Heorrenda

Heorrenda was born in Tol Eressëa, and, according to one text, it was he who completed the Golden Book, in which were written the histories of the Elves, that was kept in Tol Eressëa.

After the Faring Forth, the disastrous attempt by the Elves of Tol Eressëa to save their kin in the Great Lands which resulted in their total defeat and eventual fading, evil Men invaded Tol Eressëa, now anchored near the coast of the Great Lands.

Afterwards however, Heorrenda, alongside his half-brothers Hengest and Horsa, led what would become the English people and conquered Tol Eressëa, after which it became known as England. There, he would settle in what was once the village of Tavrobel, now called Gréata Hægwudu, and which would eventually become known as the village of Great Haywood.

He, his half-brothers, and the English people as a whole, would ultimately be the only group of Men to remain friendly to the Elves, and to keep the "true tradition of the fairies".

The name Heorrenda is in Old English and of uncertain meaning.

It is found in old Germanic poetry (such as the Old English poem Déor) and the first element has been interpreted as heorra meaning "a hinge, cardinal point"; an etymological connection with the Latin corvus and Greek korax (both meaning "raven") has been proposed, possibly in the sense of a pick used to play a stringed instrument, with Heorrenda meaning "minstrel".

Heorrenda was also known as Heruven in Qenya, with Herwent being its Gnomish equivalent. These two names were most likely phonological imitations of the name Heorrenda instead of being translations of its meaning.

The first element of Heruven is probably heru ("lord"), while the second element of Herwent is most likely gwent/gwenn/gwen ("large, big; fine") - hence Heruven and Herwent might mean "great lord".

• The name of Hendwine's mother is not Naimi but Nelmir in the text on which the basis of his inclusion is founded upon - neither is her relation to Lindo and Vairë elaborated on.

In some of the later notes, Heorrenda, called "the harper", is described as being the son of Ælfwine and Earissë, the daughter of Lindo. Here he has a brother called Hlúdwine.

Later etymology

In these texts, the Qenya name for Heorrenda is Heruvendo (Horwin being its Gnomish equivalent).

As with the earlier names (see above) Heruvendo likewise seems to be a phonological imitation of Heorrenda, corresponding even more closely than Heruven.

However, the first element Hor- in Horwin cannot be cognate with Heru- in Heruvendo. It is possible that Horwin might have been a slip for Herwin, though in the old German poem Kudrun, the form Horund (or Horant) appears for the name Heorrenda, which might have inspired the Gnomish name of Horwin.

Later genealogy

The name Heorrenda appears in the Old English poem Déor, where Heorrenda was a bard that has supplanted Déor, another bard and the main character of the poem, in their lord's favour.

In some of Tolkien's lectures on the poem Beowulf, he named the unknown author of the poem as Heorrenda.

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 26/05/2026.