YALOTRT:why is saruman leader of the istari?
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Legendary
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Saruman was well read in matters of Sauron (which is why he was corrupted by them) so he was elected by the White Council to be their leader, and thus leader of the remaining Istari (two of them went to the East, never to be seen again, while three remained, Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast). The purpose of the White Council was to fight Sauron so they thought it would make sense to make Saruman the leader. However, Cirdan the Shipwright realized that Gandalf was the most powerful of the Istari and that's why he gave him the Ring of Fire.
/LotR dork
/LotR dork
Legendary
Diamond Member
- Jan 22, 2002
- 7,019
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Radagast shows up in the LotR books once - he's not that important - his "skill" so to speak is to communicate with animals - birds I think is his specialty in that area. The Istari are classified by their color, the closer to White the higher your rank (Saruman the White, then Gandalf the White when Saruman turns into Saruman the multi-colored). Radagast is brown, just to give you an idea of where he stands. Without him, though, Gandalf probably would not have gone to Saruman, and the events of LotR would be greatly different. (butterfly effect sorta).
Adul
Elite Member
Not sure but I think Saruman became multi-colored when he made his own ring, trying to duplicate stuff he learned about what Sauron had done; he was proud of it tho', so at least he thought it made him more powerful, being multi-colored.
Gandalf
The Grey Pilgrim
Dates: Immortal. In Middle-earth c. III 1000 to 29 September III 3021
Race: Ainur
Division: Maiar of Manwë and Varda
Order: Istari (Wizards)
Other Names: Incánus, Mithrandir, Olórin, Tharkûn
Titles: The Grey, Grey Pilgrim, Grey Wanderer, Stormcrow, The White
Meaning: 'Wand Elf' (but note that this name was given mistakenly by Men; Gandalf is a Maia, not an Elf)
Pronunciation: ga'ndalf
(A note in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings that final 'f' should be pronounced 'v' leads some to mispronounce this name 'gandalv'. 'Gandalf' is not an Elvish name, however, and this rule does not apply)
In origin a Maia of Manwë and Varda, Gandalf came to the northwest of Middle-earth after a thousand years of the Third Age had passed, with four others of his order. At the Grey Havens, Círdan entrusted him with the Red Ring, Narya, to aid him in contesting the will of Sauron.
Gandalf wandered widely in Middle-earth, and learned much of its races and peoples. Unlike his fellow Wizards Saruman and Radagast, he never settled in a single place. He was instrumental in the victory of the War of the Ring, but during that conflict he battled with a Balrog, and though he was ultimately victorious, his spirit left his body, but was sent back to Middle-earth to complete his task.
Gandalf finally left Middle-earth in 3021 (Third Age), when he departed over the sea with the Ring-bearers.
Arrival in Middle-earth, c. III 1000
The Wizards arrived in Middle-earth after the end of the first millennium of the Third Age. They were sent by the Valar to aid Elves and Men, but none knew this but Círdan the Shipwright, Lord of the Grey Havens where their ships put in. Though Saruman was at that time the acknowledged leader of the Wizards, Círdan saw that Gandalf was in fact the greater, and secretly gave him the Red Ring Narya to aid him in his quest.
Exploration of Middle-earth, c. III 1000 to III 2463
For almost 1,500 years, Gandalf wandered the northern and western regions of Middle-earth, learning of its lands and cultures. He was closest in friendship with the Elves, and especially Elrond, who had learned of his origins from Círdan.
The White Council, III 2463 to III 2953
At almost the same time as Gandalf had arrived in Middle-earth, a dark power had appeared in southern Mirkwood, at the evil place known as Dol Guldur. After a thousand years of his wanderings, Gandalf went there and drove the darkness into the east for a while. Soon it returned, and in 2463 (Third Age), the greatest among Wizards and Elves formed a White Council, with Gandalf as a prominent member, to counter the growing threat.
In 2850, he revisited Dol Guldur, to find that the power that held it had grown indeed during the eight hundred years since his last visit. He recognised the dark power now as Sauron returned, and escaped to inform the White Council. Before he escaped, though, he found Thráin II broken in the pits of Dol Guldur, and though Thráin died before Gandalf could help him, he did surrender a map and a key into the Wizard's keeping.
The Year III 2941
2941 was an important year for Gandalf. Not only did he take part in the White Council's expulsion of the Necromancer from Dol Guldur, but he also arranged for a party of Dwarves, accompanied by Bilbo Baggins, to travel to their ancient home of Erebor and free it from the dragon Smaug.
