Círdan
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Círdan (pronounced [ˈkiːrdan]) ('ship-maker' in Sindarin) the Shipwright is a fictional character created by J. R. R. Tolkien. A Telerin Elf, a great mariner and shipwright, lord of the Falas during much of the First Age. He was the bearer of the Great Ring Narya, which he in turn gave to Gandalf.
He had a beard, which was rare for Elves; but he was of great age at the time of the War of the Ring, (11,000 years old) being perhaps the oldest of all the Elves remaining in Middle-earth, and one of the few (if any) prominent Eldar who survived from the great journey to the blessed realm (the First Age) to the present. Círdan had grey, or silver, hair in the Third Age of Middle-earth, like his overlord and kinsman Thingol.
His 'true' name, according to the tradition among the Sindar of Doriath, was Nōwē (IPA: [ˈnɔːwɛː]) in the form it had in the original tongue of the Elves. It was never used after his settlement in Beleriand and thus has no Sindarin or Quenya form (in the latter it could have become Nówë).[citation needed]
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[edit] The First Age
Círdan may have been among the Elves who awoke at Cuiviénen, although Tolkien never explicitly states this anywhere. When the three chiefs (Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë) returned from Valinor, they told their people to come from Cuiviénen and to go there.
Many groups of Elves broke away and formed the Nandorin and Silvan Elves. Elwë, Olwë and many of their people (the Teleri) continued on their journey, with Círdan among them. Twenty years after they first left Cuiviénen, they entered Beleriand. They were behind the Vanyar and Noldor by a long distance. On their way to the western shores, they passed through Nan Elmoth, where Elwë and Melian met and fell in love. After Elwë's disappearance, his brother Olwë led the remaining Teleri.
Círdan was with Olwë when they came to the shores of Beleriand, where the Teleri built ships, for the Noldor and the Vanyar had left three years earlier with the help of the Vala Ulmo. Ossë and Uinen befriended the Teleri when they reached the shores and helped them as well as they could. After the ships were built, in a final attempt to find Elwë, who had been lost to them since he had entered the woods of Doriath, Círdan and a small band of elves sought him once more. Many Teleri chose to live on the shores of Beleriand, rather than cross the sea. Yet Círdan was insistent on travelling to Aman, even if he had to go alone. Some few chose to go with him, and he set about the task of building a vessel to bring them there. On the night before their departure, Círdan had a dream in which he received a message from the Valar.
"And the voice warned him not to attempt this peril; for his strength and skill would not be able to build any ship able to dare the winds and waves of the Great Sea for many long years yet. "Abide now that time, for when it comes then will your work be of utmost worth, and it will be remembered in song for many ages after." "I obey," Círdan answered, and then it seemed to him that he saw (in a vision maybe) a shape like a white boat, shining above him, that sailed west through the air, and as it dwindled in the distance it looked like a star of so great a brilliance that it cast a shadow of Círdan upon the strand where he stood." The History of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "Last Writings - Círdan," p. 386
Círdan obeyed, and did not try to pursue Olwë further. Ossë had persuaded some of the Teleri to remain in Middle-earth while Ulmo drew all who were willing across the Belegaer for the second time. Yet Círdan lived among the Teleri who remained upon the shores, and became their lord. They stayed in the Falas, called themselves Eglath, the Forsaken People, and became known as the Falathrim. There on the southwestern shores of Beleriand they began to build the cities of Eglarest and Brithombar. It was at this time that he took the name Círdan, meaning 'Shipwright', instead of his original name Nōwē. In time Círdan regained contact with Thingol, whose kingdom of Doriath was now well-known in Beleriand. The lives of Círdan's people were peaceful, and were centred around the sea. They were mostly mariners, though some were weavers, minstrels, or shipwrights.
The Falathrim lived peacefully for many years, until Morgoth began to wage war. Then they began to prepare for war and make weapons. The Elves of Doriath and Ossiriand and the Dwarves joined in defence against Morgoth, and the First Battle of Beleriand was fought. Three war-filled years later, the first sunrise filled the sky, and with it came the Noldor.
Círdan's warriors fought at the Dagor Bragollach, though they did not form any part of the force at the Siege of Angband that held Morgoth in check for close to four hundred years. After that, Beleriand was pushed onto the defensive by the onslaught of Morgoth's armies.
