Elves

The Tareldar were the High Elves. Following the commonest usage, in the Red Book of Westmarch, the High Elves were considered those of the Calaquendi who returned to Middle-earth - i.e. the exiled Noldor. The hidden people of the Green-elves played little part in history after the First Battle of the Battles of Beleriand. But significantly, they lent their aid to Beren and Dior Eluchil (who dwelt on Tol Galen in the far south of their land). After the loss of their ancient ally Thingol at the hands of the Dwarves, they went with Beren to avenge him. Much later, after the deaths of Beren and Lúthien, one of their lords took up the Silmaril that Lúthien had borne, and brought it to Dior Eluchil in Menegroth. After the end of the First Age, their fate is not clearly known. Some at least seem to have removed to Eriador, as a note in the Unfinished Tales mentions Green-elves living on the shores of Lake Nenuial during the Second Age. The Vanyar were the people of Ingwë and were the first of the groups of Elves to make the journey into the west from Cuiviénen to Valinor. They are accounted the highest of the High-Elves and Ingwë is referred to as the High King of the Elves. He dwells upon Taniquetil beneath the halls of Manwë. All of the Vanyar left Middle-earth and none returned, so they appear little in its histories. The Sindar were also referred to as the Grey-Elves, perhaps because they were neither Elves of the Light (Calaquendi) or of the Dark (Moriquendi), since they did answer the summons of the Valar but did not reach Aman. The term Grey-Elves may also be a reference to their High King Elwë, who had grey hair. The language of the Sindar is Sindarin. The Sindar were split between two main countries - the realm of Doriath which was ruled by Thingol and Melian, and Falas under the lordship of Círdan the Shipwright. In the third age of the Captivity of Melkor, evil things that had dwelt east of the Blue Mountains began to trouble the Sindar. At this time, they first considered the need for weapons and armour, which they had not needed before. They traded with the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost, and learned smithcraft from them. Thus armed, they drove the invading wolves and Orcs from their land and had peace again, for a time. The Sindarin Elves did not play a large role in the wars of the Noldor against Morgoth. Although the Sindar had a deep love for Middle-earth, they could not be content once the desire of the sea awoke in them. As a result, many of the Sindar sailed into the West. The Moriquendi were Elves which never saw the light of the Two Trees of Valinor, and therefore never came to Valinor, Eldamar or Tol Eressëa. These elves faced hardship and darkness for long years in Middle-earth at the mercy of Morgoth. They include both the Avari, who never answered the summons of the Valar, as well as the Nandor and Laiquendi - remnants of the Teleri who started on the journey but turned aside for various reasons. King Thingol (Elwë) is not considered a Moriquendi, because he traveled as an emissary to Aman and there beheld the light of the trees. The Moriquendi were less powerful and fair than the High-Elves, save those that emerged from the line of Melian in Doriath, and often have stronger negative characteristics than those of the High-Elves. From the Dark-Elves came the roots of the language of Sindarin spoken during the Third Age. Also from them came the early settlement of Mirkwood. The Silvan Elves were originally a group of the Teleri who turned away from the Great Journey, deciding instead to settle in the lands east of the Misty Mountains, near the River Anduin. At first, they all lived together, some settling in what would later become Lothlórien, others settling in the far south of Greenwood around the feet of Amon Lanc. The Silvan Elves dwelt this way for long years, until the Second Age, when the growing power of Sauron sent those who made their homes around Amon Lanc to flee into the north of Greenwood and so farther from their kin across the River Anduin.

The Silvan Elves of Lórien

The Elves of Lothlórien remained pretty well settled in the same place throughout their known history. Little is known for certain about them at first, or their rulers, but we do know that after the destruction of Eregion in the middle of the Second Age, many of those who were then exiled, joined with these folk. Some sources name a Sindarin Elf named Amdír as the Lord of Lórien during part of the Second Age, but when he was lost in the wars of the time, his son Amroth inherited that title. During Amroth's time, Durins Bane was released from its long sleep in the depths of Khazad-dûm. Sauron's power was also increasing around Dol Guldur, so many of the Silvan Elves of that land fled south. Amroth was one of those who left his home and we know that he was drowned in the Bay of Belfalas. It was apparently around that same time that Celeborn and Galadriel became the Lord and Lady of Lórien.

The Silvan Elves of Greenwood (Mirkwood)

Oropher is the first leader of the Silvan Elves of Greenwood that we have information about, and interestingly enough, he is also said to be a Sindarin Elf. He moved his people northward, away from the hill of Amon Lanc, when Sauron's power began to grow. Later, when Sauron decided to make his stronghold upon Amon Lanc in Dol Guldur, he brought shadow and darkness to the forest and the Silvan Elves fled even farther into the north. Oropher was slain in the War of the Last Alliance and his son Thranduil then became the lord where the Silvan Elves dwelt now far to the north of what was now called Mirkwood. Their fear of Sauron made Thranduil and his folk weary of strangers, which may have led, in part, to their treatment of Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo, and their companions during the Quest of Erebor. From these folk came Legolas of the Fellowship, who fought alongside Aragorn during the War of the Ring.

The Silvan Elves in Later Years

During the War of the Ring, both of the realms of the Silvan Elves were assailed, but Lothlórien was protected by Galadriel and her Ring Nenya. Thranduil on the other hand was set upon by Sauron's servants, and the trees in the north were set alight, but at last his folk were able to push the enemy back. After the War of the Ring, Dol Guldur was destroyed and the forest cleansed of all of Sauron's filth. It was renamed Eryn Lasgalen or 'Wood of Greenleaves' and to the south again came some Silvan Elves. They were not Thranduil's folk though. Instead they were from Lothlórien, having moved there after Galadriel and Celeborn left Lothlórien. The new dwelling of Silvan Elves to the south of Eryn Lasgalen was named East Lórien. You can find its entry under Lórien (East Lórien).