Valar

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The Valar (Q, pron. N [ˈvalar], V [ˈβalar]; sg. Vala) are the Powers of Arda who live on the Western continent of Aman.

Origins

Natalia Nikitin - Varda and Manwe

The Valar were the fourteen powerful spirits of the race of the Ainur who witnessed the Vision of Ilúvatar and so came to create Arda. Each was granted insight into a specific part of Ilúvatar's thought, and was therefore more aligned in spirit with that part.

Ilúvatar brought the Valar (and all of the Ainur) into being by his thought, and may therefore be considered their father. However, some of the Valar were siblings "in the thought of Ilúvatar".

The Valar (like any of the Ainur) had no physical body, but often took the shapes of Men, Elves or other forms of nature, or they could remain invisible. They were not gods, though Men have often called them such, especially in the beginning of Arda. They were actually emissaries or regents of Ilúvatar, who rarely directly intervened in the world's course of events. By chosing to enter Eä after its creation, rather than remaining in Ilúvatar's Timeless Halls, the Valar agreed to be bound to it until the end. However, they were divine spirits that required no physical form, and were therefore immortal, even beyond the immortality of Elves.

They and their followers, the Maiar, entered Arda after its creation to give order to the world and combat the evils of Melkor, who also came to Arda to claim it for his own. Although being the most powerful of the Ainur, was not considered a Vala.

These are the names of the Valar as they were known to the Eldar.

Lords of the Valar

  • Manwë Súlimo, King of the Valar
  • Ulmo, King of the Sea
  • Aulë the Smith
  • Oromë Aldaron, the Great Rider
  • Mandos (Námo), Judge of the Dead
  • Lórien (Irmo), Master of Dreams and Desires
  • Tulkas Astaldo, Champion of Valinor

Queens of the Valar (Valier)

  • Varda Elentári, Queen of the Stars, wife of Manwë
  • Yavanna Kementári, Giver of Fruits, wife of Aulë
  • Nienna, Lady of Mercy
  • Estë the Gentle
  • Vairë the Weaver
  • Vána the Ever-young
  • Nessa the Dancer

In bolded names are the eight greatest of the Valar known as Máhani, the Aratar "Exalted" (Sindarin: Rodyn) or High Ones of Arda. Melkor, the most powerful of all, is not counted among them.

Lórien and Mandos are brothers and are referred to collectively as the Fëanturi or "Masters of Spirits".

In Middle-earth, the individual Valar were known by other names in other languages. For example in Sindarin, Varda was called "Elbereth". Men knew them by many other names, sometimes referring to them as "gods" at first. The Dwarves called Aulë, their creator, Mahal. The Rohirrim knew Orome as Béma.

History

When the Valar entered Ea, Manwë and Melkor fought, and Manwë called other spirits to help him in his battle. Among these were the other Valar and the Maiar. After this First War with Melkor, the Enemy withdrew from the battle into distant places of , and the others continued their creation of the World.

They dwelt originally on the Isle of Almaren and illuminated the world with the Two Lamps, and nature prospered in the Spring of Arda. But Melkor saw this, and returned to fight for control of Arda and long before the Awakening of the Elves, the world was marred and the Valar moved to Aman and founded Valinor.[1] Outside the golden gates of the city Valimar, the Valar gathered in Máhanaxar to hold their great councils, bathed in the light of the Two Trees, and some of the most momentous decisions of Eä's history were made.

Ted Nasmith - Aulë and the Seven Fathers

Fearing about what would befall the Children and they engaged in a War for Sake of the Elves, at the end of which they broke Utumno and Imprisoned Melkor for three Ages. During that period they welcomed the Eldar in Valinor and they prospered under their guidance.[2]

The Ainur had witnessed the unfolding of the history of Arda in the Vision, but not all of it. Parts of it, and certain parts of Ilúvatar's thought, such as the true nature and destiny of the Children of Ilúvatar, remained hidden from them. Thus they were not gods or masters unto the Children, but rather their elders and guides, and were therefore unable to force the minds of Eldar and Edain, although they had power over their bodies.[3]

File:Ulla Thynell - Yavanna.jpg
Ulla Thynell - Yavanna

The Valar and the Elves mourned the loss of the Two Trees that gave light to Valinor. Feanor, the most gifted of the Elves, rebelled against the Valar and refused to surrender the Silmarils to rekindle the Trees, and then opted to leave Valinor to wrest them from the Dark Lord. He blamed the Valar for Morgoth's deeds and managed to persuade most that because the Valar had abandoned them, the Noldor must follow him to Middle-earth. He and his sons vowed to fight anyone and everyone—Elf, Man, Maia, or Vala—who withheld the Silmarils.[4][5]

Ted Nasmith - Ulmo Appears before Tuor

The Valar virtually abandoned the peoples of Middle-earth, although they had their ways to guide them through their sufferings: Ulmo urged Turgon and Finrod to build their hidden kingdoms and guided Tuor to Gondolin as a messenger for Turgon.

