Sindar
Also calledGrey-elves, Elves of the Twilight, Eglath (the Forsaken), Elves of Beleriand, Iathrim (of Doriath), Mithrim (of the north)
The Sindar, the Grey-elves, are the Teleri who stayed in Beleriand when their kin sailed to Aman, and who under Thingol and Melian became the greatest Elvish people of Middle-earth before the return of the Noldor. Their language, Sindarin, became the common speech of all Elves east of the Sea.
Description
The Forsaken
When Ulmo came to carry the Teleri across the Sea, Elwë their king was lost in the wood of Nan Elmoth, spellbound by the Maia Melian. His brother Olwë took those who would go; but a great many Teleri refused to leave without their lord, and they searched the woods of Beleriand for him for years. They called themselves the Eglath, the Forsaken. Meanwhile the Teleri of the western coast, whom Ossë had taught to love the shore, chose to stay with Círdan as the Falathrim. When Elwë at last came out of Nan Elmoth with Melian, tall and shining as a lord of the Maiar, the scattered Teleri gathered to him, and from then on they were the Sindar, the Grey-elves, and he was Thingol, Greymantle.
Doriath and the Falas
Thingol ruled from Menegroth, the Thousand Caves, which the Dwarves of Belegost delved for him beside the river Esgalduin; it was the fairest dwelling of any king east of the Sea. His realm of Doriath lay in the forests of Neldoreth and Region, and when evil crept back into Beleriand before the return of the Noldor, Melian drew the Girdle around it, an unseen wall of enchantment that no enemy could pass without her leave. Under Melian's teaching the Sindar of Doriath became the wisest and most skilled of the Moriquendi, so that Elves of the West who came later found them almost the equal of the Calaquendi.
Círdan's people held the Havens of Brithombar and Eglarest on the Falas, the only Sindar who built ships. In the north, about Lake Mithrim, and in the wide lands between, other Sindar lived in scattered settlements under Thingol's overlordship but outside the Girdle. The Sindar were the first Elves to fight the Orcs of Morgoth in Middle-earth, in the First Battle of Beleriand before the Noldor came, when Denethor of the Laiquendi was killed on Amon Ereb.
The Sindar and the Noldor
When the exiled Noldor landed, the Sindar welcomed them as kin and allies against the common enemy. But Thingol did not open Doriath to them, and when word of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë reached him from Angrod and then from Galadriel, he forbade the Quenya tongue throughout his realm. The Noldor were far fewer than the Sindar, and Sindarin became the everyday speech of all the Eldar in Beleriand. The Sindar served in the hosts of the Noldor, married among them (as Celeborn did with Galadriel and Eöl with Aredhel), and shared the ruin of the war. Only Thingol stood apart, and his realm was the last to fall.
The fall of Doriath
The quest of Beren and Lúthien brought a Silmaril into Doriath, and the Silmaril brought its curse. Thingol was slain by the Dwarves of Nogrod in his own treasury; Melian departed; the Dwarves sacked Menegroth; Dior restored the kingdom for a few years; and then the sons of Fëanor came for the jewel in the Second Kinslaying and Doriath ended. The survivors under Elwing fled to the Mouths of Sirion with the refugees of Gondolin, and there the Third Kinslaying found them.
The later ages
After the War of Wrath many Sindar sailed West and settled on Tol Eressëa. Those who stayed lived in Lindon under Gil-galad and Círdan, or went east. Sindarin lords went among the Silvan Elves and became their kings: Oropher and after him Thranduil in Greenwood, Amdír and Amroth in Lothlórien, and at last Celeborn and Galadriel. In the Third Age the Sindar were the Elves whom Men most often met: the Grey-elves of Lindon, the household of Círdan at the Grey Havens, and the folk of Thranduil's halls. Sindarin was the language of the Dúnedain of Gondor and of the names on their maps.
