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{{cleanup}}{{people infobox
| name=Edain
| image=[[File:Wouter Florusse - The Edain.jpg|250px]]
| caption="[[:File:Wouter Florusse - The Edain.jpg|The Edain]]" by Wouter Florusse
| pronun={{respell|eh|deyen}}
| othernames=''Atani'', ''Atanatári''([[Quenya|Q]])
| origin=[[Men]] who crossed into [[Beleriand]]
| location=[[Beleriand]], [[Middle-earth]], [[Númenor]]
| affiliation=
| rivalry=[[Morgoth]]
| language=[[Mannish]], [[Sindarin]]
| members=[[Húrin]], [[Túrin]], [[Tuor]], [[Beren]], [[Barahir]], [[Andreth]], [[Morwen]], [[Bëor]]
| lifespan=c. 90<ref>{{HM|Guide}}, p. 106, entry "Edain"</ref>
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=
| skin=
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
{{quote|Do you forget to whom you speak? Such things you spoke long ago to our fathers; but we escaped from your shadow. And now we have knowledge of you, for we have looked on the faces that have seen the [[Light of Valinor|Light]], and heard the voices that have spoken with [[Manwe]].|[[Húrin Thalion]] in ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'', "[[The Words of Húrin and Morgoth]]"}}
The '''Edain''' was the name given by the [[Elves]] to the noble [[Men]] of the [[First Age]] who fought alongside with the Elves in the [[Wars of Beleriand]]. 

''Edain'' is normally the [[Sindarin]] word for Men (sing. ''adan'' "Man") and thus applied to ''all'' Men, though it became associated with only those who came into [[Beleriand]] during the [[Long Peace]], the noble [[#The_Three_Houses|Three Houses]] who became close allies with the [[Elves]] and fought beside them against [[Morgoth]]. Other groups of Men who stayed in [[Eriador]] or the [[East]]; or entered Beleriand later in the First Age, such as the [[Easterlings (First Age)|Easterlings]], are not counted among the Edain.

The Edain were the ancestors of the [[Númenóreans]] or [[Dúnedain]], the High Men of the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age]].

==Origins==
[[File:Steamey - Men met Dark Elves.jpg|thumb|150px|left|''Men met Dark Elves'' by Steamey]]
The ancestors of the Edain were those [[Hildor|Men]] that [[Awakening of Men|awoke]] in [[Hildórien]] when the [[Sun]] first rose. Later they began migrating after coming into conflict with other Men that fell under the [[Shadow]].<ref name="S17">{{S|17}}</ref> They were drawn to the [[West]] seeking the rumoured [[Great Sea]] and the [[Two Trees|Light]] found there. These Men were divided into three distinct peoples with their own language and appearance.<ref name=atani>{{PM|Atani}}</ref>

As they continued moving west at some point the tribes separated into two hosts, two tribes moving north and the other south. The northern host was separated again,<ref>{{PM|XNotes}}, 45</ref> the [[House of Bëor|Lesser Folk]] of that host arrived at the shores of the [[Sea of Rhûn]] and dwelt at the feet of the nearby hills in the south-west. The other folk of the north host which was much greater than the previous came later and dwelt in the north-east woods near the shores. When the [[House of Hador|Greater Folk]] were able to craft boats so they could sail the sea they eventually discovered the [[House of Bëor|Lesser Folk]] dwelling in the hills, but they didn't meet or exchange tidings often, as their tongues had already diverged from their original common tongue but they continued to remain in kinship.<ref>{{PM|Ros}}, Note 13</ref> Some of the Greater Folk stayed behind in [[Rhovanion]], who seemed to had been the ancestors of the [[Northmen]].<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, Note 4</ref><ref name=atani/> 

During their wanderings the [[House of Bëor|Lesser Folk]] made contact with the [[Moriquendi|Dark Elves]] that still dwelt in the east<ref>{{S|12}}</ref> and they adopted "many words and devices" that influenced their language.<ref name=S17/>. They also encountered [[Dwarves]] whenever they travelled near mountains.<ref>{{WJ|Dwarves}}, §6</ref>

