Lindon Printable version

Lindon was the old name for Ossiriand, which was the Elven realm of Noldor’s Gil-galad. The secretive Green-elves were the first to settle in Lindon after migrating to the western side of the Blue Mountains (also Western Mountains). Lindon was an essential location for the Elves as it was a haven for survivors of The Great Battle at the beginning of the Second Age. Lindon lasted to the early periods of the Fourth Age.

Geography

Lindon renamed Ossiriand--was located on the western side of the Western Mountains, toward the East of Beleriand. The area of Beleriand was submerged after The Great Battle, and Lindon remained but became the most far to the west of the lands in Endor. The area known as Gulf of Lune divided to form Lindon and the Western Mountains which consequently split the realm of Lindon to North and South. North turned Forlindon while Harlindon became the South. River Lune was to the east of Lindon, at the border, while Arnor extended just beyond it.

History

Belegaer Submerged Lindon in First Age

The area of Ossiriand was first called Lindon by the Green Elves (also Laiquendi). The whole of the Beleriand area was engulfed by the sea after the Great Battle except the area of Lindon, other lands were split into smaller pieces of land. Another huge impact of the events around this period was that Belegaer, the great sea, created the Gulf of Lhun [1] after breaking through the range of mountains. The elves of Noldor and others that survived The Great Battle and the drowning of Beleriand settled in Lindon. Gil-galad ruled the surviving elves as the Second Age began.

Elven Realm of High King Gil-galad in Second Age

In the Second Age of Arda, High King Gil-galad took charge of the surviving elves of the War and established a unified kingdom in Lindon. The kingdom accommodated elves of all clans. Some Elves, however, became disturbed with the problems of Endor and traveled back to Valinor. The Elves of the Noldor clan predominantly lived in Forlindon while the Laiquendi and Sindar mostly concentrated in Harlindon. Harlindon was under Celeborn’s rule until 750 of the Second Age when he moved with Galadriel to Eregion that was outside Lindon. The men that survived the war may have stayed in Lindon for some years before they moved to Elenna in 32 of the Second Age. Soon tension arose among the elves, and they preferred to live in separate lands.

The Sindarin left for the realm of the Woodland Elves, the Teleri. While other Elves of the Noldor clan moved to form another realm known as Eregion. In 600 of the Second Age, the Numenorean ship, Entulessë reached Gil-galad in Mithlond, after which he made contact with the Men of Endor. In the era of Sauron's evil, he conquered Eriador with ease. The Elves fled for their lives heading to Lindon, which was inaccessible to Sauron. Gil-galad requested ships from Tar-minastir and headed to Eriador for Sauron with the combined forces of the Numenoreans and Elves but Sauron escaped from Eriador. After the Fall of Numenor, the area of Lindon became further drowned in the sea and lost all its land in the early times of the Fourth Age.

Lindon The Third Age

The War of Last Alliance ended and made the majority of Noldor Elves return for Valinor, leaving Lindon with a small population of Elves ruled by Cirdan the Shipbuilder. After the majority of the Elves deserted Lindon, the Khazad (dwarves) remained in the eastern region of the Ered Luin. The dwarves created dwellings outside the Lonely Mountains in the area, they had Thorin's Hall and Durin's Folk's realm.

Route for the Eldar in Fourth Age

In this age, after the defeat of Sauron, the Eldar that remained in Endor migrated to Lindon and made many temporary dwellings there. Bilbo and his ward, Frodo Baggins, left for Valinor from the shores of the Grey Havens. In 1482 SR, Samwise Gamgee went to Valinor as well. In the Book of Westmarch, [2] After the death of King Elessar, his companions, Legolas and Gimli also left for Valinor. From the statement of Cirdan, he was the last Eldar to leave Lindon for Valinor. After all, Elves left Lindon, the dwarves remained in the eastern part of the Western Mountains. They mostly settled in the region that was southward to the Lhun Gulf.

Etymology

Lindon in the Quenyan has the meaning “Region of the Singers”. From lin or lind which means “to make a sound” or "to sing” and the suffix -on which is used for “areas”.

References

1. ^Gulf of Lhûn.
2. ^Red Book of Westmarch.