Half-elven

The Half-elven (Sindarin singular Peredhel, plural Peredhil) were the offspring of unions between Elves and Men. They were not a separate race, but were counted among either the Eldar or the Edain depending on choice or inheritance.

There were only a few recorded unions between Elves and Men, and from these arose the notable lines of the Half-elven, which played central roles in the histories of the First Age, the Second Age, and the Third Age.

History

The first recorded marriage of an Elf and a Man was that of Beren and Lúthien. Their son Dior, called the first of the Half-elven, ruled in Doriath until his death in the Second Kinslaying. Dior’s descendants included Elwing, whose marriage to Eärendil united the lines of Beren and Lúthien with that Idril of Gondolin, the other early union of half-elven.

Unlike Dior, Eärendil was specifically given the choice of his fate when he journeyed to Aman with the Silmaril to plead for pardon and aid. His wife Elwing shared in this choice, and the same gift was extended to their children.

The Valar decreed that Eärendil and Elwing, and their descendants, could choose their fate: to be counted among Elves and enjoy immortality, or to be counted among Men and accept mortality.

Eärendil and Elwing chose to be counted among the Elves, while their sons divided: Elrond chose the Elves, while Elros chose Men and became the first King of Númenor.

The line of Elros thus became the royal line of Númenor and, later, the Dúnedain of Middle-earth. After Elros had made his choice, all his descendants would be counted as belonging to the Race of Men.

The line of Elrond continued into the Third Age, culminating in the marriage of Arwen and Aragorn II Elessar, which reunited the sundered branches once more.

The Prince of Dol Amroth, Imrahil, was also said to be of Elven descent through the union of an Elf-maid and a Númenórean. However, their children were mortal and did not share in the Choice of the Half-elven.

Notable Half-elven

• Dior, King of Doriath (son of Beren and Lúthien)
• Elwing (daughter of Dior, wife of Eärendil)
• Eärendil (son of Idril and husband of Elwing)
• Elros Tar-Minyatur (son of Eärendil and Elwing, first King of Númenor)
• Elrond Half-elven (son of Eärendil and Elwing, Lord of Rivendell)
• Arwen Undómiel (daughter of Elrond and Celebrían, Queen of Gondor and Arnor)
• Elladan and Elrohir (sons of Elrond and Celebrían, their fate unrecorded)