Template:Valar infobox
Manwë Súlimo (Quenya, pronounced Template:IPA) was the King of the Valar, husband of Varda Elentári, brother of the Dark Lord Melkor (Morgoth), and King of Arda. The winds, airs and birds were his servants. He was the greatest of the Ainur in authority, but not in power. The Lord of the Breath of Arda, he was appointed as its Ruler, hence his most common title, the Elder King.
Attributes[]
Manwë was the Ainu dearest to Eru, closest to his mind, and appointed his viceregent on Earth. He was king, lord of Arda, and ruler of everything that dwells therein. His spouse is Varda, and they are seldom parted. His attributes are air and the winds, from the Veil of Arda to the small breezes and he commands the birds. From the beginning Ulmo has been his closest friend and ally and they come together when the vapors of the water become clouds high in the air. The two most faithfully served the purpose of Eru.
He lived in his halls atop Mount Taniquetil, the highest mountain of the world. Together with Varda he could see farther than all other eyes. All things that flew in the light were his servants and brought him news from the farthest and deepest places of the world; save dark places in the deep that were Ulmo's domain or those hid by the black thought of powerful evil.
As the vicegerent of Eru on Earth, Manwë was a kind, compassionate ruler, unconcerned with his own power. Manwë dressed in blue robes and had blue eyes. He wielded a scepter of sapphire made for him by the Ñoldor. The Vanyar were his favorite Elves, and they lived with him and Varda on Mount Oiolosse, and he delighted in their songs and poetry.
History[]
In the thought of Ilúvatar Manwë was the brother of Melkor, but dearest to Ilúvatar and the one that best understood the will of Eru. When Melkor created the discord in the second Song of the Ainur, Manwë took over leading the song, pondering about airs and winds.
Manwë along with Aulë and Ulmo were the chief architects of Arda and when it was formed, he denied to surrender it to Melkor, and many spirits, like Varda, came to his side from the deeps of Ea.
But he did not understand evil, even in the form of his own brother. He released Melkor from Mandos, thus allowing him to cause the distrust of Fëanor, the Poisoning of the Two Trees, the murder of Finwë, the theft of the Silmarils, and the revolt of the Noldor.
To hearten the Eldar, he had Aulë fashion the Sun and the Moon, for he knew the rising of the Atani was coming soon, and sent Thorondor and the Great Eagles to watch them.
After Morgoth's fall, Manwë cast him into the Void. In the Final Battle, when Melkor escapes, it is said that the Elder King and the Dark Lord will battle on the Plains of Valinor, but that they will not slay each other.
Etymology[]
Manwë is intended to mean "Blessed One" in Quenya, from root MAN plus the male ending -wë. However it is said also to be a version of the Valarin name Mānawenūz.
From the same root, the Etymologies give another epithet, Kalamando (light Mando), being the light counterpart of Morimando (Dark Mando).
Súlimo is an epithet meaning "Breather", with the Sindarin form Thū. His titles include Elder King, High King of Arda, King of Arda, and Lord of the Breath of Arda.
His name in Sindarin is Aran Einior, "Elder King", and in Adûnaic Amân.
In Eriol's Old English translations, Manwë is referred to as Wolcenfréa, consisting of wolcen ("sky"; cf. Modern English "welkin") + fréa ("ruler").
In an early manuscript called "Valar name-list", Manwë has the additional Qenya names Taimo (masculine form of Taime, "the sky") and Valtur ("King of the Valar").
Inspiration[]
Compared to real mythologies, Manwë represents possibly a sky father like Zeus/Jupiter of the Greco-Roman mythology. Like Zeus, Manwë is both a sky "deity" and a leader of his pantheon and is associated with the eagle.