Gandalf and the Hobbits
The Hobbits first appeared in the records of Men and Elves shortly after the arrival of the Wizards, but of all the Wise, Gandalf was the only one to pay them great heed. After the foundation of the Shire, he would visit periodically and was responsible for '...quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures' (The Hobbit, Chapter 1, An Unexpected Party). Given this description, we are forced to wonder whether he had a hand in the exploits of Hildifons and Isengar Took, both of whom are recorded as having become involved in adventures of this kind.
Of all the hobbit families, Gandalf seems to have been most closely associated with the Tooks; he was a close friend of Gerontius, the Old Took (Frodo Baggins' great-grandfather), and was said to have given him a gift of magical diamond studs, which fastened and unfastened on command. After Gerontius' death in 2920 (Third Age), he was not seen in the Shire for more than twenty years, until he returned with Thorin and the Dwarves to involve Bilbo Baggins in the Quest of Erebor.
Gandalf?s Appearance
Like all the Wizards, Gandalf had the appearance of an old man, who grew old slowly with the passage of the centuries. His hair was white, and his long white beard grew down below his waist. His eyebrows were particularly noticeable; they were so long and bushy that they stuck out from beneath the rim of his hat.
He dressed in a long grey cloak, which is perhaps the origin of his title 'The Grey'. He is also described as wearing a tall shady-brimmed pointed blue hat, a silver scarf, and long black boots. He carried at all times a spiked staff.
The Magic of Gandalf
Tolkien at no point defines what the limits of Gandalf's magic were. As a Maia, he had many natural abilities that would seem magical to mortal races, but he also had a great store of knowledge of more 'mechanical' magic, worked through spells and incantations, and especially through the agency of his staff. It is clear that he had far greater power, especially after his return as Gandalf the White, than he ever displayed in Middle-earth.
His magical powers seem to be particularly associated with fire, a fact that is perhaps related to the Ring of Fire, Narya, that he bore.
A Gandalf Miscellany
? Gandalf adopted the habit of pipe-smoking from the Hobbits. He often used his magical arts while smoking; he could change the colour of his smoke-rings, or send them in any direction he pleased.
? Gandalf's preferred drink was red wine.
Saruman
The White wizard, traitor to the White Council
Dates: Immortal. In Middle-earth c. III 1000 to 3 November III 3019 (c.2,000 years)
Race: Ainur
Division: Maiar of Aulë
Order: Istari (Wizards)
Meaning: 'Man of Skill'
Other Names: Curumo, Curunír, Sharkey
Titles: Of Many Colours, Ring-maker, The Ruler, The White, The Wise
Most often called Saruman the White, Saruman was the first of the five Wizards to arrive in Middle-earth, at the end of the first millennium of the Third Age. He was said to be the eldest of the order, and Gandalf acknowledged him as the chief of the Istari.
For a thousand years, and maybe more, he journeyed in the East of Middle-earth, and was little heard of in the West. He had returned, though, by III 2463, for he was present at the foundation of the Council of the Wise, and was made their chief (though both Elrond and Galadriel would have preferred Gandalf to take this position).
It was at about this time that Saruman began to study the Rings of Power, their history and the means of their making.
In III 2759, he was given the keys of Orthanc by Steward Beren of Minas Tirith, and took up his abode there. He continued his researches into ring-lore, and the making of devices, and was accustomed to watch the stars from the pinnacle of the Tower. He visited Minas Tirith to research the history of the Rings, and found among the ancient books and scrolls the story of the death of Isildur and the loss of the Ruling Ring.
In III 2851, the Council discovered proof that the Necromancer of Dol Guldur was indeed Sauron returned. Many of the Wise wished to attack the fortress and drive Sauron out, but Saruman spoke against this, and dissuaded the Council from mounting an assault. It was only after ninety years had passed that he relented and aided the Council in assailing Dol Guldur, driving Sauron back into Mordor. Saruman's knowledge was vital in this victory, as Gandalf said - 'it was by the devices of Saruman that we drove him from Dol Guldur'.
When the Council debated the Rings of Power, Saruman claimed that his researches showed that the One Ring had been lost forever. It was later shown that he did not believe this, however, and was searching for it himself, having secretly rebelled against the Council.
