The Grey Havens, known also as Mithlond, was an Elvish port city on the Gulf of Lune in the Elven realm of Lindon in Middle-earth.
Description
Because of its cultural and spiritual importance to the Elves, the Grey Havens in time became the primary Elven settlement west of the Misty Mountains prior to the establishment of Eregion and later, Rivendell. Even after the death of Gil-galad and as the Elves dwindled in numbers by the year, the Grey Havens remained a major Elven settlement and the main departure point of Elven ships to Aman.
Despite being a major port, by the late Third Age the Grey Havens had sparse population, like Rivendell and northeastern Mirkwood.[2]
History
Second Age
The Grey Havens was founded at the beginning of the Second Age by the surviving Elves of Beleriand, those who chose to remain on Middle-earth after the wars against Morgoth.
It was frequently visited from the west by the Númenóreans, with Vëantur being the first to re-establish contact in SA 600 after the surviving Edain of Beleriand left for Númenor in SA 32. In SA 1700, Tar-Minastir sent great fleets from Númenor to the Havens, driving back the forces of Sauron that had been besieging them in the War of the Elves and Sauron.[3]
After the War of the Last Alliance many of the Ñoldor and Sindar living in the Havens sailed for Valinor, leaving the city under the rule of Círdan.
Third Age
In TA 1000, the Istari arrived in Middle-earth, and it was here where Círdan gave Narya, the Elven Ring of Fire, to Gandalf.[4]
Sketch of the Grey Havens from Alan Lee's The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook
During the War of the Ring, Galdor of the Havens was among the members of the Council of Elrond.[5]
After the defeat of Sauron and the coronation of Aragorn II Elessar, Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond left for Aman from the Grey Havens. The Ring-bearers Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins accompanied them.[6] Years later, Samwise Gamgee did likewise, himself being a Ring-bearer (although briefly).[7]
Fate
The Grey Havens still existed into the Fourth Age under Círdan, but its population declined along with the Elven presence in Middle-earth generally. It is unclear just what the fate of the Elves of Middle-earth was in the early Fourth Age and how long Círdan or his remaining folk dwelled at the Havens and continued to build the great ships that carried the Elves to the Blessed Realm.
Etymology
Mithlond means "Grey Haven(s)", from the Sindarin mith ("grey") and lond ("haven, harbour").[8]
Portrayal in adaptations
The Elvish city as depicted in the films
Film
In the film adaptation of The Return of the King, the Grey Havens makes an appearance in the last major scene. The port city is built on a large natural bay, and its design is quite different to that of Rivendell and Lothlórien, but it is still recognisably Elvish. Gandalf, Frodo, Bilbo, and the other hobbits arrive at the city and encounter the high Elves. Elrond, Celeborn, and Galadriel bid farewell to them and board the last ship. As Bilbo joins Elrond, Gandalf and Frodo then say their goodbyes to the remaining hobbits. The two of them board the ship and depart from Middle-earth, sailing for the Undying Lands.
Video games
- The Campaigns of The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II feature the Grey Havens as a potential battleground between the Elves and Goblins. In the Good campaign, Glorfindel and Glóin heroically lead an army of Elves to fend off the Corsairs of Umbar and Goblins invading the shoreline, with help from the Dwarves later on. This signals the end of any significant Goblin attacks. The Evil Campaign features Gorkil the Goblin King with his army of Goblins and Corsairs destroying Mithlond once and for all.
