Biography
Legendary Lord of the House of Beor who removed the Silmarils from the Iron Crown of Morgoth. Beren's marriage to the Elf Luthien and his quest to cut one of the Silmarils from the Iron Crown were both very famous stories of the elder days.
Beren was the son of Barahir, who was the great-great-grandson of Beor the Old. Barahir was also Lord of the House of Beor. Beren's mother was Emeldir, who was the great-great-great granddaughter of Beor. Beren was born in Dorthonion in 432 of the First Age. He was a great hero of his time.
In 455 of the First Age, Morgoth attacked Dorthonion. He struck this region very hard during the Battle of Sudden Flame, in which both Elves and Edain stood against overwhelming armies of the enemy. Beren fought in the battle, but he and a group of his father's supporters were forced to retreat to the shores of lake Tarn Aeluin and went into hiding for five years. However, in 460, Morgoth felt it was necessary to slay Barahir's company of support, so his servant Sauron captured a man named Gorlim, who had been a member of Barahir's company. Gorlim was likely tortured into telling the whereabouts of Baahir and his supporters, and with that information Morgoth sent servants there to massacre them. Sure enough, the entirety of Barahir's company were slain save Beren, who was running an errand at the time of the attack. Beren swore and oath to avenge his father's death.
During the attack on his father, the Orcs had taken the Ring of Barahir. Beren hunted down the Orc-captain who had stolen it and he slew him, taking back the Ring that was rightfully his.
After his father's death, Beren became Lord of the House of Beor. However, Beren was soon forced out of Dorthonion by Sauron and he fled to Doriath.
It was in the woods of Doriath in 463 that Beren first met Luthien. She was the most beautiful Elf in existence, and Beren fell in love with her instantly. But when he asked Luthien's father Thingol for Luthien's hand in marriage, Thingol denied him permission to marry his daughter. Thingol said that Beren could only marry Luthien if he brought back a Silmaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth. Though Thingol intented that this task be an impossible one, Beren was determined to marry his beloved Luthien. So, he set out to complete this seemingly-impossible task with the help of the Elf Finrod Felagund of Nargothrond.
Soon after Beren and Finrod set out, they were captured by Sauron and imprisoned in Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Luthien soon learned of Beren's imprisonment and she came to his rescue with the help of Huan the Hound.
When the trio of companions reached Morgoth's fortress of Angband, Luthien used her beautiful singing voice to put Morgoth to sleep. During his slumber, Beren was able to cut one of the Silmarils from the dark lord's Iron Crown using his Dwarven-knife Angrist. However, Beren's luck did not last.
As the trio of companions were leaving Angband in belief that they had completed their quest, one of Morgoth's deadly wolves named Carcharoth emerged from Angband and pursued Beren. Beren held out the Silmaril, hoping that its radiance would blind the wolf. But alas he was mistaken and Carcharoth bit off his hand, swallowing the Silmaril along with it. After his mighty achievement, Carcharoth ran off into the wilderness of Doriath.
Left one-handed and unconscious, Beren was hopeless. He and his companions were rescued by Eagles sent by Manwe. But the loss of a hand did not stop Beren's desire for the marriage of Luthien. Soon after his recovery, Beren participated in the hunting of Carcharoth. Though Carcharoth was slain and the Silmaril was recovered, Beren was fatally wounded during the fight.
After Beren's death in 466, Luthien was not able to tolerate life after the death of her beloved. She died soon after of grief, but she was able to convince the great Vala Mandos to grant her one wish. Luthien wished that she and Beren's souls could be restored in life.
Mandos granted her wish, but not the full extent of it. Though both Beren and Luthien were reincarnated and able to live out their lives, they lived the lives of mortal men. When the time came, they would both die; their souls leaving the walls of Arda and going to a place unknown.
So it was that Beren and Luthien were able to live out their lives. They lived on Tol Galen on the River Andurant in Ossiriand. Beren only engaged in the affairs of mortals once, when, after Thingol's death, the Dwarves of Nogrod stole the Nauglamir and a Silmaril. Upon hearing this news, Beren raised an army of Green-elves and Ents and he retrieved both of the riches from the Dwarves.
In 470, Beren and Luthien had a son named Dior. Dior was known to have been one of the fairest beings in existence, for through his veins flowed the blood of the Edain, the blood of the Eldar Elves, and the blood of the Ainur which came from Luthien's mother Melian. From Dior came countless descendants including Elrond, Arwen, the Kings of Numenor, The Kings of Gondor, The Kings of Arnor, and eventually King Aragorn II Elessar.
In 503, death finally took Beren and Luthien and they would go to a place beyond Arda of which even the Elves knew nothing.
