Belfalas

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Belfalas
Region/fief
General Information
Other namesPossibly equivalent to, or at least related to, Dor-en-ernil, the Land of the Prince
LocationA wide promontory extending into the Bay of Belfalas northwestward of the Mouths of Anduin
TypeRegion/fief
DescriptionA shoreland fief of Southern Gondor
People and History
InhabitantsGondorians[1]
Sindar
Silvan Elves
EventsLoss of Amroth

Belfalas was a region of southern Gondor, encompassing the coast from the mouth of the Anduin to Dol Amroth.[2] South of the Belfalas lay a great Bay, which was named after it: the Bay of Belfalas.

History

In the late First Age, Sindar refugees from Beleriand[3] settled the area and established an Elven settlement about 50 miles north of the later-named Dol Amroth, at Edhellond[4]

A family of Faithful from Númenor had ruled over the land of Belfalas since the Second Age. This family of Númenóreans were akin to the Lords of Andúnië, and thus related to Elendil and descended from the House of Elros.[5] After the Downfall of Númenor they had been given the title Prince of Belfalas by Elendil[6] and their land, now a fief of Gondor, was called Dor-en-Ernil. He granted this family a noble title, making them the hereditary Princes of Belfalas.

Amroth, King of Lórien from the beginning of the Third Age,[7] left his realm behind in T.A. 1981 in search of his beloved Nimrodel, who had fled from the horror unleashed by the Dwarves in Moria, along with numerous Galadhrim. He waited for her at Edhellond, for their final voyage together into the West. But Nimrodel, who loved Middle-earth as much as she did Amroth, failed to join him. When the ship was blown prematurely out to sea, he jumped overboard in a futile attempt to reach the shore to search for her, and drowned in the bay.[8] When Amroth was lost at sea in T.A. 1981 the last of these Elves left the region.[9]

It was from the name of this king that Dol Amroth (the "Hill of Amroth") took its name. The first Prince of Dol Amroth was Galador, the son of Imrazôr. According to legend, Imrazôr had married the Elven-lady Mithrellas, a companion of Nimrodel.[10]

During the War of the Ring, the nearby city of Linhir was attacked by the Corsairs of Umbar and the Haradrim and Men of Lamedon under Angbor tried to keep them off, until the Grey Company with the wraiths of the Oathbreakers arrived and ended the conflict.[11]

Etymology

The name Belfalas consists of bel (a Pre-Númenórean element of unknown meaning) + Sindarin falas ("shore").[2]

Portrayal in adaptations

2014: The Lord of the Rings Online:

The Havens of Belfalas were an area in the region of Western Gondor. They were located south of the Blackroot Vale via "Tarlang's Crown" and south-west of Lamedon. The "Emyn Ernil" lay to the east, dividing Belfalas from Dor-en-Ernil. During March of T.A. 3019, the two bridges to the Emyn Ernil were destroyed, preventing direct travel between the two areas through the hills. The capital was Dol Amroth and other settlements included "Tadrent" and "Ost Lontir". There were two beacons in Belfalas, on the north edges of the Emyn Ernil: "Amon Lontir" and "Nendath". The small island "Tol Aduial" was in the bay north of Dol Amroth and the larger island "Tol Fennas" was west of Dol Amroth. A reclusive group of Elves, the "Avorrim", kept watch upon the abandoned haven of Edhellond in secret.

References