Oropher was aSindarin Elf ofDoriath who became the King of the Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great (which would later come to be called Mirkwood) during the Second Age. He was killed during the Battle of Dagorlad and succeeded by his son, the ElvenkingThranduil. He was thus the grandfather of the only Elvenmember of the Fellowship of the Ring, Legolas.

History

Oropher was one of the Iathrim who spent his early life in Doriath. Following the destruction ofBeleriand and the War of Wrath, most of the Noldorin exiles and remnants of the Sindar retreated to Lindon. TheValar reinvited these Elves to Aman, but Oropher, among many others, was unwilling and remained in Lindon.[1]

Move to Greenwood the Great

Some of the Sindar of Lindon, not wishing to stay with the dominant Noldor under Gil-galad, chose to go east and live with the Nandor with whom they shared the same Telerinancestry.[2] Oropher with his people crossed the Misty Mountains and mingled with the Silvan Elves ofGreenwood the Great. The Sindar adopted the language and wholly embraced the life of the Silvan Elves.[1]

The Silvan Elves, who originally lived in the south of Greenwood, accepted Oropher as their King, who ruled from his capital on Amon Lanc. Over the course of the Second Age they gradually moved north to live around the Emyn Duir.[1]

War of the Last Alliance

Despite the Silvan Elves' hostility towards the Dwarves and the Noldor - and their desire to stay away from the affairs of the rest of the world - Oropher could see the danger thatSauron posed, and that his defeat would bring about peace in Middle-earth. He thus ed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, summoning a large army which ed with Amdír's smaller force ofLórien Elves to create a singular, great host of Silvan Elves.[1]

The Silvan Elves were strong and brave, but despite having poor armour and weapons in comparison with the Noldor, Amdír and Oropher were unwilling to submit to the supreme command of Gil-galad and as such they suffered heavy losses in the War of the Last Alliance. In the very first assault upon MordorOropher and other brave and hasty Elves rushed forward before Gil-galad gave the signal to charge. Oropher himself was killed soon afterwards, whilst two-thirds of his army perished throughout the course of the war. Upon Sauron's defeat the remnants of the army returned to Greenwood under the command of his son, Thranduil.[1]