The Complete Tolkien Companion (30 page)

The history of the Teleri is more complicated. Their first Lords were the brothers Olwë and Elwë, and it is said that at Cuiviénen they were the most numerous of the Three Kindreds of the Eldar. For this reason perhaps they were slowest on the march, and became separated, not only from the First and Second Kindreds, but also from each other, so that the wake of the Journey across Middle-earth was sown with various Telerin peoples, hindmost of the Hindmost. In the process the two Lords Olwë and Elwë also became separated from each other. The foremost Telerin people, led by Olwë, came in the end across the Sea; but at first only as far as Tol Eressëa (later they completed the migration). But Elwë never again saw his brother in life, for he lingered in Beleriand and there founded a separate Kingdom of the Eldar in Middle-earth. His subjects were called the Sindar, ‘Grey-elves', by the returning Noldor. All Telerin kindreds were dark-haired, like the Noldor. And except those who were slain in the Wars – or who never came at all into Beleriand and so dwindled – they eventually also passed West, and dwell now in Eressëa.

At the beginning of the Second Age of Middle-earth the only Eldar left in Mortal Lands were the Sindar and a remnant of the Noldor. At this time their High King was Gil-galad, son of Fingon, son of Fingolfin, son of Finwë of the Noldor. But Celeborn and Thranduil, Lords of the Sindar, ruled realms elsewhere, in the eastern forests; and Círdan of the Teleri kept still his ancient lordship over the Elves of the coastlands and the Havens. But already they were a dwindling people, and from time to time ships would set sail from the Havens.

Throughout the long, slow years of the Third Age, the Eldar continued to decline in both power and numbers. The remaining High-elves dwelled mostly with Elrond in Rivendell, or with Círdan the Shipwright in Lindon, or wandered the Westlands in travelling companies; while those of the Sindar who still lingered in Middle-earth dwelt with Celeborn and Galadriel in Lothlórien, or with Thranduil in Mirkwood.

But with the great events of the War of the Ring in the closing years of the Third Age, the ban long imposed upon the Exiles was lifted at last, and most of the remaining Eldar set sail out of the Seas of Mortal Lands into the Uttermost West, taking with them the Three Rings, last symbols of their Dominion in Middle-earth.

See also
ELVES; QUENDI
.

Eldarin
– The generic name given to the languages spoken by the Eldar. The only two of these recorded in Middle-earth were the High-elven
Quenya
(‘the Speech') and the Grey-elven
Sindarin.
Of the two, Quenya was by far the more ancient, being the oldest of all written languages. It was flowing, flexible and highly modulated, and was said (by the Eldar) to have been influenced by the speech of the Valar. The Sindarin language was related to Quenya, and both were descended from a common ancestral tongue spoken in Middle-earth far back in the Elder Days. But during the long years when the Three Kindreds were sundered, the Grey-elves remained in Mortal Lands and their language therefore changed to a far greater extent than Quenya, though the original kinship could still be discerned.
See also
SPOKEN TONGUES
.

Eldarion
– The only son of King Elessar and Queen Arwen of Gondor and Arnor. He ruled after his father's passing in the year 120 Fourth Age.

Elder Children, Elder Kindred
– The
ELVES
.

Elder Days
– The First Age of Middle-earth.

Elder King
– A title bestowed upon Manwë, Lord of the Valar, by the Grey-elves.

Eldest of Trees
–
TELPERION
.

Eledhrim
–
See
EDHELRIM
.

Eledhwen
‘Elf-sheen' (Sind.) –
See
MORWEN ELEDHWEN
.

Elemmakil
– Captain of the Guard of the Outer Gate of Gondolin at the time Voronwë (of Gondolin) brought Tuor son of Huor there. After some hesitation, he allowed them to pass under escort.

Elemmirë
‘Jewel-star' (Q.) – The name of one of the stars created by Elbereth to bring light to Middle-earth, and so aid the newly awakened Quendi (the Elves), at the beginning of the Elder Days. Also the name of an Elf of the Vanyar, the minstrel who made the Lament for the Two Trees, the
Aldudénië.