What sets them apart
The Sindar were Úmanyar, Elves of the Twilight, who had never seen the Trees; but of all the Moriquendi they were the greatest, because of Melian and Thingol. They were the makers of the Sindarin tongue and of the Cirth runes devised by Daeron. They were a woodland people first, hunters, singers and lovers of the stars, less fierce than the Noldor, and slower to make war, but they endured the longest in Middle-earth of any of the Eldar.
Fate
The greater part of the Sindar had left Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. Thranduil's realm endured into the Fourth Age, Celeborn lingered in Lórien and then in Rivendell before he too sailed, and Círdan held the Havens until the last ship. Their language outlasted them in the speech of Gondor.
Physical traits
The Sindar were grey-eyed and mostly dark-haired, with silver hair in the royal house of Elwë and among the kin of Círdan and Celeborn. They lacked the light of Aman in their faces but were fair beyond any Men, and Thingol himself, who had seen the Trees, was the tallest of all the Children of Ilúvatar.
Culture
The Sindar spoke Sindarin and wrote in the Cirth of Daeron. Their capital Menegroth was carved by Dwarves and adorned with Elvish art in the likeness of the beech-woods of Neldoreth. They were hunters, harpers and woodsmen, and under Melian the Sindar of Doriath learned lore and craft that made them the equals of the High Elves in many things. They armed themselves with weapons from the Dwarves and were governed by a king in Doriath and by lords in the Falas and Mithrim. They loved the twilight and the stars, and their music, above all Daeron's, was famed among all Elves.
Origins
The Sindar are the Teleri who stayed in Beleriand: those who searched for Elwë, those who loved the coasts with Círdan, and those who simply came too late for the island. When Elwë returned with Melian, they became one people under his rule.
Fate
Sundered by the ruin of Doriath and scattered through the Second and Third Ages, the Sindar dwindled and sailed. A few of their lords lingered into the Fourth Age.
Sub-kindreds1
- Kindred
The Falathrim are the Sindar of the coast, the shipwrights of Beleriand under Círdan, who chose the shores of Middle-earth over the Sea-crossing to Aman. From the Havens of the Falas to the Grey Havens of Lindon they built every ship that carried the Elves westward.
Notable figures
Princess of Doriath
Lúthien
SindarLúthien, daughter of King Thingol and the Maia Melian, was the fairest of all the Children of Ilúvatar. For love of the mortal Beren she overcame Sauron, put Morgoth himself to sleep in his own hall, and won a Silmaril from the Iron Crown; she then moved Mandos to pity and chose mortality so that she and Beren might not be parted. Every line of the Half-elven descends from her.
Doriath, later Tol GalenKing of Doriath
Thingol
SindarElwë Singollo, called Thingol, led the Teleri on the Great Journey, met the Maia Melian in Nan Elmoth and never left Middle-earth again. As King of Doriath he ruled the Sindar for the whole of the First Age, set Beren the impossible price of a Silmaril for his daughter Lúthien, and was slain in his own treasury by Dwarves over the jewel he had once demanded.
DoriathChief of the Marchwardens of Doriath
Beleg
SindarBeleg Strongbow, chief of the marchwardens of Doriath and the greatest woodsman of the Sindar, was the friend and teacher of Túrin. He followed Túrin into outlawry and into the enemy's country to save him, and died at his hand in the dark of Taur-nu-Fuin, killed by mistake with the very sword he had carried to the rescue.
DoriathLord of Lothlórien
Celeborn
SindarCeleborn, a Sindarin prince of Doriath and the husband of Galadriel, outlasted three Ages of Middle-earth as lord of the Galadhrim. He shared the rule of Lothlórien with his wife, led the host that stormed Dol Guldur at the end of the War of the Ring, held East Lórien for a season of the Fourth Age, and at last, when the Golden Wood had emptied, went to Rivendell and thence over the Sea.
LothlórienLord of the Falas
Círdan
SindarCírdan the Shipwright, a Telerin kinsman of Thingol who stayed on the shores of Middle-earth when the ships sailed West, was lord of the Falas in the First Age and of the Grey Havens through the Second and Third. He built the ships of the Elves for three Ages, bore the Ring of Fire until he gave it to Gandalf, and remained at the Havens until the last ship should sail.
