Boldog (title)

Boldog was an Orc-name used by several Maiar that took on the physical form of a primitive Orc during the First Age.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, index
== History ==
Multiple times throughout the War of the Great Jewels, the title Boldog was assumed by many of the lesser Maiar that served Morgoth. While these Orc-formed Maiar or Great Orcs were "only less formidable than the Balrogs",The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, "Part Five: Myths Transformed", "[Text] X", Author's footnote, pgs. 418, 423 (note 5) most of the bearers of the name were either nothing more than "delusions and phantoms", or took on a degrading hröa to mock Elves and Men.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, Part Five: "Myths Transformed", [Text] "IX", pgs. 414, 423 (note 4)The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, Part Five: "Myths Transformed", [Text] "VIII", pgs. 410, 423 (note 4)
In one instance, the name Boldog was used by an Orc-captain of Angband, who led a host of Orcs on a raid of the north-marches of the Kingdom of Doriath. He was commanded by Morgoth to capture Lúthien and bring her to him for an undisclosed reason. Boldog drove his host south over the highlands of Dorthonion and through the enchanted forest of Taur-nu-Fuin, following the Orcs' Road of Haste through the Pass of Anach. Where fell darkness met the mists of the Girdle of Melian, just east of the river Mindeb, the Orc-host reached the border of Doriath. To meet the deadly threat posed by Boldog's invasion in force, Thingol mustered his full might with his two great Captains, Beleg and Mablung. He lead the army of Iathrim Elves beyond the north-marches of Doriath. Thingol and Boldog met in single combat in the midst of the battle. Boldog fought him with an iron spear, but was ultimately slain by Thingol wielding Aranrúth.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. III: The Lays of Beleriand, III: "The Lay of Leithian: Unwritten Cantos" and the Orc-host was utterly defeated with the remnants driven into Taur-nu-Fuin.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. III: The Lays of Beleriand, III: "The Lay of Leithian: Canto XII (Fingolfin and Morgoth; the meeting with Carcharoth)"
During the Quest for the Silmaril, Finrod, Beren, Edrahil and their companions disguised themselves in Orc-form, claiming to Thû to have been a part of Boldog's army and needed to deliver urgent news to Thangorodrim. However, due to Boldog's death, Thû saw through their disguise.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. III: The Lays of Beleriand, III: "The Lay of Leithian: Canto VII (Beren and Felagund before Thû)"
Boldog's iron spear was later used by Mablung during the Hunting of the Wolf.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. III: The Lays of Beleriand, III: "The Lay of Leithian: Unwritten Cantos"
While other Orcs named Boldog are accounted for, only one of their stories is told.
== Etymology ==
Boldog was glossed as a Sindarin word meaning "Torment-slayer", being derived from the elements baul ("torment") and daug ("warrior, soldier (chiefly used of orcs)").The History of Middle-earth, Vol. III: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part III: "The Etymologies", entries "ÑGWAL" and "NDAK"
== Background ==
Details of Boldog's raid are scattered through numerous versions of texts within The Lays of Beleriand, compiled by Christopher Tolkien - however, no aspect of the plot-lines involving Boldog are in serious contradiction with the Quenta Silmarillion. Boldog's independent command of a host of Orcs with its formidable objectives indicates that he would have been several ranks above most other Orc-Captains and champions (such as Orcobal or Balcmeg, who both were from a different century), and it had been thought by Tolkien in the later conception that Boldog was the name of the many Maiar that took on the form of an Orc, likely including the character killed by Thingol.
== Translations ==
Foreign Language 	Translated name
Amharic 	ቦልዶግ
Arabic 	بولدوغ
Armenian 	Բոլդոգ
Belarusian Cyrillic	Болдог
Bengali 	বোল্ডগ
Chinese (Hong Kong)	博爾多格
Danish 	Boldog ("Torturkrigeren")
Georgian 	ბოლდოგი
Greek 	Βόλντογκ
Gujarati 	બોલ્ડડોગ
Hebrew 	בולדוג
Hindi 	बोल्डॉग
Japanese 	ボルドッグ
Kannada 	ಬೊಲ್ಡಾಗ್
Kazakh 	Болдог (Cyrillic) Boldog (Latin)
Korean 	볼독
Kyrgyz Cyrillic 	Болдог
Macedonian Cyrillic	Болдог
Malayalam 	ബോൾഡോഗ്
Marathi 	बोल्डॉग
Mongolian Cyrillic 	Болдог
Nepalese 	बोल्डडग
Pashto 	بولډوګ
Persian 	بولدوگ
Polish 	Boldogowie
Russian 	Болдог
Serbian 	Болдог (Cyrillic) Boldog (Latin)
Tamil 	போல்தக்
Tatar 	Болдог
Telugu 	బోల్డాగ్
Ukrainian Cyrillic 	Болдоґ
Urdu 	بولڈاگ
Yiddish 	באָלדאָג
== References ==
Category:Characters in Beren and Lúthien
Category:Demons
Category:Deaths in battle
Category:Kinds of Orcs
Category:Maiar
Category:Ranks and titles
Category:Sindarin names & words
Category:Servants of Morgoth
Category:Servants of Sauron
Category:Villains
es:Boldog
pl:Boldogowie
ru:Болдог