves in ''Eragon'', also spoken by the riders.

==Inspiration==
[[J. R. R. Tolkien]] created many languages for the [[Elves]] to compliment his books set in the fictional universe of [[Middle-earth]]. His interest was primarily philological, and he said his stories grew out of his languages. Indeed, the languages were the first thing Tolkien ever created for his mythos, starting with "Qenya", the first primitive form of elvish. This is now one of the two most complete - [[Quenya]] (High-elven) and [[Sindarin]] (Grey-elven). In addition to these two he also created several other (partially derived) languages.

==External links==
* [http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/ Ardalambion - a very complete source for learning Elvish]
* [http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/4948/index.html Elvish fonts for Windows]
* [http://www.elvish.org Elvish.org]
* [http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/misc/local/TolkLang/ Various Tolkien resources]
* [http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/qcourse.htm A downloadable course in Quenya]
* [http://babel.uoregon.edu/yamada/fonts/tolkien.html Elvish & Dwarf fonts for Mac Classic]
* [http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/misc/local/TolkLang/resources List of available books about Elvish]
* [http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/misc/local/TolkLang/fonts/ Elvish fonts] for TeX|TEX
* [http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/misc/local/TolkLang/pronguide.html Pronunciation guide]
* [http://at.mansbjorkman.net Learn Tengwar and Sarati]

[[Category:Languages]]

Ilkorin

2009-01-17T12:08:11Z

Temp:

'''Ilkorin''' was a language (and to a lesser extent, a populace) Tolkien wrote in the earliest versions of his Legendarium. It was the language of those who were not of [[Kôr]]. It was, as such, replaced by [[Sindarin]] and [[Avari|Avarin]]. In [[The Etymologies]], some names (for example, the rivernames of [[Ossiriand]]) are said to be of Ilkorin origin. However, in later notes1, some of those names were renamed or given another etymology. In this same phase, [[North Sindarin]] was conceived, and it replaced many of the linguitic features.

==Notes==
#[[Morgoth's Ring]] and [[The War of the Jewels]]

[[Category:Languages]]

The Mark

2009-01-17T12:00:08Z

Temp:

A shortening of [[Riddermark]], the common name for the land of [[Rohan]] among the [[Rohirrim]] themselves.
==Etymology==
Mark here is used in the sense of the "boundary mark" or "march". The original untranslated [[Rohirric]] term was ''rad'' (from [[Lôgrad]], the whole name of Riddermark)
[[Category: Realms]]

The Mark

2009-01-17T11:55:54Z

Temp:

A shortening of [[Riddermark]], the common name for the land of [[Rohan]] among the [[Rohirrim]] themselves.
==Etymology==
Mark here is used in the sense of the "boundary mark". The original untranslated [[Rohirric]] term was perhaps *''grad'' (from [[Lôgrad]], the whole name of Riddermark)
[[Category: Realms]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:54:16Z

Temp:

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]] and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].

The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common. For example the Rohirrim had retained the legend of the being known as ''kûd-dûkan'' (translated as ''hol-bytla''), a term which became ''[[kuduk]]'' by the Hobbits, the name they had for themselves.

Rohirric names often have the element ''lô-/loh-'', which means "horse". ''Lôgrad'' means "Rohan" or "[[Riddermark|Horse-mark]]"; ''Lohtûr'' means "[[Éothéod|Horse-people]]".

The latter shows the element ''tûr'' also seen in the name ''Tûrac'' "[[Théoden|People-king]]".

Despite its relation to [[Westron]], Rohirric was not intelligible to its speakers. [[Legolas]] was unable to understand the songs, however he noted that the language is like the land itself: rich and rolling in part, and else hard and stern as the mountains.

==Translation==
As [[Westron]] is rendered in the novels with English, Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] tried to reproduce for English readers its archaic flavour in relationship to the Common Speech.

However the relationships between the two pairs of languages is not identical: Old English is the direct ancestor of modern English, but Rohirric was not the direct ancestor of Westron, since the latter derives from [[Adûnaic]].

==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:53:23Z

Temp: /* Translation */

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]] and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].

The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common. For example the Rohirrim had retained the legend of the being known as ''kûd-dûkan'' (translated as ''hol-bytla''), a term which became ''[[kuduk]]'' by the Hobbits, the name they had for themselves.

