Biography
Tuor was a great hero of the First Age who survived the downfall of Gondolin and sailed over the Great Sea into Valinor, where it is said he was able to live an immortal life. Tuor was the father of Earendil and thus grandfather of Elrond. Tuor's son Earendil was key in the destruction of Morgoth, and Earendil became a star in the sky.
Tuor was born in year 471 of the First Age. He was the son of Huor of the House of Hador and Rian of the House of Beor. Tuor never met his father, because in 472 Huor was slain during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Tuor was born in Mithrim in the company of the Elves, and his mother Rian left him in the care of Annael so she could find the tomb of her husband. As it happened, Rian died on the Haudh-en-Ndegin, the burial of the men who had fallen in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.
Tuor was taken care of by Elves for several years until Easterlings under the service of Morgoth came to occupy Hitlhum. The Elves of Mithrim took refuge in a cave complex in the Mountains of Mithrim known as Androth. When he was sixteen, Tuor wished to reclaim the land of his people from the Orcs and Easterlings, but Annael forbade him to do so. Instead, the Elves decided to escape Hithlum via the Annon-in-Gelydh and settle in the Mouths of the Sirion. After they set out in 488, the Elves were vanquished and Tuor was captured.
Tuor was brought deep into Hithlum where he was made the slave of Lorgan, the chief Easterling who had led his people into Dor-lomin. Because Lorgan knew of Tuor's genealogy, he treated him very poorly. Tuor was in the service of Lorgan for three years, until he finally reached the Androth caves where no Easterlings could find him, though there was a large reward waiting for any Easterling who could slay him.
Tuor soon found the rout that Annael had intended to take three years before and he was able to get out of Hitlhum. He found his way to the Gate of the Noldor by 495. When he passed through them he met Gelmir and Arminas, messengers of Cirdan sent to Gondolin. Gelmir and Arminas did not know how to get to Gondolin, but on their journey they passed the Great Sea. Upon laying eyes on it, Tuor had a longing to pass over it. Tuor decided to part company with Gelmir and Arminas and remain on the shores of the sea.
Tuor was the first man to ever lay eyes upon the sea. Tuor also felt the Vala of Waters, Ulmo, reaching out to him from the Sea, and Ulmo sent Tuor seven swans that led him south. They led him to Vinyamar, an abandoned city in which the Elf-Lord Turgon had once lived. There Tuor found a sword, a coat of mail, and a banner of a white swan on a blue field. Tuor took these with him on his journey.
That night, there was a great storm at sea and Tuor spoke to Ulmo from the shore. Ulmo told Tuor that he must find the city of Gondolin. Though Ulmo did not give him proper directions, he gave him a cloak to hide him from the enemy. The very next morning, an Elf of Gondolin named Voronwe was shipwrecked at Vinyamar and Tuor rescued him. When Tuor healed Voronwe with the words of Ulmo, Voronwe agreed to lead him to Gondolin.
When Voronwe and Tuor reached Gondolin, they were immediately taken prisoner by Elemmakil and brought before the court of Ecthelion of the Fountain. Recognizing Tuor's armor as something that only Ulmo could have manufactured, Ecthelion let them roam freely in Gondolin, but he denied them the right to leave Gondolin, for anyone who had found the hidden city was unable to leave it in fear of Morgoth discovering its whereabouts.
Tuor went before King Turgon of Gondolin, and he brought word from Ulmo that Turgon should abandon Gondolin because the Doom of Mandos was nearing its end, and that meant that Morgoth should find the Noldor's hidden settlement and slay all who dwelt there. This prophecy had originally been made by Mandos in Araman many generations before, but it had been long forgotten that there was an anticipated doom for the Noldor. Ulmo told Tuor to advise the Noldor to retreat to the Havens of Sirion.
