He was the first High King of the Noldor in Beleriand.
Refusing to abandon his people, he would lead them through one of the most perilous
journeys in history. His story would come to a dramatic conclusion when he challenges
Morgoth to single combat - striking fear into the very heart of the dark lord.
Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we cover the life and travels of Fingolfin.
In the Year of the Trees 1190, Fingolfin is born to Finwe, the King of the Noldor,
and his second wife Indis, their second child and first son. In Noldorin, the name Fingolfin
is said to mean “Magical Skill.” With his first wife, Finwe had another son, Feanor.
While Fingolfin would be the strongest and most valiant of Finwe’s sons, Feanor was the greatest
of all the Noldor, unmatched in his craftsmanship. He was also greatly favored by their father.
What began as a mere lack of a bond between the brothers would become a heated rivalry. In the
days of the two trees, as Melkor lives freely in Valinor, he begins to sew lies among the Noldor.
In addition to his lies to the elves in general that the Valar were unjustly preventing them
from traveling back to Middle-earth, he also tells both Fingolfin and Feanor
that the other was planning on driving them from the elven city of Tirion.
As Feanor begins to speak against the Valar, Finwe calls a meeting to address the issue.
As Fingolfin is attempting to convince his father to restrain Feanor, the elder brother arrives…
But even as Fingolfin spoke, Fëanor strode into the chamber, and he was fully armed: his high
helm upon his head, and at his side a mighty sword.
Then turning upon Fingolfin he drew his sword, crying: ‘Get thee gone, and take thy due place!’
Feanor threatens the unarmed Fingolfin, who bows to his father
and makes to leave, only to be pursued by Feanor.
Once again, Feanor threatens his brother, placing his sword to Fingolfin’s chest.
The valar attempt to make amends between the brothers. While Fingolfin offers forgiveness
for his brother, Feanor leaves without a word. For his deeds, Feanor is banished to Formenos.
Going with him are not only his family, but his father as well. Thus Fingolfin rules over the
Noldor remaining in Tirion during the coming years. With the deception of Melkor revealed,
the dark lord disappears from the realm - traveling South to enlist the help of Ungoliant.
In 1495, the Valar seek once again to reconcile the brothers, as well
as settle the festering hostility between the elves and valar which Melkor had sowed.
he met Fingolfin before the throne of Manwë, and was reconciled, in word;
and Fingolfin set at naught the unsheathing of the sword. For Fingolfin held forth his hand, saying:
Then Fëanor took his
hand in silence; but Fingolfin said:
In an effort to maintain peace among his people, Fingolfin acknowledges Feanor as the heir of the
Noldor and eldest of their family. During this very feast, Melkor and Ungoliant destroy the
two trees and travel to Formenos, where the dark lord kills Finwe and steals Feanor’s
silmarils. As they escape to the lands of Beleriand, Valinor is covered in darkness.
Hearing this news, Feanor gives an impassioned speech, which reaps the lies
Melkor had sewn - that the valar were holding them back from lands of their own and that they should
pursue Melkor across the world. The majority of the Noldor are swayed by Feanor’s speech,
and wish to cross the sea to Middle-earth. Though Fingolfin believes this to be unwise,
he also decides to leave - not out of a desire to go, but rather for love of his
people - for he would not abandon them to the leadership and whims of Feanor.
Feanor and his group of Noldor come to the haven of Alqualonde, where they demand the
Teleri elves to give them their ships. When the Teleri refuse, Feanor and his people attack.
Thus began the first kinslaying of elves killing their fellow elves. While Feanor’s Noldor
and the Teleri were pretty evenly matched, the host of Fingolfin arrive at the havens
and, misinterpreting the situation, join the fight on the side of Feanor.
With the Noldor having routed the Teleri, Feanor and his people take the ships,
sailing to Middle-earth, as Fingolfin’s host waits for the ships to be returned for their use.
Feanor’s eldest son Maedhros asks which ships and rowers they would send back…
Then Fëanor laughed as one fey, and he cried:
This greatly troubles Maedhros, as he was close friends with Fingolfin’s son, Fingon. Because
the world is flat at this time, Fingolfin’s host sees the flames from the burning of the ships.
They now realize they are stranded, and if they are to make it to Middle-earth,
they must cross the great land bridge at the north of the world - the Helcaraxe.
Fingolfin takes on the leadership of this large group of Noldor, which also includes his four
children and the house of his younger brother Finarfin, and his children Finrod, Angrod,
Aegnor, and Galadriel. The journey across the grinding ice was long
and perilous. Many elves died in the passage, including the wife of Fingolfin’s son Turgon.
In the midst of the journey, the Valar create the sun and the moon. At their first sight of
the moon, the Noldor are filled with hope. Little did they realize that by this time,
Feanor is dead at the hands of Morgoth’s balrogs, and the kingship has passed to Medhros.
