Timeline-temp

Years of the Lamps

All dates in this section are approximate

Years of the Lamps
Valian Year	Yén	Event
Ainulindalë		The Creation of Eä. The Valar, Maiar, and Melkor enter Eä.
1–1499	1–99	The First War and the Marring of Arda.
1500	100	Tulkas enters Eä and Melkor flees.
1900	127	The completion of Arda. The Valar create the Two Lamps and settle at Almaren. Beginning of the Spring of Arda.
3400	227	Tulkas weds Nessa. Melkor secretly returns to Arda, raises the Iron Mountains and delves Utumno, and partly blights the Spring of Arda.
3450	231	Melkor overthrows the Two Lamps. Almaren is destroyed. End of the Spring of Arda.
3450–3500		The Valar raise the Pelóri and settle in Aman.

Years of the Trees

All dates in this section are approximate

Years of the Trees
Valian Year	Yén	Event
1–999	234–300	Eagles created by Manwë; Dwarves conceived by Aulë; Ents created by Yavanna.
1000	301	Varda begins kindling new stars.
1050	304	Varda kindles the Sickle of the Valar. The Elves awake in Cuiviénen. They are harassed by Melkor.
1050–1085		Dwarves and Ents awaken.
1085	306	Oromë discovers the Elves. The first breeding of Orcs.
1092–1099	307	The Battle of the Powers. Angband is ruined and Utumno destroyed. The Chaining of Melkor.
1100		Melkor is sentenced to three Ages (300 VY) spent chained in the Halls of Mandos.
1101		The Valar decide to bring the Elves to Valinor.
1102		Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë are brought to Valinor as ambassadors.
1104		The ambassadors return and convince the Elves to follow them to Valinor.
1105		The Great Journey begins. The First Sundering as the Avari separate from the Eldar.
1115	308	The Eldar reach the Misty Mountains. The Second Sundering as the Nandor forsake the march.
1125	309	The Vanyar and Noldor reach Beleriand.
1128		The Teleri come to Beleriand.
1130		Elwë falls in love with Melian and enters a trance.
1132		The Third Sundering as the Vanyar and Noldor are brought to Aman while the Teleri are left behind.
1133–1140	309–310	The Vanyar and Noldor arrive in Aman and build Tirion upon Túna. The Vanyar start to remove to Mount Taniquetil.
1142		Yavanna gives the White Tree Galathilion to the Noldor.
1149		Ulmo returns to Middle-earth to bring the Teleri to Aman, but Ossë persuades some to remain. They become the Sindar.
1150–1151	311	The Teleri are brought to Aman and are stuck on Tol Eressëa.
1152		Elwë awakes from his trance and becomes King of the Sindar as Elu Thingol. The Sindar flourish.
1161		Ossë teaches the Teleri the art of shipbuilding. The Teleri come to Valinor and are called the Falmari. The Noontide of Valinor begins.
1161		Olwë begins building the haven of Alqualondë.
1165		The last of the Vanyar remove to Mount Taniquetil.
1179	312	Birth of Fëanor. Rúmil devises the Sarati.
1190	313	Birth of Fingolfin.
c.1200	314	Birth of Lúthien.
1230	316	Birth of Finarfin.
1250	317	Fëanor improves Rúmil's letters and creates the Tengwar script. The Dwarves enter Beleriand and settle in the Blue Mountains.
1280	319	Finarfin weds Eärwen.
1300–1350	321–324	Thingol and the Dwarves build Menegroth. Evil things come to Beleriand.
c.1350	324	A group of Nandor called the Laiquendi come to Beleriand and settle in Ossiriand. Daeron invents the Cirth.
1400	327	Melkor is unchained.
1410	328	Manwë gives Melkor freedom within Valinor. Melkor feigns love for the Eldar, and many Noldor hearken to him and take delight in his teachings.
1449	330	Fëanor begins the construction of the Silmarils.
1450		Fëanor are completes the Silmarils.
1450–1490	330–333	Melkor raises dissension among the Noldor.
1490	333	Fëanor, deceived by Melkor, threatens Fingolfin, and is banished from Tirion for 12 years. Melkor vanishes from Valinor.
1492		Melkor comes to Fëanor at Formenos and subsequently departs Valinor, and meets Ungoliant.
1495		Darkening of Valinor, end of the Noontide. Melkor and Ungoliant poison the Two Trees. Melkor kills Finwë and steals the Silmarils. Fëanor names Melkor as Morgoth Bauglir. The Long Night begins. Morgoth and Ungoliant quarrel at Lammoth. Morgoth raises Thangorodrim. The Revolt of the Noldor leads to the First Kinslaying at Alqualondë.
1496	334	The utterance of the Doom of Mandos.
1497		Morgoth invades Beleriand. First Battle of the Wars of Beleriand. The Girdle of Melian is raised. Fëanor and some of the Noldor sail to Middle-earth and burn the ships at Losgar.
1497–1500		The Valar prepare the Moon and the Sun.
1498		Dagor-nuin-Giliath ("Battle under the Stars"). Fëanor slain and Maedhros captured. Fingolfin leads the rest of the Noldor across the Helcaraxë.
1500		(Solar Year 14,373) The Moon Rises. End of the Long Night. Beginning of the Second Spring of Arda. Fingolfin enters Middle-earth and unfurls his banners. The Moon crosses the sky seven times before the first rising of the Sun.