The [[House of Haleth|tribe]] that followed the southern route was different from the two Folk of the north and spoke an unrelated language.<ref name=S17/> They settled in the valleys of the [[White Mountains]] and were joined by a group of strange folk whom they called [[Drúedain|Drûg]] when they resumed their way to the west.<ref name="UTTD">{{UT|Druedain}}</ref> but also some remained behind, in [[Minhiriath]] and [[Eriador]]; those were the ancestors of the [[Enedwaith]] and the [[Gwathuirim]].<ref name=atani/>

Eventually the three Folks crossed [[Eriador]] and arrived at the [[Blue Mountains]], [[Bëor]] and some of his [[House of Bëor|folk]] were the first Men to enter Beleriand around the fourth century of the [[Years of the Sun]] of the First Age. The next year the vanguard of the [[House of Haleth|southern tribe]] followed and made contact with the [[Laiquendi|Elves of Ossiriand]], followed by the [[House of Hador|Greater Folk]] of the north. These Men therefore spoke two different languages, one of them being divided in at least two dialects.<ref name=S17/> They already had met Dwarves and [[Avari]] in the East and had adopted some of their speech.

==History==
===The Three Houses===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Felagund Among Bëor’s Men.jpg|thumb|''Felagund among Bëor's Men'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]] 
The tribes of Men became [[Elf-friends]], they entered the service of the [[Eldar]] of Beleriand and were ennobled and consisted of the Three Mannish noble Houses:

# The '''[[House of Bëor]]''': these descended from the Lesser Folk, they were dark-haired and stoutly built, and most resembled the [[Noldor]] of all Elves. They were first discovered by [[Finrod|Finrod Felagund]], King of [[Nargothrond]], and under his guidance later made their way to the lands of the Noldorin lord [[Amrod]], in a place later known as [[Estolad]], the Encampment. They remained loyal to the [[House of Finarfin]], and later settled in the lands of [[Dorthonion]].
# The Second House, later known as the '''[[Haladin]]''' or the '''[[House of Haleth]]'''. They were a reclusive folk, dark-haired but smaller in stature than the Bëorians. They were unrelated to the other two Houses and kept separate from the other Men. They settled in [[Thargelion]] before later receiving permission to settle in the [[Forest of Brethil]], part of [[Doriath]]. They mostly kept out of the wars.
# The '''Folk of Marach''', later best known as the '''[[House of Hador]]'''. They descended from the Greater Folk and thus were related to the First House. They were tall and golden-haired, and most resembled the [[Vanyar]] of all Elves. They were a very numerous and war-like tribe, and the [[Green-elves]] of [[Ossiriand]] feared them. They later settled in [[Hithlum]] by way of [[Estolad]]. They were loyal to [[Fingolfin]] and to his son [[Fingon]].

The Drûg that accompanied the Haladin to Beleriand lived with them in the forest of [[Brethil]], the Eldar named them [[Drúedain]] and admitted them into the rank of [[Atani]].<ref name=UTTD/> 

Some Edain grew suspicious of the Elves, believing that their journey to Beleriand was for nought and some returned to Eriador.<ref name=S17/>

===Wars of Beleriand===
The Edain were allies of the Elves and took part in the [[Wars of Beleriand]] against Morgoth and suffered heavy losses throughout the course of the war. In the [[Dagor Bragollach]] the House of Bëor was nearly wiped out and their folk massacred, the few remaining fled to [[Hithlum]] and [[Himring]].<ref>{{S|18}}</ref>

After Morgoth's victory in the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]] the lands of the Hadorians were invaded by [[Easterlings (First Age)|Easterlings]] and they were subjugated by them.<ref>{{S|20}}</ref>

===Later history===
[[Eärendil]], a descendant of all Three Houses of the Edain, sailed to [[Valinor]] and begged the [[Valar]] for aid against the power of Morgoth in Middle-earth which they accepted. The Edain fought with the [[Host of Valinor]] against the forces of Morgoth in the conflict known as the [[War of Wrath]]. Morgoth was ultimately defeated at the end.<ref>{{S|24}}</ref>
[[File:Luis F. Bejarano - Numenorean guard.jpg|thumb|''Numenorean guard'' by [[Luis F. Bejarano]]]]
After the War, the Edain were honoured and blessed by [[Eönwë]] in body and mind. They were granted the island of [[Númenor]] by the [[Valar]] as a gift for their fight during the [[Wars of Beleriand]], their loyalty to the Elves and their suffering.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