Translations
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Afrikaans | Gryse Hawens |
| Albanian | Strehë Gri |
| Arabic | رمادي الملاذات |
| Armenian | Գրեյ Հավենս |
| Basque | Gris Paradisuetan |
| Belarusian Cyrillic | Шэрыя Гавані |
| Bengali | ধূসর স্বর্গ ? |
| Bosnian | Sive luke |
| Bulgarian Cyrillic | Сивите убежища |
| Cambodian | ជម្រកប្រផេះ |
| Catalan | Rades Grises |
| Chinese (Mainland) | 灰港 |
| Chinese (Taiwan) | 灰港岸 |
| Chinese (Hong Kong) | 灰海岸 |
| Cornish | Harbers Glas ? |
| Croatian | Siva Utočišta |
| Czech | Šedé Přístavy |
| Danish | Gråhavne |
| Dutch | De Grijze Havens |
| Esperanto | Grizaj Havenoj |
| Estonian | Hallid Sadamad |
| Filipino | Abong Kanlungan |
| Finnish | Harmaat Satamat |
| French | Les Havres Gris |
| Galician | Portos Grises |
| Georgian | ნაცრისფერი თავშესაფრები |
| German | Die Grauen Anfurten |
| Greek | Γκρι Λιμάνια |
| Gujarati | ગ્રેય હ વેન્સ |
| Haitian Creole | Refij Gri ? |
| Hawaiian | Oho Naawamaikai |
| Hebrew | נמלים האפורים |
| Hindi | ग्रे वाले देश |
| Hungarian | Szürkerév |
| Icelandic | Grá Griðastaðir |
| Irish Gaelic | Tearmainn Liath |
| Italian | Porti Grigi |
| Japanese | グレーヘブンス |
| Kannada | ಗ್ರೇ ಹ್ಯಾವೆನ್ಸ್ |
| Kazakh | Сұр баспана (Cyrillic) Sur baspana (Latin) |
| Korean | 회색 항구 |
| Kurdish | Behiştên Gewr (Kurmanji) |
| Kyrgyz Cyrillic | Грэй Hавэнс |
| Latvian | Pelēks Paradīzes |
| Lithuanian | Pilkuosius uostus |
| Luxembourgish | Groen Steieroasen |
| Macedonian Cyrillic | Греy Хавенс |
| Maltese | Rifuġji Griż |
| Maori | Hina Kokoru |
| Marathi | राखाडी आश्रयस्थाने |
| Mongolian Cyrillic | саарал хоргодох |
| Norwegian | Gråhavnene |
| Pashto | خړ پټنځایونو |
| Persian | بنادر خاکستری |
| Polish | Szara Przystań |
| Portuguese | Portos Cinzentos |
| Punjabi | ਸਲੇਟੀ ਸਵਰਗ ? |
| Romanian | Limanurile Cenușii |
| Russian | Митлонд |
| Samoan | Lanu efuefu Ava Matagofie |
| Scottish Gaelic | Glas Chalaidhean |
| Serbian | Греи Хавенс (Cyrillic) Grei Havens (Latin) |
| Shona | Vachena Pakanaka |
| Sinhalese | අලු ක්ෂේමභූමි |
| Slovak | Šedé Prístavy |
| Slovenian | Sivi Oaz |
| Somalian | Meelo Cirro |
| Swedish | Grå hamnarna |
| Tajik Cyrillic | Греy Ҳавенс |
| Tamil | சாம்பல் புகலிடங்களை |
| Telugu | గ్రే హావెన్స్ |
| Thai | เฮเวนส์สีเทา |
| Turkish | Gri Limanlar |
| Turkmen | Çal Halas ? |
| Ukrainian Cyrillic | сірі Гавані |
| Urdu | گرے پناہ گاہیں |
| Uzbek | Кулранг Бандаргоҳлар (Cyrillic) Kulrang Bandargohlar (Latin) |
| Vietnamese | Nơi trú ẩn màu xám |
| Welsh | Hafanau Llwyd |
| Yiddish | גריי האַווענס |
|
Places of Middle-earth and Arda
Middle-earth Locations:
Provinces/Regions: Arnor | Dunland | Ettenmoors | Forochel | Forodwaith | Gondor | Harad | Ithilien | Khand | Lindon | Minhiriath | Mordor | Rhovanion | Rhûn | Rohan | The Shire Forests & Mountains: Amon Dîn | Amon Hen | Amon Lhaw | Caradhras | Emyn Muil | Erebor | Fangorn Forest | High Pass | Iron Hills | Lórien | Mirkwood | Mount Doom | Mount Gundabad | Old Forest | Tower Hills | Weathertop City/Fortifications: Angband | Barad-dûr | Bree | Caras Galadhon | Dol Guldur | Fornost | Hornburg | Isengard | Minas Morgul | Minas Tirith | Orthanc | Osgiliath | Rivendell | Umbar | Utumno Miscellaneous: Argonath | Buckland | Cair Andros | Dagorlad | Dead Marshes | Enedwaith | Fords of Isen | Gap of Rohan | Grey Havens | Weathertop The rest of Arda:
Aman | Dark Land | Land of the Sun | Númenor | Tol Eressëa | Valinor |
References
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Second Age"
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, Thematic Maps, "Population"
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Second Age, "Voyages of the Númenóreans"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Third Age"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter II: "The Council of Elrond"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter IX: "The Grey Havens"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "Later Events concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring"
- ↑ Parma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
