Race
Pronunciation
va'lar
Meaning
Titles
Note
'Valar' is a plural term; the singular form is 'Vala'
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 9 August 1998
- Updates planned: 36
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'Valar' is the name given to the fourteen powerful spirits who took physical form and entered Arda after its creation to give order to the world and combat the evils of Melkor. They dwelt originally on the Isle of Almaren, but after its destruction long ages before the Awakening of the Elves they removed to Aman and there founded the realm of Valinor.
This table shows the fourteen Valar in 'due order' (i.e. in descending order of power). Names shown in bold indicate one of the eight Aratar, the mightiest of the Valar.
These are the names of the Valar as they were known to the Eldar in Valinor. In Middle-earth, they were known by other names of Sindarin origin; for example 'Elbereth' for Varda, or 'Araw' for Oromë. Their names among Men are said to be legion.
The Valar in the Beginning of Arda
The Valar were in origin the greatest of the Ainur who witnessed the Vision of Ilúvatar and so descended into Eä to fulfil the vision and create Arda. It seems that, in the first beginnings of the World, the four mightiest spirits came down into it; Manwë, Ulmo and Aulë to prepare it for the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar, and Melkor to claim it for his own domain.
There was conflict between Manwë and Melkor, and Manwë called many other spirits into the World to aid him in his struggle. Among these were the other Valar, and those of lesser order known as Maiar. Melkor then withdrew for a time from Arda to some other hidden place in the deeps of Eä.
In time, Manwë and his followers began to achieve their purpose, and make the World ready for the coming of the Children. Seeing this, Melkor grew jealous, and returned to do battle over the fate of Arda. The Earth then saw great upheaval as the rival powers struggled over its destiny (it is thought that the Misty Mountains were raised at this time). Slowly, though, and with great hardship, the Valar succeeded in shaping the World, although everything they created was in some way marred by Melkor.
The Nature of the Valar
Like the Elves, those Valar who chose to enter the World at its beginning are bound to it until it reaches its destined end; they may not return to the Timeless Halls of Ilúvatar.
As spirits, the Valar have no fixed physical form, although they often took the shapes of the Children of Ilúvatar. They could, though, assume any form they chose, or cast aside their shape altogether and travel formless and invisible through Arda.
The Fifteenth Vala
In the distant beginnings of the World, there were fifteen Valar; Melkor was certainly the most powerful of the all the spirits that descended into Arda, and was said to have been the 'brother' of Manwë. However, due to his corrupt nature, he was apparently expelled from the order. We are told in the Valaquenta that he is "...counted no longer among the Valar...".
See also...
Adûnakhôr, Aerandir, Ainur, Aiwendil, Alatar, Alcarondas, Aldaron, Aldëa, Almaren, Aman, Amandil, Anar, Ancalagon, Ancient West, Angainor, [See the full list...]Angband, Annatar, Araw, Arda Marred, Aredhel Ar-Feiniel, Arien, Artano, Astaldo, Aulendil, Avari, Balrogs, Ban of the Valar, Battle of the Powers, Bay of Balar, Belegurth, Béma, Black Foe of the World, Blessed Realm, Blue Wizards, Captivity of Melkor, Castle of the Sea, Caves of the Forgotten, Celegorm, Change of the World, Children of Aulë, Children of Eru, Cloud of Ungoliant, Corollairë, Coron Oiolairë, Culúrien, Curse of Mandos, Curumo, Dagor Dagorath, Dagor-nuin-Giliath, Dark Elves, Dark Enemy, Dark Lord, Dark Power of the North, Darkening of Valinor, Day of Doom, Days of Bliss, Deathless Lands, Deep Elves, Deer, Doom of Mandos, Doom of Men, Doom of the Valar, Doomsman of the Valar, Door of Night, Dor Firn-i-Guinar, Downfall of Melkor, Dreamflower, Durin I the Deathless, Durins Bane, Dweller in the Deep, Eärendil, Eldar, Eldar of Eressëa, Eldar of Valinor, Elder King, Eldest, Elendil, Elenna·nórë, Elentári, Elves, Elves of Gondolin, Elves