Hador

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Character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Legendarium Name Hador Other names Lórindol, the Golden-haired Titles Lord of Dor-lómin Race Men Culture Edain, Third House Date of birth Y.S. 390[1] Date of death Y.S. 455 Realm Dor-lómin Book(s) The Silmarillion, The War of the Jewels, Unfinished Tales

In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Hador was a Lord of Men during the First Age.

Contents 1 Biography 2 The House of Hador 3 Later version of the biography 4 Earlier versions of the legendarium 5 References

[edit] Biography

Hador, also called in Sindarin Lórindol ('Goldenhead', IPA: ˈhadɔr lɔːˈrindɔl) because he had fair blond hair, was the great-great-grandson of Marach, one of the leaders of the Atanatári, and ruled over the Folk of Marach which later became commonly known as the House of Hador. Hador wedded Gildis and had three children, Glóredhel, Galdor the Tall and Gundor. Galdor's sons were Húrin Thalion and Huor, and Húrin's son was Túrin Turambar who slew the Dragon Glaurung.

Hador entered the household of Fingolfin High King of the Noldor in his youth, and was well-liked by the king. Seeing that the Edain needed a country and lords of their own, Fingolfin now granted to Hador the lordship of land of Dor-lómin in Hithlum in the year 416 of the First Age,^[2] where soon most of his folk migrated from their former dwellings by the sources of Taeglin. The Folk of Hador remained thereafter loyal to the House of Fingolfin and for his cause marched to war against Morgoth, though under their own Lord.

He also received the Dragon-helm of Telchar, a famed Dwarven-smith of Nogrod, at that time. Hador was given this helm because it was made for dwarven-heads, and none had the size to wear it in the land. He was one of the tallest Men in all Beleriand. All of his line wore the helm until it was lost in the time of his great-grandson Túrin, with the exception of Húrin who was of lesser stature than his fathers (though perhaps the mightiest warrior of mortal men).

Hador was slain during the Dagor Bragollach along with his son Gundor before the walls of Eithel Sirion, defending the rearguard of Fingolfin. The rule of Dor-lómin passed then to his elder son Galdor.

[edit] The House of Hador

Marach

Meldis

Malach

Adanel

Magor

Hathol

Hador

Gildis

Glóredhel

Galdor

Hareth

Gundor

Handir

Morwen

Húrin

Huor

Rían

Brandir

Túrin

Lalaith

Nienor

Tuor

Eärendil

[edit] Later version of the biography

One of J. R. R. Tolkien's intentions that never reached a finished state was placing Fingolfin's gift of the lordship of Dor-lómin to the times of the third lord of the Folk of Marach (Magor in the published Silmarillion); but he also wished to preserve the name 'House of Hador'. This entailed the reversal of Hador's and Magor's positions, and in a late genealogical table they appear as "Hador Lorindol, first lord of Dorlómin" (grandson of Marach) and simply "Magor Dagorlind" (great-great-grandson of Marach).^[3]

According to this version, the Folk of Marach in c. Y.S. 380 migrated from Estolad directly to Dor-lómin, without settling temporarily by the sources of Taeglin. It is unclear was Hador to retain Gildis as his wife, or she remained the mother of Húrin and became the spouse of Magor. Of Hador's new biography only his birthyear (Y.S. 341) is known.

[edit] Earlier versions of the legendarium

Originally Tolkien conceived that it was Hador (spelt Hádor then), grandfather of Húrin, who led the second party of Men over the Ered Luin, with no generations of Men preceding him and no third party.^[4] The Folk of Haleth was soon introduced, but the great expansion of the Houses of Men into elder generations was brought about only with the revisions made to the Quenta Silmarillion after writing The Lord of the Rings.

Hador's name 'Goldenhead' appears in various Sindarin forms such as Glórindol or Glorindal. The final form seems to be Lorindol (with no accent over the first o).

[edit] References