Home

Ilúvatar

Ilúvatar, also called Eru Ilúvatar, is the supreme deity of Tolkien's legendarium. In Quenya his name means All-father or Father of All, and he stands as the ultimate source and ruler of all that exists in Ea, the world and its life.

According to the Silmarillion, Ilúvatar created the Ainur, a group of divine beings who existed before the

From among the Ainur, the Valar and the Maiar became the powers that governed Arda for a

In the history of Ea, Ilúvatar’s acts include the destruction of the Lamps Illuin and Ormal and

world.
He
revealed
to
them
a
theme
for
a
great
musical
work,
the
Music
of
the
Ainur.
The
Ainur
sang,
and
through
their
music
the
universe,
Ea,
was
brought
into
being;
within
this
music
the
world
Arda
took
form.
After
the
creation,
Ilúvatar
invited
the
Ainur
to
behold
Ea
and
granted
many
of
them
authority
to
shape
it
in
accordance
with
the
theme
they
had
sung.
time,
while
Ilúvatar
prepared
for
the
awakening
of
the
Children
of
Ilúvatar—Elves
and
Men—endowed
with
free
will.
The
Children
would
awaken
late
in
the
cycle
and
carry
forward
creation
within
the
framework
of
Ilúvatar’s
design.
Ilúvatar’s
will
underlies
all
that
happens,
though
he
allows
the
Children
and
the
Valar
a
measure
of
independence
in
how
they
fulfill
their
destinies.
He
rarely
appears
directly
in
the
events
of
Middle-earth,
but
his
authority
is
final,
and
his
plans
are
not
easily
thwarted.
the
subsequent
creation
of
the
Sun
and
Moon
to
light
the
world
for
the
Children.
He
resides
in
the
Timeless
Halls
beyond
the
world,
governing
through
a
combination
of
will,
order,
and
the
possibility
of
hope
through
the
Children
of
Ilúvatar.