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}}'''Oropher''' was a [[Sindarin]] [[Elves|Elf]] of [[Doriath]] who became the King of the [[Nandor|Silvan Elves]] of [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]] (Mirkwood) during the [[Second Age]]; he was killed during the [[Battle of Dagorlad]]. He was the father of the Elvenking of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', [[Thranduil]], and grandfather of the [[Elven]] member of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]], [[Legolas]].  
}}'''Oropher''' was a [[Sindarin]] [[Elves|Elf]] of [[Doriath]] who became the King of the [[Nandor|Silvan Elves]] of [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]] (Mirkwood) during the [[Second Age]]; he was killed during the [[Battle of Dagorlad]]. He was the father of the Elvenking [[Thranduil]], and grandfather of the [[Elven]] member of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]], [[Legolas]].  


==History==
==History==
Oropher was a [[Sindar|Sinda]] from [[Doriath]] who, following the destruction of [[Beleriand]] and the [[War of Wrath]], was unwilling to leave [[Middle-earth]] for [[Aman]] (as were many other [[Elves]]).<ref name="Sindarin Princes">{{UT|Galadriel}}, "Appendix B: The Sindarin Princes of the Silvan Elves"</ref>  
Oropher was a [[Sindar|Sinda]] from [[Doriath]] who, following the destruction of [[Beleriand]] and the [[War of Wrath]], was unwilling to leave [[Middle-earth]] for [[Aman]] (as were many other [[Elves]]).<ref name="Princes">{{UT|6b}}</ref>  


===Move to Greenwood the Great===
===Move to Greenwood the Great===
In the [[Second Age]], Oropher - with a few other [[Sindar]] - chose to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] and mingle with [[Elves of Mirkwood|Silvan Elves]] of [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]] as they were not dominated by [[Noldor]]in Exiles:<ref name="Sindarin Princes" /> the Elves of Doriath had no fondness for the Noldor with King [[Thingol]] banning the [[Quenya|Noldorin language]] and forbidding any Noldor from entering Doriath, except the children of [[Finarfin]] as they were related to Thingol (Finarfin's wife, [[Eärwen]] was Thingol's niece).<ref name="Return">{{S|Return}}</ref> The Silvan Elves shared common heritage with the Sindar as both the Silvan Elves (originally known as the ''[[Nandor]]'') and the Sindar were of the [[Teleri]] clan.<ref name="Sindar">{{S|Sindar}}</ref>
Initially the Elves who stayed behind ([[Noldor]]in Exiles, Sindar and others), lived together in [[Lindon]], but some of the Sindar, not wishing to be dominated by the Noldor and [[Gil-galad]], chose to go to the east and live with the [[Nandor]] with whom they shared the same [[Teleri]]n ancestry.<ref name="Sindar">{{S|Sindar}}</ref> Oropher with his people crossed the [[Misty Mountains]] and mingled with the [[Elves of Mirkwood|Silvan Elves]] of [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]]. The Sindar adopted the language and wholly embraced the life of the Silvan Elves.<ref name="Princes" />  
   
   
The Sindar adopted the language of the Silvan Elves and wholly embraced the life of the Silvan Elves as the Sindar desired to experience a more "rustic" and "natural" way of life as was the case after their awakening in [[Cuiviénen]].<ref name="Sindarin Princes" /> The Silvan Elves accepted Oropher as their King.
The Silvan Elves, who originally lived in the south of Greenwood, accepted Oropher as their King, who ruled from his capital on [[Amon Lanc]]. Over the course of the [[Second Age]] they gradually moved north to live around the [[Emyn Duir]].<ref name="Princes" />
 
Originally, the Silvan Elves lived in the south of [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]], with [[Amon Lanc]] as Oropher's capital, but over the course of the [[Second Age]] they gradually moved north to live around the [[Emyn Duir]]. The reason for this migration is unclear, being explained with two different reasons: due to the threat of [[Sauron]] from the south (who located to [[Mordor]] and started building [[Barad-dûr]] in circa {{SA|1000}});<ref name="Gladden">{{UT|Gladden}}, note 14</ref> or, due to both the increasing power of [[Dwarves]] of [[Moria]] and out of resentment towards to the intrusions of [[Galadriel]] and [[Celeborn]] into [[Lothlórien|Lórien]].<ref name="Sindarin Princes" />


===War of the Last Alliance===
===War of the Last Alliance===
Despite the Silvan Elves' hostility towards the [[Dwarves]] and the Noldor - and their desire to stay away from the affairs of the rest of the world - Oropher could see the danger that [[Sauron]] posed, and that his defeat would bring about peace in [[Middle-earth]], so he joined the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]. Oropher summoned a great army which joined with [[Amdír]]'s smaller force of [[Galadhrim|Lórien Elves]] to create one large host of Silvan Elves; the Silvan Elves were strong and brave, but had poor armour and weapons in comparison with the [[Noldor]].<ref name="Sindarin Princes" />
Despite the Silvan Elves' hostility towards the [[Dwarves]] and the Noldor - and their desire to stay away from the affairs of the rest of the world - Oropher could see the danger that [[Sauron]] posed, and that his defeat would bring about peace in [[Middle-earth]], so he joined the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]. Oropher summoned a great army which joined with [[Amdír]]'s smaller force of [[Galadhrim|Lórien Elves]] to create one large host of Silvan Elves.<ref name="Princes" />