The Falas; afterwards Lindon and the Grey HavensKing of the Woodland Realm
Thranduil
SindarThranduil, son of Oropher, ruled the Silvan Elves of northern Mirkwood from underground halls for the whole of the Third Age. He led the remnant of his father's host home from the Last Alliance, imprisoned Thorin's company, fought at the Battle of Five Armies, held Gollum as a prisoner, and in the War of the Ring defeated the assault of Dol Guldur under his own trees.
The Woodland Realm in northern MirkwoodKing of Lórien
Amroth
SindarAmroth, King of Lórien after Amdír, loved the Silvan maiden Nimrodel. When the Balrog woke in Moria and she fled south, he followed her to the havens of Belfalas; waiting there for her in vain, he leapt from his ship in a storm and drowned. Cerin Amroth in Lórien and Dol Amroth in Gondor bear his name.
LórienMinstrel of Doriath
Daeron
SindarDaeron, minstrel and loremaster of Thingol's court, was the greatest of all Elven singers and the deviser of the Cirth, the runes later used by Dwarves and Men. He loved Lúthien, twice betrayed her to her father out of jealousy, and after she left the world he wandered into the East lamenting her and was never heard of again.
DoriathLord of Nan Elmoth
Eöl
SindarEöl the Dark Elf, a kinsman of Thingol who chose the shadowed wood of Nan Elmoth over Doriath, was a smith of surpassing skill who forged the black swords Anglachel and Anguirel. He took Aredhel of Gondolin as his wife, fathered Maeglin, and when they escaped him he followed them to the hidden city, killed Aredhel with a poisoned javelin meant for their son, and was thrown from the walls.
Nan ElmothCaptain of Doriath
Mablung
SindarMablung of the Heavy Hand was the chief captain of Thingol's Doriath. He cut the Silmaril from the belly of Carcharoth, fought at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, escorted Morwen and Nienor toward Nargothrond and lost them to Glaurung's malice, and died defending the Silmaril in Menegroth when the Dwarves of Nogrod sacked the Thousand Caves.
Doriath- Sindar
Nimrodel was an Elf-maiden of Lothlórien who lived beside the mountain stream that bears her name and was loved by Amroth the king. She fled the wood when the Balrog woke in Moria and was lost in the White Mountains on the way to the sea; her story became a song that Legolas sang to the Fellowship at the stream's edge.
Lothlórien King of the Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great
Oropher
SindarOropher, a Sindarin lord of Doriath, led his people east after the drowning of Beleriand and was taken as king by the Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great. He founded the Woodland Realm, withdrew it northward from Dwarves and Noldor alike, and died in a rash charge at the Battle of Dagorlad, leaving the crown to his son Thranduil.
Greenwood the GreatKing of Lórien
Amdír
SindarAmdír was the Sindarin king of the Silvan Elves of Lórien in the Second Age and the father of Amroth. He led his people to the Last Alliance and was slain at the Battle of Dagorlad when his lightly armed host was cut off and driven into the marshes.
LórienQueen of Doriath
Nimloth
SindarNimloth, a Sindarin lady of the royal house of Doriath and kinswoman of Celeborn, married Dior, the son of Beren and Lúthien, and was the mother of Eluréd, Elurín and Elwing. She was slain with her husband when the sons of Fëanor sacked Menegroth in the Second Kinslaying.
DoriathCounsellor of Thingol
Saeros
SindarSaeros was an Elf of Doriath, one of Thingol's counsellors, who envied Túrin the king's favour and mocked him and the women of his people at the king's table. His taunts and the ambush he set the next morning ended with his own death in the gorge of the Esgalduin, and drove Túrin out of Doriath into outlawry.
