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Razing Arnor: How real were the Dunadan conspiracies?

© Michael Martinez

One of the most intriguing and infuriating points in Tolkien's pseudo-history is the division of Arnor in the Third Age 861 by the three sons of Earendur. Earendur was the last High King of Arnor, technically the last High King of the Dunedain-in-Exile. Analyzing the event leads to many questions and few answers. Tolkien often selected his names carefully, especially when naming characters or places associated with significant events, and it might prove helpful to know what Cardolan and Rhudaur mean, exactly, as well as what Amlaith means. Amlaith became the first king of Arthedain, the Dunadan realm between the Weather Hills and the Lhun, north of the Baranduin and the great east-west road. His name seems to begin with the root word "am-", meaning "up, reaching, upwards". The second part of the name "-laith" may or may not be a word. The only similar word I know of is the name "Lalaith", from Nen Lalaith in Dor-lomin, a stream which ran close to Hurin's house, and from which Hurin's people gave his first daughter, Urwen, the nickname Lalaith (laughter). In his Silvan dictionary (Other Hands 28), David Salo gives "laugh" as "lara", so I would guess that "lala" is the "laugh" part of "Lalaith". Another (remote) possibility, I suppose, could be "lek-" (loose, let loose, release) from which "leithian" (release, as in release from bondage, "Lay of Leithian") developed. In this case the meaning of Amlaith might be "(he who) frees up". So, Amlaith's name is no real help in figuring out what happened, unless it indicates that the decision to divide Arnor into three realms was his own idea. Most people assume that Rhudaur is taken from "rhun" (east) and "daur,taur" (forest), but I don't think "taur" can become "daur". There is a root in "The Etymologies", "day" (shadow) which gives the word "dair" (in the Ilkorin dialect), that means "shadow of trees". So Rhudaur might only refer to the shadowy woodlands of the east (eastern Arnor/Eriador). Other possible roots might include "DO3,DO-", which gives "dur" (dark, in Exilic Noldorin). Other people suggest the name may simply mean something like "the dark east" or "the gloomy east". Rhudaur did become an evil land, and it may be that it was always considered to be dark and gloomy in nature by the Dunedain, few of whom actually settled there (and this despite Elrond's refuge lying beyond Rhudaur across the Bruinen). Numerous possible meanings have been suggested for Cardolan. The three I favor (knowing literally nothing of these matters) are CAR + DOL + AN (red + head + great), which might mean "the great red top" (a possible reference to a hill, as Amon Sul is called Weathertop); CARAK + DOL + LHANN, which might mean "the province of the red (head/top)", possibly a reference to a hill, or a famous (red-haired) leader; and CAR + DO(ME) + LHANN, which might mean "House of the Twilight", "Shire of the Twilight". Recall that the Gwathuirim were so named (Shadowy Folk) because they lived along the Gwathlo, which name was derived from Gwathir, "river of shadow".

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