Those of the Folk of Hador settled most of the island, while those of Bëor settled mostly in the north-west, where they continued to maintain using the Sindarin language.<ref name=atani>{{PM|Atani}}</ref>{{rp|329}}<ref>{{UT|4}}, note 19</ref> Few of the Folk of Haleth had survived the ruin of Beleriand,<ref>{{PM|Ros}}, Note 17</ref> and some of them settled the island along with the Drúedain that lived with them.<ref>{{UT|Druedain}}, note 7</ref> Thus the Edain's descendants became a race far greater than all other Men in Middle-earth, living within sight of the blessed realm.

Some of the Edain did not leave Middle-earth to Númenor, some fled the disaster of the war to [[Eriador]] in the east, and their descendants remembered rumours of the deluge of the land beyond the [[Blue Mountains]] and feared to look upon the [[Sea]].<ref name=atani/>

When the Númenóreans returned to Middle-earth, they encountered many Men who were related to the Atani: they classified them as ''[[Middle Men]]'', and established friendly relations with them, such as the the [[Northmen]] or the [[Men of Bree]]. [[Pre-Númenóreans|Other Men]], such as the Enedwaith, were not recognised as Middle Men even though they share some kinship with the Folk of Haleth, but because they were hostile to the Númenoreans.<ref name=atani/>

==Characteristics==
The Edain were noble in spirit, and their appearances differed between houses, although during the progress of the late First Age, they mingled by the disasters of the [[War of the Jewels]] and intermarriage, so their differences became less marked.<ref name=atani/> Those of the First House were for the most part dark-haired and stocky, with grey or brown eyes and skin ranging from fair to swarthy. Little is known of the characteristics of the Second House, save for that they were dark of hair. Those of the Third House were golden-haired and tall, with fair skin and blue eyes.<ref name=atani/>{{rp|308}}

Upon their arrival to Beleriand, they were taught much lore and wisdom by the [[Eldar]] and their manners and arts were enhanced.<ref name=atani/> They were loyal to their benefactors, strong and fierce in battle. Their lifespan approached 90, probably quite more than of their ancestors, although that was the case only in peaceful times.<ref>{{HM|Guide}}, p. 106, entry "Edain"</ref>

Their descendants, the Númenóreans, were further blessed and ennobled. Their first [[King of Númenor|King]] [[Elros]] the [[Half-elven]] was a descendant of two unions between the Edain and the Eldar.

In Beleriand, most of the Edain adopted the [[Sindarin]] tongue, although their native language was [[Mannish]] with elements from [[Avarin]] and [[Khuzdul]]<ref>{{PM|Dwarves}}</ref> after their first contact with the [[Dark Elves]] and [[Dwarves]], respectively. The language of the survivors of the First and Third Houses was the ancestor of [[Adûnaic]]; the language of the Second House was unrelated to them. (See also: [[Taliska]].)

== Etymology ==
{{pronounce|Sindarin - Edain.mp3|Gilgamesh}}
'''edain''' is the plural of '''''[[adan]]''''', "man" in [[Sindarin]].

''Adan'' is a loan of the [[Quenya]] term '''''[[Atani|Atan]]''''' (plural ''Atani'' “Second Kindred”). Since the Elves primarily encountered the Elf-friends, the term usually refers to them, but could later also include other Men. The intended reference could be further clarified by using  Q. ''Núnatani'', S. ''[[Dunedain]]'' “Western Men” or Q. ''Hróatani'', S. ''Rhunedain'' “[[Easterling]]s”<ref>{{PE|17}}, p. 18</ref>

The noble Edain were also known as '''''Atanatari''''' which means '''Fathers of Men'''.
{{references}}
[[Category:Edain| ]]
[[Category:Sindarin demonyms]]
[[de:Edain]]
[[fr:encyclo:peuples:hommes:edain]]
[[fi:Edain]]