Rohirric names often have the element ''lô-/loh-'', which means "horse". ''Lôgrad'' means "Rohan" or "[[Riddermarc|Horse-mark]]"; ''Lohtûr'' means "[[Éothéod|Horse-people]]".

The latter shows the element ''tûr'' also seen in the name ''Tûrac'' "[[Théoden|People-king]]".

Despite its relation to [[Westron]], Rohirric was not intelligible to its speakers. [[Legolas]] was unable to understand the songs, however he noted that the language is like the land itself: rich and rolling in part, and else hard and stern as the mountains.

==Translation==
As [[Westron]] is rendered in the novels with English, Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] tried to reproduce for English readers its archaic flavour in relationship to the Common Speech.

However the relationships between the two pairs of languages is not identical: Old English is the direct ancestor of modern English, but Rohirric was not the direct ancestor of Westron, since the latter derives from [[Adûnaic]].

==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:52:16Z

Temp:

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]] and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].

The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common. For example the Rohirrim had retained the legend of the being known as ''kûd-dûkan'' (translated as ''hol-bytla''), a term which became ''[[kuduk]]'' by the Hobbits, the name they had for themselves.

Rohirric names often have the element ''lô-/loh-'', which means "horse". ''Lôgrad'' means "Rohan" or "[[Riddermarc|Horse-mark]]"; ''Lohtûr'' means "[[Éothéod|Horse-people]]".

The latter shows the element ''tûr'' also seen in the name ''Tûrac'' "[[Théoden|People-king]]".

Despite its relation to [[Westron]], Rohirric was not intelligible to its speakers. [[Legolas]] was unable to understand the songs, however he noted that the language is like the land itself: rich and rolling in part, and else hard and stern as the mountains.

==Translation==
As [[Westron]] is rendered in the novels with English, Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] tried to reproduce for English readers its archaic flavour in relationship to the Common Speech.

However the relationships between the two pairs is not identical: Old English is the direct ancestor of modern English, but Rohirric was not the direct ancestor of Westron, since the latter derives from [[Adûnaic]].

==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:51:31Z

Temp:

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]] and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].

The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common. For example the Rohirrim had retained the legend of the being known as ''kûd-dûkan'' (translated as ''hol-bytla''), a term which became ''[[kuduk]]'' by the Hobbits, the name they had for themselves.

Rohirric names often have the element ''lô- / loh-'', which means "horse". ''Lôgrad'' means "Rohan" or "[[Éomarc|Horse-mark]]"; ''Lohtûr'' means "[[Éothéod|Horse-people]]".

The latter shows the element ''tûr'' also seen in the name ''Tûrac'' "[[Théoden|People-king]]".

Despite its relation to [[Westron]], Rohirric was not intelligible to its speakers. [[Legolas]] was unable to understand the songs, however he noted that the language is like the land itself: rich and rolling in part, and else hard and stern as the mountains.

==Translation==
As [[Westron]] is rendered in the novels with English, Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] tried to reproduce for English readers its archaic flavour in relationship to the Common Speech.

However the relationships between the two pairs is not identical: Old English is the direct ancestor of modern English, but Rohirric was not the direct ancestor of Westron, since the latter derives from [[Adûnaic]].

==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:50:35Z

Temp:

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]] and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].

The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common. For example the Rohirrim had retained the legend of the being known as ''kûd-dûkan'' (translated as ''hol-bytla''), a term which became ''[[kuduk]]'' by the Hobbits, the name they had for themselves.

Rohirric names often have the element ''lô- / loh-'', which means "horse". ''Lôgrad'' means "Rohan" or "Éomarc|Horse-mark"; ''Lohtûr'' means "[[Éothéod|Horse-people]]".

The latter shows the element ''tûr'' also seen in the name ''Tûrac'' "[[Théoden|People-king]]".

Despite its relation to [[Westron]], Rohirric was not intelligible to its speakers. [[Legolas]] was unable to understand the songs, however he noted that the language is like the land itself: rich and rolling in part, and else hard and stern as the mountains.

==Translation==
As [[Westron]] is rendered in the novels with English, Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] tried to reproduce for English readers its archaic flavour in relationship to the Common Speech.

