Highlights
- The Elves in The Lord of the Rings, particularly those in Lothlórien, play a significant role in the story and have their own rich customs and histories.
- Lothlórien, the Elven kingdom, is an important location in Middle-earth, and the Fellowship passes through it on their journey, receiving important gifts from Galadriel.
- After the events of The Lord of the Rings, Lothlórien faced attacks, changes in leadership, and the fading of its magic, eventually becoming completely deserted.
One of the interesting things about The Lord of the Rings is how the story spans across Middle-earth, which gives an opportunity to explore so many areas of this world that Tolkien has created. Different races with different customs and histories are introduced, and each becomes important in the story in a different way. The Elves, for example, are one of the oldest peoples of Middle-earth, and they have established multiple kingdoms throughout the land. There are different kinds of Elves as well, including some that are incredibly powerful and can wield magic.
One of the most important Elven kingdoms is Lothlórien. This kingdom is home to the Galadhrim Elves, including Galadriel and Celeborn. Lothlórien is an important location in Middle-earth as a whole, but particularly in the events of The Lord of the Rings, as it's one of the places that the Fellowship passes through on their journey. Galadriel even gives members of the Fellowship important gifts as they leave her home. But only a small portion of the story takes place in Lothlórien, so what was going on in the kingdom before and after that short slice of time shown in LOTR?
LOTR: What Happened To Gondolin?
Gondolin was once a great city in Middle-earth that saw a terrible end.
The History of Lothlórien
Location | Northern Middle-earth, near the Misty Mountains |
Other Names |
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Capital | Caras Galadhon |
Inhabitants | Galadhrim Elves |
Spoken Languages | Sindarin |
Founded | During the Great Journey |
The first inhabitants of what would later be called Lothlórien were the Nandor Elves, who refused to cross over the Misty Mountains during the Great Journey. The Great Journey was the pilgrimage that the Elves who had awakened in Middle-earth took to travel into the West to Valinor. Groups of Elves splintered off from this journey and founded the various Elven settlements that were later established in Middle-earth. Lórien was likely one of these settlements near the Misty Mountains, but as the Dwarves began to settle in Khazad-dûm, the Elves moved Lórien to Nimrodel, in between Mirkwood and Fangorn Forest.
By the Second Age, more Sindarin Elves had begun to settle in Lothlórien, and the kingdom was ruled by the Sindarin king Amdír. He died in the War of the Last Alliance, at which time he was succeeded by his son Amroth. Also important to note was that before this war, Galadriel and Celeborn traveled across the Misty Mountains to settle in Lothlórien as well. Amroth perished at sea in the Third Age, leaving Lórien with no ruler. The inhabitents of Lórien decided to no longer be ruled by kings, and were instead led by Galadriel and Celeborn as lady and lord. During this time, the land was an eden of beauty and peace:
No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth. On the land of Lórien, there was no stain.
The Third Age is also the time period when the Fellowship's path collided with Lothlórien and brought the characters into Galadriel's home. The kingdom of Lothlórien is described as an idyllic paradise, and it provides the Fellowship a moment of respite. The movies do a good job of depicting the ethereal beauty of Lórien and all of its natural elements.
What Happened to Lothlórien?
During the War of the Ring, Lothlórien was attacked by forces from Dol Guldur, but the land was protected thanks to a combination of Elven skill and Galadriel's immense power. After three separate assaults from Dol Guldur that had all ended in failure, Lórien sent their own forces to attack Dol Guldur, in which the Elves were victorious.
After the War of the Ring, the leadership structure in Lothlórien changed. Galadriel went across the sea to Valinor, so Lórien was left in the care of Celeborn alone. The reach of Lórien expanded to include a part of Mirkwood, but even then, the population was shrinking, as more and more Elves in Middle-earth ventured to the Undying Lands.
Galadriel had also taken her Ring of Power, Nenya, with her to Valinor, and was accompanied by the bearers of the other two Elven Rings. This meant that their magic was no longer there to feed Lórien's own magic and beauty. It faded, as did the population along with it. Celeborn left to live in Rivendell, and many other Elves took refuge in Mirkwood. Over time, the once great kingdom of Lothlórien became completely deserted.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
