Silmarillion fancast: Brad Pitt as Hador, founder of the House of Hador.
Hador was born around 390 of the First Age, * and he was the son of Hathol. They lived near the source of the Teiglin in the southern valleys of the Ered Wethrin. Hador had golden hair as was common among his people. In 405, Hador entered the household of Fingolfin, the High King of the Noldor, who lived in Hithlum. Hador was in Fingolfin's household for ten years until in 415. In 416, Fingolfin rewarded Hador by making him Lord of Dor-lomin - a region in southern Hithlum - and most of Hador's kinsmen relocated there. At this time, Fingolfin's son Fingon gave Hador the Dragon-helm which became an heirloom of his family.
Hador married Gildis and they had three children: a daughter, Gloredhel, born in 415; a son Galdor, born in 417; and another son Gundor, born in 419. At a feast in 436, Gloredhel married Haldir of the House of Haleth and Galdor married Haldir's sister Hareth. Galdor and Hareth were the parents of Hurin and Huor.
Hador was the mightiest chieftain of the Edain. His people became known as the House of Hador - the greatest of the Three Houses of the Edain, on a level with the Elves. Hador and his household spoke Elvish, though his people also continued to speak their native tongue which later became the Adunaic language of Numenor.
The Men of the House of Hador had great strength and endurance. They helped the Elves maintain the Siege of Angband by journeying into the far north to keep watch on the movements of Morgoth's servants.
Morgoth broke the Siege of Angband in 455 and the Battle of Sudden Flame began. Fingolfin led his forces to war but they were forced to retreat to their fortresses in the Ered Wethrin. Hador and his Men defended the rearguard. Hador was killed outside the walls of Barad Eithel, and his younger son Gundor was also slain. Galdor succeeded his father as Lord of Dor-lomin and leader of the House of Hador.
Hador was long remembered as one of the greatest of the Elf-friends. When Frodo Baggins volunteered to take the One Ring to Mordor, Elrond compared him to Hador, Hurin, Turin, and Beren.
Note:
The genealogy in HoME XI (p. 234) gives Hador's birth and death dates as 390-455 but in The Silmarillion (p. 152) he is said to have been 66 when he died - a discrepancy of one year. There is an indication in HoME XI (p. 52, 124) that Tolkien may have intended to change his age at death to 65 or the year of his death to 456 (if the Battle of Sudden Flame spanned the winter of 455-456) or both, but it is unclear.
Names & Etymology:
The name Hador means "thrower (of spears or darts)." He was called Hador Goldenhead and Hador Golden-haired. The Sindarin form was Hador Lórindol where lor is from glaur meaning "gold" and dol means "head."
