Malbeth the Seer
Encyclopedia
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth
legendarium
, Malbeth the Seer was a wise man of Arthedain who was remembered for two prophecies.
This prophecy was to be fulfilled in the year . After a terrible defeat when the armies of Angmar
, led by the Witch-king of Angmar
assailed Fornost, Arvedui fled Arnor
, going far into the snowy North in order to evade death at the hands of the Witch-king's army. When a ship was sent by Círdan
of the Grey Havens to rescue him, he was cautioned by the Lossoth to await the thaw to set off. Not heeding their words, Arvedui set sail straight away and he was shipwreck
ed and died at in the ice-bay of Forochel. Thus the prophecy came to pass, the rule of his people was passed onto lesser men who could not truly control the realm.
The chieftains of the Dúnedain
ruled for many generations, until they were united by Aragorn
, son of Arathorn, when he ascended to the throne of Gondor
and Arnor, in time returning the kingdom of Arnor to its former glory.
Alternatively, this prophecy may refer to the choices made by the Dúnedain of Gondor, where Arvedui claimed the crown in , by virtue of his descent from Isildur
and his marriage to Fíriel
, the only surviving child of the late King, Ondoher. The Council of Gondor, led by the Steward Pelendur
, rejected Arvedui's claim, choosing instead their victorious general Eärnil
, a male-line descendant of Anárion
. The Appendices to the Lord of the Rings speculate that if the Crown of Gondor had instead been given to Arvedui, "it may be that...the kingship would have been maintained and much evil averted." Instead, the realm of Arthedain was destroyed, and the kingship of Gondor fell vacant shortly afterwards.
Regarding the summoning of the Dead
Regarding the summoning of the Dead by the heir of Isildur
, Malbeth made a second prophecy that again was fulfilled in time. In the year 3019 of the Third Age
, Elrond
of Rivendell
sent word to Aragorn, son of Arathorn, to remember the words of the seer at his time of need. After learning of the impending assault of the Corsairs of Umbar
on Minas Tirith
by using the palantír
of Orthanc, Aragorn discovered that only by walking the Paths of the Dead
could he reach Minas Tirith in time to offer aid. Acknowledging this, he choose that route and accompanied by the Grey Company he passed through and out to the Stone of Erech. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
's extended edition, Legolas
can be heard quoting part of the prophecy.
As the heir of Isildur, Aragorn summoned the Dead Men of Dunharrow to him and with their aid defeated the Corsair threat to Gondor, fulfilling the prophecy of Malbeth.
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
legendarium
Legendarium
Legendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...
, Malbeth the Seer was a wise man of Arthedain who was remembered for two prophecies.
Regarding the Fall of Arthedain
At the birth of the son of Araphant he said- "ArveduiArveduiArvedui is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.Arvedui was the son of King Araphant of Arthedain. He was born in T.A. 1864 and came to the throne in 1964 at the death of his father...
you shall call him, for he will be the last in Arthedain. Though a choice will come to the DúnedainDúnedainIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Dúnedain were a race of Men descended from the Númenóreans who survived the sinking of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion...
, and if they take the one that seems less hopeful, then your son will change his name and become king of a great realm. If not, then much sorrow and many lives of men shall pass, until the Dúnedain arise and are united again."
This prophecy was to be fulfilled in the year . After a terrible defeat when the armies of Angmar
Angmar
Angmar is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's continent of Middle-earth.-Synopsis:Angmar was founded in in the far north of the Misty Mountains by the evil Lord of the Ringwraiths, who became known as the "Witch-king of Angmar"...
, led by the Witch-king of Angmar
Witch-king of Angmar
The Witch-king of Angmar, also known as the Lord of the Nazgûl and the Black Captain among other names, is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. In Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, he is the chief of the Nazgûl , the chief servants...
assailed Fornost, Arvedui fled Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
, going far into the snowy North in order to evade death at the hands of the Witch-king's army. When a ship was sent by Círdan
Círdan
Círdan the Shipwright is a fictional character created by J. R. R. Tolkien. He was a Telerin Elf, a great mariner and shipwright, and lord of the Falas during much of the First Age. He was the bearer of the Great Ring Narya, which he in turn gave to Gandalf.He had a beard, which was rare for...
of the Grey Havens to rescue him, he was cautioned by the Lossoth to await the thaw to set off. Not heeding their words, Arvedui set sail straight away and he was shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
ed and died at in the ice-bay of Forochel. Thus the prophecy came to pass, the rule of his people was passed onto lesser men who could not truly control the realm.
