He is a twice ill-fated ruler of elven realms.
His lands would fall to two of the greatest villains in the history of Middle-earth.
Despite the compelling events surrounding him, he is best known for the uncertainty
around his family tree, leading many to question his ancestry, and progeny to this very day.
Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we cover the life and travels of Orodreth.
Orodreth is born sometime after YT 1300, yet before the exile of the Noldor in 1495.
In The Silmarillion, it is said that among the Noldor to make the journey to Middle-earth,
Orodreth spoke softly and sought to calm his fellow elves.
And right off the bat, we get into the biggest point of contention with Orodreth - his ancestry.
In the published Silmarillion, it is said that Orodreth is the son of Finarfin, making
him the brother of Finrod, Angrod, Aegnor, and Galadriel.
However, we learn in the History of Middle-earth that Tolkien had apparently changed his mind
on this character.
Instead, he made him the son of Angrod, making him Finarfin’s grandson and Galdriel’s
nephew.
Christopher Tolkien himself stated it was a mistake of his to list Orodreth as one of
Galadriel’s siblings in The Silmarillion.
So with this lens, we will proceed with the remainder of his life story…
Around the year 60 FA, Orodreth’s uncle Finrod builds the tower of Minas Tirith on
the island of Tol Sirion.
While sharing a name, this is an entirely different structure than the one built in
Gondor during the Second Age.
Around 102 FA, Finrod completes the construction of a second great realm - the Kingdom of Nargothrond.
With his new realm completed, Finrod leaves the command of Minas Tirith to his nephew
Orodreth.
For centuries, they would enjoy peace in Beleriand, as Morgoth’s fortress of Angband is in a
constant state of siege by the elves of the north.
However, in 455, Morgoth strikes back in a major way, unleashing rivers of flame and
the mighty dragon Glaurung.
With the siege broken and many elves slain - including Orodreth’s father Angrod and
uncle Aegnor - the path is open for Morgoth’s forces to attack the northern realms.
For nigh on two years after the Dagor Bragollach the Noldor still defended the western pass
about the sources of Sirion, for the power of Ulmo was in that water, and Minas Tirith
withstood the Orcs.
But at length, after the fall of Fingolfin, Sauron, greatest and most terrible of the
servants of Morgoth..., came against Orodreth, the warden1 of the tower upon Tol Sirion.
Sauron was become now a sorcerer of dreadful power..., foul in wisdom, cruel in strength...,
twisting what he ruled, lord of werewolves; his dominion was torment.
He took Minas Tirith by assault, for a dark cloud of fear fell upon those that defended
it; and Orodreth was driven out, and fled to Nargothrond.
Then Sauron made it into a watchtower for Morgoth, a stronghold of evil, and a menace;
and the fair isle of Tol Sirion became accursed, and it was called Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the Isle
of Werewolves.
Just eight years after the arrival of Orodreth, a visitor would come to King Finrod.
A man named Beren brings the ring of his father Barahir to remind Finrod of his pledge to
aid his house.
Thus, Finrod agrees to help Beren in his quest to steal a silmaril from the crown of Morgoth
himself.
Once again, Finrod leaves Orodreth in charge of his city.
However, this time there are others of influence as well.
Celegorm and Curufin dwelt in Nargothrond and though Orodreth was by rights the ruler
- these sons of Feanor held a great deal of power themselves.
Curufin even refers to Orodreth as a dullard as he and his brother plot to usurp the rule
of Nargothrond should Finrod not return.
Finrod would indeed meet his demise in the very dungeons of the former Minas Tirith.
However, Finrod’s death would not have the desired effect for Celegorm and Curufin.
The people turn against them, and Orodreth, now unquestionably the true ruler of Nargothrond,
expels the sons of Feanor from the realm.
Years later, in 472, a great alliance of elves and men seeks to make a final war upon Morgoth.
However, with the treachery of Celegorm and Curufin fresh in his mind, Orodreth refuses
to take part.
Instead Gwindor, who was betrothed to Orodreth’s daughter Finduilas, leads a group of elves
against the king’s will to the battle.
The battle is a disaster, Morgoth’s victory is overwhelming, and the armies of the elves
are devastated.
Gwindor is made a thrall, forced to work as a slave in the pits of Angband.
In the coming years, Nargothrond would continue to exist in relative peace - it’s fortified
structure built into the earth along the river Narog making it nearly impossible to assail.
In 490, Gwindor escapes his captivity and returns to Nargothrond a broken and weakened
elf.
With him is a man who he had helped save - Turin son of Hurin.
Turin, whose entire family had been cursed by Morgoth, goes by a pseudonym, hoping to
leave his cursed life behind him.
Orodreth’s daughter Finduilas comes to fall in love with Turin, and a heart-broken Gwindor
finally reveals Turin’s true identity.
At this news, Orodreth treats Turin with honor, and he would become the chief counselor to
the king.
This would be the turning point for Nargothrond, and directly lead to the king’s doom.
With his true name revealed and embraced once more, Morgoth’s curse brings ruin upon Turin.
In his hubris, Turin convinces Orodreth to abandon their strategy of secrecy for open
hostilities against Morgoth’s forces.
They build a great bridge over the river Narog to more easily march their armies to war.
In the days to come, two messengers are sent by Ulmo, the very same Vala who had given
Finrod the vision to build Nargothrond.
He tells Orodreth to shut the doors of Nargothrond and destroy the bridge, for his power was
withdrawing from the great river, and the elves should therefore look inward to their
defense.
However, Turin scorns the words of the messengers, saying they should continue to go openly to
war, striving against the dark lord.
Orodreth, valuing Turin’s words above others, ignores the advice of Ulmo.
In 495, Morgoth unleashes Glaurung, the father of dragons, with an army at his side as they
march for Nargothrond.
Upon hearing the news of their coming, Turin advises Orodreth to ride out and meet the
host of Angband.
Then the warriors of Nargothrond went forth, and tall and terrible on that day looked Túrin,
and the heart of the host was upheld, as he rode on the right hand of Orodreth.
But greater far was the host of Morgoth than any scouts had told, and none but Túrin defended
by his dwarf-mask could withstand the approach of Glaurung; and the Elves were driven back
and pressed by the Orcs into the field of Tumhalad, between Ginglith and Narog, and
there they were penned.
On that day all the pride and host of Nargothrond withered away…
Orodreth is killed in the battle, Gwindor is mortally wounded, and Turin returns to
Nargothrond to find his bridge being used by Glaurung and the orcs to easily sack the
city.
In the Fall of Nargothrond, most of its people are either enslaved or killed.
Among the eventual casualties is Orodreth’s daughter Finduilas, whom the orcs pin to a
tree with a spear when they come under attack.
However, the line of Orodreth would live on, as his wife and son had apparently been living
at the Havens of Sirion, guests of Cirdan the shipwright.
His son is none other than Gil-galad, who would go on to be the longest serving High
King of the Noldor in Middle-earth.
And this is yet another point of contention - one of the biggest in all of Tolkien’s
lore - the parentage of Gil-galad.
For in the published Silmarillion, Gil-galad was not the son of Orodreth, but of Fingon.
Once again, we discover in History of Middle-earth that Christopher made a self-admitted mistake
in the Silmarillion.
However, the parentage of Gil-galad causes even more debate among fans than Orodreth’s.
And we’ll cover that topic in depth in a future video here on the channel, so be sure
to hit subscribe and the bell so you don’t miss it.