Amras
Amras and his younger twin brother, Amrod, were Ñoldorin princes, the youngest of the seven Sons of Fëanor. Through their mother Nerdanel 's line, they inherited red hair, instead of Fëanor's dark hair.
Amras and his younger twin brother, Amrod, were Ñoldorin princes, the youngest of the seven Sons of Fëanor. Through their mother Nerdanel's line, they inherited red hair, instead of Fëanor's dark hair.
Biography
Life in Valinor
Amras, and his twin Amrod, were born sometime in the Years of the Trees. Nerdanel initially named both twins Ambarussa and, when Fëanor begged that their names should be different, she then provided Umbarto, though not to any twin specifically. Either disturbed by such an ominous name, or because he misheard her, Fëanor changed it to Ambarto and gave it as the mother-name to Telufinwë, the younger twin. He was deeply attached to his twin brother, and thus they were called "Ambarussa". They were nearly identical, being alike in both face and mood, but the younger twin, Amrod, had a darker shade of red hair after childhood and was dearer to Fëanor.
Twins were very rare among the Eldar, with Amras and Amrod being the only case recorded in the ancient histories until the later children in the line of Dior. Fëanor and his sons abode seldom in one place for long, but traveled far and wide upon the confines of Valinor, going even to the borders of the Dark and the cold shores of the Outer Sea, seeking the unknown. They were often guests in the halls of Aulë.
During the unrest of the Ñoldor and the strife between Fëanor and his half-brother Fingolfin, Fëanor was banished from Tirion and took up residence in Formenos; he was followed by his father, King Finwë, and his sons. Along with Finwë, the sons of Fëanor did not attend the high feast and were out riding when Formenos was attacked by Melkor and Ungoliant after the pair had killed the Two Trees. They attempted to return, but as they approached they were thrown from their horses. Once the cloud passed, they entered Formenos and found Finwë dead, the house ravaged, and the Silmarils stolen. They then sped to the Ring of Doom where Maedhros informed Manwë and, unknowingly, Fëanor who kept himself hidden during the conversation. Fëanor reacted by cursing both Melkor and the summons of Manwë, and then fleeing into the night; the sons of Fëanor followed him, dismayed that he might slay himself.
Fëanor and his sons soon returned to Tirion where, during a great speech by Fëanor, they took a terrible oath of enmity and vengeance against all or any who dared to claim any right in the Silmarils, and led most of the Ñoldor into exile. As Fëanor was preparing his host for Exile and to return to Middle-earth, Nerdanel approached him and begged that he should leave her youngest twin sons, or at least one of them. Fëanor rejected this, and stated that by deserting him (in not joining the Exile) she was deserting all their children as well. Nerdanel retorted that he would not keep all of them, and at least one would never set foot on Middle-earth.
To obtain the ships needed to pursue Morgoth into Middle-earth, Fëanor's host seized them from the Falmari, killing many when they resisted, and thus came under the Doom of Mandos. After a long march northwards, the Ñoldor drew close to the Helcaraxë, a land bridge deemed impassable, and the narrow strait between Aman and Middle-earth they intended to sail. With too few ships remaining to ferry all the Ñoldor at once, and the fear of treachery between their houses, Fëanor and his sons stole away in them, abandoning the host of Fingolfin.
Return to Middle-earth
In the morning after the Burning of the Ships at Losgar, Amras noticed the absence of his twin brother Amrod. He explained that Amrod was restless and did not sleep on the ground out of discomfort. He was the last to speak about this matter to Fëanor.
Fëanor's host traveled north and encamped on the northern shore of Lake Mithrim where they were attacked unaware by a host of Morgoth. In the battle that followed, Fëanor's forces were swiftly victorious, and pursued the routed orcs over the Mountains of Shadow into Ard-galen.
Later, Amras and his brothers rescued their father who died in an ambush after Dagor-nuin-Giliath. After Fëanor's death, he settled the wide plains of East Beleriand between the rivers Celon and Little Gelion where few folk dwelt, and took it as his realm and hunting-ground. He became renown as a great hunter of the woods, though not more than Celegorm. Amras had little direct involvement with the Siege of Angband, but he was present at each kinslaying. If his brothers needed aid or shelter, he supported them. Amras died during the attack made by the Sons of Fëanor on the Havens of Sirion in 538.
Etymology
Amras is a Sindarin word. His father-name is Pityafinwë "Little Finwë", from pitya ("little"). Its shorter form was Pityo. His mother-name was Ambarussa "Top-russet", the name he and his brother called each other.
Earlier names
Amras was called Díriel in earlier writings.
Other names
Like the rest of his brothers, Amras was given an Old English name. He was called Tirgeld, from the words tir ("glory") and geld ("of worth").
House of Fëanor
Other versions
In The Silmarillion, Amrod lives beyond the burning of the ships, and follows Amras to East Beleriand where they held the lands of Estolad together. They share the same fate, dying during the Third Kinslaying. In later writings, Christopher Tolkien added the death of Amrod. For this reason, wherever both Amrod and Amras appear in the published material it should be read as Amras alone.