Thingol

Elu Thingol (d. FA 502) was an elf of the Teleri during the First Age. His brother is Olwë, who is the Lord of Alqualonde, Lord of Tol Eressëa, and High King of the Teleri of Aman, both of which may of had a second brother called Elmo. He was a good friend of Finwë, the first High King of the Ñoldor during the times before the elves reached Aman. He was the King of the fair Elven Kingdom of Doriath and respected by all the Sindar of the Beleriand who considered him to be the High King of the Sindar and Lord of Beleriand.

Biography
The first mention of Thingol is when he travels from Cuiviénen with Oromë to see the land of Valinor. Upon his return, he manages to convince many of his people to follow him back to that country. On the Great Journey to the West, the Teleri lag behind, and do not arrive at the coast until after the departure of the moving island of Tol Eressëa. Thus, they stay in Beleriand for many years until Tol Eressëa is brought again to fetch them. By this time, many of the Teleri have grown to like Beleriand, and decide to stay there. Elwë is among them, having encountered Melian the Maia in the woods of Nan Elmoth and fallen deeply in love with her. Thingol and Melian become king and queen of the Teleri who stay in Beleriand, who then become known as the Sindar. Interestingly, since Thingol had previously visited Valinor as an ambassador of the Teleri, he is, uniquely, both of the Sindar and of the Calaquendi. Melian has a daughter, named Lúthien and said to be the fairest woman ever to live.

Lúthien fell in love with a Man named Beren. Thingol did not wish for the two to wed, as he valued his daughter very highly and disliked Men. As a bride-price he asked for a Silmaril from the crown of Morgoth, thinking there was no way that Beren could fulfill this demand.

It was, however, this very bride-price that killed him. Thingol became obsessed with the Silmaril and hired some Dwarves to place it in the Nauglamír, the Necklace of the Dwarves. The Dwarven craftsmen also became obsessed with the jewel and slew Thingol for possession of it, setting off a chain of events that led to the destruction of Doriath and the scattering of its people.

Thingol's heir was Dior Eluchil, son of Beren and Lúthien.

Thingol's sword was called Aranrúth (King's Ire) which later became the sword of the Númenórean kings. He also owned Anglachel, the sword forged by Eöl who gave it to him as payment for dwelling in Nan Elmoth alone.

Etymology
Thingol was the Sindarin form of an epithet of Elu. Elu is from Elwë, Star-man (man in the sense male, not human). Thingol comes from sindacollo, grey cloak. The Quenya form of the same name is Elwë Singollo, Singollo meaning Graycloak.