However the relationships between the two pairs is not identical: Old English is the direct ancestor of modern English, but Rohirric was not the direct ancestor of Westron, since the latter derives from [[Adûnaic]].

==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:43:08Z

Temp: /* Translation */

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]] and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].

The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common. For example the Rohirrim had retained the legend of the being known as ''kûd-dûkan'' (translated as ''hol-bytla''), a term which became ''[[kuduk]]'' by the Hobbits, the name they had for themselves.

The only other Rohirric given is the element ''lô- / loh-'', which corresponds to the Old English ''éo'' or "horse". The derived names ''Lôgrad'' and ''Lohtûr'' can be matched with ''[[Rohan|Éomarc]]'' ("Horse-mark") and ''[[Éothéod]]'' ("Horse-people").

All names beginning with ''Éo-'' are actually names beginning with ''Lô-'' or ''Loh-'', but the real names of [[Éomer]], [[Éowyn]], etc. are not given. Only one proper name is offered, that of [[Théoden]], whose actual name was ''Tûrac'' ("King"). His name shows the influence of Elvish languages in Rohirric — the prefix ''[[tur]]-'' means "master" or "lord" in [[Sindarin]].

Despite its relation to [[Westron]], Rohirric was not intelligible to its speakers. [[Legolas]] was unable to understand the songs, however he noted that the language is like the land itself: rich and rolling in part, and else hard and stern as the mountains.
==Translation==
As [[Westron]] is rendered in the novels with English, Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] tried to reproduce for English readers its archaic flavour in relationship to the Common Speech.

However the relationships between the two pairs is not identical: Old English is the direct ancestor of modern English, but Rohirric was not the direct ancestor of Westron, since the latter derives from [[Adûnaic]].

==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:35:28Z

Temp:

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]] and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].

The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] in the [[Vales of Anduin]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common. For example the Rohirrim had retained the legend of the being known as ''kûd-dûkan'' (translated as ''hol-bytla''), a term which became ''[[kuduk]]'' by the Hobbits, the name they had for themselves.

The only other Rohirric given is the element ''lô- / loh-'', which corresponds to the Old English ''éo'' or "horse". The derived names ''Lôgrad'' and ''Lohtûr'' can be matched with ''[[Rohan|Éomarc]]'' ("Horse-mark") and ''[[Éothéod]]'' ("Horse-people").

All names beginning with ''Éo-'' are actually names beginning with ''Lô-'' or ''Loh-'', but the real names of [[Éomer]], [[Éowyn]], etc. are not given. Only one proper name is offered, that of [[Théoden]], whose actual name was ''Tûrac'' ("King"). His name shows the influence of Elvish languages in Rohirric — the prefix ''[[tur]]-'' means "master" or "lord" in [[Sindarin]].

Despite its relation to [[Westron]], Rohirric was not intelligible to its speakers. [[Legolas]] was unable to understand the songs, however he noted that the language is like the land itself: rich and rolling in part, and else hard and stern as the mountains.
==Translation==
In the novels Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] saw the relationship between Rohirric and [[Common Speech]] to be the same as that of Old English and modern English, the later being the translation of Common Speech.
==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:28:06Z

Temp:

'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

Rohirric is derived from the language of the [[Éothéod]], who were among the [[Northmen]]. The [[Hobbits]] before their [[Wandering Days]] had contact with that people and their languages had many in common.

Only a few actual Rohirric words are given by Tolkien, such as ''kûd-dûkan'', an old word meaning "hole-dweller," which is related to ''[[kuduk]]'', the name the [[Hobbits]] had for themselves. Even this term was translated in the book: "Hobbit" is said to derive from the Old English word ''Holbytla'' or "hole-builder".

The only other Rohirric given is the element ''lô- / loh-'', which corresponds to the Old English ''éo'' or "horse". The derived names ''Lôgrad'' and ''Lohtûr'' can be matched with ''[[Rohan|Éomarc]]'' ("Horse-mark") and ''[[Éothéod]]'' ("Horse-people").

