Galadriel

She played a pivotal role in the struggle between the Elves and Sauron, and when the One Ring was offered to her by the Ringbearer, she showed her divine strength by rejecting it.

Galadriel was a powerful Elf of the Noldorin House of Finarfin. She bore the Elven Ring Narya, the White Ring of adamantium, one of the Elven Rings of Power, and ruled in Lothlórien. In Aman, she was one of those who distrusted Melkor after his repentance and rejected him but were most affected by his lies and deceit.

Galadriel’s Early Life

Galadriel was born in the blissful realm of Aman during the Years of the Trees, an era of unspoiled beauty and harmony. She was the only daughter of Finarfin, a prince of the Noldor, and a younger sister to Finrod Felagund (who founded the kingdom of Nargothrond in Beleriand), Angrod, and Aegnor.

Her mother Eärwen, a princess of the Teleri, named her Nerwen, which means “Man-maiden” in Elvish, for her fiery nature. From her earliest days, it was evident that Galadriel possessed remarkable qualities. She not only had great beauty but also possessed great strength of body, will, and mind, described as “a match for both the loremasters and the athletes of the Eldar in the days of their youth.”

Galadriel displayed extraordinary qualities that set her apart from other Elf-maidens, making her an equal to some of the sons of Finarfin. She bound her hair as a crown about her head when participating in feats of athleticism, giving her the name Galadriel, Sindarin for “Maiden crowned with golden hair,” though it came much later in Beleriand. She had the most beautiful hair of all the Elves, and the essence of the Light of the Two Trees of Valinor was captured in her golden locks.

Overwhelmed by the beauty of her hair, Fëanor asked three times for a lock so he could make a gem from it, but she refused him each time. This led Feanor to create the Silmarils, three jewels of immense beauty that captured the mingled light of the Two Trees. While Fëanor and Galadriel were esteemed among the Eldar, they were not friends, harboring a mutual dislike. Galadriel could look into the minds of others, and she disliked what she saw in Fëanor.  

Galadriel’s Role in the Rebellion of the Ñoldor  

After the end of the Valar Melkor’s years of imprisonment, he was set free in Aman where he went about sowing discord among the Elves and turning their minds against the Valar. Nowhere else did the seeds of Melkor yield as many bountiful fruits as they did in Fëanor’s mind. After Melkor killed the Two Trees with the help of Ungoliant, causing a catastrophic event known as the Darkening of Valinor, he stormed Fëanor’s stronghold, killed his father, and stole the Silmarils.

Discarding the order issued by the Valar not to pursue Melkor, Fëanor called his followers to arms and marched away from their city in pursuit of Melkor, now named Morgoth, without the permission of the Valar.

Among the Noldor, Galadriel was the sole woman who stood among the rising princes of the House of Finwë. While she did not swear the oath of Fëanor, taken by his sons and followers, his words kindled a desire in her heart to explore Middle-earth. Like many of the House of Finwë, she was proud and harbored dreams of ruling a dominion of her own. But beneath her ambitions, she retained the noble spirit of the Vanyar, maintaining reverence for the Valar. Her desire was also fueled by her wish to aid their Sindarin kin in Middle-earth, who were left exposed to Morgoth’s evil dominion.

The Elves of the Ñoldor began their rebellious journey to Middle-earth with a dark stain with the Kinslaying at Alqualondë where Fëanor’s forces, driven by their obsession with avenging the death of Finwë and recovering the Silmarils, attacked other Elves and stole their swan ships, leading to the tragic loss of life and the sundering of their people. Galadriel and her followers, under Fingolfin’s banner, did not take part in this heinous act, choosing a different path.

Despite the fate of doom and suffering proclaimed by the herald of Manwë on Fëanor and all those that would follow him, Galadriel, along with her brothers Finrod, Fingolfin, and their sons, led their people into the ice wastes North of Middlle-earth, crossing the treacherous Helcaraxë. This perilous journey through the grinding ice led to the deaths of many Elves, but they eventually reached the northern edges of Middle-earth. 

Arrival in Beleriand and Life in Doriath

When they arrived in Beleriand, Galadriel’s people, the House of Finarfin, found welcome into the court of Thingol and Melian in Menegroth. Thingol, king of Doriath, was a great friend to their grandfather Finwë, and he honored that friendship. He, however, coldly received the others of the Noldor to his court, especially the sons of Fëanor, who had treated him with animosity. In Menegroth, Galadriel would form lasting friendships and alliances that would play significant roles in the events of the First Age.

