House of Hador: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:House of Hador]]
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[[Category:Mannish Noble Houses|Hador]]
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Revision as of 11:02, 14 July 2015

"Who told you, and who sent you?" — Gandalf
This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made.
The name Hador refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Hador (disambiguation).

The House of Hador was the name of the third House of the Edain to cross the Ered Luin into Beleriand during the First Age. They were originally known as the House of Marach but were renamed during the reign of their later ruler Hador in honour of him.

Origin

The Men of the House of Marach descended from the tribes of Men who abanoned Hildórien for the West. They were at war with the Men who fell under the Shadow, and were pursued by them.[1] They followed a northern road around northern Rhûn where they met some Dwarves.[2] At the shores of the Sea of Rhûn a small part was separated. The Greater Folk, the ancestors of Marach came later in the north-east woods near the shores. They crafted boats and could sail the insland Sea, and seemed to had been related to the ancestors of the Northmen.[3]

In F.A. 313, the people of Marach crossed the Ered Luin and entered Beleriand. They were the largest of the Houses and also the most warlike and they frightened the native Green-elves who inhabited the forested slopes of the mountains and so were bidden to progress to Estolad as the House of Bëor had done. Of all the Houses of the Edain the Hadorians remained longest in Estolad (perhaps due to the immense size of the House) but became close allies with the Ñoldorin House of Fingolfin who reigned in Hithlum. Under the rule of Magor, grandson of Marach the House removed to the southern slopes of the Ered Wethrin.

History

It was during the reign of Hador in 416 though that the House of Marach were finally granted permanent lands in the form of the fief of Dor-lómin within Hithlum. In recognition of the first lord of their new realm the House became known as the House of Hador. As a gift from his new lords, Hador was given the Dragon Helm by Fingon, which became a great heirloom of the House, borne by all its lords save Húrin. They enjoyed much splendor under the House of Fingolfin, and their warriors held Eithel Sirion and fought beside the Noldor in the Wars of Beleriand.

Hador died during the Dagor Bragollach alongside his younger son Gundor. So Lordship of the House passed to Hador's older son Galdor leading the House of Hador in the troubled times that followed the Dagor Bragollach. During those times the House united with some of the folk of the House of Beor who had fled from Dorthonion. Galdor's wife was of the Haladin and their sons, Húrin and Huor, were sent away to Brethil when they were lost and spent time with Turgon in Gondolin. Galdor himself was slain at Eithel Sirion in 462, thus Húrin became the third Lord of Dor-lómin.

During Húrin's tenure as lord, Hithlum was largely made safe, owing largely to the great reclamation of lost lands by the Union of Maedhros of which the men and elves of Hithlum were participants. This gathered steam until the plans were made for another assault on Morgoth in Angband- the battle that would become known as Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Húrin mustered all the men that Dor-lómin could provide to supplement Fingon's host in the west. The result was devastating for the House of Hador and their remnant covered the retreat of Turgon. They refused to leave and heroically drew up their lines behind Rivil, killing hundreds of Orcs and Trolls before their entire host killed to a man in a final last stand.

Later History

Hithlum, defenceless and beaten was thus taken by the treacherous Swarthy Men who had been so instrumental in Morgoth's victory without any notable resistance of what remained of the people of the House of Hador.

From this point the lives of the people of Hador became one of marginal slavery. The House of Hador fared badly under the Incomers; brutally suppressed, their lands were taken and their women forced into marriage with the new despot-lords of Hithlum. The nobility of the House went into hiding or killed trying to flee. Húrin's son and heir (and officially now Lord of the House) Túrin was too young to lead and so was sent away to Doriath for his safety by his mother and Huor's son Tuor was only born the year of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and so was similarly guarded; fostered by the grey elves that still inhabited the mountains of Mithrim. Those that could escape in the years that followed did-so fleeing to those havens of the elves that still stood but the House of Hador ceased to be as a coherent entity in much the same manner as the House of Bëor had suffered in the aftermath of the Dagor Bragollach.

None the less, when the surviving Edain were granted the gift-land of Númenor the House of Hador was still the greatest in size of all the Houses and so made up the greater portion of those who removed there.

It was said by Gondorian lore-masters that some of the sons of the House who refused the call to Elenna, became the ancestors of the Northmen; explaining thus the affinity the Rohirrim had with the Dúnedain.[4]

Physical Characteristics

The people of the House of Hador tended to be blond with blue eyes and of great height. They were marked as being the tallest men inhabitants of Beleriand save the Elves, strong and quick in mind. They were the largest of the Houses and also the most warlike.

As Elf-friends they spoke Sindarin but also the main dialect of Taliska which became Adûnaic.

Family Tree of the House of Hador

                               Marach
                            ______|_____________________________
                           |                                    |
                    Meldis = Malach                           Imlach 
            _______________|____________                        |
           |                            |                       |              
        Adanel                        Magor                  Amlach     
          |                             |
     Five children                    Hathol
                                        |
                             Gildis = Hador 
                            ____________|_____________                      
                           |            |             |
            Haldir = Glóredhel          |          Gundor
                   |                  Galdor = Hareth
                 Handir                 _____|_____
                                       |           |
                             Morwen = Húrin       Huor = Rían      
                               _____|_____             |
                              |     |     |            |
                              |  Lalaith  |            |                     
                             Túrin  =  Nienor         Tuor = Idril
                                                           |
                                                        Eärendil

References