He was one of the oldest and wisest of elves to ever walk Middle-earth.
Born when the first elves enter into the history of the world, his life would see the rise
and fall of two dark lords.
He would serve the elves of Middle-earth, destined to deny his own desire and instead
help others to make the great journey into the West.
Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we cover the life and travels of Cirdan, the Shipwright.
Cirdan is born around the year of the trees 1050 at Lake Cuivienen, with the rest of the
firstborn.
There he is first known as Nowe and is among the Teleri elves.
When the time finally comes for the Eldar to make their great journey to the Untermost
West of the world, Nowe and his followers would continue as many of the Teleri diverge
from the journey.
One of the last to fall behind is Elwe, later known as Thingol, who met Melian the maia
in the Forest of Nan Elmoth.
There, they would be caught in an enchantment of their own making for two hundred years.
We are told that Nowe’s greatest desire is to see the light of Valinor.
However, while the Noldor and Vanyar make their way to Valinor upon the moving island
of Tol Eressea, Nowe would not leave his lord behind and they search for Thingol.
Missing the first trip upon Tol Eressea, these Teleri finally come to the sea and, in Thingol’s
absence, they take Olwe, his brother, as their king.
As they wait for Ulmo to return with Tol Eressea, Nowe leads the people in the construction
and sailing of ships.
It is from this that Nowe takes the name “Cirdan” which means “shipwright” in Sindarin.
- I know what you’re thinking and yes, this means when we say Cirdan the Shipwright, we
are pretty much saying Shipwright...the Shipwright.
During this time on the coasts of Beleriand, the Teleri begin a great friendship with Osse,
a maia of the sea associated with Ulmo.
Throughout the years, Cirdan continues to search for Thingol more than most of the other
Teleri.
Due to his allegiance to Thingol, Cirdan once again comes to the shore too late for the
second journey of Tol Eressea, coming to the sands to find his kin had left.
As he stands on the shore, he sees in the distance a glimmer of light upon Eressea as
it vanishes into the West.
In this moment, the Valar put a message into Cirdan’s heart, warning him that no ship
of his making could endure the voyage for many years, until his work be of the utmost
worth and remembered in song.
Cirdan obeys this prompting upon his heart, and sees a vision of a ship - the very same
that would one day sail both the sea - and the sky.
Cirdan remains on the coast of Beleriand with the Teleri who had chosen to stay behind out
of their love for Osse.
These people come to be known as the Falathrim and Cirdan, as their lord, founds the realm
of Falas.
There they would create great Havens and build many ships.
In the Year of the Trees 1497, Morgoth attacks the elves of Beleriand in the First Battle.
His orcs cut Cirdan off from the other elves of the world, and the Falathrim are besieged
for many months and separated from the elves of Thingol - who by now had founded his own
realm of Doriath.
This siege ends due to the arrival of the Noldor, who had exiled themselves from Valinor.
Under Feanor, they attack Morgoth’s forces in the north, and the siege upon Cirdan’s
people is abandoned.
These orcs would be destroyed by the elves led by Feanor’s son, Celegorm, and Falas
was finally free from attack.
Twenty years after the first rising of the Sun, Fingolfin is now the High King of the
Noldor and called for a great celebratory feast - the Mereth Aderthad “the Feast of
Reuiniting”, where emissaries of elves from all over Beleriand - including Cirdan - met
near the Pools of Ivrin so that they may be reunited and recognize their common enemy
- Morgoth.
Among the Noldor, Cirdan becomes close friends with Galadriel’s brother Finrod Felagund.
With Finrod’s help, the elves build even greater havens at Brithombar and Eglarest
as well as the tower of Barad Nimras.
However, the friendship among the greater groups of Noldor and Sindar would not last.
Morgoth begins spreading tales throughout the lands - tales of the Kingslaying of Alqualonde,
in which the Noldor under Feanor killed the Teleri in Valinor to steal their ships.
When Cirdan hears these rumors, he sends messages to king Thingol.
When Thingol hears of elves of their own kind being slaughtered by the Noldor, he banishes
the use of their language of Quenya within his realm and greater friction grows between
the Sindar and the Noldor.
While the conflicts with Morgoth over the centuries of the First Age would primarily
be fought by the Noldor, Cirdan is among the Sindar who take action at certain points.
Seven years after the Dagor Bragollach (462), Morgoth launches the Second Assault on Hithlum.
