Fingolfin

File:Fingolfin Heraldic Device.jpg

Image of Fingolfin by Felix Sotomayor.

Fingolfin was a High King of the Noldor 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. His wife was Anairë and his children were Fingon, Turgon, Aredhel, and ArgonTemplate:Ref.

The name Fingolfin is a Sindarin form of his name: in Valinor he was called by his Quenya name Ñoldofinwë, 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and the Noldor then came to the northern shores of Lake Mithrim, from which the Fëanorian part of the host had withdrawn.

The Coming of Fingolfin by Jenny Dolfen.

His son Fingon rescued Maedhros, son of Fëanor, who consequently waived his claim ship : thus, Fingolfin became High-King of the Noldor. 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.

In that vast shadow once of yore

Fingolfin stood: his shield he bore

with field of heaven’s blue and star

of crystal shining pale afar.

In overmastering wrath and hate

desperate he smote upon that gate,

the Gnomish king, there standing lone,

while endless fortresses of stone

engulfed the thin clear ringing keen

of silver horn and baldric green.

Lay of Leithian, Canto XII, Lines 3538-3547.

Fingon then became High King of the Noldor.

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1. Template:NoteArgon 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.

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