Círdan

The Great Ship-wright.

Born at the shores of Cuiviénen in V.Y.t. 1050. Did not die but departed in the Fourth Age year 61.

Firstborn, no mother or father.

No records of wife or children.

Valian Year of the Trees.

Círdan was of the Teleri in the beginning but he never went to Valinor or sailed with the island known as Tol Eressëa. Círdan became Prince of the Falas-elves or Falathrim of Brithombar and Eglarest in Beleriand.

V.Y.t. 1085. Upon one of his rides Oromë`s horse Nahar came upon a strange scent and stood still setting up a great neighing and Oromë heard from afar the sound of singing voices and thus he found the Elves and befriended them.

V.Y.t 1105. When the emissaries of the Elves returned to Cuiviénen from Aman the Elves began to prepare the great march west.

V.Y.t 1115 - 1125. March of the Elves under the guidance of Oromë towards the West but the Teleri of whom Círdan was enjoyed to linger around in the great woods and always were they behind and arrived last.

V.Y.t. 1128. The Teleri arrived in Ossiriand after the crossing of Ered Luin and for some years they lingered in the woods east of Gelion.

V.Y.t. 1132. The Teleri reached the shores of Beleriand and became friend with Ossë and Uinen.

V.Y.t. 1149. Ossë persuaded some of the Teleri to remain in Middle-earth while Ulmo drew all who were willing across the great Belegaer for the second time. Those who remained at the coast had Círdan as their lord and master and they became the first mariners. They called themselves Eglath, the Forsaken People and became known in Middle-earth as the Falas-elves. There at the south-western shores of Beleriand began the building of the great havens Eglarest and Brithombar.

V.Y.t. 1250 - 1300. Friendship grew between the realm of the Falas with Círdan and the newborn realm Doriath and Thingol. In the shallow waters in the Bay of Balar gathered the Falas-elves huge stores of pearls and many of these they gave to Thingol. One particular, Nimphelos, is renowned and was a part of the payment for the building of Menegroth.

V.Y.t.1497. The Orcs of Melkor issued from the gates of Angband in the Battle under Stars and the western army succeeded to cut the line between Doriath and the Falas. Círdan and his people was driven to the rim of the sea but in the uttermost time Thingol came to aid and the Orcs were driven back north were they met their doom when Celegorm came down from the hills near Eithel Sirion.

1 Age.

F.A.20. Fingolfin called a great council the Mereth Aderthad. and here came Finrod, Maedhros, Maglor and Mablung and Elves from Ossiriand.

In F.A.462 resolved Morgoth to send forces against Hithlum and the assault was bitter, but repelled from the passes of Ered Wethrin and the fortress of Eithel Sirion by Galdor and Hurin. Fingon was hard pressed to it to hold back the army that came down from the North and he was outnumbered but help came from Círdan. His sended great strength with ships into Drengist and there he landed a force that came upon the western flank of the enemy. Then they had the victory and the Orcs fled, pursued by horsed archers even to Ered Engrin.

In F.A.468 began Maedhros the Union of Maedhros; it seemed for many that Morgoth was not unconquerable because of the deeds of Beren and Lúthien. And Círdan joined and supported the Union with Elves from the Falas.

In F.A.472 at midsummer was all ready and the army of the Union arrayed in the east and west. Fingons army was stationed in the hills of Ered Wethrin from Eithel Sirion to the Fen of Serech and Turgons host held the Passes of Sirion while Maglor and his brothers, the Dwarves and the Swarthy Men was in the East. But treachery prevented the victory of the Elves and not many of the host from the Falas returned to their homes.

In F.A.473 many scattered people of Beleriand fled to the havens of Brithombar and Eglarest and the mariners of Círdan passed up and down the coast and harried the enemy with swift landings. Therefore Morgoth now having rested his strength renewed his assault upon Beleriand and went against Círdan. Before winter F.A.473 he sent great strength over Hithlum and Newrast and they came down the rivers Brithon and Nenning and though they were stoutly resisted they broke the walls at last and the cities and havens were laid in ruin and the tower Barad Nimras was cast down. All Círdan`s people were slain or enthralled save those that went aboard and escaped by sea. Círdan came after the sack of Eglarest, Brithombar, to the Isle of Balar and made a refugee there. And to this place went Gil-galad after his appointment and selection in F.A.509 as High King of the Noldor too. But Círdan also made a foothold at the Mouth of Sirion, and there many light swift ships lay hid in the creeks and waters where the reeds were dense as a forest. Many Elves came from the Isle of Balar where Círdan and his people now lived, and they teached Tuor, Idril, Eärendil, Elwing and there people the craft of building ships.