He sends a force through the passes of the Ered Wethrin, which lays siege to Eithel Sirion.
After Hurin drives the orcs from the mountains and across the scorched plains of Anfauglith,
Morgoth’s second force descends from the north and a battle occurs on the plain.
King Fingon is outnumbered and facing defeat when Cirdan’s force travels up the Firth
of Drengist, where they come upon the orcs from the west.
The orcs are defeated and those that remain flee to the Iron Mountains.
Ten years later, the fortunes of the Noldor are at their worst, as they are defeated in
the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and Morgoth seizes control of the northern lands of Beleriand.
In the aftermath, many survivors of the north find refuge at the havens of Falas.
In the coming days, the shipmasters among the Falathrim would launch guerilla attacks
from the sea upon the orcs.
However, the very next year of 473, Morgoth’s attention would turn to Cirdan.
His forces come to the southern realm and lay siege to Brithombar and Eglarest.
The Falathrim fight valiantly, but we are told that among Morgoth’s force are “skilled
smiths, miners and masters of fire” who build mighty siege-engines and break the walls.
Barad Nimras is cast down and most of Cirdan’s people are killed or taken into thralldom.
Cirdan manages to escape with a small group of survivors, including Gil-galad, a Noldorin
prince.
They sail to the Isle of Balar, where they establish a refuge.
They establish both there and at the Mouths of Sirion a refuge for the elves.
There, they would continue to receive refugees from the north.
When Turgon of Gondolin receives news of the Fall of the Falas, he asks Cirdan to send
mariners to the Uttermost West, to ask for the aid of the Valar themselves.
Cirdan builds seven great ships which head west, yet none would return.
There would be only one lone elf who returns to Beleriand - Voronwe, who is saved by Ulmo
from the shipwreck and taken ashore, where he meets the man Tuor - and leads him to Gondolin.
Later, Ulmo would use Cirdan himself as a messenger.
Ulmo tells Cirdan to instruct Orodreth of Nargothrond to shut his gates and destroy
his bridge so that the realm may be spared from Morgoth’s attacks.
Cirdan’s messengers are overruled by Turin Turambar - Orodreth’s chief counsellor - and
in 495, Orodreth is killed and the realm of Nargothrond is taken by the dragon Glaurung.
Fifteen years later (510), the mighty hidden city of Gondolin itself would fall - the last
resistance against Morgoth in the North.
With the news of Turgon’s demise, Gil-galad is made High King of the Noldor.
Refugees from Gondolin would make their way south to the Havens of Sirion - led by Tuor
and Idril.
Cirdan would become great friends with Tuor and Idril’s son, Earendil - who becomes
his apprentice - much like a foster son.
Together they build a great ship - Vingilot - the very ship that would fulfil Cirdan’s
vision from over 500 years earlier.
When the Havens of Sirion are attacked by the Sons of Feanor in the Third Kinslaying
in 538, it would be Earendil, who was on a voyage in his ship at the time, that would
make his way to Valinor, rousing the Wrath of the Valar.
After fighting alongside the Host of Valinor, Earendil would forever sail the skies of Middle-earth
in his ship blessed by the Valar.
From this time, Cirdan is given foresight that surpasses that of any other elf.
This is believed to possibly be a special gift from the Valar.
After the War of Wrath to end the First Age, Cirdan once again puts aside his heart’s
deepest desire to go West.
He embraces his fate - to be the one to send others on their way to Valinor, but to not
yet pass there himself.
With the destruction of Beleriand, Cirdan and a small following make their way East,
settling in the newly founded realm of Lindon.
The High King Gil-galad would rule over Lindon, and Cirdan would found the port of Mithlond,
also known as the Grey Havens.
Over the centuries, Cirdan would make friends with voyagers from Numenor who visited their
shores.
One such Numenorean is Aldarion, whom he instructs on not only the construction of ships, but
also of seaside architecture.
It is said that when Annatar comes to Eriador, Cirdan advises against the creation of the
Rings of Power, but the ambition of the Gwaith-i-Mirdain leads them to ignore his advice.
Later, when the Three elven rings are sent from Celebrimbor to Galadriel and Gil-galad
for safekeeping, Gil-galad entrusts Cirdan with one of these great rings - Narya, the
Ring of Fire.
While Sauron would go on to destroy Eregion and lead a terrible campaign throughout Eriador,
it is said he would not dare to attack Lindon or the Grey Havens - believing them to be
too strong with their Numenorean allies.
