Glamdring
 

Glamdring was a sword of unsurpassed workman ship forged in days long passed (supposedly between FA 126 and FA 510) for Turgon king of the Noldorin elves though after the fall of Gondolin it was lost. Gandalf discovered Glamdring in TA 2941 in the same troll hoard that Bilbo Baggins found sting, he kept Glamdring and wielded it in the series events called the war of the ring.

“Why on earth didn’t you mention it before?” they cried. Gandalf grabbed it and fitted it into the key hole. Then the stone door swung back with one big push, and they all went inside. There were bones on the floor and a nasty smell was in the air; but there was a good deal of food jumbled carelessly on shelves and on the ground, among an untidy litter of plunder, of all sorts from brass buttons to pots full of gold coins standing in a corner. There were lots of clothes, too, hanging on the walls too small for trolls, I am afraid they belonged to victims and among them were several swords of various makes, shapes, and sizes. Two caught their eyes particularly, because of their beautiful scabbards and jewelled hilts. Gandalf and Thorin each took one of these; and Bilbo took a knife in a leather sheath. It would have made only a tiny pocket knife for a troll, but it was as good as a short sword for the hobbit.
“These look like good blades,” said the wizard, half drawing them and looking at them curiously. “They were not made by any troll, nor by any smith among men in these parts and days; but when we can read the runes on them, we shall know more about them.”
(Chapter 2 The Hobbit)


Elrond knew all about runes of every kind. That day he looked at the swords they had brought from the trolls’ lair, and he said: “These are not troll make. They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin wars. They must have come from a dragon’s hoard or goblin plunder, for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago. This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the Goblin cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, Gandalf, was Glamdring, Foe hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore. Keep them well!” (Chapter 3 The Hobbit)


Glamdring like many elven blades of the time was a long two handed sword with a very subtle leaf shaped blade. The sword is said to be white and shone with a pale light when enemies were near.

Then Gandalf lit up his wand. Of course it was Gandalf; but just then they were too busy to ask how he got there. He took out his sword again, and again it flashed in the dark by itself. It burned with a rage that made it gleam if goblins were about; now it was bright as blue flame for delight in the killing of the great lord of the cave. It made no trouble whatever of cutting through the goblin chains and setting all the prisoners free as quickly as possible. This sword’s name was Glamdring the Foe hammer, if you remember. The goblins just called it Beater, and hated it worse than Biter if possible. Chapter 4 The Hobbit

At this point Gandalf fell behind, and Thorin with him. They turned a sharp corner. “About turn!” he shouted. “Draw your sword, Thorin!” There was nothing else to be done; and the goblins did not like it. They came scurrying round the corner in full cry, and found Goblin cleaver and Foe hammer shining cold and bright right in their astonished eyes. The ones in front dropped their torches and gave one yell before they were killed. The ones behind yelled still more, and leaped back knocking over those that were running after them. “Biter and Beater!” they shrieked; and soon they were all in confusion, and most of them were hustling back the way they had come. (Chapter 4 The Hobbit)

On the cross guard was a small uncut pale blue stone and the inscription in sindarin



“turgon aran gondolin tortha, gar a matha I vegil glamdring gud daedheloth, dam an glamhoth”

“Turgon king of Gondolin wields, has and holds the sword Glamdring, foe of Morgoth’s realm, hammer to the orcs”

This inscription is a strengthening spell designed to protect the wielders hand, the inscriptions also gave it an added level of power which allowed Gandalf to defeat the Balrog atop Zirak- vigils.

After the war of the ring when Gandalf left middle earth to sail into the undying lands Glamdring remained in middle earth firstly as an heirloom of the Mirkwood elves, but later it passed to King elassar and was stored in the treasure vaults in Minas Tirith
 

Contributed by Kamui