[[Amdír]] and Oropher were unwilling to submit to the supreme command of [[Gil-galad]], as such they suffered heavier losses in the [[War of the Last Alliance]]. Amdír, and half his forces, died in the [[Battle of Dagorlad]] as they were cut off in the [[Dead Marshes]] from the main force, whilst two-thirds of Oropher's army also perished. Oropher himself was killed in the very first assault upon [[Mordor]] as he and other brave and hasty Elves rushed forward before Gil-galad gave the signal to charge. At the end of the war the remnants of the army returned to [[Mirkwood|Greenwood]] under the command of Oropher's son, Thranduil.<ref name="Sindarin Princes" />
The Silvan Elves were strong and brave, but despite having poor armour and weapons in comparison with the [[Noldor]], Amdír and Oropher were unwilling to submit to the supreme command of [[Gil-galad]], as such they suffered heavier losses in the [[War of the Last Alliance]]. In the very first assault upon [[Mordor]] Oropher and other brave and hasty Elves rushed forward before Gil-galad gave the signal to charge. Oropher himself was killed soon afterwards, whilst two-thirds of his army also perished during the war. At the end of the war the remnants of the army returned to [[Mirkwood|Greenwood]] under the command of Oropher's son, Thranduil.<ref name="Princes" />


==In Other Publications==
==In Other Publications==

Revision as of 06:19, 17 August 2014

Oropher
Sinda
Biographical Information
TitlesKing of the Silvan Elves
LocationWoodland Realm
AffiliationLast Alliance of Elves and Men
LanguageSindarin and Silvan
BirthDuring F.A. or Y.T.
Middle-earth
Ruleunknown - S.A. 3434
DeathS.A. 3434
Battle of Dagorlad
Family
ChildrenThranduil
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Oropher

Oropher was a Sindarin Elf of Doriath who became the King of the Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great (Mirkwood) during the Second Age; he was killed during the Battle of Dagorlad. He was the father of the Elvenking Thranduil, and grandfather of the Elven member of the Fellowship of the Ring, Legolas.

History

Oropher was a Sinda from Doriath who, following the destruction of Beleriand and the War of Wrath, was unwilling to leave Middle-earth for Aman (as were many other Elves).[1]

Move to Greenwood the Great

Initially the Elves who stayed behind (Noldorin Exiles, Sindar and others), lived together in Lindon, but some of the Sindar, not wishing to be dominated by the Noldor and Gil-galad, chose to go to the east and live with the Nandor with whom they shared the same Telerin ancestry.[2] Oropher with his people crossed the Misty Mountains and mingled with the Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great. The Sindar adopted the language and wholly embraced the life of the Silvan Elves.[1]

The Silvan Elves, who originally lived in the south of Greenwood, accepted Oropher as their King, who ruled from his capital on Amon Lanc. Over the course of the Second Age they gradually moved north to live around the Emyn Duir.[1]

War of the Last Alliance

Despite the Silvan Elves' hostility towards the Dwarves and the Noldor - and their desire to stay away from the affairs of the rest of the world - Oropher could see the danger that Sauron posed, and that his defeat would bring about peace in Middle-earth, so he joined the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Oropher summoned a great army which joined with Amdír's smaller force of Lórien Elves to create one large host of Silvan Elves.[1]

The Silvan Elves were strong and brave, but despite having poor armour and weapons in comparison with the Noldor, Amdír and Oropher were unwilling to submit to the supreme command of Gil-galad, as such they suffered heavier losses in the War of the Last Alliance. In the very first assault upon Mordor Oropher and other brave and hasty Elves rushed forward before Gil-galad gave the signal to charge. Oropher himself was killed soon afterwards, whilst two-thirds of his army also perished during the war. At the end of the war the remnants of the army returned to Greenwood under the command of Oropher's son, Thranduil.[1]

In Other Publications

Despite Oropher's relationship to two key characters from both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (Thranduil and Legolas respectively) no mention of Oropher is made in any other Tolkien publication beyond Unfinished Tales.

Genealogy

OROPHER
d. S.A. 3434
 
 
 
 
Thranduil
Unknown
 
 
 
 
Legolas
Sailed West Fo.A. 120

Etymology

Oropher came from Doriath - indicating that the name could be Sindarin or Doriathrin dialect - but:

Oropher had come among them with only a handful of Sindar, and they were soon merged with the Silvan Elves, adopting their language and taking names of Silvan form and style. This they did deliberately;
J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn"

The name probably means 'tall beech-tree'[3] from oro meaning 'high' and fêr meaning 'beech'.[4]

See Also

References


Oropher
Preceded by:
Unknown
King of the Silvan Elves
unknown - S.A. 3434
Followed by:
Thranduil