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Beren Erchamion

Meaning: bold (Beren, Taliska?), one-handed (Erchamion, Sindarin)

Other Names: Camlost (S)

Location(s): Dorthonion (Doriath), Tol Galen, Ossiriand

Race/Species: Man

Type/Kind: 1st Age Edain

Dates: I 432 - [465], 503

Parents: Father: Barahir; Mother: Emeldir the Man-hearted

Spouse: Lúthien

Children: Dior

Description:
Beren "became the friend of birds and beasts, and they aided him, and did not betray him, and from that time forth he ate no flesh nor slew any living thing that was not in the service of Morgoth." (The Silmarillion, QS, Ch. 19 - of Beren and Lúthien.)

King Thingol demanded a Simaril as the bride-price for Lúthien. After many adventures (The Lay of Lethian), Beren and Lúthien eventually cut a Simaril from Morgoth's crown but Beren lost his hand and the Simaril to Carcharoth the Wolf.

Returning to Doriath, "...from that hour he named himself Camlost, the Empty-handed."

"And it seemed to Thingol that this Man was unlike all other mortal Men...Therefore at last he yielded his will, and Beren took the hand of Lúthien before the throne of her father."

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, XIX - Of Beren and Lúthien

Beren was killed by Carcharoth (who went mad from eating the Simaril) in 465, but was recalled from the dead by Lúthien. In 503, the Simaril (necklace) was brought to Dior, their son: "Lúthien and Beren are dead as Mandos doomed."

The Lost Road, The Later Annals of Beleriand

Contributors:
Ying, 01.08.03, Finch, 01.08.03

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