Húrin

Húrin (439-c.502 F.A.) was a hero of Men during the First Age. It is said that he was the greatest warrior of men in the First Age.

Húrin Thalion (Sindarin for The Steadfast) was a grandson of Hador, of the House of Marach or House of Hador.

Húrin was the elder son of Galdor of the House of Marach and Hareth of the Haladin, and he had a younger brother Huor.

In the year 458 of the First Age Huor and Húrin dwelt with their kin in the forest of Brethil, when they joined a war party against Orcs. The brothers ended up in the Vale of Sirion, and were cut off from their company. Chased by Orcs, the Vala Ulmo caused a mist to arise from the rivers, and the brothers escaped into Dimbar. There two Eagles picked them up, and brought them to Gondolin. King Turgon of Gondolin welcomed the brothers, remembering Ulmo's prophecy that the House of Hador would aid Gondolin in their time of greatest need. Turgon wished them to remain as he grew to love them, but the brothers wished to return to their kin. The brothers swore an oath to keep Gondolin secret, and Eagles brought them back to Dor-Lómin.

In 462 F.A. Morgoth assailed Hithlum, and Húrin's father Galdor fell defending the Ered Wethrin. Húrin chased the Orcs away with heavy losses over the plains of Anfauglith. After this Húrin ruled over the Hadorian fief of Dor-lómin in Hithlum.

Two years later he wedded Morwen Elf-Sheen of the House of Bëor, and later in the year was born their son Túrin. A daughter Lalaith followed, but she died aged three years old by a plague sent from Angband.

In 472, in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Húrin fought alongside Huor and the Sons of Hador. In the midst of battle he met again with Turgon, and their meeting was sweet. When the battle was lost, Húrin and Huor took a stand fighting off the Orcs, allowing Turgon to escape. Huor was slain, but Húrin fought with his battle-axe until he was buried under a mountain of slain Orcs and Trolls. Húrin was brought captive to Morgoth, and was cursed along with his kin because he refused to reveal the location of Gondolin.

Húrin was placed high on the peaks of Thangorodrim, either chained or magically immobilised in a seat where, through the power of Morgoth, he could see all the evils that later befell his son Túrin. He never saw his second daughter Nienor, who was born while he was a captive.

In the year 500 F.A., after the death of his children, Húrin was released by Morgoth. He was brought to his old homelands in Hithlum, but the Easterlings now living there at first did not recognize him and later feared him, believing he served their evil lord Morgoth. The House of Hador had been destroyed or enslaved. Seven outlaws joined Húrin, and together they went to the vale of Sirion, where he once had known Gondolin. Húrin abandoned the outlaws and sought for the entrance, but Gondolin was closed, and Turgon at first did not wish to allow Húrin in. Húrin cried out against Turgon, thus revealing the location of Gondolin to Morgoth's spies, and then left. Only after he had left did Turgon have a change of heart and send Eagles to fetch him, but they came too late and did not find him.

Húrin continued to the forest of Brethil where his son and daughter had died, and met his wife Morwen there at their grave, just before she, too, died. In anger and despair he sought out the Haladin, blaming them for the death of his wife and children, and caused a revolt that killed the last Haladin from the house of Haldad. Húrin met up again with the outlaws, and together with a few of the Haladin they went to Nargothrond, where Húrin killed the Petty-dwarf Mîm who had claimed the treasure of Glaurung, earning a curse on the gold. Húrin and his outlaws brought the treasure to Doriath, insulting Thingol by giving it as a fee for his 'good care' of Húrin's kin. The outlaws did not accept this, and a bitter battle was fought at Menegroth, leading to the death of all of them, and further cursing the gold. Húrin thus brought a curse on Doriath as well, eventually leading to its downfall.

Melian's kind words managed to break through to Húrin's clouded mind, and Húrin finally saw that all his deeds had only aided Morgoth. A broken man, he finally cast himself in the sea and ended his life.

Note that this article includes information from the expanded Narn i Chîn Húrin and the Wanderings of Húrin: the account in the published The Silmarillion has been over-edited for publication.

In early versions of Tolkien's mythology (see: The History of Middle-earth) his name was Úrin or Úrinthalion.