Lothlórien

The woods of Lothlorien in autumn, as viewed from the Mirrormere, TA 3002.

**Lothlórien** or **Lórien** was a kingdom of Silvan Elves on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains. It was considered one of the most beautiful and "elvish" places in Middle-earth during the Third Age, and had the only mallorn-trees east of the sea.

## Geography

Lothlórien stood between the south-eastern end of the Misty Mountains and the great river Anduin. The river Celebrant ran through the wood from its source in the mountains to the west through to the Anduin to the east.

In its earlier days, the woods of Lothlórien extended south into Fangorn Forest. In these days there was no true border between the two territories, though after conversation between Treebeard and the King of the Golden Wood it was agreed that the inhabitants of either land could walk freely at their leisure across whatever borders there may be. It is also possible that the woods of Lórien extended into the southern regions of Greenwood the Great.

The Silvan Elves lived scattered among the trees: Nimrodel had a house on the borders of her namesake river, and Amroth later made his own home on the hill later known as Cerin Amroth. However, due to continuing wars, the major settlements since at least the late Second Age were in the Naith or Egladil, the "Angle" between the courses of the rivers Anduin and Celebrant. Namely, the capital and stronghold of Caras Galadhon, lay there.

## History

### Foundation

The first inhabitants of the forested area later known as Lórien were a group of Nandor that refused to cross the Hithaeglir. Lórien was probably one of their scattered settlements in the area, which also included the Greenwood across the river Anduin. Later, however, as the power of the Longbeards of Moria grew, they relocated to the western side of the Anduin, across the Nimrodel. The land in which they dwelt (the forest east of the Misty Mountains, above Fangorn and below Greenwood) became known in the Silvan tongue as *Lindórinand or Laurelindórenan*.

### Under the Sindar

Following the destruction of Beleriand and the War of Wrath, most of the Noldorin exiles and remnants of the Sindar retreated to Lindon. The Valar reinvited these Elves to Aman, but Amdír, among many others, was unwilling and remained in Lindon. He, along with his son Amroth, established himself in Lindórinand, where he would soon lead the princeless Silvan Elves. Their language was replaced by Sindarin. The arrival of the Sinda Amdír affected the Nandor of Laurelindórenan. He took over as their King, while another Sinda, Oropher, became King of Greenwood the Great.

Celeborn, a Sindarin elf, dwelt with his Noldorin wife Galadriel in Eregion. They made contact with the Nandor of Lórinand, and before long they passed through Moria and arrived in the woods, planting seeds of Mallorn trees that, upon growing circa SA 1351, gave the woods a new name: Lórinand, in reference to the golden-leaved trees.

Before the Fall of Eregion and the death of Celebrimbor, Nenya, one of the Three Rings of the Elves, was delivered to Galadriel. Other survivors of Eregion, including many Noldor and Sindar, escaped into Khazad-dûm and were granted passage by their friends the Dwarves, coming eventually through the Misty Mountains to the woodlands that would long afterwards be called Lothlórien.

As Sauron's power grew over the Westlands, King Amdír marshaled the Elves of Lórinand to the War of the Last Alliance. His division was cut off from the main body during the Battle of Dagorlad and many of the Nandor went down into the Dead Marshes with their King.

The survivors of the battle, which included Amdír’s son Amroth, returned to Lórinand. Amroth was the new King, but he was tired of Middle-earth, and wished to go West and seek Valinor. When Moria fell to evil in TA 1981, many of the Lórinand elves fled south. Around that time Amroth departed to Edhellond with his beloved, Nimrodel. The Nandor never saw either of them again.

### Under the Lord and the Lady

After Amroth and Nimrodel had passed away, Celeborn and Galadriel took the title of Lord and Lady of Galadhrim, the collective name for the people of Lothlórien. With Nenya, the land was kept pure and alive, and evil was not permitted to penetrate it. They moved back to the western side of Anduin, and built Caras Galadhon, the great center of the woodland kingdom. Lothlórien was filled with light and life, and became beautiful and by the power of the Elven Ring the trees did not die.

Under the Lord and Lady, Lothlórien prospered for more than a thousand years as time passed without decay under the golden boughs. Celeborn and Galadriel produced a daughter, Celebrían who married Elrond, and their granddaughter Arwen Undómiel was considered the fairest of the elven race at that time.

### The War of the Ring

But as the Third Age came to an end, troubles at last began to touch the Valley of Singing Gold. Sauron's taking of Dol Guldur across the river under the identity of the Necromancer cast a shadow on it, and Sauron intended to reclaim the lands of Angmar (through securing an alliance with Smaug in Erebor) so as to launch an attack on Lorien, but his plans were thwarted by Thorin and Company's reclamation of Erebor.

As the shadow of Sauron lengthened, and the War of the Ring raged, Lórien received the remnant of the Fellowship of the Ring, a group of travellers on a quest of immeasurable importance. The border-wardens came across them. Among the company were Aragorn, a prince of the Dúnedain and a friend of the Lady, as well as Legolas of Mirkwood. The only reservation the border-wardens had about them was the dwarf, Gimli.

The very night the Fellowship arrived, a band of Orcs crossed the Nimrodel. A regiment or so of the Galadhrim were sent out, and destroyed the Orcs.

There the Elves learned of the death of Gandalf, and Galadriel knew what evil had been brought into the Golden Wood. She revealed her own ring to Frodo, and showed him her mirror. Then the Fellowship was furnished with new supplies, and sent off down Anduin, bearing the gifts of the Lord and Lady.

Right when the Company left, Gwaihir brought Gandalf to the Golden Wood, who was only recovering from his battle with Durin's Bane. He was healed, clothed and given a new staff, before leaving for Fangorn.

But the coming of The One Ring was only the beginning of their troubles. But they were only the heralds of greater conflicts that were to occur. Sauron unleashed massive attacks on the Golden Wood.

On 11 March, Orcs from Dol Guldur swarmed into the forest in a full-scale assault. By the power of the Wood-elves and Galadriel’s ring, they were repulsed. The second wave came on 15 March, at the same time as the invasion of Mirkwood. Again, the Orcs were forced out. The third and last attack was made seven days later, 22 March. They caused much destruction, but Celeborn led the Nandor in a great counter-attack that routed them utterly. Boats were made, and the armies of Lórien crossed the Anduin. They stormed Dol Guldur (the Nazgûl being absent in the war to the south), and took it. Galadriel threw down its walls, and Mirkwood was cleansed. The southern part of Mirkwood fell into the dominion of Lothlórien, and it was called East Lórien.

Only two-and-a-half years after the War of the Ring, Galadriel and Celeborn took ship West to Valinor.