The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
I 341 - I 420 (lived 79 years); leader of the Folk of Haleth from I 375 (ruled 45 years)1
Race
Division
Culture
Family
Settlements
Originally, the south of Thargelion, but later removed to the Forest of Brethil
Pronunciation
ha'leth
Meaning
Possibly 'warrior' or 'hero'3

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About this entry:

  • Updated 8 July 2009
  • Updates planned: 1

Haleth

The founder of the Folk of Haleth

Haldad
Haleth
Haldar

Lords of Brethil

The daughter of Haldad of the Haladin; after the loss of her father and her twin brother Haldar, she became the leader of her people, and she led many of them to dwell in the Forest of Brethil. In her time, the Haladin became known as the People of Haleth.


Notes

1

Haleth's dates are barely even hinted at in The Silmarillion (apart from the fact that she clearly lived soon after the coming of Men into Beleriand). The dates given here are taken from a genealogical chart given in volume XI of The History of Middle-earth, and thus cannot be considered canonical, although they do place Haleth in the right period of Middle-earth's history.

2

From a certain point of view, Haleth founded this house, or at least gave it her name. However, Haleth herself was childless and left no direct descendants, being succeeded by her nephew Haldan. For that reason, the house that followed her should perhaps more properly be known as the House of Haldad (after her father, who was the common ancestor of all the rulers of the Haladin). Nonetheless, Haleth was such an important figure in the history of her people that her name became attached to the House of her successors.

3

This interpretation is open to question. The name 'Haleth' was also used for a son of Helm, and there it is clearly from Old English hæleþ, meaning 'warrior', 'hero' or just 'man'. It's unclear whether the name of Haleth of Brethil derived from the same root, but no other intepretation is available. Note that when Haleth was first created by Tolkien, he envisaged this character as a man ('Haleth the Hunter') so this masculine name would not necessarily have been out of place.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 8 July 2009
  • Updates planned: 1

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