Fingolfin

In The Silmarillion, Fingolfin (YT 1190 - FA 455) was the High King of the Ñoldor in Beleriand, the Ñoldor being one of the three branches of elves. He was the eldest son of Finwë and Indis, younger brother of Findis, older brother of Irimë and Finarfin, and the younger half-brother of Fëanor. He founded the House of Fingolfin which ruled the Ñoldor in Middle-earth. His wife was Anairë and his children were Fingon, Turgon, Aredhel, and Argon. Fingolfin was said to be the strongest, most steadfast, and most valiant of Finwë's sons.

He was known to have ridden a steed he named Rochallor.

Life in Valinor
Fingolfin was born Tirion in Valinor during the Noontide of Valinor. Thought he was not held in high regards in the heart of Fëanor, he lived in peace with his kin for many centuries until the release of Melkor from imprisonment. As the Ñoldor were the only ones who paid him any mind, Melkor was able to spread many lies and rumors amongst them and many listened and believed him. One of the lies was that the sons of Indis, of which Fingolfin was the eldest were trying usurp Fëanor as the rightful heir of Finwë and seize the Silmarils for hinselfs.

This rumor angered Fëanor incurring his wrath. In Tirion, Fëanor hastily confronted him drawing his sword upon him and warned him. When it became known what Fëanor had did to Fingolfin, he was banished to Formenos in the north. Though the feud between the brothers was healed many years later at a festival in Valimar, the killing of their father and the theft of the Silmarils caused Fëanor to lead the Ñoldor into rebellion and Fingolfin and his followers became caught up in it.

Life and death in Middle-earth
Fingolfin led the largest host of the Ñoldor when they fled Aman for Middle-earth, even though he thought this unwise; he did not want to abandon his people to Fëanor. He was the one who took them across the ice of the Helcaraxë after being abandoned by Fëanor’s company in Araman. He finally arrived in Middle-earth at the rising of the Sun (FA 1) and was assailed by an orc army in Lammoth a fight in which his youngest child Argon was killed. He came to the gates of Angband and smote upon them, but Morgoth stayed hidden inside. Fingolfin and the Ñoldor then came to the northern shores of Lake Mithrim (FA 2), from which the Fëanorian part of the host had withdrawn.

His son Fingon rescued Maedhros, son of Fëanor, who consequently waived his claim to kingship: thus, Fingolfin became High King of the Ñoldor (FA 7). He then ruled from Hithlum, by the northern shores of Lake Mithrim. On FA 20, he hosts the famous feast of Mereth Aderthad in Eithel Ivrin, which emissaries from all the elves in Beleriand attend to.



After defeating the orcs in the Dagor Aglareb (Glorious Battle), Fingolfin maintained the Siege of Angband for nearly four hundred years. But the Siege was ended by the sudden assaults of Morgoth in the Dagor Bragollach (Battle of Sudden Flame), and many peoples of Beleriand fled. In the end, a desperate Fingolfin rode alone to Angband to challenge Morgoth to single combat. Morgoth, not one to demonstrate weakness, met the challenge, and a mighty duel began outside the gates of Angband. Fingolfin wielded his sword Ringil and wounded Morgoth seven times. But a mere elf is no match for a Vala. Fingolfin was beaten down three times, yet he was able to rise after each time. Finally Morgoth was able to bear down upon Fingolfin with his strength, killing him. However, with one last, desperate stroke, Fingolfin lacerated Morgoth's heel, and Morgoth walked with a limp ever after.

After killing him, Morgoth would have taken Fingolfin's body and fed it to his wolves, but Thorondor, the King of Eagles swept down on Morgoth and slashed at his face with his talons. While Morgoth reeled from this new assault, Thorondor retrieved the body, and brought it to a mountaintop overlooking Gondolin, and Turgon built a cairn over the remains of his father. Fingon then became the High King of the Ñoldor.

Etymology
The name Fingolfin is a Sindarin form of his name: in Valinor he was called by his Quenya name Ñolofinwë, or "wise Finwë".