He built an army of Wolves and Orcs of his own within the ring of Isengard to challenge both Sauron and the Wise, and took control of the only nearby power, the country of Rohan, through his agent Gríma Wormtongue.
In July III 3018, when he was ready to reveal himself, Saruman set a trap for Gandalf, using the Wizard Radagast to lure him to Orthanc. When Gandalf came, Saruman revealed that he had made a Ring of his own, and that he was no longer Saruman the White, but claimed the title Saruman of Many Colours. When Gandalf refused to join him, he was imprisoned on the pinnacle of the Tower of Orthanc - Saruman hoped to gain the secret of the One Ring from him, or at least prevent Gandalf from using it himself.
The Grey Pilgrim
Dates: Immortal. In Middle-earth c. III 1000 to 29 September III 3021
Race: Ainur
Division: Maiar of Manwë and Varda
Order: Istari (Wizards)
Other Names: Incánus, Mithrandir, Olórin, Tharkûn
Titles: The Grey, Grey Pilgrim, Grey Wanderer, Stormcrow, The White
Meaning: 'Wand Elf' (but note that this name was given mistakenly by Men; Gandalf is a Maia, not an Elf)
Pronunciation: ga'ndalf
(A note in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings that final 'f' should be pronounced 'v' leads some to mispronounce this name 'gandalv'. 'Gandalf' is not an Elvish name, however, and this rule does not apply)
In origin a Maia of Manwë and Varda, Gandalf came to the northwest of Middle-earth after a thousand years of the Third Age had passed, with four others of his order. At the Grey Havens, Círdan entrusted him with the Red Ring, Narya, to aid him in contesting the will of Sauron.
Gandalf wandered widely in Middle-earth, and learned much of its races and peoples. Unlike his fellow Wizards Saruman and Radagast, he never settled in a single place. He was instrumental in the victory of the War of the Ring, but during that conflict he battled with a Balrog, and though he was ultimately victorious, his spirit left his body, but was sent back to Middle-earth to complete his task.
Gandalf finally left Middle-earth in 3021 (Third Age), when he departed over the sea with the Ring-bearers.
Arrival in Middle-earth, c. III 1000
The Wizards arrived in Middle-earth after the end of the first millennium of the Third Age. They were sent by the Valar to aid Elves and Men, but none knew this but Círdan the Shipwright, Lord of the Grey Havens where their ships put in. Though Saruman was at that time the acknowledged leader of the Wizards, Círdan saw that Gandalf was in fact the greater, and secretly gave him the Red Ring Narya to aid him in his quest.
Exploration of Middle-earth, c. III 1000 to III 2463
For almost 1,500 years, Gandalf wandered the northern and western regions of Middle-earth, learning of its lands and cultures. He was closest in friendship with the Elves, and especially Elrond, who had learned of his origins from Círdan.
The White Council, III 2463 to III 2953
At almost the same time as Gandalf had arrived in Middle-earth, a dark power had appeared in southern Mirkwood, at the evil place known as Dol Guldur. After a thousand years of his wanderings, Gandalf went there and drove the darkness into the east for a while. Soon it returned, and in 2463 (Third Age), the greatest among Wizards and Elves formed a White Council, with Gandalf as a prominent member, to counter the growing threat.
In 2850, he revisited Dol Guldur, to find that the power that held it had grown indeed during the eight hundred years since his last visit. He recognised the dark power now as Sauron returned, and escaped to inform the White Council. Before he escaped, though, he found Thráin II broken in the pits of Dol Guldur, and though Thráin died before Gandalf could help him, he did surrender a map and a key into the Wizard's keeping.
The Year III 2941
2941 was an important year for Gandalf. Not only did he take part in the White Council's expulsion of the Necromancer from Dol Guldur, but he also arranged for a party of Dwarves, accompanied by Bilbo Baggins, to travel to their ancient home of Erebor and free it from the dragon Smaug.
Gandalf and the Hobbits
The Hobbits first appeared in the records of Men and Elves shortly after the arrival of the Wizards, but of all the Wise, Gandalf was the only one to pay them great heed. After the foundation of the Shire, he would visit periodically and was responsible for '...quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures' (The Hobbit, Chapter 1, An Unexpected Party). Given this description, we are forced to wonder whether he had a hand in the exploits of Hildifons and Isengar Took, both of whom are recorded as having become involved in adventures of this kind.