Nearly 1700 years later, Numenor is long gone and a final battle is at hand.
Cirdan joins the Last Alliance of Elves and Men in their final attack upon Sauron’s
lands of Mordor.
Alongside Gil-galad are both Cirdan and Elrond.
In throwing down Sauron, Gil-galad is killed - and the first of Cirdan’s foster sons
is no more.
We are told by Elrond that only he and Cirdan were by Gil-galad in this final act and were
aware of Isildur taking the One Ring from Sauron’s fallen body.
Together, they urge Isildur to destroy the ring in the fires of Orodruin, but Isildur
refuses.
With Gil-galad slain, Cirdan returns to the Grey Havens and Elrond to Rivendell.
In Mithlond, Cirdan would rule over the remaining elves of Lindon.
For 1000 years, Lindon would be at peace.
At this time, a shadow begins to rise - a re-emerging Sauron.
To combat this threat, the Valar send the Istari or Wizards to Middle-earth.
They come to the Grey Havens and are greeted by Cirdan.
It is said that Cirdan alone, with his incredible foresight, knew the true purpose of the Istari.
He foresees Gandalf’s future and sees that the wizard would have great use for his own
Ring of Power.
Giving him Narya, he proclaims that Gandalf would use it to inspire the hearts of men.
In the 1300s, the realm of Angmar rises and begins its war upon the great northern realm
of Arnor.
Throughout the War lasting hundreds of years, Cirdan supports the men of Arnor and its splinter
kingdoms.
In the waning days of this war (1975), he sends a ship from Lindon to the ice bay of
Forochel to save the lost king Arvedui who was exiled by the attacks of the Witch King.
While the crew would endure the harsh winter to find the king, his rash attempt to return
that same winter spells destruction.
The ship is sunk and all aboard are lost to the waters - including Arvedui and his two
palantiri.
In 1976, Cirdan and his elves of Lindon ally with the survivors of Arnor and are able to
defeat the Witch King in the Battle of Fornost.
With the arrival of the elves of Rivendell, led by Glorfindel, the Witch King is finally
driven from Eriador and the kingdom of Angmar is no more.
With the former Arnor in tatters, Cirdan would take possession of the Elendil stone which
dwelt in Emyn Beraid and was not connected to the other seeing stones.
Rather, it could only gaze into the West.
For nearly a century, we know nothing of Cirdan’s deeds.
However, we know that he would maintain the haven of Mithlond and see elves of Middle-earth
off as they made the great journey West.
In 3018, when Elrond calls for his great council, the elf Galdor serves as Cirdan’s messenger
in Imladris.
There, he speaks on behalf of Cirdan.
The next mention we have of Cirdan comes over two years after the ring is destroyed, when
on September 29, 3021, Frodo, Bilbo, Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf, and Shadowfax board the
White Ship.
“As they came to the gates Cirdan the Shipwright came forth to greet them.
Very tall he was, and his beard was long, and he was grey and old, save that his eyes
were keen as stars; and he looked at them and bowed, and said ‘All is now ready.”
This ship was one of the last built by Cirdan to depart Middle-earth forever.
However, it appears that Cirdan would indeed remain behind, for there were still yet more
souls to make their great journey on the Straight Road of the sea.
61 years after Frodo’s departure, Samwise Gamgee would sail from the Grey Havens himself
- the last of the bearers of the One Ring to make the trip.
Eventually, Cirdan’s havens would no longer be needed.
For there would come a day when no more elves in Middle-earth would wish to cross the Sea.
At some unknown date, that day would indeed come, and Galadriel’s husband Celeborn and
Cirdan himself would take the Last Ship built by Cirdan and make the final journey to Valinor.
And Cirdan, whose greatest desire for thousands of years had been to go to Valinor, would
finally make the journey that he had helped so many others to take, sailing into the West.
Now as for the common question of how old Cirdan was, we know that at the time of the
Lord of the Rings, he is somewhere around 10,800 years old.
However, it is interesting to note that in the new Nature of Middle-earth book, we learned
that Tolkien had considered making Valian years equal 144 of our own years, rather than
9.5.
This change would have meant that Cirdan, the eldest of the elves of Middle-earth, would
have been somewhere between 63-71,000 years old!
(63,932-71,852).
An incredible number for an incredible elf - one of the most faithful to his calling
that the world would ever see.