Caranthir
Caranthir, also known as Caranthir the Dark, was an Elf, the fourth son of Fëanor and the harshest and the quickest to anger of his seven brothers.
Caranthir, also known as Caranthir the Dark, was an Elf, the fourth son of Fëanor and the harshest and the quickest to anger of his seven brothers.
Biography
As with his brothers, Caranthir was bound by an oath to recover his father's Silmarils, which had been stolen by the Dark Lord Morgoth in Aman. This oath took the seven brothers to Middle-earth during the First Age, where they established realms in exile, waged war against armies of Morgoth, fought their own Elvish kind on occasion, and eventually brought ruin upon themselves.
Caranthir's realm was in Thargelion in East Beleriand, and was sometimes called Dor Caranthir (Caranthir's land); his abode was on the shores of Lake Helevorn. Because his realm bordered the great Dwarvish Kingdoms of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains, he became very wealthy controlling much of the trade coming through the Dwarf-Road.
He rescued the Edain lady Haleth and her people, the Haladin, when they were besieged by Orcs. He then saw the bravery and valour of Men, and offered the Haladin settlement in the North, but Haleth, thanking him, refused and left, eventually settling in Brethil.
In FA 455, after the Dagor Bragollach, Caranthir was forced to flee Thargelion and headed south with his brother Amrod. Two years later, the sons of Ulfang, Uldor, Ulfast and Ulwarth swore allegiance to Caranthir but were faithless later in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad.
Caranthir, along with his brothers Celegorm and Curufin, perished during the Second Kinslaying in Menegroth, a failed attempt to recover a Silmaril from Elven King Dior of Doriath.
Etymology
Caranthir is the Sindarin translation of his mother-name Carnistir ("Red-face") from the Quenya carnë ("red, scarlet"). His father-name is Morifinwë ("Dark Finwë") from mor ("Dark").
Other versions of the legendarium
In the earlier versions, Caranthir was called Cranthor and Cranthir.