In the aftermath of Beren's capture of a Silmaril from Morgoth's iron crown, Maedhros created the Union of Maedhros, a union of Elves, Men and Dwarves against the power of Morgoth. Círdan supported this union, and pledged the warriors of the Falathrim to this cause. At last Maedhros and his allies made war, intending to overthrow the Dark Lord. Though they were ultimately defeated, many survived and fled to the havens of Eglarest and Brithombar.
Meanwhile, the mariners of the Falathrim had a different task. With their swift boats they attacked the coasts held by the enemy and crushed them in small raids before returning to the safety of their ships. With his other enemies defeated or driven back, Morgoth turned his attention to Círdan's havens. In the year 473 of the First Age, Morgoth...
"...ravaged all the Falas, and besieged the walls of Brithombar and Eglarest. Smiths and miners and masters of fire they brought with them, and they set up great machines; and valiantly though they were resisted, they broke the walls at last. Then the Havens were laid in ruin, and the tower of Barad Nimras cast down;" The Silmarillion. Second Edition. 'Of the Fifth Battle'. p. 196
The remnant of Círdan's folk were forced to flee by ship to the Isle of Balar, where they created a refuge and maintained a small fleet. As time passed, Círdan regained control over the lands around the Mouth of Sirion, and moved his fleet there. Gil-galad, now High King of the Noldor, journeyed to the Isle of Balar and dwelt there for a time, being himself in exile due to the enemy's control over most of Beleriand.
Soon thereafter, Gelmir and Arminas travelled from the Isle of Balar to Nargothrond and approached Orodreth with an urgent message. Ulmo had visited Círdan on Balar and said,
"Say therefore to the Lord of Nargothrond: Shut the doors of the fortress and go not abroad. Cast the stones of your pride down into the loud river, that the creeping evil may not find the gate." The Silmarillion. Second Edition. 'Of Túrin Turambar' p. 212
Ordoreth was disturbed by this message, but Túrin refused to destroy the bridge leading to Nargothrond's gates. Within that year, the host of Angband used the great bridge to reach Nargothrond and destroy it.
Other Elves fled to Círdan's refuge, including those from Nargothrond, Doriath, Gondolin and Ossiriand. Among the refugees from Gondolin were Tuor and Eärendil, to whom Círdan taught the craft of shipbuilding. However, in the year 532, the remaining four Sons of Fëanor, still bound to their terrible Oath, assaulted the Havens at the Mouth of Sirion, seeking the Silmaril in Elwing's possession. The Havens were defeated, because the forces of Círdan and Gil-galad came too late to save their stronghold. Many had escaped by ship, but still there were less of them after this Third Kinslaying.
At last Eärendil made his voyage across the sea, for the purpose of gaining aid from the Valar against Morgoth. His voyage, unlike many that had been sent before him, was successful, and the War of Wrath began. The Falathrim gladly aided the host of the Vanyar and the Noldor, and the Maiar who sailed with them on the ships of the Falmari, the Elves of Olwë who dwelt in Aman. Men and Elves fought against the enemy in this war, though it was Eönwë and the Valar who in the end were the great victors of the battle. In the course of this battle Morgoth was defeated and cast into the Void, but the power the Valar wielded against the Dark Lord caused Beleriand to sink beneath the ocean. However, because of Círdan's mariners, many survived and sailed out of the ruins of Beleriand onto the shores of Middle-earth, where they would come to form the havens of Lindon and Mithlond.
[edit] The Second Age
The Second Age began with the foundation of the elven havens of Gil-galad and Círdan. The Edain, the men who had helped fight against Morgoth, were given the island of Númenor. When they were sailing to it, it was Círdan's Elves who built their ships, and taught them how to build more, so that the Númenóreans could become mariners themselves.
In the year 600 of the Second Age, a mariner by the name of Vëantur landed in the Grey Havens, and Círdan welcomed him as a friend. Over a century later, as the Númenóreans were given long lives, Vëantur returned, this time with his grandson Aldarion, who would one day become the King of Númenor. Círdan befriended him and taught him much about ships.