Eventually, in the year 52 of the First Age, Galadriel and Finrod became long-term guests in Doriath. Her brother, Finrod, later departed to establish the cave stronghold of Nargothrond, which gave him the name Felagund, but Galadriel chose to remain in Doriath with Celeborn, a kinsman of Thingol. Their love was evident, but they refrained from marriage and child-bearing during the war, as was the custom among the Elves. Instead, they became betrothed.

During her stay in Doriath, Galadriel formed a close bond with Queen Melian and became her student. It was during this time that she learned much of the lore of Middle-earth, and their discussions often revolved around Valinor. Melian was eager to understand the reasons behind the Noldor’s exile, and Galadriel shared the story of the Silmarils, but she did not speak of certain dark events like the Oath of Fëanor and the Kinslaying. However, Melian saw an unspoken darkness in Galadriel’s story.

The truth eventually came to light when Thingol learned of the Noldor’s dark deeds in the Undying Lands, which greatly troubled Galadriel’s brothers. The knowledge of the Noldor’s killing of his kin in Valinor led King Thingol to ban speaking the Noldorin Quenya language, leading to the Sindarin language becoming the official language of the Elves of Beleriand.

Despite the revelations and conflicts between the Elf Lords, Galadriel continued to reside in Doriath until the completion of Nargothrond in year 102 of the First Age. She then moved to Nargothrond to be with her brother Finrod for a time. One day during her stay she asked Finrod about his decision to remain unmarried, but he answered her questions by making dark prophecies about the fate of his kingdom. Later, when Galadriel returned to Doriath in the year 420 of the First Age, Melian shared another troubling prophecy with her, about a Man who would enter Doriath under a fate greater than the power of her Girdle could withstand.

Galadriel did not play any prominent role in the course of events of the Wars of the Great Jewels but was likely aware of the deaths of her brothers Angrod and Aegnor during the Dagor Bragollach when the forces of Morgoth surged out of Angband in a tempest of flames and destruction and broke the siege laid on Angband by the Elves; and of Finrod’s captivity in Tol-in-Gaurhoth during the Quest for the Silmarils.

Before the fall of Nargothrond in the year 495, Galadriel and Celeborn passed over the Iron Mountains and traveled to Eriador in Middle-earth, to live in peace far from the upheavals that marked the last years of the First Age.

After the coming of the Valar and War of Wrath that they fought against the Dark Lord’s armies, and the defeat of Morgoth at the end of the First Age, the Valar summoned the Elves of Beleriand to the West, to live on Tol Eressëa, an island off the shores of Aman, under the pardon of the Valar. Having played no part in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, Galadriel was pardoned and allowed to return to the Undying Lands but she chose not to accept it. Her reasons for this decision were rooted in her desire to continue her adventures in Middle-earth, fulfilling her ambitions, and building a realm of her own. She also chose to stay because of her love for Celeborn, who did not want to leave.

Galadriel’s Life in the Second Age

At the start of the Second Age, Galadriel and Celeborn founded Lindon, south of the river Lune, which became their seat of power for a time while Gil-galad, High King of the Ñoldor, ruled in the north. However, they eventually left Lindon and relocated to Eriador, where they settled near Lake Nenuial, followed by numerous Noldor, Grey Elves, and Green Elves. The large presence of Elves earned Galadriel and Celeborn the title of the Lord and Lady of the Eldar in Eriador.

Around year 300 of the Second Age, Galadriel and Celeborn welcomed a daughter and named her Celebrían, marking a joyous moment in their lives. Around the year 500 of the Second Age, Sauron began to gain influence in the East of Middle-earth. Although Galadriel sensed him, she did not recognize his essence. She knew that this new evil could only be defeated by an alliance of all that would stand against its power in Middle-earth.

As a result, they moved eastward with their people and established a realm in Eregion, near the Dwarven city of Khazad-dûm. Although Celeborn hated Dwarves because of the actions of their kin, which led to the death of King Thingol and the sack of Doriath, Galadriel recognized the strategic importance of forging alliances with them. She also possessed a deep understanding of craftsmanship, having learned from the Valar Yavanna and Aulë, the creator of the Dwarves, therefore, she felt close to them in mind.

The discovery of mithril in Khazad-dûm drew many Elven smiths to Eregion, including Celebrimbor, a descendant of Fëanor and distant cousin of Galadriel. In the following years, he soon emerged as the greatest among the craftsmen and became the Lord of Eregion. Celebrimbor was also the chief builder during the construction of the main Elven city of Ost-in-Edhil, which started in the year 750 of the Second Age.

