Fingolfin

Fingolfin was the second 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 which he named Rochallor.

Life in Valinor


Fingolfin was born in Tirion in Valinor during the Noontide of Valinor. Though 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 to usurp Fëanor as the rightful heir of Finwë and seize the Silmarils for themselves.

This rumor incurred Fëanor's wrath. Fëanor hastened to Tirion and confronted Fingolfin, drawing his sword and warning him. When it became known what Fëanor had done 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 Finwë 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 in Middle-earth


Fingolfin led the largest host of the Ñoldor when they fled Aman for Middle-earth, though he thought this unwise; he did not want to abandon his people to Fëanor. Fingolfin led them across the dangerous ices 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and the Ñoldor then came to the northern shores of Lake Mithrim (FA 2), from which the Fëanorian part of the host had withdrawn.

After Fingolfin's son Fingon rescued Maedhros, son of Fëanor, who had been captured by Morgoth, Maedhros waived his claim to kingship, and Fingolfin thus became High King of the Ñoldor (FA 7). He then ruled from Hithlum, by the northern shores of Lake Mithrim. On FA 20, he hosted the famous feast of Mereth Aderthad in Eithel Ivrin, which was attended by emissaries from all the Elves in Beleriand.



Combat with Morgoth and Death
"''But at last the king grew weary,and Morgoth bore down his shield upon him.Thrice he was crushed to his knees,and thrice he arose again and bore up his broken shield and stricken helm.But the earth was all rent and pitted about him,and he stumbled and fell backward before the feet of Morgoth; and Morgoth put his left foot upon his neck,and the weight of it was like a fallen hill..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" -The Silmarillion,'Of the ruin of Beleriand and the fall of Fingolfin

After defeating the Orcs in the Dagor Aglareb, Fingolfin maintained the Siege of Angband for nearly four hundred years and Middle-earth was free of open war. But the Siege was ended by the sudden assaults of Morgoth in the Dagor Bragollach, and many people of Beleriand fled. Seeing the defeat of the elves and greatly wroth Fingolfin rode across the dust of Anfauglith and challenged Morgoth to single combat at the gates of Angband itself. Morgoth, though afraid, met the challenge, and they fought a great duel. Fingolfin was beaten down three times, yet he rose again and fought on. Fingolfin wounded Morgoth seven times with his sword Ringil, but, as Mandos had warned during the Elves' exile from Aman, a mere Elf could not defeat a Vala. Morgoth was able to bear down upon the High King with all his strength, breaking his body. However, Fingolfin's last, desperate stroke cut deep into Morgoth's heel, and Morgoth walked with a limp thereafter and was forever in pain.

After defeating him, Morgoth would have taken Fingolfin's body and fed it to his wolves, but Thorondor, the King of Eagles, swooped down upon Morgoth and with his talons slashed at Morgoth's face. As Morgoth reeled from this new assault, Thorondor retrieved Fingolfin's body and brought it to a mountaintop overlooking Gondolin. Turgon built a cairn over the remains of his father, and Fingon, in sorrow, became High King of the Ñoldor. After Fingolfin's defeat, though he had been defeated by Morgoth, the Orcs never made any type of boastful song to celebrate, nor did the Elves sing of it, for their sorrow was far too great.

Etymology
His father-name is Ñolofinwë "High Finwë", from the Quenyan ngolod ("wise"). His mother-name is Arakáno "High Chieftain", from ara ("high") and káno ("chieftain"). The name Fingolfin is the Sindarin form of his name.

Other versions of the legendarium
Fingolfin had another son, Argon, who was not mentioned in the published The Silmarillion. Argon eventually made it into The History of Middle-earth, where he fought and died during the Battle of the Lammoth.

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