The 1st Age

1 The Sun rises in the West. Men awaken at Hildórien. Fingolfin enters Mithrim. The Orcs flee into Angband. Fingon rescues Maedhros. Fingolfin is named High King of the Noldor. The Sun changes direction.

21 The Feast of Mereth Aderthad.

51 Ulmo appears to Finrod and Turgon in a dream. Finrod learns of the Caves of Narog and begins to build Nargothrond, which is completed before Gondolin.

52 Ulmo reveals Tumladen to Turgon.

c. 60 Dagor Aglareb ("The Glorious Battle"). The Siege of Angband begins; Finrod builds Minas Tirith on Tol Sirion

c. 70 Thingol forbids the Sindar to speak Quenya.

yén 335

104 The completion of Gondolin.

c. 160 Orcs attack Hithlum from Lammoth.

yén 336

c. 260 Glaurung is defeated in Ard-galen. The Long Peace begins.

c. 262 Bëor born in the East.

c. 304 Aredhel leaves Gondolin.

c. 306 Maeglin is born.

c. 310 Finrod meets the Edain in Ossiriand.

c. 311 Bëor enters the service of Finrod.

c. 330 Aredhel and Maeglin enter Gondolin. Death of Aredhel and Eöl.

c. 355 Death of Bëor.

c. 365 Bereg of the First House returns to Eriador.

c. 370 Haleth brings the Haladin to the Forest of Brethil.

yén 337

389 Birth of Hador.

c. 425 The House of Hador settles in Dor-lómin.

c. 441 Birth of Húrin.

444 Birth of Huor.

455 {winter) Dagor Bragollach ("Battle of Sudden Flame"); death of Hador. Fingolfin is killed in the duel against Morgoth at the gates of Angband. End of the Siege of Angband and the Long Peace. Fingon becomes High King of the Noldor.

457 Sauron takes Tol Sirion and makes Minas Tirith a watchtower of Morgoth (Tol-in-Gaurhoth). Beleg and Halmir hold the Crossings of Teiglin. Húrin and Huor spend a year in Gondolin. About this time the Easterlings enter Beleriand.

460 (autumn) Death of Barahir and the outlaws of Dorthonion. Beren remains in Dorthonion.

462 Orcs assault Hithlum from the north and east; Galdor slain.

464 Beren flees Dorthonion (winter).

465 (summer) Túrin is born. Beren first sees Lúthien.

466 (spring) Lúthien returns Beren's love. (summer) Beren is brought to Menegroth and undertakes the Quest for the Silmaril. (autumn) Beren in Nargothrond.

466–68 The Quest for the Silmaril. Death of Finrod. Huan slays Draugluin, in whose form Beren enters Angband. Tol Sirion cleansed; Sauron flees to Taur-nu-Fuin. Beren recovers a Silmaril. Carcharoth bites off Beren's hand, which holds the Silmaril. The Hunting of the Wolf; death of Huan and Carcharoth. First death of Beren and Lúthien.

c. 470 Beren and Lúthien in Tol Galen. Dior is born.

473 The Year of Lamentation. The Union of Maedhros and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad ("Battle of Unnumbered Tears"); death of Fingon and Huor, capture of Húrin and Gwindor. Túrin is sent to Doriath. Tuor and Nienor are born. Turgon of Gondolin becomes High King of the Noldor.

474 Fall of the Havens of the Falas. Círdan retreats to the Isle of Balar and builds the Havens of Sirion.

482–85 Túrin fights with Beleg in the marches of Doriath.