In F.A.532 the havens at Sirion was assailed by the last four brothers Maedhros, Maglor, Amrod and Amras and Cirdan and Gil-Galad came to the rescue of the Havens in the Third Kinslaying but too late save for those who had escaped in time.

At the end of the First age 590 when the world was reshaped, Cirdan journeyed with his people, the Falas-Elves and the fugitives of Gil-Galad and Nargothrond and those from Doriath and Gondolin from Balar to Lindon where he with Gil-Galad established the Grey-Havens in the Gulf of Lhun in Second age 1.

2 Age.

During the first 750 years of Second age the Elves at Lindon establish there realms. They met the Humans who had stayed East of Ered Luin.

S.A.600. The first ship from Númenor; Entulassë, comes into the Bay of Lhun with Vëantur as captain and a close friendship with the mariners of Númenor begins.

S.A.725-750. Durin these years Anardil makes several voyages in Númerrámar to Mithlond and become friends with Círdan and Gil-galad. Círdan teaches Anardil much of his knowledge of ship-building. In the next 250 years Anardil often sailed from Númenor to Middle-earth.

in 750 moves Galadriel and Celeborn east to counter the evil who had arose in Mirkwood in the east. Sauron moves east and enters Mordor in 1200. During the next couple of hundred years Sauron shows up in friendly disguise but Círdan and Gil-galad refuses to treat with him and denies him any kind of dealings. Sauron is angered and tries in secret to harass Lindon. The smiths in Ost-in-Edhil in Eregion welcomes Sauron in year 1200 as a great teacher and the making of great elven-rings are begun in 1500. In 1600 discovers Celebrimbor the treason of Sauron and in 1693 deliver Celebrimbor Narya and Vilya to Gil-galad in Lindon and the War of Elves and Sauron begins.

S.A.877-882. Círdan made an image of an eagle with golden beak and jeweled eyes for Aldarion`s vessel Hirilondë.

S.A.1699. Sauron has taken all of Eriador, is besieging Imladris and stands at the brink of Lhun where Gil-galad and Círdan desperately defends Lindon.

S.A.1700. Finally arrives the armament of Númenor and Sauron is beaten and driven out of Eriador and back to Mordor.

For the next 1500 years has Lindon some kind of peace, Sauron are occupied with the south and sast and Númenor

S.A.3320. Sauron returns to Middle-earth and Mordor. The realms in exile; Arnor and Gondor are founded by Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anarion.

S.A.3329. Sauron assails Isildur and Anarion and the new-founded Gondor.

S.A.3330. Isildur arrives in Lindon and tells of the fall of Minas Ithil to Círdan and Elendil and they form the Last Alliance.

S.A.3431. Gil-galad hands over the red ring Narya to Círdan and leaves for Imladris and the war.

S.A.3341. Gil-galad slain in the War of the Last Alliance and Círdan becomes the only lord and master of the Grey Havens.

3 Age.

T.A.1000 Around this time came Gandalf as the last Istari to the shores of Middle-earth and at the first meeting between Gandalf and Círdan at the Grey Havens. Círdan perceived in Gandalf the greatest spirit and wisdom and he gave to Gandalf the Red Ring Narya to aid and comfort him in his task.

T.A.1975. A great host, combined with people shipped from Gondor,was sent by Círdan to Fornost to challenge the Witchking of Angmar and between the forces of Círdan and the those from Rivendell commanded by Glorfindel the enemy was destroyed.

4 Age.

Fourth Age 61. Departed with the last white ship from Lindon to Aman which also carried Samwise the last Ringbearer.

Related links.: Misc.: Mereth Aderthad. Union of Maedhros. Objects.: Rings. Battles.: Third Kinslaying. War of Wrath. War of Elves and Sauron. War of the Last Alliance. Encyc. : Círdan.