Gondolindrim

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Gondolindrim
People
Mysilvergreen - Gondolin party.jpg
"Gondolin party" by Mysilvergreen
General Information
Pronunciationgon-do-lin-drim
Other namesElves of Gondolin
OriginsThe Noldor and Sindar of Nevrast, led to the Hidden City by Turgon
LocationsGondolin
AffiliationUnion of Maedhros
LanguagesQuenya, Sindarin
MembersTurgon, Idril, Tuor, Maeglin, Ecthelion, Glorfindel
Physical Description
LifespanImmortal
GalleryImages of Gondolindrim

The Gondolindrim were the people of Gondolin, a mixed population of Noldorin and Sindarin Elves under the rule of Turgon.[1][2] While they take their name from the city of Gondolin where they later dwelt, the Gondolindrim were in origin the Elves of Nevrast.[3] Ulmo seemed to take a special interest in the Gondolindrim throughout their history. The Gondolindrim were keen in arts and constructions but also valiant fighters.

History

The first Elves to dwell in Nevrast were Sindar, who had been drawn in days of old to the coasts near Mount Taras by the comings of Ulmo and Ossë. At the time the Noldor returned to Middle-earth, most of the Grey-elves of Nevrast still dwelt in the coastal region in the southwest. Turgon settled there with his own people, Noldor of the house of Fingolfin, taking up lordship of Nevrast and building Vinyamar. The first mingling of Sindar and Noldor took place in Nevrast, and they became one people.[1]

At Ulmo's urging and with his guidance Turgon, seeking a refuge from Morgoth, found the hidden vale of Tumladen within the Encircling Mountains. After Dagor Aglareb Turgon brought many of the most skilled of the Elves of Nevrast to Tumladen, where they set about building Gondolin in secret. When the city was finished, the people of Nevrast (including one third of the Noldor of Fingolfin, and even more Sindar) abandoned Nevrast and came in secret, in small companies one-by-one, through Ered Wethrin to Gondolin.[3]

Turgon Strengthens the Watch by Alan Lee

Because Gondolin was strictly separated from the rest of Beleriand by Ered Wethrin and it is unlikely that substantial numbers of other kindreds ever came to settle there. Only a few notable outsiders are known to have reached the hidden city: Huor and Húrin Thalion were the first Men to come to Gondolin and dwelt there for a year,[4] Tuor, son of Huor, made the city his home[5][2] and Maeglin, son of Eöl the Dark Elf and Turgon's sister Aredhel, fled there with his mother from Nan Elmoth.[6]

At the Fall of Gondolin, the survivors led by Tuor went to the Mouths of Sirion.

Etymology

Gondolindrim is a standard formation of Gondolin (S: "The Hidden Rock") and the Sindarin suffix -rim, denoting a people.[7]

Other versions of the legendarium

Earlier terms for the inhabitants of Gondolin were Gondothlim in Gnomish[8] and Ondolië in Qenya.[9]

Houses of the Gondothlim

In the The Fall of Gondolin the Gondothlim are described as being organised into a number of Twelve Houses, each one with a leader:[10]

House Leader
House of the King Turgon
House of the Heavenly Arch Egalmoth
House of the Tree Galdor
House of the Golden Flower Glorfindel
House of the Fountain Ecthelion
House of the Swallow Duilin
House of the Harp Salgant
House of the Mole Maeglin
House of the Pillar Penlod
House of the Tower of Snow Penlod
House of the Wing Tuor
House of the Hammer of Wrath Rog

See also

References