All names beginning with ''Éo-'' are actually names beginning with ''Lô-'' or ''Loh-'', but the real names of [[Éomer]], [[Éowyn]], etc. are not given. Only one proper name is offered, that of [[Théoden]], whose actual name was ''Tûrac'' ("King"). His name shows the influence of Elvish languages in Rohirric — the prefix ''[[tur]]-'' means "master" or "lord" in [[Sindarin]].

The ancestors of the Rohirrim were [[Northmen]], and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].
==Translation==
In the novels Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] saw the relationship between Rohirric and [[Common Speech]] to be the same as that of Old English and modern English, the later being the translation of Common Speech.
==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:20:44Z

Temp: /* Name */

{{rewrite}}
'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

In the novels Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] saw the relationship between Rohirric and [[Common Speech]] to be the same as that of Old English and modern English, the later being the translation of Common Speech. Only a few actual Rohirric words are given by Tolkien, such as ''kûd-dûkan'', an old word meaning "hole-dweller," which is related to ''[[kuduk]]'', the name the [[Hobbits]] had for themselves. Even this term was translated in the book: "Hobbit" is said to derive from the Old English word ''Holbytla'' or "hole-builder".

The only other Rohirric given is the element ''lô- / loh-'', which corresponds to the Old English ''éo'' or "horse". The derived names ''Lôgrad'' and ''Lohtûr'' can be matched with ''[[Rohan|Éomarc]]'' ("Horse-mark") and ''[[Éothéod]]'' ("Horse-people").

All names beginning with ''Éo-'' are actually names beginning with ''Lô-'' or ''Loh-'', but the real names of [[Éomer]], [[Éowyn]], etc. are not given. Only one proper name is offered, that of [[Théoden]], whose actual name was ''Tûrac'' ("King"). His name shows the influence of Elvish languages in Rohirric — the prefix ''[[tur]]-'' means "master" or "lord" in [[Sindarin]].

The ancestors of the Rohirrim were [[Northmen]], and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].
==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled [[Marquette University|Mq]]15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Rohanese

2009-01-17T11:19:09Z

Temp:

{{rewrite}}
'''Rohirric''' is the language of the [[Rohirrim]] of [[Rohan]].

In the novels Rohirric is always translated through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_english Old English]. This is because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] saw the relationship between Rohirric and [[Common Speech]] to be the same as that of Old English and modern English, the later being the translation of Common Speech. Only a few actual Rohirric words are given by Tolkien, such as ''kûd-dûkan'', an old word meaning "hole-dweller," which is related to ''[[kuduk]]'', the name the [[Hobbits]] had for themselves. Even this term was translated in the book: "Hobbit" is said to derive from the Old English word ''Holbytla'' or "hole-builder".

The only other Rohirric given is the element ''lô- / loh-'', which corresponds to the Old English ''éo'' or "horse". The derived names ''Lôgrad'' and ''Lohtûr'' can be matched with ''[[Rohan|Éomarc]]'' ("Horse-mark") and ''[[Éothéod]]'' ("Horse-people").

All names beginning with ''Éo-'' are actually names beginning with ''Lô-'' or ''Loh-'', but the real names of [[Éomer]], [[Éowyn]], etc. are not given. Only one proper name is offered, that of [[Théoden]], whose actual name was ''Tûrac'' ("King"). His name shows the influence of Elvish languages in Rohirric — the prefix ''[[tur]]-'' means "master" or "lord" in [[Sindarin]].

The ancestors of the Rohirrim were [[Northmen]], and Rohirric was related to other Northmen languages, such as those of [[Rhovanion]], [[Esgaroth]], and [[Dale]].
==Name==
Tolkien did not give a known name for the language of the Rohirrim.

Rohirric seems to be an invention of [[Robert Foster]] in his ''[[Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''. Perhaps it was modelled on "Rohirrim" and the -ic of "Adûnaic". However the double ''r'' has no place here, since it derives from singular ''Rohir'' and the plural ending ''rim''.

Tolkien himself used the adjective ''Rohanese'' in ''[[The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor]]'' but it is not clear if he refers to the language or the names.

[[Lisa Star]] mentions that ''Rohirian'' is found in a manuscript labeled Mq15:10 and also in ''[[Peoples of Middle-earth]]'' p. 55, which is untrue. It has been also suggested that the manuscript actually says ''Rohirin'' but it is just a theory.

