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{{Disambig-two|the event of the Fall of Gondolin|[[The Book of Lost Tales Part Two]] chapter|[[The Fall of Gondolin]]}}
{{Disambig-more|Fall of Gondolin|[[The Fall of Gondolin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{battle
{{battle
| name=''Fall of Gondolin''
| name=Fall of Gondolin
| image=[[File:John Howe - The Fall of Gondolin.jpg|250px]]
| image=[[File:John Howe - The Fall of Gondolin.jpg|300px]]
| conflict=[[The War of the Jewels|War of the Jewels]]
| conflict=[[War of the Jewels]]
| date={{FA|510}}
| date={{FA|510}}
| place=[[Tumladen]], [[Beleriand]]
| place=[[Tumladen]], [[Amon Gwareth]], [[Beleriand]]
| result=Decisive victory for Morgoth
| result=Decisive victory for Morgoth
*The destruction of Gondolin and the majority of its people
*The destruction of Gondolin and the majority of its people
*Scattered survivors fled to [[Nan-tathren]]
*Scattered survivors fled to [[Nan-tathren]]
| side1=The forces of [[Morgoth]], the [[House of the Mole]]
| side1=The forces of [[Morgoth]]
| side2=The [[Noldor]]
| side2=[[Gondolindrim]]
| commanders1=
| commanders1=
{{Morgoth blazon}}
* [[Morgoth]]
* [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog]] †
* [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog]] †
* [[Maeglin]] †
* [[Maeglin]] †
* [[Salgant of the Harp]] †
| commanders2=
| commanders2=
* [[Turgon]] †
* [[Turgon]] †
Line 21: Line 20:
* [[Ecthelion]] †
* [[Ecthelion]] †
* [[Glorfindel]] †
* [[Glorfindel]] †
* [[Duilin of Gondolin|Duilin]] †
| forces1=Balrogs, wolves, dragons, [[Gondolindrim]] led by Maeglin, and many Orcs
* [[Rog]] †
* [[Egalmoth]]
* [[Penlod]] †
* [[Galdor of the Tree|Galdor]]
* [[Legolas (elf of Gondolin)|Legolas of Gondolin]]
| forces1=Balrogs, wolves, dragons, and many Orcs
| forces2=Many Noldor under the command of various lords and warriors
| forces2=Many Noldor under the command of various lords and warriors
| casual1=Moderate; death of Gothmog
| casual1=Moderate
| casual2=Near-total; very few escaped
| casual2=Near-total
}}
}}
{{quote|Lo! the flame of fire&nbsp;&nbsp; and fierce hatred<br />engulfed Gondolin&nbsp;&nbsp; and its glory fell...|''[[The Lay of Eärendel]]'', vv. 1-2}}


The '''Fall of Gondolin''', or the ''Siege of Gondolin'', was a dramatic battle in which the hidden city of [[Gondolin]] was destroyed after its location was betrayed to [[Morgoth]] by [[Maeglin]]. As Morgoth intended, the destruction of the majority of the Noldor peoples was nearly complete, though a handful of survivors managed to escape.
The '''Fall of Gondolin''', or the ''Siege of Gondolin'', was a dramatic battle in which the hidden city of [[Gondolin]] was destroyed after its location was betrayed to [[Morgoth]] by [[Maeglin]]. As Morgoth intended, the destruction of the majority of the Noldor peoples was nearly complete, though a handful of survivors managed to escape. Here the battle is mainly told as written in the [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin|twenty-third chapter]] of the ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', but much is told in the [[The Book of Lost Tales|Lost Tale]] of "[[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|The Fall of Gondolin]]".


==Prelude==
==History==
Gondolin had long been a hidden city, heavily fortified and cut off from the Noldor's allies and enemies alike. The Elf [[Maeglin]], a lord of Gondolin, resented both [[Turgon]] and [[Tuor]], primarily because of the latter's marriage to [[Idril]], whom he desired as a lover. After an argument, he set out from Gondolin into the mountains, searching for ore. Orcs captured him, and he pleaded with and bribed them to bring him to Morgoth rather than kill or torture him. Morgoth recognized him, and told him he would make Maeglin ruler of Gondolin and husband of Idril if he betrayed them and gave Morgoth information on how to gain access to the city. Maeglin agreed to the treachery, and was given a token by Morgoth that would supposedly protect his life during the assault. Maeglin returned to the city and spoke nothing of his capture. Idril noticed a change in him however, and sensing danger she began working on [[Idril's secret way]], a hidden passage deep beneath Gondolin that would later act as an escape route. Lastly, Maeglin began to convince some of the weaker lords, such as [[Salgant of the Harp|Salgant]], to his side, thought not disclosing his allegiance to Morgoth.
===Prelude===
Gondolin had long been a hidden city, heavily fortified and cut off from the Noldor's allies and enemies alike. The Elf [[Maeglin]], a lord of Gondolin, resented both [[Turgon]] and [[Tuor]], primarily because of the latter's marriage to [[Idril]], whom he desired as a lover. Once, he was far away from Gondolin, searching for ore in the mountains. Orcs captured him, and he pleaded with and bribed them to bring him to Morgoth rather than kill or torture him. Morgoth recognized Maeglin, and told him he would make him ruler of Gondolin and husband of Idril if he betrayed the Noldor and gave Morgoth information on how to gain access to the city. Maeglin agreed to the treachery, and was given a token by Morgoth that would supposedly protect his life during the assault. Maeglin returned to the city and spoke nothing of his capture. However, Idril foreshadowed the dangers to come, so she began working on [[Idril's secret way|a hidden passage]] deep beneath Gondolin that would later act as an escape route.