Ted Nasmith - Lúthien's Lament Before Mandos

Near the end of the First Age, Eärendil reached Aman and went before the Valar, and asked them for aid for Men and Elves in Middle-earth, to fight against Morgoth; and the Valar accepted his plea. The Host of the Valar, composed of Maiar and Amanyar came to Beleriand and fought the great War of Wrath and managed their final victory over the Dark Lord, who was judged again, and expelled from Arda.[6]

The Valar created the isle of Elenna for the Edain who suffered in the First Age, and blessed them and their descendants with wisdom, knowledge and longevity, but they imposed a ban on them to never travel westwards. Although the Númenóreans dominated the mortal lands, eventually they were restricted by the Ban and the fear of death. They envied the Valar and the Elves of their immortality, and King Tar-Atanamir was the first to speak against the Eldar and the Ban of the Valar. After several generations, Sauron had assured King Ar-Pharazôn that if he ever reached Aman he would become immortal, and he gathered a great host of ships and sailed to break the Ban of the Valar and wage war upon them. But Manwë was aware of what transpired, and the Valar then laid down the Guardianship of Arda. Ilúvatar responded by catastrophically changing the shape of Arda. After the destruction of Númenor, the Undying Lands were removed from Arda so that Men could not reach them and only the Elves could go there by the Straight Road and in ships capable of passing out of the Spheres of the earth.[7]

By the Third Age, the Valar worried about the growing Shadow of Sauron, and they held counsel. They sent some Maiar who came to the mortal lands in the guise of old men, a part of some restrictions imposed upon them. They formed the order of the Wizards and opposed Sauron, until his demise in the War of the Ring.[8][9]

It is said that their guardianship will grow weak and the Dark Lord will eventually escape the Doors of Night. The Valar will fight him again in the Dagor Dagorath, when the world will be destroyed, but the Ainur along with Elves and Men will sing anew a Second Music of the Ainur. All the Ainur know is that the Second Music will be greater than the First Music. Even the Ainur do not know anything of the second world or the Second Music only that it will be greater than the First Music.

Etymology, names and titles

The word vala means "(angelic) power" and derives from the root BAL. It is also the name of Tengwa #22. Words related to that root have to do with authority or divinity, eg. vala "to rule"[10]. The Valar were commemorated in the day-name Valanya and personal names such as Valandur or Valandil.

In Sindarin, they are called Belain, sg. Balan as in the day-name Orbelain and the constellation Cerch i Mbelain. More commonly, they were called Rodyn (singular Rodon) instead.

The Valar are also called the Lords of Valinor[11] or númeheruvi "Lords-of-West" [12]

In Adunaic, the Valar were Avalôi (pl.) and Avalôim (subj. pl.) "Powers". The female form (equivalent to Valie) was Avalê "goddess".<ref>J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, pp. 241, 305, 428<ref>

In Ælfwine's translations in Old English, the Valar were called Frean "lords", Ese "gods", Bregan "rulers" and Maegen "powers".

Relationships between the Valar

In the mind of Eru, some Valar were siblings. Furthermore, some were couples. It was the Valar who first practiced marriage, and later passed on their custom to the Elves. However only one such marriage among the Valar took place within the world, that of Tulkas and Nessa after the raising of the Two Lamps.

Ulmo and Nienna (and Melkor) were unmarried. In the diagram below the Aratar are in bold font and the Fëanturi are in Italic font.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ilúvatar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vairë
 
Mandos
 
Nienna
 
Irmo
 
Estë
 
Ulmo
 
Melkor
 
Manwë
 
Varda
 
Aulë
 
Yavanna
 
Vána
 
Oromë
 
Nessa
 
Tulkas
 
 
 
 
 
 

See also

Ainur
Valar Lords Manwë · Ulmo · Aulë · Oromë · Mandos · Irmo · Tulkas · Melkor
Valier Varda · Yavanna · Nienna · Estë · Vairë · Vána · Nessa
Maiar Arien · Blue Wizards · Eönwë · Gandalf · Ilmarë · Melian · Ossë · Radagast · Salmar · Saruman · Tilion · Uinen
Úmaiar Sauron · Balrogs (Gothmog · Durin's Bane) · Boldogs
Concepts and locations Almaren · Aratar (indicated in italics) · Creation of the Ainur · Fana · Máhanaxar · Ainulindalë · Order of Wizards (indicated in bold) · Second Music of the Ainur · Timeless Halls · Valarin · Valinor · Valimar

fa:والا

References