Doriath
Relations with other peoples
- Descended fromTeleri
- Allied withNoldor(against Morgoth, despite the Kinslayings)
- Allied withDwarves(builders of Menegroth; turned to enmity after the death of Thingol)
- Ruled bySilvan Elves(Sindarin lords ruled the Silvan realms of the Third Age)
- Allied withLaiquendi
- Allied withMaiar(Melian was their queen)
- Enemy ofOrcs
- Enemy ofGreat Spiders(the brood of Nan Dungortheb; the spiders of Mirkwood against Thranduil's folk)
- Enemy ofWerewolves(Carcharoth's rampage into Doriath)
- Allied withBroadbeams(friendship with Thingol maintained even after the sack of Doriath by Nogrod)
- Allied withFirebeards(built Menegroth and armed Thingol's people; the alliance ended with Thingol's murder)
- Enemy ofFirebeards(the sack of Doriath)
- Enemy ofPetty-dwarves(hunted by the Elves before they were recognised as Dwarves)
- Descended fromFalathrim
- Related toFalmari(kin left behind in Beleriand)
- Descended fromHalf-elven(Lúthien and Nimloth)
- Allied withNandor(welcomed by Thingol; later ruled by Sindarin lords)
- Allied withEdain(the Haladin held Brethil under Thingol's leave)
- Allied withHouse of Haleth(held Brethil by Thingol's leave; guarded the Crossings of Teiglin)
- Allied withDúnedain of the North(aid from Lindon and Rivendell against Angmar)
Places
Fought at
- Amon ErebMountainthe First Battle of Beleriand
Homeland
- DoriathRealm
Settled
- The FalasRegion
- The Grey HavensCity
- LindonRealm
- MithrimRegion
Ruled
- LothlórienRealm
- MenegrothCity
- The Halls of ThranduilFortress
Timeline
- Y.T. 1130
Elwë lost in Nan Elmoth
The king of the Teleri meets Melian and vanishes; his people search for him and are left behind.
- Y.T. 1152
The Forsaken
Olwë's host sails; those who remain, together with Círdan's coast-dwellers, become the Sindar.
- Y.T. 1300
Menegroth built
Thingol and Melian rule Beleriand; the Dwarves of Belegost delve the Thousand Caves.
- Y.T. 1350
The Laiquendi arrive
Denethor leads Nandor into Ossiriand and Thingol welcomes them as kin.
- Y.T. 1495
First Battle of Beleriand
Orcs assail the Sindar; Denethor is slain, the Falas is besieged, and Melian raises the Girdle.
- F.A. 1
Return of the Noldor
The Exiles land in Mithrim and the Sindar become their allies.
- F.A. 67
Ban of Quenya
Learning of the Kinslaying, Thingol forbids the High-elven tongue in his realm; Sindarin becomes the common speech.
- F.A. 465
The Quest of the Silmaril
Beren and Lúthien win a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown; it comes to Doriath.
- F.A. 473
Fall of the Falas
Brithombar and Eglarest are destroyed after the Nirnaeth; Círdan withdraws to Balar.
- F.A. 502
Death of Thingol
Thingol is slain by Dwarves over the Nauglamír; Melian departs and the Girdle fails.
- F.A. 506
Second Kinslaying
The sons of Fëanor sack Doriath; Dior is slain and Elwing escapes with the Silmaril.
- F.A. 538
Third Kinslaying
The refuge at the Mouths of Sirion is destroyed.
- S.A. 1
Lindon
Surviving Sindar settle under Gil-galad and Círdan west of the Blue Mountains, or go east among the Silvan folk.
- S.A. 3434
Battle of Dagorlad
Oropher and Amdír, Sindarin kings of the Silvan realms, fall in the Last Alliance.
- T.A. 3019
War of the Ring
Thranduil defends his realm and Celeborn takes Dol Guldur; Legolas serves in the Fellowship.
- Fo.A. 1
Lingering of the Sindar
Thranduil's people remain in Greenwood, Celeborn stays for a time in Lórien and Rivendell, and Círdan keeps the Havens.
Sources
- The SilmarillionQuenta Silmarillion chapters 4, 10, 13, 15, 19, 22
- The Lord of the Rings: AppendicesAppendix A part I; Appendix B; Appendix F
- Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earthThe History of Galadriel and Celeborn, Appendix B on the Sindarin princes of the Silvan Elves