==The Battle==
===Battle===
On the evening of the festival [[Tarnin Austa]], as many residents of Gondolin gathered to observe the sunset over the mountains, many riders suddenly poured forth from them, and the forces of Morgoth advanced on all sides around the city. A war council was hastily called by Turgon. Tuor suggested that the forces of Gondolin sally out to attack Morgoth's hosts, while Maeglin and Salgant suggested they remain within the strong walls of the fortress. Turgon was fond of Maeglin, and took his side. Maeglin revealed to Salgant, after the council, his alliance with Morgoth, and suggested that Salgant aid him. Salgant became frightened and departed to his home, where he "lay... aquake on his bed". As the lords of Noldor prepared their defenses, Morgoth's hosts launched their assault. Turgon's war machines and the skilled Noldor archers opened fire, but could do little to slow the advance.  
On [[Midsummer]] of {{FA|510}},<ref>{{WJ|Years}}, p. 351</ref> the [[Gondolindrim]] were celebrating the festival of the [[Gates of Summer]]. As they gathered in the night to observe the sunrise over the mountains, a light was seen in the North instead of the East: the armies of Morgoth were coming and nothing could stop them until they reached the walls of the city. [[Balrogs]], [[Orcs]], [[wolves]] and [[dragons]] surrounded the city, and a siege began.


The Orcs, wolves, and other creatures of Morgoth reached the walls, but could not climb up them as they were completely smooth. Morgoth ordered Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs and the marshal of his armies, to assault the North Gate using "iron monsters" that he had forged within Angband. These machines hit the walls and opened, and hosts of Orcs charged out from within, smashing into the forces of Rog and Galdor, who were hard pressed to hold them back. Salgant ordered his troops to betray the other lords and not assist them in the battle, but they turned against his command and joined up with the other lords in defense. It is suggested he later died in his home, where he cowered during the battle.
{{blockquote|Of the deeds of desperate valour there done, by the chieftains of the [[Twelve Houses of the Gondothlim|noble houses]] and their warriors, and not least by Tuor, is much told in ''[[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|The Fall of Gondolin]]''; of the death of [[Rog]] without the walls; and of the battle of [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]] with [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog lord of Balrogs]] in the very [[Square of the King]], where each slew the other; and of the defence of the [[Tower of Turgon]] by the men of his house-hold, until the tower was overthrown; and mighty was its fall and the fall of Turgon in its ruin.|''[[Quenta Noldorinwa]]'', QII §16}}


During the havoc of the battle, Maeglin travelled with the troops of his [[House of the Mole|House]] to Tuor's home on the southern wall and attempted to assassinate both Idril and her son [[Eärendil]], but was caught by Tuor before he could do so. There, Maeglin and Tuor dueled, alongside their respective houses, but Tuor gained the upper hand and struck down Maeglin, before throwing him off the wall to his death below. Maeglin's house had been slain, and Tuor went with what remained of his own forces to assist the defense once more. In the meantime, Balrogs assaulted the city gate, driving back the defenders there and killing Duilin and Penlod, two lords of the city. Rog rallied his house together and made a desperate charge, repulsing Morgoth's forces from the gate to the field. But Rog was slain and his forces, cut off from the city, were annihilated.  
During the havoc of the battle, Maeglin went to Tuor's home on the southern wall and attempted to assassinate [[Eärendil]], but was caught by Tuor before he could do so. There Maeglin was struck down and fell from the wall to his death below, fulfilling the curse of his father [[Eöl]]. Then Tuor and Idril gathered as much Gondolindrim they could and led them to the secret way. The [[Exiles of Gondolin]] could cross [[Tumladen]] not being noticed, as the fountains and burnings of the city had covered the plain with fume and mists.