Elen, Eleni, Elenion
(Q.) – The High-elven word for ‘star', descended (like its Grey-elven equivalent,
ÊL, ELIN, ELENATH
), from the very ancient Elven word-element el. It can be found in the personal title
Elentári,
‘Star-queen', in many words and names of Quenya origin used by Men of Númenor and Gondor (e.g.
Elendil,
‘Star-lover',
Elenna,
‘Land-of-the-Star'), and also in the ancient High-elven name for the first day of the week:
Elenya.
The Eldar (‘People-of-the-Stars') of course had many names for the stars, but at the time of the War of the Ring, the word
Elen
was the most ancient still preserved in Middle-earth. Its collective plural was
Elenion,
of which the Sindarin
Elenath
was the closest equivalent.

Elendë
‘Star-land' (Q.) – Eldamar.

Elendil (Tar-Elendil)
‘Star-lover' (Q.) – From 590–740 Second Age, the fourth King of Númenor. During his reign (
c.
600) the first exploratory ship, piloted by Vëantur, made the journey back to the shores of Middle-earth.

Elendil the Tall
– From 3320–3441 Second Age, the first High-king of both Arnor and Gondor, and the founder of these Dúnedain Realms in Exile.

Elendil was born in Númenor before its fall, the son of Amandil, last Lord of the Faithful of Andúnië. The Faithful were those Númenoreans who held true to the ways of the Eldar and thus survived when their rebellious countrymen were destroyed in the Downfall of that land in the year 3319 Second Age. Elendil than led the Faithful back to Middle-earth in nine ships, bearing a seedling of the White Tree, and the seven
palantíri.

Although Elendil was the High-king of both realms, he chose to dwell in Arnor, the senior of the two kingdoms, which he ruled personally from his beautiful city of Annúminas, beside Lake Evendim; his sons, Isildur and Anárion, ruled Gondor conjointly.

For a while both Exile Kingdoms were allowed to grow in peace. But, unbeknown to Elendil, Sauron the Great had also escaped the ruin of Númenor and had secretly re-entered Mordor. Forced to wait there while he gathered his strength, the Dark Lord became enraged on discovering that Elendil, whom he most hated, had escaped him, and was ordering a realm upon his borders. In the year 3429 Sauron struck. Lying within his easy reach, on the shoulders of the Mountains of Shadow, Minas Ithil was quickly taken; but Anárion successfully defended the line of the Anduin, while Isildur escaped into the North to rally Arnor.

One year later, Elendil formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men with Gil-galad, Elven-king of Lindon. The combined Hosts were mustered in Arnor and, in the year 3434, with Elendil and Gilgalad at their head, they crossed the Misty Mountains and marched south. At the ensuing Battle of Dagorlad, Narsil, the Sword of Elendil, and Aiglos, the Spear of Gil-galad, scythed through their foes and, though losses were grievous, the Alliance prevailed. Sauron was driven back to the Barad-dûr and there endured a long siege. Seven years later he finally emerged to engage Elendil and Gil-galad in single combat on the slopes of the volcano Orodruin. Though Sauron was himself overthrown in that fight, Gil-galad and Elendil were both slain. The High-kingship then passed to Isildur.

Elendil's body was secretly laid in a tomb on the hill of Eilenaer (the Halifirien, afterwards called
Amon Anwar
‘Hill of Awe') by Isildur. There it lay for over two thousand years until, in the time of Cirion the Steward, the casket was removed with reverence from the mound and taken back to Minas Tirith, to lie in the Hallows.

Elendili
‘Elf-friends' (Q.) – Another name for the
FAITHFUL
of Andúnië.

Elendilmir
– The Star of Elendil; the ‘crown' of Arnor (though the Sceptre of Annúminas was the chief emblem of royalty in the North-kingdom). It was a single white gem bound to the brow by a slender fillet of silver and had descended to Elendil (and so Isildur) from Silmariën of Andúnië. It was in Isildur's possession at the time of the disaster of the Gladden Fields (Year 2 Third Age) and was lost with his body. Accordingly, a new Elendilmir was made in Rivendell for Valandil, Isildur's last remaining son and now the King of Arnor. It was this jewel, known also as the Star of the Dúnedain, which Aragorn wore in battle at the Pelennor Fields.