In addition to befriending the men of Númenor, Círdan also was closely allied with Amdír of Lothlórien and Celebrimbor in Eregion. When the latter was visited by a being named Annatar who spoke to the Elf and his brotherhood (the Gwaith-i-Mírdain) about creating magic rings, Círdan advised against creating them. His words were ignored, and 16 rings were forged under Annatar's instruction, although Celebrimbor secretly forged another 3 with a different power and purpose. At length Celebrimbor discovered that Annatar had created a ruling Ring to dominate the 16, and revolted against him, seeking counsel with Galadriel. She advised that they hide the 3, and was at this time given Nenya, the Ring of Water. Vilya, the Ring of Air, and Narya, the Ring of Fire, were entrusted to Gil-galad. After the Battle of Gwathló, at the first White Council; Gil-galad gave Vilya to Elrond, to maintain his stronghold at Rivendell, and Narya to Círdan, before setting out for the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.
Sauron had created a ruling Ring that could control all of the others he had given to the Dwarves and to Men. The nine men given rings were corrupted, and became the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths. Sauron grew powerful and attempted to invade Eriador. However, mariners from Númenor arrived by ship and drove Sauron back across the Misty Mountains.
After many battles against Sauron, many of which had ended in defeat for Círdan and his allies, Sauron corrupted Númenor's king, Ar-Pharazôn, and convinced him to go against the Ban of the Valar. Ar-Pharazôn sailed against Valinor and as retribution Númenor was sunk. Elendil escaped with his sons Isildur and Anárion and many others, and the Númenóreans landed in Mithlond and were received by Gil-galad and Círdan. They went on to create the kingdom of Arnor in the northwest of Middle-earth. Others went south and founded the kingdom of Gondor.
War began between Gondor and Mordor, and after victories and defeats on both sides, Gil-galad proposed an alliance. The Last Alliance, as it was called, was led by Gil-galad, Elendil and Isildur, though Elrond, Amdír, Oropher of Greenwood, and Círdan all fought alongside them. Their armies marched across Middle-earth to fight Sauron. In Gondor they were aided by Anárion, who had been defending Gondor valiantly.
After making their way through Mordor, they besieged Barad-dûr for seven years, until at last Sauron himself entered the battle and forced the Last Alliance back several leagues, so that in the end they did battle not outside Barad-dûr, but on the slopes of Orodruin, where Sauron's ring had been forged.
Gil-galad and Elendil defeated Sauron in battle but were themselves slain. Elendil's son Isildur severed Sauron's finger, and because of the loss of the One Ring, Sauron was weakened and fled. When Isildur took the Ring, Círdan and Elrond advised that it should be cast into Orodruin and destroyed, but Isildur ignored them and kept it.
[edit] The Third Age
In the first years of the Third Age, Isildur was slain at the Gladden Fields; the Ring fell into the River Anduin and was lost. The Elves of Lindon came under the sole lordship of Círdan.
As the Ring and Sauron still existed, the Valar sent five of the Maiar as emissaries to aid resistance against Sauron. They went to Middle-earth and were received by Círdan, who alone knew their purpose and kept it secret. Although Curunír (later known as Saruman) was their leader, Círdan perceived that Gandalf was the most wise and powerful of them. He secretly gave him Narya, the Ring of Fire, telling him:
"Take this ring, Master, for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you." Appendix B: "The Tale of Years," p. 366
Three hundred years after the coming of the Wizards, or Istari, a new danger threatened the borders of Lindon and Arnor. The Lord of the Nazgûl built Angmar, a new stronghold in the north of the Misty Mountains, and from there fought the Dúnedain and Lindon. Although Círdan's elves played a somewhat small role in the first years of the battles that took place between the Witch-king and the Dúnedain, in 1409 of the Third Age, Círdan's forces in Lindon helped to defeat the armies of Angmar which had been besieging Fornost after their victory at Amon Sûl. Angmar was defeated, and no more war was fought for a short time.
Many more battles were fought in the years that followed, and Arthedain, the last standing province of Arnor, was invaded. Its king, Arvedui, fled north, and Círdan sent ships to rescue him. Though the ships found Arvedui, they were lost at sea during a storm, losing both the king and the two palantíri that he had escaped with. Arvedui's son, Aranarth, became the first Chieftain of the Dúnedain.
However, though the Lord of the Nazgûl, who was also the Witch-king of Angmar, defeated the Dúnedain, it was Aranarth's reign that would see the end of Angmar. The defeat would come from Mithlond, from a fleet of ships sent by Eärnur from Gondor. The Gondorians, along with Elves of Círdan's folk and the Dúnedain, rode out to meet the Witch-king in what would come to be known as the Battle of Fornost. There they were joined by the elf warrior Glorfindel, who commanded his own small army as well. There they defeated the Witch-king, and drove him away.