Of all the hobbit families, Gandalf seems to have been most closely associated with the Tooks; he was a close friend of Gerontius, the Old Took (Frodo Baggins' great-grandfather), and was said to have given him a gift of magical diamond studs, which fastened and unfastened on command. After Gerontius' death in 2920 (Third Age), he was not seen in the Shire for more than twenty years, until he returned with Thorin and the Dwarves to involve Bilbo Baggins in the Quest of Erebor.
Gandalf?s Appearance
Like all the Wizards, Gandalf had the appearance of an old man, who grew old slowly with the passage of the centuries. His hair was white, and his long white beard grew down below his waist. His eyebrows were particularly noticeable; they were so long and bushy that they stuck out from beneath the rim of his hat.
He dressed in a long grey cloak, which is perhaps the origin of his title 'The Grey'. He is also described as wearing a tall shady-brimmed pointed blue hat, a silver scarf, and long black boots. He carried at all times a spiked staff.
The Magic of Gandalf
Tolkien at no point defines what the limits of Gandalf's magic were. As a Maia, he had many natural abilities that would seem magical to mortal races, but he also had a great store of knowledge of more 'mechanical' magic, worked through spells and incantations, and especially through the agency of his staff. It is clear that he had far greater power, especially after his return as Gandalf the White, than he ever displayed in Middle-earth.
His magical powers seem to be particularly associated with fire, a fact that is perhaps related to the Ring of Fire, Narya, that he bore.
A Gandalf Miscellany
? Gandalf adopted the habit of pipe-smoking from the Hobbits. He often used his magical arts while smoking; he could change the colour of his smoke-rings, or send them in any direction he pleased.
? Gandalf's preferred drink was red wine.
Saruman
The White wizard, traitor to the White Council
Dates: Immortal. In Middle-earth c. III 1000 to 3 November III 3019 (c.2,000 years)
Race: Ainur
Division: Maiar of Aulë
Order: Istari (Wizards)
Meaning: 'Man of Skill'
Other Names: Curumo, Curunír, Sharkey
Titles: Of Many Colours, Ring-maker, The Ruler, The White, The Wise
Most often called Saruman the White, Saruman was the first of the five Wizards to arrive in Middle-earth, at the end of the first millennium of the Third Age. He was said to be the eldest of the order, and Gandalf acknowledged him as the chief of the Istari.
For a thousand years, and maybe more, he journeyed in the East of Middle-earth, and was little heard of in the West. He had returned, though, by III 2463, for he was present at the foundation of the Council of the Wise, and was made their chief (though both Elrond and Galadriel would have preferred Gandalf to take this position).
It was at about this time that Saruman began to study the Rings of Power, their history and the means of their making.
In III 2759, he was given the keys of Orthanc by Steward Beren of Minas Tirith, and took up his abode there. He continued his researches into ring-lore, and the making of devices, and was accustomed to watch the stars from the pinnacle of the Tower. He visited Minas Tirith to research the history of the Rings, and found among the ancient books and scrolls the story of the death of Isildur and the loss of the Ruling Ring.
In III 2851, the Council discovered proof that the Necromancer of Dol Guldur was indeed Sauron returned. Many of the Wise wished to attack the fortress and drive Sauron out, but Saruman spoke against this, and dissuaded the Council from mounting an assault. It was only after ninety years had passed that he relented and aided the Council in assailing Dol Guldur, driving Sauron back into Mordor. Saruman's knowledge was vital in this victory, as Gandalf said - 'it was by the devices of Saruman that we drove him from Dol Guldur'.
When the Council debated the Rings of Power, Saruman claimed that his researches showed that the One Ring had been lost forever. It was later shown that he did not believe this, however, and was searching for it himself, having secretly rebelled against the Council.
He built an army of Wolves and Orcs of his own within the ring of Isengard to challenge both Sauron and the Wise, and took control of the only nearby power, the country of Rohan, through his agent Gríma Wormtongue.
In July III 3018, when he was ready to reveal himself, Saruman set a trap for Gandalf, using the Wizard Radagast to lure him to Orthanc. When Gandalf came, Saruman revealed that he had made a Ring of his own, and that he was no longer Saruman the White, but claimed the title Saruman of Many Colours. When Gandalf refused to join him, he was imprisoned on the pinnacle of the Tower of Orthanc - Saruman hoped to gain the secret of the One Ring from him, or at least prevent Gandalf from using it himself.
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