A fresh host of Morgoth reached the western walls, and his dragons broke through them. Tuor and Ecthelion held reserves there, however, and charged Morgoth's forces head-on. The two lords proved mighty in battle, slaying Orc chieftains and several Balrogs, though Ecthelion suffered a grievous wound on his left arm from a Balrog's whip. A great dragon attacked the defenders, killing Elf and Orc alike. Tuor slashed the dragon's foot and it fled in madness, wrecking ruin about itself.
[[File:Steamey - Glorfindel and the Balrog.jpg|thumb|right|''Glorfindel and the Balrog'' by [[:Category:Images by Steamey|Steamey]]]]
Although Morgoth was ignorant of their escape, the survivors found an ambush of Orcs while crossing the [[Cirith Thoronath]], and a Balrog was with them. The [[Eagles]] protected the refugees against the Orcs, but [[Glorfindel]] fought the Balrog alone. He slew the beast and both fell into the abyss.


The Noldor forces fell back to the [[Square of the King]], where Turgon and his host reinforced them. They hastily erected barricades, but Morgoth's forces broke through them. Gothmog led the assault and charged through the Square, and Ecthelion, though wounded, challenged him. Gothmog disarmed him and ruined his right arm, but Ecthelion impaled the Balrog's chest with the spike of his helmet, falling into the [[Fountain of the King]] where both he and Gothmog drowned.
===Aftermath===
Though Morgoth's marshal Gothmog had fallen in the battle, he had conquered the greatest and last city of the Noldor and had almost entirely wiped out their people. In the north, Morgoth's victory was complete. However, this would later be his doom, for years after the siege, Eärendil, a survivor, sailed to Valinor where he requested their aid in defeating Morgoth. This would lead to the [[War of Wrath]], after which Morgoth was cast into the [[Void]].


The Noldor were forced back to the Tower of the King, where Turgon lamented the city's destruction and his dismissal of his council's advice. He tossed his crown to the ground and declared Tuor to be the leader of Gondolin and whom they should follow, and asked Tuor to lead the survivors out of the city. Turgon went to the highest peak of the Tower and shouted ''"Great is the victory of the Ñoldoli!"'', to which the Orcs sneered in derision. Turgon refused to leave the city with the others and was slain. Tuor informed the survivors of the tunnel Idril had constructed, and thus they made haste for it, and slipped from beneath the city whilst it burned on the surface.
==Other versions of the legendarium==
 
{{Main|The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)#The battle of Gondolin}}
Morgoth was not ignorant of their escape, however, and dispatched patrols to stop them. A Balrog attacked the refugees, though [[Glorfindel]] fought it. He slew the beast, but he too was killed. The others managed to escape.
[[Tolkien]] wrote two narrative versions of the Fall, one in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales Part Two|The Book of Lost Tales]]'' and other within the ''[[Quenta Noldorinwa]]'' (published in ''[[The Shaping of Middle-earth]]''). "[[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|The Fall of Gondolin]]" was the first tale he ever wrote of the [[legendarium]] and is very detailed, that even the ''Quenta Noldorinwa''<ref>{{SM|Q16II}}, p. 144</ref> and the ''[[Silmarillion]]'' mention it as a reference. Although the ''Quenta Noldorinwa'' was a more of a summary, it was the text used by [[Christopher Tolkien]] for the published ''Silmarillion'', as it was more developed in Tolkien's thinking.<ref>{{LT2|IIIn}}, p. 212</ref>
 
==Aftermath==
Though Morgoth's marshal Gothmog had fallen in the battle, he had conquered the greatest city of the Noldor and had almost entirely wiped out their people. In the north, Morgoth's victory was complete. However, this would later be his doom, for years after the siege, Eärendil, a survivor, sailed to Valinor where he requested their aid in defeating Morgoth. This would lead to the [[War of Wrath]], afterwhich Morgoth was cast into the [[Void]]. <!-- The Book of Lost Tales 2, The Fall of Gondolin - The Silmarillion, Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin -->


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Gondolin]]
*[[:Category:Images of the Fall of Gondolin|Images of the Fall of Gondolin]]
*[[The Fall of Gondolin]]
*''[[The Fall of Gondolin]]''
 
{{references}}
[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[Category:Gondolin]]

Revision as of 21:30, 4 September 2021

The name Fall of Gondolin refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see The Fall of Gondolin (disambiguation).
Fall of Gondolin
John Howe - The Fall of Gondolin.jpg
Conflict: War of the Jewels
Date: F.A. 510
Place: Tumladen, Amon Gwareth, Beleriand
Outcome: Decisive victory for Morgoth
  • The destruction of Gondolin and the majority of its people
  • Scattered survivors fled to Nan-tathren
Combatants