During this period, Galadriel wielded considerable influence in Eriador, extending her reach to the Nandorin realm of Lórinand on the other side of the Misty Mountains, where Sauron’s schemes were thwarted thanks to her intervention. She also established contact with Númenor, meeting King Aldarion during his visit to Tharbad.

Around the year 1200, Sauron arrived in Eregion in disguise under the name Annatar, the lord of gifts, and was initially welcomed by Celebrimbor and the Elven smiths who wanted to learn from him. However, Galadriel was not deceived because she saw evil in him. She also rejected Sauron’s claims that Aulë had trained him. Realizing that Galadriel would become his biggest obstacle in achieving his mission in Eregion, Sauron outwardly tried to make peace with her.

At the same time, he subtly influenced the minds of Celebrimbor and his group of jewel smiths to turn them against Galadriel and Celeborn. In the end, around 1350-1400, Sauron convinced them to expel her, forcing her to leave for Lórinand through Khazad-dûm, although Celeborn would not enter the Dwarvish realm and remained in Eregion.

Galadriel the Ringbearer

When Sauron created the One Ring in secret, his treachery and deceit were discovered by Celebrimbor. The Elf Lord sought out Galadriel in Lórinand, seeking her counsel. The Elves lacked the power to destroy the Rings of Power, so she advised him to hide the Three Rings to protect them from Sauron’s influence. Because of her great strength and determination, Celebrimbor gave her Nenya, the White Ring of Adamantium; Narya, the Ring of Fire was given to Cirdan the Shipwright, while Celebrimbor retained the Blue Ring of Air. That same year, in 1693, Sauron declared war against the Elves of Eregion.

During Sauron’s invasion of Eriador, the realm of Eregion was destroyed, and Celebrimbor was killed. Although Sauron tortured him and many other Elves for information about the whereabouts of the three Elven Rings, he could not learn their location, but he suspected they were kept by Galadriel and Gil-galad. Thanks to the timely military intervention of the Númenoreans, Sauron was defeated in 1700. The Númenorean king, Ar-Pharazôn, took the captured Sauron with him, and peace returned to Middle-earth for a while.

Soon after this, Galadriel was overwhelmed by sea-longing, and she decided to leave Lórinand and live beside the sea. As a High-elf, her yearning for the sea was unavoidable, and now she became burdened with the desire to return to the Blessed Realm, but she could not because she had rejected the pardon of the Valar. After a while, she crossed the mountains through Khazad-dûm with Celebrían and went in search of Celeborn in Rivendell, a refuge created by Elrond during the war. When she arrived, a council was held, and it was decided that Rivendell would become the Elven stronghold in the East, rather than the now desolate Eregion.

The Lady of Lothlórien

In the year 109 of the Third Age, specifically in the year 109, a significant event took place in the life of Galadriel and Celeborn’s family. Their daughter Celebrían entered into a union with Elrond the Half-elven. However, this union didn’t immediately result in them staying together as a family. Galadriel, at this point, was gripped by a sense of foreboding. Her concerns were centered on the growing shadow that loomed over Mirkwood and the ominous presence of Dol Guldur. 

Galadriel took her daughter on long missions to investigate the lands of Middle-earth, including Rhovanion and the lands of the exiled Númenoreans in Gondor. They also investigated the borders of Mordor and Thranduil’s woodland realm in the north. Foreseeing that the prosperous realm of Lórien become a stronghold against the evil growing in Dol Guldor if it was ruled with wisdom, Galadriel and her daughter stayed with their king Amroth for a long time.

It was around this time that the Istari arrived in Middle-earth, and only Galadriel, Elrond, and Círdan knew where they came from. Around the year 1100, the Wise which included Galadriel as one the leaders of the Eldar became increasingly aware of the evil dwelling in Dol Guldur, but they believed it was one of the Nazgûl.

Around 1980, in the Second Age, an unknown terror came into Khazad-dûm. In the ensuing battles their king Durin was killed, forcing the Dwarves to abandon their ancient realm. Hearing of these tragedies and the dreadful terror in Khazad-dûm, the Silvan Elves of Lothlórien fled south. To worsen the situation, Amroth, the king of the Silvan Elves, tragically died, leaving no heir to inherit his throne.

A group of Elves was sent to invite Galadriel and Celeborn to lead them, and they heeded the call and went back to Lothlórien, where they were joyfully welcomed by the people. Choosing no royal titles, they jointly ruled their realm and were referred to as the Lord and Lady of Galadhrim. With the realm protected by the power of Galadriel, and with their capable leadership, they played crucial roles in the pivotal events of the Third Age.

