Hithlum
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| Hithlum | |
|---|---|
| File:Hithlum-map.jpg | |
| General information | |
| Location | Northwestern Beleriand |
| Capital | Barad Eithel |
| People | |
| Language | Quenya/Sindarin |
| Gallery | Images of Hithlum |
 | Hithlum.mp3 |
| By Ardamir. (Help; more articles) | |
Hithlum (S, pron. [ˈhiθlum]) was a region north of Beleriand near the Helcaraxë.
Description
Hithlum was separated from Beleriand proper by the Ered Wethrin mountain chain, and was named after the sea mists which formed there at times.[1] The Ered Wethrin ("Mountains of Shadow") formed the southern and eastern wall, and had only a few passes; as such they formed a natural defensive line. The western wall was formed by the Ered Lómin or "Echoing Mountains", which curved north-westward to Helcaraxë. The land of Lammoth lay west of the Ered Wethrin and was not part of Beleriand or Hithlum, and the land of Nevrast was separated from Hithlum by the southern part of the Ered Lómin.[2] Hithlum was cold and rainy, but quite fertile.[1]
Hithlum was subdivided in Mithrim, where the High Kings of the Noldor had their halls,[1] and Dor-lómin, which later became a fief of the House of Hador.[3]
History
Hithlum was populated by the Elves of Mithrim who were Sindar. The Ñoldor entered Hithlum via the Firth of Drengist and first camped at the shores of Lake Mithrim. The land was covered by mists and vapours from the Thangorodrim, and thus they named it Hísilómë or Land of Mist.[1] Thingol gave leave to the Noldor to settle it and was ruled by Fingolfin and Fingon from its northern lands. Later some lands were given to the House of Hador.[4][5]
Later in the First Age, Hithlum was continually under attack by Morgoth, but its natural defenses, fortified by fortresses such as Barad Eithel, proved impassable.[2] Seven years after the Dagor Bragollach, Morgoth sent a great force against Hithlum, attacking the passes of the Ered Wethrin. Galdor died defending the Eithel Sirion; in a second attempt the Falathrim sailed up the Firth of Drengist, then assisted Fingon by striking the unsuspecting orcs from the west.[6]
Hithlum eventually was lost after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. The Hadorians were scattered, killed, or enslaved, the Noldor who could not flee in time were enslaved in Morgoth's mines. Morgoth reworded the Swarthy Men with the lands of Hithlum, but actually they were trapped there.[7]
Hithlum was completely destroyed during the War of Wrath.[8]
Etymology
Hithlum is a North Sindarin word,[9] meaning "Mist-shadow" (hith + lum), a translation from Quenya Hísilómë (pron. [ˌhisiˈloːme], stem Hisilómi-).[10] Its classical Sindarin name is said to be Hithlũ.[9] In the days of Túrin the region was called Aryador in the language of Men.[11]
Tolkien initially marked the word as Noldorin; its second element was cognate to Quenya lumbe.[12]
| Hithlum | ||
|---|---|---|
| Helcaraxë | Angband | |
| Lammoth |  | Anfauglith, Dorthonion |
| Nevrast | Nargothrond | Doriath |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of Men into the West"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Return of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Men"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson) p. 133
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", Hísilómë
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "I. The Lay of the Children of Húrin: I. Túrin's Fostering"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entry LUM- p. 370
