Dior

From Tolkien Gateway
This article is about the son of Beren and Lúthien. For the the Steward of Gondor, see Dior (Steward of Gondor).
Dior
Half-elf
Jenny Dolfen - Descendants of Thingol 2.jpg
"Descendants of Thingol" by Jenny Dolfen
Biographical Information
Other namesAranel, Eluchíl (S)
TitlesThingol's Heir, King of Doriath, Peredhel
LocationOssiriand, Doriath
LanguageDoriathrin
BirthF.A. 470
Tol Galen
RuleF.A. 503 - 506
DeathF.A. 506 (aged 36)
Menegroth, Second Kinslaying
Family
HouseHouse of Bëor
HeritageMannish father, half-Elf/half-Maia mother
ParentageBeren and Lúthien
SpouseNimloth
ChildrenElwing, Eluréd, Elurín
Physical Description
GenderMale
WeaponryPresumably Aranrúth[1]
GalleryImages of Dior
"He appeared as the fairest of all the children of the world, of threefold race: of the Edain, and of the Eldar, and of the Maiar of the Blessed Realm."
Quenta Silmarillion, "Of the Ruin of Doriath"

Dior was the son of Beren and Lúthien, and the grandson and heir to the throne of Elu Thingol, King of Doriath. Dior was the first of the Peredhil.[2][3]

History[edit | edit source]

Dior was born on the island of Tol Galen in East Beleriand.[4] When he was 27, he married Nimloth of Doriath,[note 1] and took her back to live by the Lanthir Lamath waterfall at the base of the Blue Mountains. There, they had three children: Elwing, Eluréd, and Elurín.

After Thingol was slain by the Dwarves who coveted the Nauglamír, Dior with his father and a host of Green-elves of Ossiriand journeyed swiftly north to the river Ascar and fought the Dwarves of Nogrod in the Battle of Sarn Athrad.[5]

In F.A. 503, he and his family went to Menegroth and restored the realm of Doriath. After the death of his parents, a lord of the Laiquendi came to Doriath bringing the Nauglamír, which was worn by his mother. After mourning, he decided to wear it himself. When he placed the Nauglamír on himself, it sat lightly and he appeared as the fairest of three living races: Maiar, Elves, and Men. This news came to the Sons of Fëanor, who came to Doriath with their followers, consumed by the Oath of Fëanor.[5]

Dior managed to kill Celegorm, and Caranthir and Curufin were also slain, but the kingdom of Doriath was destroyed. Dior and Nimloth were slain during the Second Kinslaying, along with anyone trying to prevent the Sons of Fëanor from gaining the Silmaril.[5]

After the attack, the servants of Celegorm left Eluréd and Elurín in the forest to die. Elwing, however, carrying the Nauglamír, escaped with the remnant of the Elves of Doriath to the Havens of Sirion.[5] Years later, she would wed Eärendil and together they would seek aid from Valinor.[6]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

In the Etymologies, the name Dior is said to mean "successor" in Doriathrin. The name derives from Primitive Quendian ndeuro ("follower, successor"), from root NDEW.[7]

Other names[edit | edit source]

Dior was first called Aranel,[4] probably Sindarin for ("Elf King"). [8] Later he was called Eluchíl ("Heir of Elu") and the Fair.[4]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
Elu Thingol
 
Melian
 
House of Bëor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lúthien
 
 
 
Beren
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIOR
 
Nimloth1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eärendil
 
Elwing
 
Eluréd
 
Elurín
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elrond
 
Elros
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

The Book of Lost Tales[edit | edit source]

In The Book of Lost Tales, a name of Dior was Ausir (Gn. "The Wealthy").[9][10]

Dior's Fate[edit | edit source]

In an older version of the Quenta Silmarillion, Manwë spoke this judgment to Eärendil:

To Eärendel I remit the ban, and the peril that he took upon himself out of love for the Two Kindreds shall not fall on him; neither shall it fall upon Elwing who entered into peril for love of Eärendel: save only in this: they shall not ever walk again among Elves or Men in the Outer Lands. Now all those who have the blood of mortal Men, in whatever part, great or small, are mortal, unless other doom be granted to them; but in this matter the power of doom is given to me.
The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, Quenta Silmarillion

Christopher Tolkien interprets it as that Dior would inherit his father's mortality, irrespective of his mother's nature and choice:[11]

§9 It is to be observed that according to the judgement of Manwë Dior Thingol’s Heir, son of Beren, was mortal irrespective of the choice of his mother.
The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, The Conclusion Of The Quenta Silmarillion, §9

Notes

  1. Nimloth's parentage is uncertain. She may have been the daughter of Galathil, grandson of Elmo, younger brother of Elu Thingol. This would make Nimloth and Dior second cousins once removed.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "A Description of the Island of Númenor", note 2
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "The names of Finwë's descendants", p. 348
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XII. The Problem of Ros", p. 369
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", p. 375, entry "NDEW"
  8. David Salo (2004), A Gateway to Sindarin, p. 341
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "V. The Tale of Eärendel", pp. 240, 244, 251
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 20
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, VI. Quenta Silmarillion", The Conclusion Of The Quenta Silmarillion, §9
Dior
House of Bëor
Born: F.A. 470 Died: F.A. 506
Preceded by:
Thingol
2nd King of Doriath
F.A. 503506
None
Kingdom destroyed