The forces of Morgoth

Gondolindrim

Commanders
Strength

Balrogs, wolves, dragons, Gondolindrim led by Maeglin, and many Orcs

Many Noldor under the command of various lords and warriors

Casualties

Moderate

Near-total

"Lo! the flame of fire   and fierce hatred
engulfed Gondolin   and its glory fell...
"
The Lay of Eärendel, vv. 1-2

The Fall of Gondolin, or the Siege of Gondolin, was a dramatic battle in which the hidden city of Gondolin was destroyed after its location was betrayed to Morgoth by Maeglin. As Morgoth intended, the destruction of the majority of the Noldor peoples was nearly complete, though a handful of survivors managed to escape. Here the battle is mainly told as written in the twenty-third chapter of the Quenta Silmarillion, but much is told in the Lost Tale of "The Fall of Gondolin".

History

Prelude

Gondolin had long been a hidden city, heavily fortified and cut off from the Noldor's allies and enemies alike. The Elf Maeglin, a lord of Gondolin, resented both Turgon and Tuor, primarily because of the latter's marriage to Idril, whom he desired as a lover. Once, he was far away from Gondolin, searching for ore in the mountains. Orcs captured him, and he pleaded with and bribed them to bring him to Morgoth rather than kill or torture him. Morgoth recognized Maeglin, and told him he would make him ruler of Gondolin and husband of Idril if he betrayed the Noldor and gave Morgoth information on how to gain access to the city. Maeglin agreed to the treachery, and was given a token by Morgoth that would supposedly protect his life during the assault. Maeglin returned to the city and spoke nothing of his capture. However, Idril foreshadowed the dangers to come, so she began working on a hidden passage deep beneath Gondolin that would later act as an escape route.

Battle

On Midsummer of F.A. 510,[1] the Gondolindrim were celebrating the festival of the Gates of Summer. As they gathered in the night to observe the sunrise over the mountains, a light was seen in the North instead of the East: the armies of Morgoth were coming and nothing could stop them until they reached the walls of the city. Balrogs, Orcs, wolves and dragons surrounded the city, and a siege began.

Of the deeds of desperate valour there done, by the chieftains of the noble houses and their warriors, and not least by Tuor, is much told in The Fall of Gondolin; of the death of Rog without the walls; and of the battle of Ecthelion of the Fountain with Gothmog lord of Balrogs in the very Square of the King, where each slew the other; and of the defence of the Tower of Turgon by the men of his house-hold, until the tower was overthrown; and mighty was its fall and the fall of Turgon in its ruin.
Quenta Noldorinwa, QII §16

During the havoc of the battle, Maeglin went to Tuor's home on the southern wall and attempted to assassinate Eärendil, but was caught by Tuor before he could do so. There Maeglin was struck down and fell from the wall to his death below, fulfilling the curse of his father Eöl. Then Tuor and Idril gathered as much Gondolindrim they could and led them to the secret way. The Exiles of Gondolin could cross Tumladen not being noticed, as the fountains and burnings of the city had covered the plain with fume and mists.

Glorfindel and the Balrog by Steamey

Although Morgoth was ignorant of their escape, the survivors found an ambush of Orcs while crossing the Cirith Thoronath, and a Balrog was with them. The Eagles protected the refugees against the Orcs, but Glorfindel fought the Balrog alone. He slew the beast and both fell into the abyss.

Aftermath

Though Morgoth's marshal Gothmog had fallen in the battle, he had conquered the greatest and last city of the Noldor and had almost entirely wiped out their people. In the north, Morgoth's victory was complete. However, this would later be his doom, for years after the siege, Eärendil, a survivor, sailed to Valinor where he requested their aid in defeating Morgoth. This would lead to the War of Wrath, after which Morgoth was cast into the Void.

Other versions of the legendarium

Main article: The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)#The battle of Gondolin

Tolkien wrote two narrative versions of the Fall, one in The Book of Lost Tales and other within the Quenta Noldorinwa (published in The Shaping of Middle-earth). "The Fall of Gondolin" was the first tale he ever wrote of the legendarium and is very detailed, that even the Quenta Noldorinwa[2] and the Silmarillion mention it as a reference. Although the Quenta Noldorinwa was a more of a summary, it was the text used by Christopher Tolkien for the published Silmarillion, as it was more developed in Tolkien's thinking.[3]

See also

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: V. The Tale of Years", p. 351
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: §16 in the Q II version", p. 144
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "III. The Fall of Gondolin": "Notes and Commentary", p. 212