Amazon Studios The Rings of Power is a couple months away. We want all Spoilerites to have the best viewing experience possible and have the widest knowledge base about the Second Age of Middle-Earth. This is a weekly Let’s Get Nerdy article series highlighting a different piece of Tolkien I think you need to know about!
In past articles I have answered the question:
- What Are the Rings of Power?
- What is Númenor?
- What is the Second Age?
- Who are the Harfoots?
- Who is Prince Durin IV?
- What is Khazad-dûm?
- Who is Celebrimbor?
- What is the Last Alliance of Men and Elves?
- Who is Elendil?
- New Pics! Who are Bronwyn and Theo?
- What is Rivendell?
- The Rings of Power First Reactions Are In!
- What is Lindon?
- What are the Nine Human Rings?
- Empire Magazine’s The Rings of Power Covers
- New Character Pictures
- Will Wizards Appear in The Rings of Power?
- New Promo for The Rings of Power
What is Eregion?
Well, it’s a Sindarin elvish word meaning “Land of Holly”. Thanks so much for asking!
But in all seriousness …
Continuing the sub-series here in Let’s Get Nerdy! on the geography of Middle-Earth it felt time to tackle Eregion this week. As is sadly the case with many wonderful Tolkien cities and civilizations, Eregion is most known through the annals of J.R.R. Tolkien’s history for its great fall. “The Sack of Eregion” stands toe-to-toe in legend with “The Fall of Gondolin” or “The Fall of Númenor” – the latter we have already had confirmed as playing a key role in the drama of The Rings of Power series.
Eregion has a bunch of other names its referred to by the characters in The Silmarillion and The Untold Tales, most notably: “Hollin”. Eregion is referred to as “Hollin” by the humans of Middle-Earth. Give the etymology of the region’s name you have probably deduced the presence of holly growing throughout the woodlands.
I’ll be looking for it when Eregion makes its debut in The Rings of Power! If you are a designer who worked on the show I’ll be watching.
Holly has a lot of implications in the history of English literature as well. It’s worth noting the character of
“The Holly King” or “The Green Knight” whose presence rings throughout Arthurian legend. Lord of the Rings scribe J.R.R. Tolkien also penned the preeminent English language translation of The Green Knight – arguably the most famous appearance of The Holly King. Throughout his work Tolkien often homages words, stories, and tropes that inspired him. When this happens it always strikes me as special and I wanted to point it out here. Also because it’s a happy thing and most of what Eregion is known for is sad.
Like Lindon, Eregion (a name you’ve read before if you’ve been reading this series regularly), is a book canon settlement of elves which saw its hay day during the Second Age of Middle-Earth. It’s pretty singular for its proximity to Moria – just to the West, in fact! The elves of Eregion and the dwarves of Khazad-dûm traded freely, crossed each other’s lands, and even enjoyed friendships.
Gimli and Legolas eat your heart out!
“Eregion” is actually the name of a region (a state or a province, if you will), with Ost-in-Edhil as the seat of power and capital city of Eregion. It was founded in the year 750 of the Second Age and from its founding onward was ruled over the the elvish power couple – Galadriel and Celeborn. The former is being played by Morfydd Clark and appears to be the protagonist of The Rings of Power. The latter? No word on him yet! Together Celeborn and Galadriel lead Eregion for exactly 600 years before crossing further over the Misty Mountains and settling in Lothlórien where movie watchers first met them in The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring played by Cate Blanchett and Marton Csokas.
Following the reign of Galadriel and Celebron the elf smith – and much mentioned here – Celebrimbor (played by Charles Edwards), takes over leadership in the year 1350 until his death and the fall of Eregion. It was in Eregion, after an unrequited love affair with Galadriel, that Celebrimbor is befriended (or perhaps be-set-upon considering how it turns out …), by Annatar during the forging of the “Three Rings for the Elven Kings”.
In the year 1697 of the Second Age of Middle-Earth Annatar has revealed himself to be Sauron, forged the One Ring of Power, and stolen all the other Rings of Power (except Nenya, Narya, and Vilya which Celebrimbor saved), and Eregion was sacked. The entire region collapsed under the massing forces of Darkness during The War of the Elves and Sauron – which is pretty much what it sounds like. The Eregion elves who made it out alive either followed Elrond to Rivendell (which he was in the middle of founding at the time), or settled in Lindon or Lothlórien.
