Nirnaeth Arnoediad

From Tolkien Gateway
Revision as of 10:02, 25 March 2013 by Sage (talk | contribs) (→‎History)
Nirnaeth Arnoediad
Ted Nasmith - The Hill of Slain.jpg
Conflict: War of the Jewels (Fifth Battle of the Wars of Beleriand
Date: F.A. 472
Place: Anfauglith
Outcome: Decisive victory for Angband due to treachery, depopulation of Hithlum with replacement by Easterlings, occupation of much of Beleriand
Combatants

The Union of Maedhros, consisting of an alliance of the Noldor, Edain, Easterlings, and Dwarves

Orc armies, Glaurung, Gothmog

Commanders

Template:Maedhros blazon Template:Fingon blazon

Turgon

Template:Morgoth blazon

Strength

100,000-120,000 Noldor and Edain warriors of Dor-lómin, 10,000 Gondolindrim under Turgon, a company of Elves from Nargothrond, company of the people of Haleth from Brethil, and 4-6,000 Dwarves of Belegost, the Easterlings from House of Bór

Multiple hosts consisting of Balrogs, Orcs, and trolls; supplemented by turncoat Easterlings

Casualties

Huge and crippling to the Noldor, Men of Dor-lómin wiped out except Húrin, thousands of captives

Heavy early in the battle, but ultimately moderate

The Nirnaeth Arnoediad or Battle of Unnumbered Tears was the disastrous Fifth Battle in the Wars of Beleriand. Its name was taken from the first words of the Doom of Mandos: "Tears unnumbered ye shall shed...".

History

Background

In the year F.A. 473, Maedhros decided that taking the offense against Angband might help the Noldor regain their former lands. In the almost two decades since their defeat in the Dagor Bragollach, the Noldor had lost control over the entire north of Beleriand, and were for the most part reduced to refugees dwelling in Hithlum and Nargothrond. Gondolin was shut up and unknown.

Opposing Forces and Strategy

Under the Union of Maedhros all the Elves of Beleriand, as well as the Edain, Dwarves, and the newly arrived Easterlings were invited to combine in arms and fight Morgoth. The Union first cleared Beleriand and Dorthonion of Orcs, and then gathered to assault Thangorodrim.

The plan was for Maedhros's host in the east to assault and draw out the army of Angband, after which Fingon's host would attack from the Ered Wethrin, taking the offensive in the west, crushing Morgoth's forces between them.

Under Maedhros in the east were gathered the remainder of the sons of Fëanor, the Elves and Men of Himring under Maedhros and Bór, and the men of Amon Ereb under Caranthir and Ulfang.

Under Fingon in the west were gathered the Elves and Men of Hithlum, the Elves of the Falas, the Haladin of Brethil and the companies sent from Nargothrond and the two elves of Doriath, Beleg and Mablung.

Steven White Jr. - A Map of Beleriand.jpg

Because of the evil deeds of Celegorm and Curufin, two of Maedhros's brothers, Nargothrond would send only a small company of Elves under Gwindor. From Doriath, where Thingol had sworn never to fight beside any son of Fëanor, came only Mablung and Beleg, who did not wish to remain behind. However, Turgon unexpectedly came forth with over ten thousand Elves from Gondolin, doubling the force of the west.

The Battle

But Morgoth through his spies had learned of the battle plan, and his spy Ulfang, who betrayed the Noldor, delayed Maedhros' attack. Meanwhile a small force of Orcs sallied forth from Angband, provoking the western host. Within sight of the Ered Wethrin, Gwindor's brother Gelmir, captured during the Dagor Bragollach, was brought forth, and brutally slain. Enraged, Gwindor broke ranks, and with him most of Fingon's troops. Their rage was so great that they nearly destroyed the western Orc host and foiled Morgoth's plans.

It is said that Morgoth trembled as Gwindor's company pounded at his gates. They burst through, and slew the guards on the steps of Angband. But alas, they were surrounded by hidden forces, and all were slain or taken. From hidden gates around Angband thousands of Orcs erupted, driving back the host of Fingon from the walls. The Elven army was driven back with great slaughter, and many Haladin fell fighting in the rearguard.

The Battle of Unnumbered Tears by Alan Lee

Turgon, who had withheld his host from the reckless charge, now came upon the Orc host. The phalanx of Turgon broke through the Angband lines, and met with the guard of Fingon. The meeting of the two brothers in the middle of the battle was joyous.

Finally Maedhros arrived, but before he could make junction with Fingon and Turgon, Glaurung the dragon and Gothmog lord of Balrogs intercepted him. Union forces could yet have prevailed, but Uldor, son of Ulfang and a traitor, turned ranks and attacked Maedhros in the rear, while more of his kin came down from the mountains and attacked from the east. Under assault from three sides, the eastern host was scattered, and only the valour of the Dwarves of Belegost helped them escape, as their lord Azaghâl and his forces held off Glaurung, allowing the sons of Fëanor to escape into Ossiriand.

Azaghâl and his army fought with fierce iron masks on, and they were able to resist the fire far better than any Elf or Man. Then Glaurung trampled Azaghâl beneath his feet, but Azaghâl ran a dagger through Glaurung's stomach, and the dragon fled in pain, screaming. With him fled many of the host of Morgoth. In a solemn ceremony the Dwarves picked up their fallen leader, abandoning the battle, and marched him home in a great procession. Their wrath was so great that none troubled them.

The battle of Nirnaeth Arnoediad by Felix Sotomayor

All this had not helped the western host, who were attacked by many Orcs under Gothmog. Fingon fell under his might, and Húrin begged Turgon to retreat back to Gondolin. Huor and Húrin and the remaining Men of Dor-lómin formed a living wall across the Fen of Serech, buying time for Turgon to escape with most of the surviving Elves of the north. Acting as a rearguard, these Men were almost all slain – Huor fell when his eye was pierced by a poisoned arrow, but his brother Húrin was captured alive by Gothmog after he was pinned under a mountain of slain Orcs and Trolls.

Aftermath and Repercussions

Nirnaeth Arnoediad - Unnumbered Tears by Jenny Dolfen

Morgoth's victory was near complete, as he had destroyed all the people of Hithlum and had scattered the sons of Fëanor away from Himring. Morgoth's Orcs razed all of Beleriand except for Doriath, which was still protected by the Girdle of Melian, and sacked the havens of the Falas.

Morgoth betrayed his servants the Easterlings, shutting them in Hithlum under penalty of death, and denied to them the fertile lands of Beleriand. Still Morgoth knew fear, for Turgon, now High King of the Ñoldor after the death of Fingon, had survived, and his city Gondolin was still unknown to Morgoth. To be sure, the Union's attack inflicted grievous losses on Morgoth's forces, and it would take some time for him to rebuild his armies back to their former strength. But this was largely irrelevant, compared to how utterly Morgoth had broken the power of so many of his enemies in the battle.

Etymology

Nirnaeth (or Nírnaeth) Arnoediad (or Arnediad) is Sindarin for "Tears Uncountable".[1][2]

Note that the "oe" of "Arnoediad" is not the Sindarin diphthong "oe", but rather the single umlaut vowel "œ", better represented with a digraph.[3]

See also


War of the Great Jewels
First Battle · Dagor-nuin-Giliath · Dagor Aglareb · Dagor Bragollach · Nirnaeth Arnoediad · War of Wrath

References