Galadriel, the Lady of the Golden Wood of Lothlorien, was the most powerful Elf in Middle-earth in the Third Age. She had been one of the leaders of the Noldor who left the Undying Lands in defiance of the Valar, and she was the last of them to remain in Middle-earth. Galadriel rejected the chance to take the One Ring and claim power for herself, and at last she was able to return into the West.
Galadriel's father was Finarfin and her mother was Earwen. On the Great Journey to the Undying Lands, Finarfin's father Finwe led the Elves known as the Noldor and Earwen's father Olwe became the leader of the Teleri. Galadriel was born in the Undying Lands around the year 1362 of the Years of the Trees, before the First Age began. She had four older brothers: Finrod, Orodreth, Angrod, and Aegnor.
As was customary among the Elves in the Undying Lands, Galadriel was given a name at birth by her father and another name by her mother. Her father-name was Artanis, meaning "noble woman," and her mother-name was Nerwen, meaning "man-maiden." The mother-name was generally chosen with insight into the type of person a child would become. Galadriel grew to be six feet, four inches in height - unusually tall for a female Elf - and she was strong and athletic.
It is said that in time Galadriel became the greatest of the Noldor, except perhaps for her uncle Feanor, the creator of the Silmarils. Galadriel was very wise. While living in the Undying Lands, she learned much from Yavanna, the Vala of growing things, and Aule, the master of crafts. Galadriel had great insight into other people's minds and she was understanding and merciful, but she was also proud and willful.
Galadriel was incredibly beautiful. Her hair was a magnificent gold touched with silver, and it seemed to shine with the light of the Two Trees of Valinor. It is said that Feanor requested a strand of Galadriel's hair, but she refused. It may be that Feanor was inspired by Galadriel's hair when he captured the light of the Two Trees in the Silmarils.
The Dark Enemy Morgoth killed Galadriel's grandfather Finwe and stole the Silmarils, and Feanor swore an oath to retrieve them at any cost. He pursued Morgoth to Middle-earth in defiance of the wishes of the Valar, and many of the Noldor followed. Galadriel did not swear the Oath of Feanor, but she longed to see far-off lands and to rule a realm of her own, and so she joined the flight of Noldor to Middle-earth.
Feanor led the Noldor to Alqualonde on the coast of the Undying Lands to get ships from the Teleri - the Elves who dwelled by the Sea ruled by Galadriel's grandfather Olwe. When the Teleri refused, Feanor and many of his followers took the ships by force and killed a number of the Teleri. Galadriel did not participate in the Kinslaying, and she may even have tried to stop Feanor to no avail.
After the Kinslaying, the Vala Mandos appeared and told Feanor and his followers that if they continued on their quest, they would be exiled from the Undying Lands. He foretold that doom and grief would befall them, and that those who survived would grow weary of Middle-earth. Galadriel's father Finarfin turned back and sought the pardon of the Valar, and he became the King of the Noldor in the Undying Lands, but Galadriel and her brothers continued on the journey and thus they fell under the Doom of Mandos.
There were not enough ships to carry all the Noldor to Middle-earth, so Feanor secretly set sail with his closest kin and followers, abandoning those he thought were disloyal to him. Among those left behind were Galadriel and her brothers and their uncle Fingolfin. Galadriel was too proud to turn back and seek the pardon of the Valar, and she was still driven by her desire to come to Middle-earth and establish her own realm.
Galadriel, Finrod, and Fingolfin led their people across the Helcaraxe - the Grinding Ice that formed a dangerous route across the Sea in the far North. The journey was arduous and many Elves perished, but those who survived grew stronger and hardier from the ordeal. They arrived in Beleriand in northwestern Middle-earth at the beginning of the first year of the First Age.
Galadriel eventually settled in Doriath, the hidden realm where Thingol dwelled with his wife Melian and their daughter Luthien. Thingol was the brother of Galadriel's grandfather Olwe. Galadriel fell in love with Celeborn, a Prince of Doriath who was a kinsman of Thingol. Galadriel and Celeborn married and they lived in Doriath for most of the First Age, though Galadriel sometimes visited her brother Finrod in his realm of Nargothrond.
Galadriel became close friends with Melian - a Maia who had decided to remain in Middle-earth. Galadriel learned much of the history and lore of Middle-earth from Melian. She told Melian that the Noldor had come to Middle-earth to retrieve the Silmarils stolen by Morgoth. She refused to speak of the Oath or the Kinslaying or of Feanor's betrayal, but Thingol later learned the full story from Galadriel's brother Angrod. Thingol was angry and he told Galadriel's brothers to leave Doriath, though they were innocent of the Kinslaying. Galadriel was allowed to remain.
The War of the Jewels to retrieve the Silmarils continued throughout the First Age. All four of Galadriel's brothers were killed. Aegnor and Angrod died in the Battle of Sudden Flame in 455. Finrod set out with Beren on his quest to take a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown, but they were captured by Sauron and Finrod was killed in his dungeon in 465. Orodreth assumed command of Nargothrond and died defending it in the Battle of Tumhalad in 495.
In one version of Galadriel's story, she left Beleriand and crossed the Blue Mountains into Eriador before the fall of Nargothrond, but in other versions she remained in Beleriand until the end of the First Age. Her home of Doriath was destroyed between the years 502 and 509. Thingol was killed by Dwarf craftsmen who coveted the Silmaril retrieved by Beren, and an army of Dwarves drove the Elves from Doriath. Thingol's grandson Dior later returned to Doriath and the Silmaril passed to him, but the sons of Feanor came to seize it and Doriath was completely ruined. It is not clear whether Galadriel and Celeborn were present during any of these events.
After Morgoth was defeated in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, the Valar pardoned the Noldor. Many of the Noldor returned to the Undying Lands, but Galadriel remained in Middle-earth with Celeborn. According to one story, Galadriel refused the Valar's pardon out of pride. In another version of the story, Galadriel was not included in the Valar's pardon because of her leadership role in the rebellion of the Noldor. In either case, Galadriel still hoped to rule a domain in Middle-earth.
Galadriel and Celeborn probably lived for a time in Lindon, a coastal region west of the Blue Mountains. Early in the Second Age they are said to have crossed the Blue Mountains into Eriador. A number of Elves followed Galadriel and Celeborn, including Noldor, Sindar, and Green-elves, and they were joined by wandering Elves who dwelled in Eriador. They may have settled for a time around the shores of Lake Evendim, north of the land that later became the Shire. Galadriel's daughter Celebrian may have been born during this period.
Galadriel soon became aware of an evil will working in eastern Middle-earth, though she did not know it was Morgoth's lieutenant, Sauron. She felt it was her duty to thwart the evil power in any way she could, so around 700 of the Second Age, Galadriel and Celeborn began to move eastward with many of their followers. They settled in the land of Eregion, which lay at the foot of the Misty Mountains near the great Dwarf realm of Khazad-dum.
Celeborn distrusted all Dwarves because of the memory of the Dwarves who slew Thingol and invaded Doriath. But Galadriel realized that all the races of Middle-earth would have to join forces to counter the growing threat, and she knew Dwarves to be hardy warriors.
Galadriel also admired the craftsmanship of the Dwarves. She had once studied with Aule, the great smith of the Valar, and her people the Noldor were noted craftsmen. A number of Noldorin craftsmen dwelled in Eregion, the chief of whom was Celebrimbor. They became friendly with the Dwarves of Khazad-dum and traded with them.
While living in Eregion, Galadriel became familiar with the woods of Lothlorien that lay on the other side of the Misty Mountains. Lothlorien was inhabited by Wood-elves, who had turned aside from the Great Journey to the Undying Lands long ago.
