.The face of Elrond was ageless, neither old nor young, though in it was written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful. His hair was dark as the shadows of twilight, and upon it was set a circlet of silver; his eyes were grey as a clear evening, and in them was a light like the light of stars. Venerable he seemed as a king crowned with many winters, and yet hale as a tried warrior in the fulness of his strength. He was the Lord of Rivendell and mighty among both Elves and Men.
—The Fellowship of the Ring, Many Meetings



Elrond (Sindarin; IPA: Star-Dome) Half-elven, Lord of Rivendell, was one of the mighty Elf-rulers of old who lived in Middle-earth from the First Age to the beginning of the Fourth Age. He was the father of Elladan and Elrohir and Arwen Undómiel, the eventual wife of Aragorn II Elessar.

Elrond Half-elven was the son of Eärendil and Elwing, and a great-grandson of Lúthien. He was born in the refuge of the Havens of Sirion in Beleriand late in the First Age, soon before its sack by the Sons of Fëanor. Elrond and his twin brother Elros were captured and raised by Maglor a son of Fëanor. Though at first there was no great love between them, eventually Maglor took pity on them and cherished them, and eventually grew to love them. By the end of the First Age and the War of Wrath, the Sons of Fëanor were again working alone, suggesting that by this time Elrond and Elros had left their nominal captivity and traveled to Lindon.

Second Age


Elrond and Elros were given the choice at the end of the First Age to be counted among Men or Elves. Elros chose the Fate of Men and became Elros Tar-Minyatur, the first King of Númenor. Elrond chose to be counted among the Elves, and remained in Lindon as captain and herald of Gil-Galad, the High King of the Ñoldor.

With the start of the War of the Elves and Sauron in SA 1695, Elrond was sent to Eregion by Gil-galad in an attempt to protect it from the invading forces of Sauron. Unfortunately, Elronds host arrived too late and was not large enough on its own to defeat off Saurons army. He retreated north with the refugees of Eregion including Celeborn, only escaping because the forces of Durin III assailed Saurons army in the rear. It was during the following two years (SA 1697) that Elrond founded Rivendell at the feet of the Misty Mountains, as a sanctuary and stronghold. For the next four years Rivendell was besieged by Saurons forces.



With the arrival of the Númenóreans the army besieging Rivendell was caught between the forces of Gil-galad and Elrond and destroyed. Elrond remained in Rivendell and hosted the first White Council, attended by Galadriel, at which it was decided that Elronds home, the Last Homely House, would remain the last stronghold west of the Misty Mountains, and that the Three Rings then held by Gil-galad and Galadriel would remain hidden. According to one account Gil-galad at this time gave Elrond Vilya the Blue Ring, though in other accounts Gil-Galad kept both Narya and Vilya until the end of the Second Age. It was also here that Elrond first met Celebrían, the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel.



Near the end of the Second Age, Elrond rode beside Gil-galad in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, which set out from Rivendell to Mordor in SA 3431. Elrond was Gil-galads herald during the war against Sauron. The Alliance, which also included Elves from Lothlórien, Men from Arnor and Gondor, and Dwarves likely led by Durin lV, defeated Saurons army at the Battle of Dagorlad and laid siege to Barad-dûr for seven years. Eventually, Sauron himself was defeated by Elendil and Gil-galad, allowing Isildur to cut the One Ring from Saurons finger and claim it for himself.

The war took a toll on the forces of both Elves and Men. Gil-galad, Elendil, and his younger son Anárion were killed in the siege. Elrond and Círdan only remained as the commanders of the Elves, and Isildur as High King of the Realms in Exile. Upon discovering that Isildur had claimed the One Ring for himself, Elrond urged Isildur to throw the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom, but the seduction of the Ring made Isildur refuse. Isildur claimed the Ring as a weregild for his father and brother, and Elrond (perhaps not fully understanding the nature of the One Ring) acknowledged his claim. Elrond then returned to Rivendell at the end of the war.

Third Age


 Elrond and Celebrian

In the year TA 109, Elrond wedded Celebrían. In the year TA 130, the twins Elladan and Elrohir were born, and in TA 241 a daughter, Arwen Undómiel. Elrond lost Celebrían in TA 2510 when she was waylaid by Orcs crossing the Misty Mountains and, unable to recover, took a ship to the Undying Lands.

In the later years, he was instrumental in harboring the heirs of Isildur while the line lasted, the most famous of these sons of men was Aragorn II, whom he took in and fostered as his own after his father Arathorn II died in TA 2933. Elrond, foreseeing the boys difficult future gave him the name Estel, Sindarin for hope. Aragorn grew up in Imladris unaware of his royal lineage until Elrond told him when he had reached his manhood.

He also was a member of the White Council, which was often held in Rivendell, and was a great friend of Gandalf the Grey. He helped Thorin II Oakenshields expedition to retake the Lonely Mountain by discovering and translating the Moon Writing on Thorins map.

Upon learning that Aragorn and Arwen had become betrothed in TA 2980, Elrond was sorrowful, knowing that his daughter had made a choice to become mortal and therefore decreed that for such a price she could marry no less a man than the King of Arnor and Gondor.

After Frodos departure from the Shire with the One Ring, Elrond sent out riders to help guide him back to Rivendell. One of these, Glorfindel, successfully found Frodo and helped him reach Rivendell. On October 25, 3018 he held the Council at which it was decided to attempt to destroy the One Ring. He appeared to have selected the members of the Fellowship other than Frodo and Sam.

Five months later, Elrond sent his sons Elladan and Elrohir with the Rangers of the North to Rohan. Through his sons, Elrond advised Aragorn to take the Paths of the Dead.


Elrond departs Middle-earth

Elrond remained in Rivendell until the destruction of the One Ring and of Sauron, after which he went to Minas Tirith to surrender the Sceptre of Annúminas to King Elessar and give his daughter Arwen Undómiel away to be married. On September 29, 3021, Elrond left Middle-earth to go over the sea with the other Ring-bearers, never to return.







Elrond and his twin brother Elros