Nirnaeth Arnoediad

2012-04-10T07:50:53Z

128.135.100.102: /* The Battle */

{{battle
| name=''Nirnaeth Arnoediad''
| image=[[Image:Nirnaeth.jpg|300px|Ted Nasmith]]
| conflict=[[The War of the Jewels|War of the Jewels]] (Fifth Battle of the [[Wars of Beleriand]]
| date=[[First Age 472|F.A. 472]]
| place=[[Anfauglith]]
| result=Decisive victory for Angband due to [[Treachery of Men|treachery]], depopulation of [[Hithlum]] with replacement by [[Easterlings]], occupation of much of [[Beleriand]]
| side1=The [[Union of Maedhros]], consisting of an alliance of the [[Noldor]], [[Edain]], [[Easterlings]], and [[Dwarves]]
| side2=[[Orcs|Orc]] armies, [[Glaurung]], [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog]]
| commanders1=
{{Maedhros blazon}}
{{Fingon blazon|died}}
[[Image:turgon_device.gif|30px|left]][[Turgon]]{{clear}}
* [[Húrin|Húrin Thalion]]
* [[Huor]] †
* [[Haldir (Chieftain of the Haladin)|Haldir]] †
* [[Azaghâl|Azaghâl of Belegost]] †
* [[Bór]] †
| commanders2={{Morgoth blazon}}
* [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog]]
* [[Glaurung]]
* [[Ulfang the Black]] †
| forces1=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]]
| forces2=Multiple hosts consisting of [[Balrogs]], [[Orcs]], and [[trolls]]; supplemented by turncoat [[Easterlings]]
| casual1=Huge and crippling to the Noldor, Men of Dor-lómin wiped out except Húrin, thousands of captives
| casual2=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 473 of the [[Years of the Sun]] in the [[First Age]], [[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]].

[[Image:Steven_White_Jr._-_A_Map_of_Beleriand.jpg|200px|right]]

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.

[[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 (balrog)|Gothmog]] lord of [[Balrogs|Balrog]]s 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.

[[Image:Jenny Dolfen - Nirnaeth Arnoediad - Unnumbered Tears.jpg|thumb|left|''Nirnaeth Arnoediad - Unnumbered Tears'' by [[Jenny Dolfen]]]]
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 ===

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 Arnoediad'' is [[Sindarin]] for "Tears Uncountable".{{fact}} An alternative form is ''Nírnaeth Arnoediad''.<ref>{{WJ|Index}}</ref>

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

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Nirnaeth Arnoediad|Images of Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]

{{warsofbeleriand}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[de:Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]
[[fr:encyclo/evenements/1a/guerres/nirnaeth_arnoediad]]
[[fi:Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]

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Nirnaeth Arnoediad