House of Bëor

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The House of Bëor was the name given the first of the three Houses of the Edain to cross the Ered Luin into Beleriand after travelling west, driven forth by the terrors wrought by Morgoth in the east. From the House of Bëor would come many famous lords and heroes, most notably Beren Erchamion who claimed a Silmaril from Morgoth's Iron Crown.

History

Under the leadership of Balan (later called Bëor), they crossed over the mountains into Thargelion in 310 F.A and there were discovered by Finrod Felagund, thus they were the first men to encounter one of the Elves. Finrod befriended the House of Bëor and pursuaded Thingol, overlord of Beleriand to grant the new arrivals lands which to inhabit. Thingol gave to them (and the other two Houses that followed) Estolad in the realm of Amrod.In 402, Orcs attempted to break through the Pass of Aglon, but the people of Bëor helped Maedhros and Maglor throw back the invaders. This was the first time Men fought on behalf of the Eldar.

In the reign of Boromir as Lord of the House of Bëor, great grandson of Bëor himself, the Bëorians were granted Ladros in Dorthonion (ruled by Finrod's brothers Angrod and Aegnor) as a feifdom of their own which they inhabited until the Dagor Bragollach in 455 F.A when Dorthonion and Ladros included were swept away by Morgoth's offensive and Bregolas, the third Lord of Ladros was slain, leaving the leadership of the ruined house to his brother Barahir.

Barahir did what he could to ensure the House's survival, sending the women and children to safety under the leadership of his wife Emeldir. They went to the forest of Brethil where some merged with the Haladin, but others (including Rían and Morwen) continued on to Dor-lómin and joined with the people of Galdor. Meanwhile Barahir remained in Dorthonion with his son Beren, Bregolas' sons Baragund and Belegund, and a dwindling company of men. Pressed by Sauron from Tol-in-Gaurhoth this company was eventually betrayed by one of their members Gorlim the Unhappy, revealing Barahir's hideout at Tarn Aeluin. All the company were destroyed save Beren who was away scouting when the attack happened. None the less, from that point on the House of Bëor ceased to be an independent entity and its people joined the surviving Houses of Men.

Physical Characteristics

The Bëorians were noted as being very akin to the Ñoldor in their appearance; with dark hair, grey eyes and stout build and many of those descended from Bëorian stock (or part Bëorian) had these traits. Indeed Túrin Turambar whose mother Morwen Eledhwen was Bëorian, was mistaken for one of the Ñoldor inspiring his name Adanedhel 'Man-elf'.

Genealogy

                           Bëor the Old
                               |
                   --------------------------
                  |                          |
                Baran                      Belen
                  |                          :
                  -----------                :
                  |         |                :
                Boron    Baranor             :
                  |         |                :
               Boromir    Bereg           Belemir = Adanel
                  |                          | 
             ------------                    |
             |          |                    |
         Andreth      Bregor               Beren
                        |                    |
                 --------------              |
                 |            |              |
              Bregolas      Barahir   =   Emeldir
                 |                    |
         ----------------             |        
         |              |             |                 
      Baragund       Belegund   Beren Erchamion = Lúthien
         |              |                       |
      Morwen = Húrin   Rían = Huor             Dior = Nimloth
             |              |                       |
       -------------        |              --------------
       |     |     |        |              |     |      |
    Túrin  Lalaith  Nienor  Tuor = Idril   |     |      |
                                 |         |     |      |
                            Eärendil  =  Elwing Eluréd Elurín
                                      |
                   -----------------------------------------
                   |                                       |
         Elros Tar-Minyatur                              Elrond   =   Celebrían
                   |                                              |      
           Vardamir Nólimon                             ---------------------
                   |                                    |         |         |
             Tar-Amandil                                |         |         |
                   |                                    |         |         |
             Tar-Elendil                                |         |         |
                   |                                    |         |         |
     ----------------------------                       |         |         |
     |                          |                       |         |         |
Later Kings of Númenor      Silmariën                   |         |         |
                                |                       |         |         |
                        Lords of Andúnië                |         |         |
                                :                       |         |         |
                             Elendil                    |         |         |
                                |                       |         |         |
                      -------------------               |         |         |
                      |                 |               |         |         |
              Kings of Gondor   Kings of Arnor          |         |         |
                                        :               |         |         |
                                Kings of Arthedain      |         |         |
                                        :               |         |         |
                          Chieftains of the Dúnedain    |         |         |
                                        :               |         |         |
                                    Aragorn    =     Arwen     Elladan    Elrohir
                                               |
                                   ----------------------
                                   |                    |
                               Eldarion    Numerous daughters
                                   |                
                     Later Kings of the Reunited Kingdom