After the War of the Ring and the expulsion of Saruman from Isengard, a close search of Orthanc revealed a hidden vault, in which were two items: a small golden case, large enough to hold a ring, on a golden chain; and the Elendilmir. Had Saruman actually found Isildur's body and pillaged it of its treasures?
5

Elendur
– The eldest of the four sons of Isildur, slain at the Gladden Fields (Year 2 Third Age). He was born in Númenor in 3299 Second Age. Also the name of the ninth King of Arnor, who ruled from 652–777 Third Age.

Elenna-nórë
‘The Land named Starwards' (Q.) – This great isle was the most westerly of all Mortal Lands, being just within sight of Tol Eressëa. At the end of the First Age, Elenna was given to the Edain by the Valar as a reward for their aid in the wars against Morgoth the Enemy. Accordingly, they set sail at the dawn of the new Age and founded there the realm of Númenor, far removed from the turmoil of Middle-earth.

Elentári
‘Star-queen' (Q.) – The High-elven form of the Grey-elven name
ELBERETH
. This Lady was more usually known to the High-elves as
Varda
‘The Exalted'.

Elentirmo
‘Star-watcher' (Q.) – A name for King Tar-Meneldur of Númenor after he had built a great star-gazing tower in the northernmost wilderness.

Elenwë
‘Star-maiden' (Q.) – The wife of Turgon of the Noldor. She perished during the dreadful crossing of the Helcaraxë, the Northern Ice, at the beginning of the period of Exile.

Elenya
‘Stars'-day' (Q.) – The first day of the ‘week' (
enquië
) in Elvish and Númenorean reckoning – and ultimately in the calendar of almost all Westron-speaking peoples of Middle-earth. The Sindarin name for the same day was
Orgilion,
which was the word used by the Dúnedain. The Hobbits used a translation of
Elenya: Sterrendei,
which later became simply
Sterday.

Elerrína
‘Star-crowned' (Q.) – A name for
OIOLOSSË
.

Elessar
‘Elf-stone' (Q.) – The title taken by Aragorn II on his accession to the throne of Gondor. Although the name had been foretold for the Dúnadan long before, the reason for it was not apparent until he received the green gem mounted in a silver eagle which had originally been given by Galadriel to her daughter Celebrían, and by Celebrían to her daughter Arwen Evenstar. Thus it came to Aragorn when he passed through Lothlórien with the fellowship of the Ring;
6
thenceforth he wore the jewel at all times.

After the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the people of Gondor also gave Aragorn the title ‘Elfstone', not knowing who he was or why the lords of the Realm treated him with deference – but perceiving the great emerald as a work of Elvish craft.

Note:
later sources expand on the history of the green jewel, though variations between them serve to confuse
7
. A consensus is that there were two stones of this name, the first made in Gondolin by one of the Noldor called Enerdhil, later given to Idril, and by her to Eärendil, with whom it passed into the West; the second made during the Second Age in Eregion by Celebrimbor for Galadriel in memory of the first Elessar, and used by her for its healing power. It was this ‘lesser' Elessar which passed to Aragorn.

Elestirnë (Tar-Elestirnë)
‘Lady of the Star Brow' (Q.) – The name given to
ERENDIS
, Queen of Númenor (and estranged wife of Tar-Aldarion) when she began to wear the diamond her betrothed had given her, not as a brooch, but mounted on a silver fillet about her brow. This is said to be the origin of the Númenorean kings' custom of wearing a diadem rather than a crown.

Elf-friend
– A possible translation of the name
Elendil
(which also means ‘Star-lover'). More specifically a title of honour awarded to folk of other race who proved friendly to Elves. The Edain of the First Age were known as the ‘Three Houses of the Elf-friends'.

Elfhelm
– A Marshal of Rohan who fought in – and survived – many of the battles of the War of the Ring, including the great Battle of the Pelennor Fields (March, 3019 Third Age). He fought at the Isen against Saruman, and later led the right wing of Riders when Théoden's men broke through the unguarded Pelennor wall at its most northerly point and charged to the relief of the city. There, his
éored
wrought great destruction among the Orcs and Men who manned the fire-pits and siege-engines near the city-walls of Minas Tirith.

Several days later, Elfhelm commanded the main body of the Rohirrim who guarded the northern flank in Anórien while the Host of the West marched to offer battle at the Black Gate.

Elfhild
– The wife of King Théoden of Rohan. She died early in her life while giving birth to Théoden's only son, Théodred, himself slain during the War of the Ring. Théoden never remarried.