Barahir

Barahir is a fictional character in the Middle-earth universe of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. He appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian and the Grey Annals.

Character overview
In Tolkien's legendarium, Barahir was a Man of Ladros, heir to the House of Bëor in the First Age. He was the son of Bregor, husband of Emeldir, and most famous as the father of Beren Erchamion, who later was to marry Lúthien Tinúviel and result in the first union of Elves and Men.

Biography
Barahir fought at the Dagor Bragollach, in which the armies of the enemy Morgoth defeated the Elves and Men of the northern realms of Beleriand, including Barahir's land Ladros. His elder brother and Lord of the House Bregolas was slain together with the majority of warriors, but Barahir was battling further westward nigh the Pass of Sirion. There he saved the Elven-lord Finrod Felagund, but with great loss. Finrod swore an oath of friendship to Barahir and his kin, and as a token for this he gave Barahir a ring which became known as the "Ring of Barahir", and was handed down the family line.

After the ruin of this battle most of his people fled from their land, but Barahir took the Lordship of the House on himself now and remained defending the land. Morgoth pursued his folk until few remained, and the forest of Dorthonion was turned to mazes of shadow and dread, Taur-nu-Fuin. Then Barahir's wife Emeldir gathered the remaining women and children and departed to Brethil.

But none ever saw again the men that they had left. For these were slain one by one, until at last only twelve men remained to Barahir: Beren his son, and Baragund and Belegund his nephews, the sons of Bregolas, and nine faithful servants of his house whose names were long remembered in the songs of the Noldor: Radhruin and Dairuin they were, Dagnir and Ragnor, Gildor and Gorlim the unhappy, Arthad and Urthel, and Hathaldir the young. Outlaws without hope they became, a desperate band that could not escape and would not yield ... Barahir and his men were hunted like wild beasts; and they retreated to the barren highland above the forest, and wandered among the tarns and rooky moors of that region, furthest from the spies and spells of Morgoth. Their bed was the heather and their roof the cloudy sky. (The Silmarillion, p. 165)

They made their lair by the Tarn Aeluin in south-eastern Dorthonion. They were betrayed to Sauron by Gorlim, who longed to see his wife again and submitted to the lies of Sauron. Their secret lair was then discovered and Barahir's men were slain. Only his son Beren escaped the slaughter, hunting alone in the wilds. He raised a cairn over his father's bones, and creeping into the Orcs' camp, slew their chieftain and recovered Barahir's hand and Ring.