Olwë

The Great Journey

Olwë was the younger brother of Elwë, who became Thingol, and with him one of the two lords of the Teleri on the march from Cuiviénen. The Teleri were the largest and slowest of the three hosts, and it fell to Olwë more than to anyone to keep them moving when Elwë vanished in Nan Elmoth. His people waited long years in East Beleriand while they searched, and many under Elwë's other kin chose to stay for ever. At last Ulmo returned with the island that served as a ferry, and Olwë led the greater part of the Teleri aboard. They were drawn across the Sea, and at the plea of Ossë, who loved them, Ulmo anchored the island in the Bay of Eldamar, where it became Tol Eressëa. There, within sight of the light but not under it, the Teleri lived for an age, and Ossë taught them the making of ships and the lore of the sea.

King at Alqualondë

When the Teleri at length desired to come to the shore of Aman itself, Ossë taught them shipbuilding and gave them swans to draw the first ships, and they came to the coast north of the Calacirya. Olwë ruled the Falmari, the Elves of the shore, from Alqualondë, the Haven of Swans, a city of pearl and white stone whose harbour was entered through an arch of living rock. His people loved the sea above the Trees and built swan-shaped ships, the fairest that ever sailed. Olwë and Finwë, king of the Noldor, were old friends from the Journey, and the friendship was sealed when Finwë's son Finarfin married Olwë's daughter Eärwen. Through her Olwë was the grandfather of Finrod, Orodreth, Angrod, Aegnor and Galadriel, and it was this kinship that later opened Doriath to the children of Finarfin.

The Kinslaying

When Fëanor led the Noldor out of Tirion after the Darkening, he needed ships to reach Middle-earth and came to Alqualondë to demand them. Olwë refused. He would not lend the work of his people's hearts to a rebellion against the Valar, and he pointed out that the Noldor had built a whole city with their own hands and could build ships too. Fëanor accused him of ingratitude for the help the Noldor had once given the Teleri; Olwë answered that a friend's refusal to aid folly was no betrayal. Fëanor then seized the ships by force, and in the fighting on the quays many of the lightly-armed Teleri died. It was the first slaying of Elf by Elf, and Olwë called on Ossë, but the Valar would not hinder the Noldor's departure by force. The Teleri never forgot it. When the host of the Valar sailed to the War of Wrath, Olwë's people would not fight, and they manned the ships but did not set foot in Middle-earth.

Later

Olwë remained king in Alqualondë through the later Ages. He is not recorded as taking part in the later history of Middle-earth, but his line ran through Galadriel to Celebrían and so to Elrond's children, and the ships that carried the Ring-bearers west at the end of the Third Age were of the tradition his people founded.

Still King of the Teleri at Alqualondë; the published texts record no death.