Círdan returned to Mithlond in victory. Meanwhile, Sauron's Nazgûl had returned to Mordor, and many feared that Sauron's return was imminent. Those Elves who had grown tired of Middle-earth travelled to the Grey Havens, where Círdan maintained ships that could bring them safely to Tol Eressëa and Valinor. Only one ship never left harbour. That ship was a large ship, perhaps larger than any other Círdan had built, and made entirely of fine white wood. He maintained this ship with the purpose of upholding the promise he had made to Gandalf upon the shores at his arrival.
After the fall of the Dúnedain, Círdan was entrusted with the palantír of Elostirion, the west-looking stone that could not see into the other six stones around Middle-earth, but could see Tol Eressëa and the Master Stone in the Tower of Avallone.
With the threat of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, the White Council was formed, led by Saruman. Other members of the Council included Gandalf, Galadriel and Celeborn, and Elrond, who came with Erestor and Glorfindel. Círdan was also a member, together with the elf Galdor. Thranduil or Legolas may have also been among them.[citation needed]
The purpose of the White Council was to expel the Necromancer, who they thought to be one of the Nazgûl, but whom Gandalf learned to be Sauron himself. They succeeded in driving him away, but he fled to Mordor. It is thought that the Council was broken after Gandalf's discovery of Saruman's treason, though the council members remained in frequent contact throughout the War of the Ring.
In the year 3018, the Council of Elrond was held in Rivendell. Círdan himself did not attend, but sent his counsellor, Galdor, to speak on his behalf. Galdor's counsel there was crucial in the formation of the Ringbearer's quest, for he advised wisely that even Tom Bombadil could not keep the Ring from the enemy, though he was immune to its effects. Also, Galdor warned that the Ring could not be sent into the West, nor cast into the Sea, for Sauron no doubt would be watching those roads closely.
Círdan played no part in the battles of the War of the Ring. When at last the Ringbearer's task was carried out, and all of the Ringbearers arrived in Mithlond, Círdan was there to meet them. Elrond was among them, as were Galadriel, Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, and Frodo, the Ringbearer whose quest it was to throw the Ring into Orodruin.
In T.A. 1000 Círdan had said to Gandalf, "I will await you"; he had promised to remain in Middle-earth as long as Gandalf remained there. He had waited, and now Gandalf, with the others, passed across Belegaer, the ocean that separated Aman and Middle-earth. Círdan remained in Middle-earth.
[edit] The Fourth Age
The final two Ring-bearers had yet to pass across the sea, but in the year 62 of the Fourth Age, Samwise Gamgee arrived in Mithlond, and he and Círdan sailed away on the last of the ships built in Mithlond.[citation needed]
[edit] In the movie trilogy
In the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, Círdan appears only briefly in the prologue of the first film, and at the end of the third film. His role as lieutenant of Gil-galad is given to Elrond in the first movie. (Elrond was Gil-galad's herald in the books.) Also, according to the book Círdan should be in the scene in which Elrond implores Isildur to cast the ring into the fire, but he is not. His first appearance is during Galadriel's monologue at the start of the first movie, in the very brief shot of the three Elven ringbearers. He appears for a second time (only as a silent figure in the background, sans beard) in the scene at the end of the third movie when Frodo, Galadriel, Elrond, Celeborn, Gandalf and Bilbo board the ship at the Grey Havens.
[edit] The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game
Círdan the Shipwright appears in the LOTR Trading Card Game as part of the Mount Doom expansion pack. Círdan costs four twilight to put into play. He has 7 Strength and 4 Health with a special ability which lowers an enemy minion's strength by 1 for each event card in Círdan's owner's discard pile.
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Círdan
House of Círdan
Born: 1050 Years of the Trees|YT Died: Immortal in Aman |
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| Preceded by None; Realm established |
Lord of Falas | Succeeded by None; Beleriand Destroyed |
| Preceded by Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor |
Lord of Lindon | Succeeded by None; Realm Abandoned |
[edit] External links
- The Encyclopedia of Arda — Círdan the Shipwright
- Cirdan at The Thain's Book