485 Death of Saeros; Túrin flees Doriath and becomes an outlaw.

486 Beleg finds Túrin. Túrin settles at Amon Rûdh.

487 Beleg and Túrin in Dor-Cúarthol. Amon Rûdh betrayed. Beleg and Gwindor free Túrin; death of Beleg. Túrin comes to Nargothrond.

490 Tuor enslaved by Lorgan.

492 Tuor escapes and becomes an outlaw in Mithrim.

496 Defeat of the Haladin. Glaurung invades West Beleriand. The Battle of Tumhalad and the Sack of Nargothrond. Death of Orodreth, Gwindor, and Finduilas. Túrin ensnared by Glaurung. Tuor comes to Nevrast and Gondolin. The Fell Winter.

497 Túrin in Brethil.

500 Túrin and Níniel wed.

501 Death of Glaurung, Nienor Níniel, Brandir, and Túrin.

502 Húrin released from Thangorodrim. Death of Morwen. Húrin brings the Nauglamír to King Thingol, who instructs to Dwarves to set the Silmaril in the Nauglamír.

503 Wedding of Tuor and Idril. Death of Húrin.

504 (spring) Birth of Eärendil

c. 505 Death of King Thingol. The Dwarves sack Menegroth.

c. 505 Beren recovers the Nauglamír.

c. 509 Second death of Beren and Lúthien. The sons of Fëanor lead the Sack of Doriath causing the Second Kinslaying and the death of Dior and Nimloth. Elwing flees to the Havens of Sirion with the Silmaril.

511 (midsummer) Fall of Gondolin. Death of Ecthelion, Gothmog, Turgon, Maeglin, and Glorfindel. Tuor, Idril, and Eärendil flee to the Havens of Sirion. Gil-galad named High King of the Noldor.

c. 525 Tuor and Idril sail West. Eärendil becomes lord of the people of the Havens and marries Elwing. Elrond and Elros are born.

yén 338

c. 529 The Third Kinslaying. Elwing casts herself with the Silmaril into the Great Sea, and is changed into a bird by the Vala Ulmo.

c. 530 Eärendil binds the Silmaril on his brow and with Elwing sails in search of Valinor.

c. 533 Eärendil comes to Valinor and speaks on behalf of both races.

c. 580–83 The War of Wrath

c. 583 The Great Battle. Ancalagon's fall destroys Thangorodrim. Morgoth is utterly defeated and cast into the Void. Loss of the last two Silmarils. Death of Maedhros. The Breaking of Beleriand.

Commentary

The actual lengths of Valian Ages and Years is in great dispute. In the Annals of Aman (1958) Tolkien said the original intent of the Valar was to make the Sun and the Moon so that ten solar years (SY) was one Valian Year (VY). However, this was no so, and it ended up that it was slightly less than ten. The breakdown was such that 958.2 SY = 100 VY = 1 Age.

However, in an essay titled "Aman," which was probably an introduction to Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth, written only one year later, Tolkien made it clear that a Valian Year was the aging of all things in Arda, or 144 solar years. This would coincide with what was written in Appendix D to The Lord of the Rings, which it is said that elves have more time allotted to them, and their "year" (1 yén) is 144 solar years.

However, Tolkien's entire chronology since some of his earliest writings has had a timeline based on approximately 1000 SY = 100 VY = 1 Age. It is unlikely he would suddenly dispose of all that one year after having created an elaborate chronology.

I have found it to be like this, though: 144 / 9.582 = approx. 15

9.582 x 15 = 143.73, leading me to believe a yén is really 143.73 SY. This is reinforced by the fact that Tolkien wrote that the original intent of the Valar concerning the length of a solar year was disturbed.

143.73 x 365.25 (days in a year) = approx. 52,497 days in a yen. (the additional fraction isn't important)

52,497 / 350 (what Tolkien says was the original intent for days in a year) = 149.99, or 150 SY in a yen as the Valar's original intent.

Because the intended number of SY per yén came out not only to be a whole number, but a multiple of ten, I believe that this displays two different modes of reckoning time. The Valar, according to Aman, perceived the aging of Arda occured over intervals of one yén, what would become 143.73 solar years (original intent of 150). In my opinion, they then, for convenience, made their "Valian Year" 1/15 part of a yén. An "age" simply became 100 Valian Years, leaving a yén having no direct relation to an age. In the following chronology, I give the Valian Years and the yéni during which an event took place, as to show the natural aging of Arda.

last update: 28-Dec-99

N.B. - before the rising of the sun, all years given = 9.582 solar years