Tuor himself believed that the Elves should remain in Gondolin for a time. Tuor grew to love the Noldorin culture and he learned much from them. He fell in love with Turgon's daughter Idril and they were married in 502. Tuor was made a Lord of the West Wing of Gondolin, and in circa 503 he and Idril had a son named Earendil. Though the people of Gondolin greatly loved and admired Tuor, one Elf named Maeglin resented him. Maeglin became the Elf who would give the whereabouts of Gondolin to Morgoth.
In 510, Morgoth put Gondolin under siege. Tuor fought off the invasion with the Elves of Gondolin, and he rescued Idril from Maeglin, ultimately tossing Maeglin from a high point in Gondolin to his death.
Tuor and Idril survived the fall of Gondolin, and they escaped through a tunnel that Idril had constructed under the city. The refugees from Gondolin settled on the banks of the Sirion where they were protected by Ulmo. Idril and Tuor remained in the vales of the Sirion until 525, when Tuor's desire to cross the Sea became too great. It was then that Tuor built a ship which he called Earame, meaning "Sea-wing" in Quenya. With that, he and Idril crossed Belegaer into the West. According to Noldorin legend, the Valar gave Tuor permission to live in Aman forever. Tuor was made immortal, possibly by Eru, like the Elves. And until Eru himself ended the world and the Secund Music of the Ainur was sung, Tuor would reside in Valinor.
Tuor was born in year 471 of the First Age. He was the son of Huor of the House of Hador and Rian of the House of Beor. Tuor never met his father, because in 472 Huor was slain during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Tuor was born in Mithrim in the company of the Elves, and his mother Rian left him in the care of Annael so she could find the tomb of her husband. As it happened, Rian died on the Haudh-en-Ndegin, the burial of the men who had fallen in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.
Tuor was taken care of by Elves for several years until Easterlings under the service of Morgoth came to occupy Hitlhum. The Elves of Mithrim took refuge in a cave complex in the Mountains of Mithrim known as Androth. When he was sixteen, Tuor wished to reclaim the land of his people from the Orcs and Easterlings, but Annael forbade him to do so. Instead, the Elves decided to escape Hithlum via the Annon-in-Gelydh and settle in the Mouths of the Sirion. After they set out in 488, the Elves were vanquished and Tuor was captured.
Tuor was brought deep into Hithlum where he was made the slave of Lorgan, the chief Easterling who had led his people into Dor-lomin. Because Lorgan knew of Tuor's genealogy, he treated him very poorly. Tuor was in the service of Lorgan for three years, until he finally reached the Androth caves where no Easterlings could find him, though there was a large reward waiting for any Easterling who could slay him.
Tuor soon found the rout that Annael had intended to take three years before and he was able to get out of Hitlhum. He found his way to the Gate of the Noldor by 495. When he passed through them he met Gelmir and Arminas, messengers of Cirdan sent to Gondolin. Gelmir and Arminas did not know how to get to Gondolin, but on their journey they passed the Great Sea. Upon laying eyes on it, Tuor had a longing to pass over it. Tuor decided to part company with Gelmir and Arminas and remain on the shores of the sea.
Tuor was the first man to ever lay eyes upon the sea. Tuor also felt the Vala of Waters, Ulmo, reaching out to him from the Sea, and Ulmo sent Tuor seven swans that led him south. They led him to Vinyamar, an abandoned city in which the Elf-Lord Turgon had once lived. There Tuor found a sword, a coat of mail, and a banner of a white swan on a blue field. Tuor took these with him on his journey.
That night, there was a great storm at sea and Tuor spoke to Ulmo from the shore. Ulmo told Tuor that he must find the city of Gondolin. Though Ulmo did not give him proper directions, he gave him a cloak to hide him from the enemy. The very next morning, an Elf of Gondolin named Voronwe was shipwrecked at Vinyamar and Tuor rescued him. When Tuor healed Voronwe with the words of Ulmo, Voronwe agreed to lead him to Gondolin.