Beren was the son of Barahir, who was the great-great-grandson of Beor the Old. Barahir was also Lord of the House of Beor. Beren's mother was Emeldir, who was the great-great-great granddaughter of Beor. Beren was born in Dorthonion in 432 of the First Age. He was a great hero of his time.
In 455 of the First Age, Morgoth attacked Dorthonion. He struck this region very hard during the Battle of Sudden Flame, in which both Elves and Edain stood against overwhelming armies of the enemy. Beren fought in the battle, but he and a group of his father's supporters were forced to retreat to the shores of lake Tarn Aeluin and went into hiding for five years. However, in 460, Morgoth felt it was necessary to slay Barahir's company of support, so his servant Sauron captured a man named Gorlim, who had been a member of Barahir's company. Gorlim was likely tortured into telling the whereabouts of Baahir and his supporters, and with that information Morgoth sent servants there to massacre them. Sure enough, the entirety of Barahir's company were slain save Beren, who was running an errand at the time of the attack. Beren swore and oath to avenge his father's death.
During the attack on his father, the Orcs had taken the Ring of Barahir. Beren hunted down the Orc-captain who had stolen it and he slew him, taking back the Ring that was rightfully his.
After his father's death, Beren became Lord of the House of Beor. However, Beren was soon forced out of Dorthonion by Sauron and he fled to Doriath.
It was in the woods of Doriath in 463 that Beren first met Luthien. She was the most beautiful Elf in existence, and Beren fell in love with her instantly. But when he asked Luthien's father Thingol for Luthien's hand in marriage, Thingol denied him permission to marry his daughter. Thingol said that Beren could only marry Luthien if he brought back a Silmaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth. Though Thingol intented that this task be an impossible one, Beren was determined to marry his beloved Luthien. So, he set out to complete this seemingly-impossible task with the help of the Elf Finrod Felagund of Nargothrond.
Soon after Beren and Finrod set out, they were captured by Sauron and imprisoned in Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Luthien soon learned of Beren's imprisonment and she came to his rescue with the help of Huan the Hound.
When the trio of companions reached Morgoth's fortress of Angband, Luthien used her beautiful singing voice to put Morgoth to sleep. During his slumber, Beren was able to cut one of the Silmarils from the dark lord's Iron Crown using his Dwarven-knife Angrist. However, Beren's luck did not last.
As the trio of companions were leaving Angband in belief that they had completed their quest, one of Morgoth's deadly wolves named Carcharoth emerged from Angband and pursued Beren. Beren held out the Silmaril, hoping that its radiance would blind the wolf. But alas he was mistaken and Carcharoth bit off his hand, swallowing the Silmaril along with it. After his mighty achievement, Carcharoth ran off into the wilderness of Doriath.
Left one-handed and unconscious, Beren was hopeless. He and his companions were rescued by Eagles sent by Manwe. But the loss of a hand did not stop Beren's desire for the marriage of Luthien. Soon after his recovery, Beren participated in the hunting of Carcharoth. Though Carcharoth was slain and the Silmaril was recovered, Beren was fatally wounded during the fight.
After Beren's death in 466, Luthien was not able to tolerate life after the death of her beloved. She died soon after of grief, but she was able to convince the great Vala Mandos to grant her one wish. Luthien wished that she and Beren's souls could be restored in life.
Mandos granted her wish, but not the full extent of it. Though both Beren and Luthien were reincarnated and able to live out their lives, they lived the lives of mortal men. When the time came, they would both die; their souls leaving the walls of Arda and going to a place unknown.
So it was that Beren and Luthien were able to live out their lives. They lived on Tol Galen on the River Andurant in Ossiriand. Beren only engaged in the affairs of mortals once, when, after Thingol's death, the Dwarves of Nogrod stole the Nauglamir and a Silmaril. Upon hearing this news, Beren raised an army of Green-elves and Ents and he retrieved both of the riches from the Dwarves.
In 470, Beren and Luthien had a son named Dior. Dior was known to have been one of the fairest beings in existence, for through his veins flowed the blood of the Edain, the blood of the Eldar Elves, and the blood of the Ainur which came from Luthien's mother Melian. From Dior came countless descendants including Elrond, Arwen, the Kings of Numenor, The Kings of Gondor, The Kings of Arnor, and eventually King Aragorn II Elessar.
In 503, death finally took Beren and Luthien and they would go to a place beyond Arda of which even the Elves knew nothing.
Names & Meanings
The name Beren means "bold, daring." Beren was also referred to as Beren Erchamion, Erchamion meaning "one-handed," and Beren Camlost, Camlost meaning "empty-handed."
References
The Silmarillion: "Of Beren and Luthien," passim
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies"
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter # 165
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies"
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter # 165
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