And as the sun rises for the first time (in the west), Fingolfin’s host comes to the gate
of Angband, Morgoth’s great fortress. However, Morgoth stays hidden inside.
Realizing they could not defeat the Dark Lord in this manner,
they track back to the west, coming to the northern shores of Lake Mithrim.
Learning that Maedhros had been captured by Morgoth, Fingon sets out to rescue his cousin.
With Thorondor, the lord of the great eagles, they bear Maedhros from the place where he hung
on the precipice of Thangorodrim. At a subsequent council of the Noldor in Mithrim, and despite the
objections of his brothers, Maedhros waives his claim to the kingship. Thus Fingolfin becomes
the first High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth. He and his people settle in the lands of Hithlum,
becoming a major force against Morgoth in the north of Beleriand.
In 60 FA, Morgoth launches an offensive, hoping to catch the elves off guard as they are still
settling in their new lands. However, the elves were far more vigilant than Morgoth’s
spies were led to believe. Fingolfin attacks from the west and Maedhros from the east,
and the orcs of Morgoth are utterly destroyed in the Dagor Aglareb - the Glorious Battle.
For the next 400 years of his rule, there would be a great peace - the likes of which would never
again come in the lands of Beleriand. In 422 FA, Fingolfin ponders a new assault upon Angband
in effort to truly defeat Morgoth. However, most of the Noldor, including the Sons of Feanor,
were content with the state of siege and hesitant about the cost of such an attack.
Then, one winter’s night in 455 SA, Morgoth sends out rivers of flame,
consuming the lands of Ar-galen. Elves stationed throughout the great plain were killed as
the flame and smoke causes mass confusion. From Angband, Morgoth sends out his forces,
led by the first dragon Glaurung, and the fearsome balrogs. Dorthonion is overrun, Fingolfin’s
nephews, and Galadriel’s brothers Angrod and Aegnor are killed along with a great many elves.
Fingolfin and Finrod had marched with a host to aid the elves of Dorthonion,
but were driven back with heavy casualties.
Now news came to Hithlum that Dorthonion was lost and the sons of Finarfin overthrown,
and that the sons of Fëanor were driven from their lands. Then Fingolfin beheld (as it
seemed to him) the utter ruin of the Noldor, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses;
and filled with wrath and despair he mounted upon Rochallor his great horse and rode forth alone,
and none might restrain him. He passed over Dor-nu-Fauglith like a wind amid the dust,
and all that beheld his onset fled in amaze, thinking that Oromë himself was come:
for a great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar.
Thus he came alone to Angband’s gates, and he sounded his horn, and smote once more upon the
brazen doors, and challenged Morgoth to come forth to single combat. And Morgoth came.
Morgoth did not come willingly. He alone of all the valar knew fear and this would
be the last time he would issue forth from his own gates. For he could not deny the
challenge in front of his captains, and is forced to answer Fingolfin’s call.
Therefore Morgoth... issued forth clad in black armour; and he stood before the King like a tower,
iron-crowned, and his vast shield, sable unblazoned, cast a shadow over him like a
stormcloud. But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver,
and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice.
Then Morgoth hurled aloft Grond, the Hammer of the Underworld, and swung it down like a bolt of
thunder. But Fingolfin sprang aside, and Grond rent a mighty pit in the earth....
Many times Morgoth essayed to smite him, and each time Fingolfin leaped away...;
and he wounded Morgoth with seven wounds, and seven times Morgoth gave a cry of anguish,
whereat the hosts of Angband fell upon their faces in dismay, and the cries echoed in the Northlands.
But at the last the King grew weary, and Morgoth bore down his shield upon him.
Thrice he was crushed to his knees, and thrice arose again and bore up his broken shield
and stricken helm. But the earth was all... pitted about him, and he stumbled and fell
backward before the feet of Morgoth; and Morgoth set his left foot upon his neck....
Yet with his last and desperate stroke Fingolfin hewed the foot with Ringil,
and the blood gushed forth black and smoking and filled the pits of Grond.
Thus died Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor,
most proud and valiant of the Elven-kings of old. The Orcs made no boast of that duel at the gate;
neither do the Elves sing of it, for their sorrow is too deep.
Fingolfin falls at the hands of the dark lord, yet he would leave great wounds upon Morgoth’s foot
that would never heal. From that day forward, the dark lord would limp because of the High King.
While Morgoth would surely have desecrated the body of Fingolfin,
he was not given the chance. Thorondor comes again to the dark fortress,
scratching Morgoth across the face as he rescues Fingolfin’s body.
He bears the high king to the secret city of his son Turgon. And there,
upon a Mountaintop overlooking Gondolin,
Turgon raises a cairn over the body of the most valiant of the elven-kings of old.
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