[[Category:Languages]]

Smials

2009-01-17T11:08:38Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

'''Smials''' are the [[hobbit-holes]], inhabited by the well-to-do [[Hobbits]], luxurious versions of the simple diggings of old. They had rounded walls and branched to other rooms.

However suitable sites for these large and ramifying tunnels were not everywhere to be found and many lived in wood, brick or stone houses. The poorest, however, went on living in burrows of the most primitive kind with only one window or none.

The [[Great Smials]] of [[Brandy Hall]] were large enough to have room for a hundred Hobbits.

==Etymology==
The word ''smial'' is an invention of Tolkien based on the Old English word ''smygel''. Smial is a translation of the [[Hobbitish]] word ''trân'' ([[Rohirric]] ''trahan'' "burrow")

==In real world==
"Smial" is a term used by [[Tolkien fan]]s to refer to divisions of Tolkien Societies.
==References==
*[[The Lord of the Rings]], ''Prologue, 1. Concerning Hobbits.''
==See also==
* [[The Tolkien Society#Smials|Smials associated with The Tolkien Society]]

[[Category:Shire]]
[[Category:Personal Dwellings]]

Great Smials

2009-01-17T11:03:24Z

Temp:

The '''Great Smials''' was the ancestral home of the [[Took Family]], located at [[Tuckborough]] in the [[Westfarthing]] of the [[Shire]].

Their excavation begun at [[Third Age 2683]] by [[Thain]] [[Isengrim Took II]]. They contained the [[Great Place of the Tooks]]..

[[Category:Shire]]
[[Category:Personal Dwellings]]
[[de:Groß-Smials]]
[[fi:Suuret Smialit]]

Great Smials

2009-01-17T11:02:17Z

Temp:

The '''Great Smials''' was the ancestral home of the [[Took Family]], located at [[Tuckborough]] in the [[Westfarthing]] of the [[Shire]].

Their excavation begun at [[Third Age 2683]] by [[Thain]] [[Isengrim II]]. They contained the [[Great Place of the Tooks]]..

[[Category:Shire]]
[[Category:Personal Dwellings]]
[[de:Groß-Smials]]
[[fi:Suuret Smialit]]

Mathoms

2009-01-17T10:56:32Z

Temp:

'''Mathoms''' was an old word of the [[Hobbitish|hobbit-dialect]], not recorded as being in use outside the [[Shire]]. It was used to refer to any item that had no particular immediate use, but whose owner had no wish to throw away. Mathoms were often given as presents by the [[Shire-hobbits]] - an important part of their culture - or stored in the [[Mathom-house]] in [[Michel Delving]].
==Etymology==
Mathom is an English rendering of the original [[Westron]] word ''kast''.
[[Category: Objects]]

Smaug

2009-01-17T10:52:18Z

Temp: /* Etymology */

{{royalty infobox
| image=[[Image:John Howe - Smaug the Golden.jpg|300px]]
| name=Smaug
| othernames="the Golden", "the Dragon Dread"
| birth=Not long before the [[War of Wrath]]
| rule=[[Third Age 2770]]-[[Third Age 2941]]
| death=[[Third Age 2941]]
| age=Nearly 6,000 years
| realms=[[Lonely Mountain | The Lonely Mountain]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Dragons|Dragon]]
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=Red-gold
|}}
{{quote|Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!|''[[The Hobbit]]'', [[Inside Information]]}}

'''Smaug the Golden''' was the greatest [[dragon]] of [[Middle-earth]] to survive into the [[Third Age]]. In the year 2770, he attacked the [[Lonely Mountain]] and drove the [[dwarves]] out, claiming their treasure as his own. Killing Smaug and reclaiming the treasure was the object of the quest in [[The Hobbit]].

== History ==
When he attacked in 2770, Smaug destroyed the town of [[Dale]] before entering the [[Lonely Mountain]] and slaying all the dwarves he encountered and burning all the towns with massive fires. After securing the mountain, he blocked all but two entrances: the main gate and a secret postern known only to the [[King under the Mountain|King Under the Mountain]]. Unknown to Smaug, the dwarf king [[Thrór]] and other members of the royal family had escaped through the postern, and others were not in the mountain when the dragon attacked. Following the attack, Thrór abdicated and gave the key to the postern to his son [[Thráin II]]. Smaug would remain in control of the Lonely Mountain for 170 years.

