Dior Eluchíl

Dior Eluchíl is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is a character in The Silmarillion, which was published posthumously in 1977. The material in The Silmarillion was written over a period of many years, from the 1920s to the early 1970s.

Internal history

Character overview

Dior was the son of Beren and Lúthien, and the heir to the throne of Elu Thingol as King of Doriath. He was born in the year 470 of the Years of the Sun in the green land of Ossiriand. Dior was the first of the Half-elven, though he was also part Maia, Melian being his grandmother. He was also called Eluchíl which means "Heir of Elu", Ausir, "The Wealthy", and Aranel, "The Noble Elf". His name probably means "Successor". Furthermore he was hailed as "Dior the beautiful" apparently since his mother had been the most beautiful of all Elves and Men. Dior is remembered as a crucial character of the Elder Days, since not only was he the only son of Beren and Lúthien Tinúviel and the first Half-elf ever, but also the father of Elwing who married Eärendil and brought about the War of Wrath in which Morgoth was defeated. It was she who gave birth to Elrond and Elros, both of whom had a major impact on the later ages of Middle-earth. His story revolves around the Ruin of Doriath.

Biography

Dior lived during the First Age of Middle-earth, first in East Beleriand where he was born, and later in Doriath as Thingol's heir-apparent. He married Nimloth (otherwise known as Lindis), a kinswoman of Celeborn of Doriath, and together they had three children: two sons, Eluréd and Elurín, and a daughter Elwing, which means "star-spray" in Sindarin since she was born on a night of stars. When the dwarf-host entered Ossiriand from the west, after they had attacked Doriath and murdered Dior's grandfather King Thingol in search of the Nauglamír, Dior and his father Beren gathered an army of Laiquendi (Green-elves) and Ents that ambushed and completely annihilated the Dwarves in a battle that was to be Beren's last before he died. Afterwards they left all of the dwarf treasure sunken in the waters of a lake, since the dwarf-lord had cursed all of it with his dying breath, save the Silmaril that was contained in the Nauglamír, the Necklace of the Dwarves. This was one of the coveted Jewels of Fëanor, which years before Dior's parents Lúthien and Beren had stolen from the iron crown of the Dark Lord Morgoth. They gave it to Lúthien to wear, and with her beauty and the light of the Silmaril Ossiriand became the most glorious of all lands outside the Blessed Realm of Valinor that are or ever were after. Later Dior left Ossiriand with his family and bade farewell to his parents, and came to Doriath as its new king, to once more give back its former glory. Soon after the necklace containing the Silmaril was presented to Dior by a Green-elf messenger from Ossiriand and Dior knew that it was a sign and token of his parents' death. He gazed long in grief at the jewel, before wearing it and revealing himself as the most beautiful of all the children of the world, of threefold race: the Edain (Men), the Eldar (Elves) and the Maiar (Ainur) of the Blessed Realm.

During Y.S. 504 – 505, the Sons of Fëanor learned of the possession of the Silmaril recovered by Beren and Lúthien that was now in the hands of Dior, the new King of Doriath. Whilst Lúthien had worn the necklace no one had dared to assail her, but now the situation had changed. Maedhros restrained his brothers’ urge to attack, and instead, sent a message to Dior demanding that he yield the Silmaril to them, but Dior ignored it. Celegorm’s words convinced the Fëanorians to launch an assault. Thus Doriath was destroyed and Dior was killed and the brothers emerged victorious, but the brothers Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir were slain and the Silmaril was not recovered. In this battle Nimloth had been murdered and Dior was slain.

Upon learning that Celegorm’s servants had cruelly sent Dior’s twin sons, Eluréd and Elurín, to starve in a dark forest, Maedhros filled with righteous anger and pity went on a long and perilous search for them, but it proved to be fruitless.

Elwing, Dior's only daughter, however, escaped with the remnant of the Elves of Doriath to the Havens of Sirion, where she later wedded Eärendil the Mariner and they together sought pardon and aid from the Valar, which resulted in the War of Wrath and the overthrow of Morgoth and his dominion.

Colour key:
     Elves
     Men
     Maiar
     Half-elven
     Half-elven who chose the fate of elves
     Half-elven who chose the fate of mortal men

See also

• Oath of Fëanor
• War of Wrath

References

• Tolkien, J. R. R. (1977), Christopher Tolkien, ed., The Silmarillion, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, ISBN 0-395-25730-1