The chieftains of the Dúnedain
Dúnedain
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Dúnedain were a race of Men descended from the Númenóreans who survived the sinking of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion...
ruled for many generations, until they were united by Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
, son of Arathorn, when he ascended to the throne of Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
and Arnor, in time returning the kingdom of Arnor to its former glory.
Alternatively, this prophecy may refer to the choices made by the Dúnedain of Gondor, where Arvedui claimed the crown in , by virtue of his descent from Isildur
Isildur
Isildur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the author's books The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
and his marriage to Fíriel
Fíriel
Fíriel is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth.As the daughter of King Ondoher of Gondor, Fíriel was wed to Prince Arvedui of Arthedain during a time when Arvedui's father Araphant made an alliance with Ondoher...
, the only surviving child of the late King, Ondoher. The Council of Gondor, led by the Steward Pelendur
Pelendur
Pelendur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, appearing The Return of the King.He was Steward of Gondor in the year 1944 Third Age. He was born in T.A...
, rejected Arvedui's claim, choosing instead their victorious general Eärnil
Eärnil II
Eärnil II is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth. He was born in T.A. 1883. In 1945 Third Age he was elected as the thirty-second King of Gondor after his predecessor, King Ondoher, was slain in battle. In the previous year a two-pronged attack had been launched...
, a male-line descendant of Anárion
Anárion
Anárion is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. His name is derived from Anar, which means "Sun" in Tolkien's invented language of Quenya...
. The Appendices to the Lord of the Rings speculate that if the Crown of Gondor had instead been given to Arvedui, "it may be that...the kingship would have been maintained and much evil averted." Instead, the realm of Arthedain was destroyed, and the kingship of Gondor fell vacant shortly afterwards.
Regarding the summoning of the DeadDead Men of DunharrowThe Dead Men of Dunharrow are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium...
Regarding the summoning of the Dead by the heir of IsildurIsildur
Isildur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the author's books The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
, Malbeth made a second prophecy that again was fulfilled in time. In the year 3019 of the Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
, Elrond
Elrond
Elrond Half-elven is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Hobbit, and plays a supporting role in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.-Character overview:...
of Rivendell
Rivendell
Rivendell is an Elven outpost in Middle-earth, a fictional realm created by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was established and ruled by Elrond in the Second Age of Middle-earth...
sent word to Aragorn, son of Arathorn, to remember the words of the seer at his time of need. After learning of the impending assault of the Corsairs of Umbar
Corsairs of Umbar
The Corsairs of Umbar were a fleet of Men of Umbar in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, allied to Sauron in his war against Gondor.-Literature:...
on Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith , originally named Minas Anor, is a fictional city and castle in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It became the heavily fortified capital of Gondor in the second half of the Third Age...
by using the palantír
Palantír
A palantír is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír A palantír (pl. palantíri) is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír A palantír (pl. palantíri) is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír...
of Orthanc, Aragorn discovered that only by walking the Paths of the Dead
Paths of the Dead
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Paths of the Dead were a haunted passage under the White Mountains.The Paths of the Dead started at the Dark Door at the end of the long valley of Harrowdale, beyond the Firienfeld and the forest of Dimholt, wedged in between the mountains Irensaga ,...
could he reach Minas Tirith in time to offer aid. Acknowledging this, he choose that route and accompanied by the Grey Company he passed through and out to the Stone of Erech. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
's extended edition, Legolas
Legolas
Legolas is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. He is an Elf of the Woodland Realm and one of nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring.- Literature :...
can be heard quoting part of the prophecy.
As the heir of Isildur, Aragorn summoned the Dead Men of Dunharrow to him and with their aid defeated the Corsair threat to Gondor, fulfilling the prophecy of Malbeth.
External links
- Malbeth of the Arthedain at The Thain's Book.