<P> The wizards of Middle - earth were Maiar : spirits of the same order as the Valar , but lesser in power . The first three of these five wizards were known in the Mannish tongues of the Lord of the Rings series as Saruman `` man of skill '' ( Rohirric ) , Gandalf `` elf of the staff '' ( northern Men ) , and Radagast `` tender of beasts '' ( possibly Westron ) . Tolkien never provided non-Elvish names for the other two ; one tradition gives their names in Valinor as Alatar and Pallando , and another as Morinehtar and Rómestámo in Middle - earth . Each wizard in the series had robes of a characteristic colour : white for Saruman ( the chief and the most powerful of the five ) , grey for Gandalf , brown for Radagast , and sea - blue for Alatar and Pallando ( known consequently as the Blue Wizards ) . Gandalf and Saruman both play important roles in The Lord of the Rings , while Radagast appears only briefly . Alatar and Pallando do not feature in the story , as they are said to have journeyed far into the east after their arrival in Middle - earth . </P>
<P> The wizards of Middle - earth were Maiar : spirits of the same order as the Valar , but lesser in power . The first three of these five wizards were known in the Mannish tongues of the Lord of the Rings series as Saruman `` man of skill '' ( Rohirric ) , Gandalf `` elf of the staff '' ( northern Men ) , and Radagast `` tender of beasts '' ( possibly Westron ) . Tolkien never provided non-Elvish names for the other two ; one tradition gives their names in Valinor as Alatar and Pallando , and another as Morinehtar and Rómestámo in Middle - earth . Each wizard in the series had robes of a characteristic colour : white for Saruman ( the chief and the most powerful of the five ) , grey for Gandalf , brown for Radagast , and sea - blue for Alatar and Pallando ( known consequently as the Blue Wizards ) . Gandalf and Saruman both play important roles in The Lord of the Rings , while Radagast appears only briefly . Alatar and Pallando do not feature in the story , as they are said to have journeyed far into the east after their arrival in Middle - earth . </P>
lord of the rings how many wizards are there
lord of the rings how many wizards are there
five
five