Túrin was the son of Húrin of the Third House of the Edain and Morwen Eledhwen of the First House. His life was fated from the start due to the curse placed on his father’s house by Morgoth, and he brought only sorrow and disaster on those he loved.

Túrin was born in Dor-lómin, but was sent to Doriath to be fostered soon after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. He grew up under the care of Thingol, but when he later went to war, he went as the Heir of Dor-lómin, wearer of the Dragon-helm. He quickly won renown in the north Marches.

Then Túrin’s fate began to interfere in his life. After a quarrel with Saeros, one of Thingol’s ministers, the elf died, and Túrin fled from Doriath in shame and fear. He started to live a bandit’s existence in the wilds. Thingol sent Beleg Cúthalion to find Túrin, persuade him to return to Doriath, and if he would not return, to protect him. Beleg was unable to persuade Túrin to return to Thingol, but together they waged war upon Morgoth in the lands around Teiglin in West Beleriand.

Eventually they were betrayed, and Túrin was captured by Orcs. He was freed by Beleg, but Túrin accidentally slew his friend during his rescue. Túrin was crazed with grief, but was then befriended by Gwindor, an elf who had been imprisoned in Angband. Gwindor brought Túrin to his own home in Nargothrond. He soon became a war-leader of Nargothrond - even though he was only a mortal man. Even Orodreth, Lord of Nargothrond acknowledged his determination to wreak chaos on Morgoth, his valour, and his warrior prowess. The elves called him Mormegil because of the black sword he wore, called Gurthang (formerly Anglachel), which had once been Beleg’s.

However, he started to reject the elves ancient tactics for the defence of Nargothrond, and he decided to bridge the river Narog. This let him swiftly attack his enemies, but it also lay Nargothrond open to attack. When Morgoth sent his host down to Nargothrond, Túrin went out to meet them in battle. His army was destroyed, Gwindor was mortally wounded, and Orodreth and most of the elven warriors were slain. Glaurung the dragon sacked the city, made possible only because of Túrin’s bridge, and Finduilas, daughter of Orodreth and lover of Túrin, was taken captive by Orcs.

At the gates of Nargothrond, Túrin met Glaurung. The dragon enchanted Túrin, who then fled north, seeking Finduilas and his own mother, convinced by Glaurung that their lives were in danger. Then, it did so happened that Túrin’s path did coincide with that of his mother. Morwen and her daughter Nienor had left Dor-lómin for Doriath, seeking Túrin, while he, having learned of the death of Finduilas, he gone back to Dor-lómin seeking his mother. Morwen and Nienor came to Doriath, and found that Túrin had gone into the wild. They determined that each would continue to search for him separately around Nargothrond. Nienor then encountered Glaurung, who bewitched her so that she lost her memory. She was found, wandering in the wilds, by Túrin, who did not recognise her as she had been but an infant when he left Dor-lómin. He took her back to Brethil, where he was living with the Haladin, and after three years, they were married and she conceived his child.

Eventually, Túrin met Glaurung again, and he slayed the dragon, but not before Glaurung lifted the enchantment from Nienor and told Túrin the truth about his life. Both Túrin and Nienor then slew themselves in their despair. Túrin was buried at Cabed Naeramarth, the place of his greatest victory and his greatest anguish.

In “Peoples of Middle Earth”, Tolkien wrote that Túrin and Nienor - the children of Húrin – would be washed clean of their sorrows and united in bliss in Valinor. At the Last Battle at the end of the world, when Morgoth would return, it would then be Túrin’s arm that would deal his death-stroke.

Túrin went under many names during his journey through life. These include Neithan ('The Wronged’ – after leaving Dor-lómin), Gorthol (‘the Dread Helm’ – when fighting for Doriath), Agarwaen son of Úmarth (‘the Bloodstained Son of Ill Fortune’ – while at Nargothrond), Adanedhel (‘Elf-man’ - while at Nargothrond), Mormegil (‘the black sword’ - while fighting for Nargothrond), Wildman of the Woods, and Turambar (‘Master of Doom’ – after the loss of Finduilas).