Amdír

From Tolkien Gateway
The name Amdír refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Amdir (disambiguation).
Amdír
Sinda
Irsanna - Amdir.jpg
"Amdir" by Irsanna
Biographical Information
Other namesMalgalad
See below
TitlesKing of Lórien
LocationLórinand
AffiliationLast Alliance of Elves and Men
LanguageSindarin, Silvan Elvish
BirthBefore c. S.A. 730
RuleUntil S.A. 3434
DeathS.A. 3434 (aged 2704+)
Battle of Dagorlad
Family
ChildrenAmroth
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Amdír

Amdír, also called Malgalad, was the father of Amroth and a Sindarin King of Lórien who was slain during the Battle of Dagorlad.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

Little is known of Amdír's early history[note 1]. Aldarion is noted as visiting 'the country of Amroth' (Amdír's son) on the Bay of Belfalas in about S.A. 730, which might provide an early reference to Amdír's family. However, it is unclear whether the land marked on the Third Age map as Dol Amroth was known by that name when Aldarion visited it.[2]

Peace and obscurity in Amdír's realm lasted until the Downfall of Númenor and the subsequent return of Sauron to Middle-earth.[1] Though he answered the call of Gil-galad to the War of the Last Alliance, he was not disposed to serve under the High King of the Noldor. Instead, he brought "as large a force as he could muster" and joined forces with the greater army of Silvan Elves under King Oropher, the Sindarin-lord of the Woodland Realm.[3]

Ill-equipped compared to the Noldor and highly independent, the Silvan Elves suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Dagorlad. It was there that Amdír and more than half his army perished, being cut off from the main host and driven into the Dead Marshes.[3]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The word amdir, without the long í, is recorded as a word for "Hope", or "looking up", in Sindarin.[4] However, the name Amdír with a long i may rather possibly derive from a shortened form of Sindarin dîr (meaning an "adult male"), chiefly used as ending in proper names.[5]

The King of Lórien is called Malgalad in one text, detailing the fate of the Sindarin kings in the Battle of Dagorlad. Christopher Tolkien argues that, since they are contemporaries and both described as Kings that died in the Battle of Dagorlad, they are likely the same. It is unclear however which form was abandoned. Malgalad likely means "Gold-shine", from malt ("gold, the metal)"[6] and galad ("light, radiance, glittering, reflection from jewels, glass or polished metal, or water)"[7] or "Golden-tree", from the outdated spelling of galadh.[8]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

AMDÍR
d. S.A. 3434
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amroth
d. T.A. 1981
 
Nimrodel
fl. T.A. 1981
 


Notes

  1. It seems likely that given his Sindarin descent, that he was part of the wave of Sindar who spread out eastwards across Middle-earth in the early Second Age, settling among and ruling the Silvan Elves who lived in regions such as Lórinand but this is not known for sure.

References


Amdír
Born: Before S.A. 730 Died: S.A. 3434
None
New title
1st King of Lórien
c. F.A. 587[source?] - S.A. 3434
Followed by:
Amroth