When Voronwe and Tuor reached Gondolin, they were immediately taken prisoner by Elemmakil and brought before the court of Ecthelion of the Fountain. Recognizing Tuor's armor as something that only Ulmo could have manufactured, Ecthelion let them roam freely in Gondolin, but he denied them the right to leave Gondolin, for anyone who had found the hidden city was unable to leave it in fear of Morgoth discovering its whereabouts.
Tuor went before King Turgon of Gondolin, and he brought word from Ulmo that Turgon should abandon Gondolin because the Doom of Mandos was nearing its end, and that meant that Morgoth should find the Noldor's hidden settlement and slay all who dwelt there. This prophecy had originally been made by Mandos in Araman many generations before, but it had been long forgotten that there was an anticipated doom for the Noldor. Ulmo told Tuor to advise the Noldor to retreat to the Havens of Sirion.
Tuor himself believed that the Elves should remain in Gondolin for a time. Tuor grew to love the Noldorin culture and he learned much from them. He fell in love with Turgon's daughter Idril and they were married in 502. Tuor was made a Lord of the West Wing of Gondolin, and in circa 503 he and Idril had a son named Earendil. Though the people of Gondolin greatly loved and admired Tuor, one Elf named Maeglin resented him. Maeglin became the Elf who would give the whereabouts of Gondolin to Morgoth.
In 510, Morgoth put Gondolin under siege. Tuor fought off the invasion with the Elves of Gondolin, and he rescued Idril from Maeglin, ultimately tossing Maeglin from a high point in Gondolin to his death.
Tuor and Idril survived the fall of Gondolin, and they escaped through a tunnel that Idril had constructed under the city. The refugees from Gondolin settled on the banks of the Sirion where they were protected by Ulmo. Idril and Tuor remained in the vales of the Sirion until 525, when Tuor's desire to cross the Sea became too great. It was then that Tuor built a ship which he called Earame, meaning "Sea-wing" in Quenya. With that, he and Idril crossed Belegaer into the West. According to Noldorin legend, the Valar gave Tuor permission to live in Aman forever. Tuor was made immortal, possibly by Eru, like the Elves. And until Eru himself ended the world and the Secund Music of the Ainur was sung, Tuor would reside in Valinor.
Names & Meanings
The name Tuor was adopted into Sindarin from the language of the House of Hador. The name means "quick strength" in Noldorin from the Eldarin root tû meaning "strength" and gor meaning "haste."
Tuor was also referenced as Tuor Eladar, Ulmondil, and Tuor the Blessed. Eladar means "starfather" in Quenya, and Tuor was the father of Earendil, who became a star in the sky. Ulmondil means "friend of Ulmo" from ndil meaning "friendship" in Quenya. Tuor was called Tuor the Blessed because he was the only known man to ever receive the gift of immortality.
Tuor was also referenced as Tuor Eladar, Ulmondil, and Tuor the Blessed. Eladar means "starfather" in Quenya, and Tuor was the father of Earendil, who became a star in the sky. Ulmondil means "friend of Ulmo" from ndil meaning "friendship" in Quenya. Tuor was called Tuor the Blessed because he was the only known man to ever receive the gift of immortality.
References
The Silmarillion: "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," passim; "Of Turin Turambar;" "Of the Coming of men into the West;" "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
The Unfinished Tales: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin," pages 23-24 and passim
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Shibboleth of Feanor," pages 348, 364
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Wanderings of Hurin," note 18; "The Tale of Years"
The Children of Hurin: "The Battle of Unnumbered Tears," page 58
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter # 153, 297
The Unfinished Tales: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin," pages 23-24 and passim
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Shibboleth of Feanor," pages 348, 364
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Wanderings of Hurin," note 18; "The Tale of Years"
The Children of Hurin: "The Battle of Unnumbered Tears," page 58
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter # 153, 297
All Pages Copyright © 2010, The Middle-Earth Encyclopedia