Spotlight On Middle-Earth : Mirkwood

Some Elves known as the Nandor, settled in the wooded valleys of the river Anduin. They thrived and were joined by wandering Avari, becoming known as Silvan or Wood-elves.

Mirkwood's boundaries have been the same for most of its history, stretching from the feet of the Grey Mountains in the north to the southern borders of the forest, and from the east edge of where the River Anduin flows to the great dwarven stronghold of Erebor.  In ancient time called Greenwood The Great, the forest was beautiful and lush, filled with flowers and animals. An ancient path called the Old Forest Road originally bisected the woods - this passage eventually became unusable so a second road was made to the north. Several waterways cut through Mirkwood.

South of the Old Forest Road lays Amon Lanc, the Naked Hill where some great Elven halls were originally built by a Sindarian Elf of Doriath called Oropher who later became King of the Silvan Elves of Greenwood The Great during the Second Age. Oropher was killed in the Battle of Dagorlad , the Elven halls of Amon Lanc were abandoned. Eventually Sauron ( at this time known as The Necromancer ) came to Amon Lanc and claimed the old Elven ruins for himself and built a stronghold there. The hill and fortress were then together called Dol Guldur, the forest of Greenwood The Great became corrupted by evil and rot, and the wood in which Dol Guldur now stood became known as Mirkwood.

Oropher's son Thranduil survived his father and came back to the woodland's kingdom at the beginning of the Third Age. As a result of massive losses at the Battle of Dagorlad the Silvan population have diminished - what remains of the Silvan Elves  retreat even further, residing almost exclusively in the Elvenking's Halls at the eastern end of the Forest River. The ancient Old Forest Road is completely abandoned by men and Dwarves alike , and almost all the Hobbits that once lived in the Vale of the River Anduin near the forest's eastern border migrated away in the west. Legolas 'Greenleaf' son of Thranduil, is today prince of the Woodland Realm in the northeast of Mirkwood . Legolas is a Sindar by birth , like his father, but also a Silvan, like his mother. Little is known about the Queen of the Woodland's Realm, but legends tells of her incredible beauty and kindness. 

The Elvenking's Halls

Mirkwood today remains a place of fear,  and although the kingdoms of Erebor and Dale flourished briefly in the time of the Kings under the Mountain this prosperity was ended by the arrival of the Dragon Smaug who brought yet further desolation to the area north-eastern Mirkwood. Small homesteads populated by 'Woodmen' are also recorded as living in the western edge of the forest south of the old road but they are isolated and scarce.

The Great Spiders

When one hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and a company of dwarves undertook the famous Quest of Erebor which resulted in the slaying of the dragon Smaug , peace and prosperity come back once more to the kingdoms of Erebor and Dale, as well as the Woodland Realm - today an alliance of Woodmen led by the Beornings is in place and until recently there was hope Mirkwood could be cleansed from evil - however today there are grave signs of darkness and evil stirring in the east, towards Mordor. Orcs and Easterlings are amassing once more in Dol Guldur. Will  the darkness ever be lifted from the Woods of the Greenleaves ? Will this beautiful and ancient forest flourish again 

article by Amorey - Laurelin Archives Webteam