Fingolfin

Fingolfin was a High King of the Ñoldor in Beleriand, 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 the Finwë's sons.

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

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, and soon after, at the rising of the Sun, 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and the Ñoldor then came to the northern shores of Lake Mithrim, from which the Fëanorian part of the host had withdrawn.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. He then ruled from Hithlum, by the northern shores of Lake Mithrim.

After defeating the Orcs in the Dagor Aglareb, 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, and many peoples of Beleriand fled. In the end Fingolfin rode to Angband alone to challenge Morgoth to single combat, and there died after a mighty duel, wounding Morgoth seven times with his sword Ringil. Thorondor the King of Eagles then brought Fingolfin's body to a mountaintop overlooking Gondolin, and Turgon built a cairn over the remains of his father.

Fingon then became High King of the Ñoldor.


 * 1) Argon only appears in very late writings by Tolkien as published in The History of Middle-earth, and is left out of the published the Silmarillion.