Caranthir

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Caranthir
Noldo
File:Unknown Artist - Caranthir.jpg
Biographical Information
Other namesCaranthir the Dark,
Morifinwë (Q, fn),
Carnistir (Q, mn)
LocationTirion; Thargelion (Dor Caranthir)
AffiliationOath of Fëanor
LanguageQuenya and Sindarin
BirthDuring Years of the Trees
Tirion
DeathF.A. 506
Sack of Doriath: Menegroth
Family
HouseHouse of Fëanor
ParentageFëanor & Nerdanel
SiblingsMaedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Amrod and Amras
SpouseUnnamed
Physical Description
GenderMale
Hair colorDark
GalleryImages of Caranthir

Caranthir, the fourth of the Sons of Fëanor, was also the harshest and the quickest to anger. He was known as "Caranthir the Dark".

History

As the other Sons of Fëanor, Caranthir was bound by an oath to recover his father's Silmarils, which had been stolen by the Dark Lord Morgoth. This oath took the seven brothers to Middle-earth during the First Age, where they established realms in exile, waged war against the armies of Morgoth, fought their own Elvish kind, and eventually brought ruin upon themselves.

Caranthir's realm was in Thargelion, and was sometimes called Dor Caranthir ("Caranthir's Land"). His abode was on the shores of Lake Helevorn.

In First Age c. 420, Caranthir rescued Haleth and her people, the Haladin, as they were besieged by Orcs. When he saw the valor of Men, he offered the Haladin a fiefdom in his lands to the North. However Haleth, wanting her people to serve no lord, thanked him but removed to the Forest of Brethil.

In 463, the Easterling Ulfang led his people over the Blue Mountains and swore allegiance to Maedhros. They were given land in Lothlann and became subjects of Caranthir.

In 472, the disaster of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad ("Battle of Unnumbered Tears") occurred, caused by the betrayal of the people of Ulfang. Caranthir lost his realm and was forced to retreat to Mount Dolmed with his surviving brothers.

In 505, he perished along with his brothers Celegorm and Curufin during the Second Kinslaying, the attack by the Sons of Fëanor on Menegroth to recover a Silmaril from King Dior Eluchíl of Doriath.

Etymology

Caranthir's father-name was Morifinwë, meaning "Dark Finwë", a reference to his dark hair. The Quenya word was formed using the noun more, meaning "blackness", "night" or "dark", which became mori- when added to his grandfather's name, Finwë. His mother-name was Carnistir, which can be translated as "Red-face". Carnë in Quenya means "red" or "scarlet". The name Caranthir is the Sindarin translation of his mother-name.

Genealogy

Names shown in italics are females.

Mahtan
 
Míriel
 
Finwë
 
Indis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nerdanel
 
 
 
Fëanor
 
Findis
 
Fingolfin
 
Írimë
 
Finarfin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maedhros
 
Maglor
 
Celegorm
 
CARANTHIR
 
Curufin
 
Amrod
 
Amras
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Celebrimbor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Other Versions of the Legendarium

In The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, chapter called The Nauglafring, he was called Cranthor, while in the early version of the Quenta Silmarillion, found in The Lost Road and Other Writings, he was named Cranthir.

References

See Also