As the evil emanating from the Necromancer’s lair in Dol Guldur began to grow stronger, the White Council was convened in the year 2463 to oppose that evil. This council was summoned by Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlórien herself, who was a close confidante of Gandalf. She advocated for Gandalf to assume leadership of the council, but the mantle ultimately fell upon Saruman the White.

In 2510, a great tragedy struck in Galadriel’s life when her daughter, Celebrían, was kidnapped by a band of Orcs as she returned to Rivendell from the Golden Woods, grievously tortured. After she was rescued by her sons, she chose to leave Middle-earth for the Undying Lands in the West where she would be healed and her spirit refreshed. In the same year, Galadriel played a vital role in saving the Númenorean realm of Gondor and its allies, the Éothéod, from defeat by the Wainrider armies from the East by conjuring a white mist that dispelled the shadows cast by Dol Guldur.

It wasn’t until Gandalf uncovered the true identity of the growing menace in Dol Guldur as Sauron that the White Council took decisive action. In the year 2941, they united their strengths and successfully expelled Sauron from Dol Guldur.

Galadriel and the Fellowship of the Ring

Near the end of the Third Age, the War of the Ring raged in Gondor and other realms, while Sauron’s evil began to manifest close to the borders of the Golden Woods. The Company of the Ring was intercepted at the border of Lothlórien by warriors of the Galadhrim as they fled from Moria. They were taken to Caras Galadhon, where Galadriel and Celeborn greeted them, and she inquired of the wizard Gandalf, who had fallen in battle against a Balrog of Morgoth.

The companions stayed in Lothlórien for a few days and regained their strength. During their stay, Lady Galadriel openly wore Nenya, the White Ring of Water. She took Frodo Baggins to her gardens and showed him possible events that might happen in the future if Sauron manages to repossess his One Ring.

This caused the Hobbit to panic and leading him to offer the Ring to her, but Galadriel, after contemplating the immense power it would grant her and the terrible things she would do with the power which would allow her to usurp the Dark Lord, rejected the temptation and the One Ring, choosing to accept her fate as an Elf whose time and power in Middle-earth is fast drawing to an end. At that moment she accepted the pardon of the Valar and made up her mind to return to the Undying Lands.

Before the Fellowship departed, Galadriel gave them many gifts, including lembas (waybread) and Elven cloaks. Gimli asked for nothing at first but hesitating, he made an unusual request, he asked for a strand of her hair, which she granted, offering him three strands instead. This calls back to her past life when the mighty Elf Feänor asked for a strand of her hair thrice but she refused him. To Frodo, the bearer of the One Ring, she gave a magical vial containing the light of the star of Eärendil, a symbol of hope. The vial would prove to be of immense help to Frodo and Sam in Shelob’s lair. The Fellowship continued its journey, while Galadriel and Celeborn remained in Lothlórien.

Some days after the departure of the Fellowship, Gwaihir brought the resurrected Gandalf to the Golden Wood. He was healed, clothed, and given a new staff by Galadriel. After he had recovered from the battle against Durin’s Bane, she informed him of the whereabouts of the Fellowship. Seeing that the fate of the Ring has passed beyond his help, he made up his mind to leave for Fangorn.

As the War of the Ring raged, Sauron’s forces reoccupied Dol Guldur, and from that base they assaulted Lothlórien, but the powerful Galadriel and her Wood-elves repulsed them. The second assault soon came, with both Thranduil’s Woodland realm in Mirkwood and Galadriel’s Golden Woods attacked in a coordinated hit, but the enemies were once again forced out. The third and last attack came seven days later. The Orcs caused much destruction on the wood’s borders, but the valiant Galadhrim routed them utterly. After the fall of Sauron, the Elven allies stormed Dol Guldur and cleansed Mirkwood. 

The Legacy of Galadriel

After the end of the War of the Rings, Galadriel and Celeborn attended the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen in Minas Tirith, witnessing their granddaughter’s union with the king of the reunited kingdoms of Anor and Gondor. Galadriel and Celeborn also participate in the funeral procession of King Théoden of Rohan. She also met Saruman in the company of Gandalf and the Hobbits, but he departed with bitter words.

Galadriel’s story concludes with her departure from Middle-earth, sailing into the West with other key figures, including Gandalf, Elrond, Frodo, and Bilbo. Their departure from Middle-earth marked the end of the Third Age as the Fourth Age dawned. 

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