Lothlórien

First settlers

The first inhabitants of the forested area later known as Lórien were a group of Nandor that refused to cross the Hithaeglir. These Nandor scattered across the forests of Wilderland on both sides of the Anduin. The folk of Lórien were neighbours and kin to that of Eryn Galen on the east bank of the Anduin. They named the forest that lay between the mountains and the Great River, above the Limlight and below the Gladden, as Lindórinand in their Silvan tongue.

Sindarin dynasty

Following the destruction of Beleriand and the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, most of the Noldorin exiles and remnants of the Sindar retreated to Lindon and many refused the invitation of The Valar. One of the unwilling was Amdír. He, along with his son Amroth, established himself in Lórinand, where he would soon lead the princeless Silvan Elves. The arrival of the Sinda Amdír affected the Nandor of Laurelindórenan. He took over as their King, while another Sinda, Oropher, became King of Greenwood the Great. Their language was replaced by Sindarin.

Celeborn, a Sindarin elf, dwelt with his Noldorin wife Galadriel in Eregion. They made contact with the Galadhrim and before long they passed through Moria and arrived in the woods. Before the Fall of Eregion and the death of Celebrimbor, Nenya, one of the Three Rings of the Elves, was delivered to Galadriel. Other survivors of Eregion, including many Noldor and Sindar, escaped into Khazad-dûm and were granted passage by their friends the Dwarves, coming eventually through the Misty Mountains to the woodland.

As Sauron's power grew over the Westlands, King Amdír marshalled the Galadhrim to the War of the Last Alliance where many fell in the Dead Marshes along with their King.

The survivors, which included Amdír's son Amroth, returned to Lórinand. Amroth was the new King, but he was tired of Middle-earth, and wished to go West and seek Valinor. When Moria fell to evil in T.A. 1981, many of the Galadhrim fled south. Amroth also departed with his beloved, Nimrodel, and they were never seen again.

Lord and Lady

After Amroth and Nimrodel had passed away, Celeborn and Galadriel took the title of Lord and Lady of Galadhrim. With Nenya, the land was kept pure and alive, and evil was not permitted to penetrate it. They moved back to the western side of Anduin and built Caras Galadhon, the great centre of the woodland kingdom. There Galadriel planted the seeds of the mallorn trees that were given to her by Gil-galad when she lived in Lindon, where they couldn't grow. Because of the golden leaves of the mellyrn and the rule of the Lord and Lady, Lindórinand was given many new names, most famously Lothlórien. Lothlórien was filled with light and life and became beautiful, and by the power of the Elven Ring the trees did not die.

Under the Lord and Lady, Lothlórien prospered for more than a thousand years as time passed without decay under the golden boughs. Celeborn and Galadriel produced a daughter, Celebrían, who married Elrond, and their granddaughter Arwen Undómiel was considered the fairest of the elven race at that time.

In T.A. 3017, Aragorn passed by Lothlórien with the captured Gollum to deliver him to Mirkwood. Gandalf got word from Lothlórien on his way to the Shire, and he changed his course to go and meet them.

War of the Ring

But as the Third Age came to an end, troubles at last began to touch the Valley of Singing Gold. As the shadow of Sauron lengthened and the War of the Ring raged, the border-wardens came across the remnant of the Fellowship of the Ring, a group of travellers on a quest of immeasurable importance. Among the company were Aragorn, a prince of the Dúnedain and a friend of the Lady, as well as Legolas of Mirkwood. The only reservation the border-wardens had about them was the dwarf, Gimli. The Fellowship were led blindfolded for a time, but at Galadriel's word their blindfolds were released and they were taken to Caras Galadhon on 17 January T.A. 3019. The very night the Fellowship arrived, a band of Orcs crossed the Nimrodel. A regiment or so of the Galadhrim were sent out, and destroyed the Orcs.

There the Elves learned of the death of Gandalf, and Galadriel knew what evil had been brought into the Golden Wood. She revealed her own ring to Frodo, and showed him her mirror. Then the Fellowship was furnished with new supplies and sent off down Anduin, bearing the gifts of the Lord and Lady.

Right when the Company left, Gwaihir brought Gandalf to the Golden Wood, who was recovering from his battle with Durin's Bane. He was healed, clothed and given a new staff before leaving for Fangorn.

But the coming of the One Ring was only the beginning of their troubles that were the heralds of greater conflicts that were to occur. Sauron unleashed massive attacks on the Golden Wood.

On 11 March, forces from Dol Guldur swarmed into the forest in a full-scale assault. By the power of the Wood-elves and Galadriel’s ring, they were repulsed. The second wave came on 15 March, at the same time as the invasion of Mirkwood. Again, the enemies were forced out. The third and last attack was made seven days later, on 22 March. They caused much destruction on the wood's borders, but the valiant Galadhrim routed them utterly. And after the Shadow of Sauron was lifted, they stormed Dol Guldur and cleansed Mirkwood; Thranduil gave its southern part into the dominion of Lothlórien, and it was called East Lórien.

On their way to Gondor, Elrond and Arwen came to Lothlórien on 20 May.

Afterward

Only two-and-a-half years after the War of the Ring, Galadriel, the Lady of Lórien, took ship West to Valinor.

The eastern border of Lothlórien in the southern Eryn Lasgalen became East Lórien. It was founded after the cleansing of Dol Guldur during the War of the Ring, and Celeborn ruled the Galadhrim of Lothlórien. In the Fourth Age, he grew weary and left for Rivendell, leaving the wooded land of East Lórien populated by only a few wandering Silvan Elves.

In Fo.A. 121, a grief-filled Arwen Undómiel travelled to Lothlórien, now fully abandoned, after Aragorn surrendered his life, surrendering her own life upon Cerin Amroth. "[T]here is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten..."