of the Darkness, Elvish, Elwing, Eönwë, Erellont, Estë, Evil of the North, Exile of the Noldor, Exiles, Faithful, Falathar, Falathrim, Falls of Ivrin, Far West, Fathers of the Númenóreans, Fëanor, Fell Winter of the First Age, Finwë, First War, Five Wizards, Flower of Silver, Flower of the West, Forester, Friend of the Noldor, Galadriel, Gift of Men, Gil-Estel, Giver of Freedom, Giver of Fruits, Golden Tree, Gondolin, Great Armament, Great Battle, Great Gulf, Great Isle, Great Jewels, Great Journey, Great Lake, Great Music, Great Ones, Great Year of Plenty, Green Mound, Grey Messenger, Grinding Ice, Guarded Realm, Guardian of the Third Ring, Half-elven, Halls of Waiting, Havens of Sirion, Herunúmen, Hiding of Valinor, High Ones of Arda, High Speech, Hihdei, Hill of Ilmarin, Holy Mountain, Holy Ones, Host of the West, House of Fingolfin, Houses of the Dead, Huntsman of the Valar, Hyarmentir, Inner Seas, Inziladûn, Irmo, Iron Crown, Isil, Isle of Balar, Istar, Ivanneth, Jewels of Fëanor, Kelvar, Kementári, Kindler, King of Arda, King of Númenor, King of the Númenóreans, King of the Sea, Kingdom of Arda, Kings Men, Kings Party, Lady of the Seas, Lady of the Stars, Lament for the Two Trees, Lamps of the Valar, Land of the Elves, Land of the Star, Later Ages, Laurelin, Lay of Eärendil, Light in the West, Light of the Trees, Long Night, Lord of All, Lord of Andúnië, Lord of Beleriand, Lord of Middle-earth, Lord of the West, Lord of Trees, Lord of Waters, Lords of the Sea, Lords of the Valar, Lords of the West, Lords of Valinor, Lórellin, Lórien, Lórien, Lórien of the Blossom, Lúthien Tinúviel, Maedhros, Mahal, Máhanaxar, Mahtan, Maiar, Maiar of the Sea, Malinalda, Manwë, Manwendil, Many Colours, Marring of Arda, Master of the Fates of Arda, Masters of Spirits, Mearas, Middle-earth, Mighty of the West, Morgoth, Mountain Wall, Mountains of Aman, Mountains of Defence, Mountains of Iron, Námo, Narsilion, Nessamelda, Night-fearers, Ninquelótë, Noldolantë, Nómin, Noontide of Valinor, Nothing, Númenor, Númenóreans, Nurtalë Valinóreva, Nurufantur, Olofantur, Olórin, Opening Hour, Orbelain, Order of Wizards, Ormal, Outer Lands, Outer Void, Pallando, Pass of Light, Peace of Arda, Pelóri, People of the Stars, Peredhil, Power of the Black Land, Powers of Arda, Powers of the World, Prophecy of the North, Queen of the Earth, Queen of the Valar, Queens of the Valar, Rána, Return of the Noldor, Rhûn, Ring of Doom, Rodyn, Ruin of Beleriand, Salmar, Saruman, Sauron, Second Age, Second Prophecy of Mandos, Second Spring of Arda, Secondborn, Self-cursed, Shadows, Shadowy Seas, Silmarillion, Silmarils, Sleep of Yavanna, Song of the Sun and Moon, Spies of the Valar, Spirits, Spring of Arda, Standing Silence, Star of High Hope, Straight Road, Súlimo, Tale of the Downfall of Númenor, Taniquetil, Tar-Ancalimon, Tar-Herunúmen, Tar-Palantir, Tárion, Tauron, Telperion, The Blessed, The Dead, The Deathless, The Dispossessed, The Downfallen, The Fool, The Gentle, The Gift, The Great, The Maker, The Mariner, The Mighty, The Powers, The Rider, The Smith, The Sun, The Unwilling, The Valiant, The West, The Wise, The Wise, Thingol, Three Houses of the Elf-friends, Three Kindreds, Tilion, Timeless Halls, Timeless Void, Tol Eressëa, Tower of Ingwë, Towers of Mist, Tradition of Isildur, Trees of Silver and Gold, Tulkas, Tuor, Two Kindreds, Two Trees of the Valar, Two Trees of Valinor, Udûn, Ulmo, Ulumúri, Úmanyar, Unchaining of Melkor, Undying Lands, Undying Realm, Unlight, Unrest of the Noldor, Uttermost West, Utumno, Vairë, Valanya, Valaquenta, Valimar, Valmar, Varda Elentári, Vardarianna, Veil of Arda, Vingilot, Voronwë, Voyage of Eärendil, Walls of Night, Walls of the World, War of the Great Jewels, War of the Jewels, War of the Last Alliance, War of the Powers, War of Wrath, Wars of Beleriand, Water of Awakening, West of the World, West over Sea, West Wind, West-that-was, Whispering Wood, White Ship, White Tree of Isildur, White Tree of Númenor, Wizards, Yavanna, Years of the Sun, Years of the Trees, Yôzâyan
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 9 August 1998
- Updates planned: 36
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