Celeborn

Celeborn was the Lord of Lothlórien, and the husband of Galadriel, Lady of the Golden Wood. He was said to be one of the wisest Elves in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age.

During the War of the Ring, Celeborn defended Lothlórien and led the assault on the Enemy castle of Dol Guldur. He remained in Middle-earth for a time at the beginning of the Fourth Age, but eventually he joined his wife in the Undying Lands.

Celeborn was a Prince of Doriath and a kinsman of Thingol, the King of Doriath. Celeborn was said to be the grandson of Thingol's brother Elmo. Celeborn's father was Galadhon and he had a brother named Galathil.

First Age

Around FA 52, Galadriel came to Doriath. Galadriel was one of the Ñoldor who came to Middle-earth wishing to see the lands and rule a realm of her own. She came with the second 'group' of elves from Aman with Fingolfin and Finrod.Celeborn and Galadriel fell in love and married each other.

It is not clear how long Celeborn and Galadriel dwelled in Beleriand. According to one story, they left Beleriand and crossed the Blue Mountains into Eriador before the Fall of Nargothrond in FA 495, but according to another story they remained in Beleriand until the end of the First Age.

Around FA 502, King Thingol of Doriath summoned dwarf craftsmen to set a Silmaril in Nauglamir, the fabled jeweled Necklace of the Dwarves. The dwarf craftsmen coveted the necklace and especially the Silmaril, and they demanded that Thingol give it to them. When Thingol refused, they killed him and took the necklace set with the Silmaril. The Dwarven craftsmen were pursued by Elves of Doriath, who killed the Dwarves and retrieved the necklace. However, two Dwarves escaped and returned to Nogrod in the Blue Mountains and rallied their kinsmen to seek vengeance on the Elves of Doriath. An army of Dwarves attacked Doriath and defeated the elves. They took the necklace once more, but Beren again reclaimed it.

Doriath was briefly re-inhabited by Beren's son Dior Eluchíl, but the sons of Feanor came to try to take the Silmaril. Though Dior's daughter Elwing escaped with the Silmaril, Dior was killed and Doriath was ruined and abandoned.

Celeborn's distrust of Dwarves began at this time. His role in these events is unknown, although in one account it is written that Celeborn escaped the sack of Doriath.

The First Age ended with the War of Wrath and the defeat of Morgoth. Beleriand was ruined and sank beneath the Sea. Many of the Ñoldor returned to the Undying Lands with the pardon of the Valar, but Galadriel remained in Middle-earth with Celeborn.

Second Age

Celeborn and Galadriel probably lived for a time in Lindon, a coastal region west of the Blue Mountains. Gil-galad was the High King of the elves who dwelled in Lindon. However, many of the elves in Harlindon - the part of Lindon south of the Gulf of Lune - were Sindarin elves like Celeborn, and he may have ruled a fiefdom there under Gil-galad.

At some time early in the Second Age, Celeborn and Galadriel are said to have moved eastward into Eriador with a number of Elves in their following. They may have lived for a while near Lake Evendim. Their daughter Celebrian may have been born during this time. They began to move eastward again around the year SA 700 because Galadriel sensed a growing evil in Middle-earth that she felt duty-bound to oppose.

The realm of Eregion was founded in SA 750, and Galadriel and Celeborn are said to have dwelled there for a time along with Celebrimbor and the Elven-smiths. The Elves of Eregion had dealings with the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm nearby, but Celeborn still distrusted Dwarves and would not enter Khazad-dûm, although the Dwarves there had nothing to do with the destruction of Doriath.

The Elves of Eregion also had contact with the Elves of Lothlórien on the other side of the Misty Mountains. According to one story, Galadriel went to dwell in Lothlórien around SA 1350 to SA 1400 while Celeborn remained in Eregion. However, in other versions of the story both Galadriel and Celeborn stayed in Eregion.

Sauron came to Eregion in a fair disguise as Annatar the "Lord of gifts" in SA 1200 and deceived the Elven-smiths, who began forging the Rings of Power under his instruction in SA 1500. Sauron forged the One Ring to rule the others around SA 1600, and Celebrimbor hid from him the Three Elven Rings of power that he had made without Sauron knowing of its creation and help. Enraged, Sauron attacked Eregion in SA 1697.

Celeborn led a sortie from Eregion to meet the vanguard of Sauron's army. He was able to drive the enemy back long enough to join forces with Elrond, who brought reinforcements from Lindon. But Sauron's army was greater than their combined forces and Eregion soon fell. Celebrimbor was killed, and Sauron took the Nine Rings and at least six of the Seven rings. Sauron would eventually be driven back to Mordor in SA 1701.

The movements of Celeborn and Galadriel after the fall of Eregion are unclear. Celebo