Gurthang

Gurthang with its sheath

"The sword Anglachel was forged anew for him by the cunning smiths of Nargothrond, and though ever black its edges shone with pale fire."

—The Children of Húrin

Gurthang was the name of the sword of Túrin Turambar, reforged from the sword Anglachel.

History

Thingol hands Beleg Anglachel, the future Gurthang, to aid in his travels alongside Túrin. Image courtesy of Elena Kukanova

Gurthang was reforged from Anglachel, a sword forged by Eöl, the "Dark Elf" of Nan Elmoth. It was reforged by the smiths of Nargothrond years after Beleg Cúthalion requested the sword from Thingol against the warnings of Melian the Maia. After Túrin accidentally slew Beleg, his friend, Gwindor saved the sword and presented it to Túrin when he later came to his senses. After the sword was reforged Túrin renamed it Gurthang, which meant "Iron of Death". Túrin himself became known as Mormegil, the "Black Sword".

Túrin used Gurthang to slay the dragon Glaurung. When Túrin discovered that his wife, Nienor Níniel, was also his sister, and that she had killed herself, Túrin in despair spoke to Gurthang, asking it to slay him. After seeming to hear a cold voice from the blade, he fell upon Gurthang, killing himself and breaking the blade beneath him. It is unknown if the sword spoke in its own right; or if Túrin, in his insanity, merely imagined hearing those words from the sword.

Túrin: "Hail Gurthang! No lord or loyalty dost thou know, save the hand that wieldeth thee. From no blood wilt thou shrink. Wilt thou therefore take Túrin Turambar, wilt thou slay me swiftly?"
Gurthang: "Yea, I will drink thy blood gladly, that so I may forget the blood of Beleg my master, and the blood of Brandir slain unjustly. I will slay thee swiftly."

—Quenta Silmarillion, "Of Túrin Turambar"

The shards of Gurthang were buried with Túrin beneath Stone of the Hapless.

Earlier versions of the legendarium

In an early version of The Silmarillion, the second prophecy of Mandos foretold that in the Dagor Dagorath, the final battle at the end of days, Túrin Turambar would plunge Gurthang into Morgoth's heart, bringing final victory over evil.^{[citation needed]}