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Olwë, King of the Falmari by Jenny Dolfen at goldseven.de

Olwë

Biographical information

Other names

Titles

Lord of Tol Eressëa, Lord of Alqualondë, King of the Falmari

Date of birth

YT ?, perhaps Firstborn

Year ascended to the throne

YT ?, Noontide of Valinor

Date of death

Still alive

Realms ruled

Tol Eressëa, Alqualondë

Spouse

Unnamed wife

Weapon

Physical description

Race

Elves

Culture

Teleri (Falmari)

Gender

Male

Height

Hair color

White

Eye color

Peter Jackson's Film Trilogy

Actor

Voice

Character

Olwë is an elf of the Teleri of Aman, and younger brother of Elwë (Thingol), High King of the Sindar and of Doriath. When he and his kin reached Aman, they never returned to Middle-earth instead choosing to remain there in both Tol Eressëa and Alqualondë apart from the rest of the Elves of Aman. He lives in the coastal city of Alqualondë where he is its lord. He is also honored as the King of the Falmari. He may have also had a second brother called Elmo.

HistoryEdit

Elwë and Olwë were both lords of the third clan of the elves, the later Teleri, and together they lead their people from Cuiviénen to the West. However, during a long wait in Beleriand Elwë disappeared. After years of searching, Olwë grew impatient, and led the greater part of the Teleri to Valinor, on the insistence of the Vala Ulmo.

Olwë became Lord of the island of Tol Eressëa, where the Teleri built a great number of cities, and grew in number. When they finally came to Eldamar some centuries later, Olwë became Lord of Alqualondë. His daughter Eärwen married Finarfin son of Finwë and later High King of the Ñoldor in Valinor, and thus their children, when these returned to Middle-earth, could claim kinship to Thingol, for Eärwen had several sons.

When Fëanor, resolved to return to Middle-earth in pursuit of Morgoth came to Alqualondë and spoke to the Teleri asking for aid and for the use of the Swanships but he could not move them, he then grew hot and wrathful and, grudging he spoke to Olwë. He accused him of renouncing their friendship and for being ungrateful for the help that the Ñoldor had given his people in the past. Then Olwë said to Fëanor that this was not so and that he believed that as a friend it was right for him to keep a friend from doing something unwise. Then he spoke to him of the many things that they accomplished on their own without any aid from the Ñoldor, and that the Swanships were one of those things and were very dear to them.

Seeing that he was not going to get what he wanted, Fëanor waited beyond the walls until he gathered his strength and then in defiance of Olwë he and his people began manning the ships. His people resisted and a battle had begun and many on both sides were slain but the Teleri withstood them for a time. Then the host of Fingon arrived and believing that the Teleri had been told to waylay the Ñoldor by command of the Valar, joined the battle and the Teleri were overcome. No doubt Olwë had watched in horror many of his people dying and he could do little for he called upon Ossë, their patron Maia but there was no answer.

The cruel slaying at the havens continued to haunt Olwë and his people for many years to come. Towards the end of the First Age when the Valar were preparing for the final assault on Morgoth, the Teleri of Olwë agreed only to sail the ships for very few of them were willing to go to war. Nothing much else is told about Olwë or his role in the later ages but he apparently still lives in the Swan-haven in peace.

The House of OlwëEdit

                -----------------------------------
                |               |                 |
Melian = Elwë (Thingol)       Olwë               Elmo1
       |                        |
    Lúthien = Beren       -------------------   
            |             |                 |
           Dior        Eärwen = Finarfin   sons
                              |
                           Finrod
                              |
                           Angrod2
                              |
                           Aegnor
                              |
                          Galadriel

1: Elmo may have been an ancestor of Celeborn and Nimloth
2: Father of Orodreth

ReferencesEdit

• The Silmarillion: Quenta Silmarillion

External linkEdit

• Olwë at Tolkien Gateway