In [[Third Age 2850|T.A. 2850]], [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] -- while spying upon the [[Necromancer]] of [[Dol Guldur]] -- obtained the key and map to the secret postern from Thráin, who had become a prisoner there after being captured in [[Third Age 2845|2845]]. Having discovered that the Necromancer was actually [[Sauron]], Gandalf realized that Smaug would be a valuable ally to the Dark Lord. Gandalf therefore sought a way to destroy Smaug and re-establish the Kingdom Under the Mountain to reduce Sauron's power in the north.

Gandalf recruited Thráin's son, [[Thorin Oakenshield]], to reclaim the mountain. In 2940, at the home of [[Bilbo Baggins]], he presented Thorin with the map and key, and accompanied them on part of their quest. The party reached the mountain in 2941, and they sent Bilbo in through the secret door to investigate. Bilbo stole a small cup from the dragon's vast bed of treasure, sending Smaug into a killing frenzy.

Smaug scoured the mountainside for the intruder, but was unable to find the secret door. Bilbo visited the dragon's lair again when it returned and discovered Smaug's only vulnerability through riddling talk. Smaug left his lair again and smashed the mountainside with strikes of his tail, trapping [[Thorin and Company]] inside the secret passage, but not before the [[Thrushes|thrush]] that lived on the mountainside heard Bilbo describe Smaug's weakness.

Realizing that the men of [[Lake-town]] must have helped the intruders, Smaug flew there and attacked, setting the town aflame from the air. The dragon's scales were impervious to the arrows of the defenders, but the thrush also flew to the town and revealed the bare spot in Smaug's armor to [[Bard the Bowman]], who killed Smaug by firing the [[Black Arrow]] through the vulnerable spot. Smaug destroyed the town when he crashed, then sank to the bottom of the [[Long Lake]].

==Smaug's Conceited Personality==
{{quote|My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!|Smaug, [[Inside Information]]}}

Smaug appeared to be very conceited, and believed in his own invulnerability. The very suggestion that the dwarves might seek revenge upon him sent him into a fit of hysterical laughter. It might be said that it was only his greed and laziness that kept him from continuing to plague the nearby lands. Like all dragons, he loved riddling talk, and revealed his own weakness because of his vanity.

== Treasure ==

Among the items in his possession were the [[Arkenstone]], a cup, and a number of [[mithril]] chain shirts, one of which was gifted to Bilbo by [[Thorin Oakenshield]], and was later to save [[Frodo Baggins]] from the spear of a [[Goblins|Goblin]] captain in [[Moria]].

== Aftermath ==

After Smaug's death, Thorin and Company claimed the treasure as theirs by birthright. This created a conflict with Bard and the Elven King [[Thranduil]] of Mirkwood, who each wanted a portion of the gold as reimbursement for all the damage Smaug had caused their kingdoms over the years. Thorin refused to share the treasure and declared war on both of them. The conflict eventually exploded because they heard news of approaching wargs and goblins. This became the [[Battle of Five Armies]].

== Etymology ==
The name Smaug is a translation of the "original Dalish" '''''Trâgu''''', and is related to the name ''[[Trahald]]'' ([[Sméagol]], also known as [[Gollum]]). According to [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], the name Smaug is "the past tense of the primitive Germanic verb Smugan, to squeeze through a hole" ([[Letter 31]]).

This reflects his custom to render the language of [[Dale]] with Norse terms.

Others have noted that Smaug has echoes of "smoke" and "smog", though it is pronounced with a long /au/.

==Inspiration==
{{quote|Fafnir in the late Norse versions of the Sigurd-story is better; and Smaug and his conversation obviously is in debt there.|[[Letter 122]]}}

== Portrayal in Adaptations ==
[[Image:Rankin-Bass' Smaug.jpg|thumb|225px|Smaug as portrayed in [[Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit]]]]
In the 1977 animated version of ''[[Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit|The Hobbit]]'', Smaug was voiced by [[Richard Boone]]. In the [[2003]] video game release, Smaug was voiced by [[James Horan]].

== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Smaug|Images of Smaug]]

{{dragons}}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Dragons]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]