Exile of the Noldor

Event
Exile of the Noldor
Event Information
Other names	Flight of the Noldor, Return of the Noldor
Location	Alqualondë, Helcaraxë, Beleriand
Date	Y.T. 1495 to Y.T. 1500
Result	The Noldor reach Middle-earth and settle in Beleriand
Part of	Fall of the Noldor
Participants	Noldor (excluding Finarfin and others)

The Exile of the Noldor, also known as the Flight of the Noldor, or the Return of the Noldor, refers to the historical period near the end of the First Age, when many of the Noldor, seeking revenge upon Morgoth, departed from Valinor to Middle-earth.

History

Prelude to Exile

Melkor had previously been taken to Aman following his defeat in the Battle of the Powers. Following three ages of imprisonment, he was released but forced to stay within Valinor on probation. During this time, he began to stir the hearts of the Noldor against the Valar, especially targeting the Noldo known as Fëanor due to his fiery spirit. Melkor lied to them, saying the Valar were afraid of the Noldor and wished to have them remain there so Middle-earth would be ruled by Men, who were supposedly much easier for the Valar to control. He quietly succeeded in turning the Noldor against the Valar, though until the Darkening of Valinor the Noldor did not openly rebel against the Valar.

Flight from Valinor

After the Darkening of Valinor and the murder of Finwë by Melkor, Fëanor rebelled against the Valar, and prepared to set out from Aman persuading most of his fellow Noldor to join him in his rebellion. His aim was to make war on Melkor for the recovery of the stolen Silmarils, and his hatred and pride were so great that he swore a terrible Oath that bound himself to destroy any who held them from their goal and that if he broke the oath that Eru call the Everlasting Dark upon him. Immediately his seven sons swore vengeance with him binding their fates to the Silmarils. As the Noldor were leaving Aman a herald from Manwë issued from the gates of Tirion and bade them stay their flight. But upon hearing this Fëanor laughed and rejected the messenger's words calling his people to follow him into exile.

From the Oaths of Fëanor and his sons stemmed the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, and aboard the stolen ships of the Teleri Fëanor and his sons set out to gain their vengeance in Middle-earth having abandoned Fingolfin and his people. Soon on their journey they came at length to the border of Araman they saw a dark figure standing on a high rock, and in a loud and terrible voice he declared the Doom of Mandos. Many of the Noldor after hearing this great speech quailed, but Fëanor hardened his heart and spurred his people on with mighty words. Left behind by Fëanor, Fingolfin and his people had to make their way into Middle-earth across the treacherous wastes of the Helcaraxë, eventually entering into the land after great hardships, with a hate kindled for the House of Fëanor Once the Noldor had departed, the Valar raised up new barriers to waylay any who tried to return. Thus the Noldor were indeed exiled and cut off from Aman.

Consequences

From the closing of Aman until the conclusion of the First Age with the overthrow of Morgoth, any Noldor who tried to return by sailing back from Middle-earth would find that the land of Aman was now defended by the Enchanted Isles and other hazards, barring any who tried to return from reaching it. During this time, the only one who was able to make the journey successfully was Eärendil, and he only succeeded due to having a Silmaril to guide him.

The Noldor were only allowed to return to the Blessed Realm following the War of Wrath. Yet even after this, not every exile would choose to leave Middle-earth. Many Noldor still remained in Middle-earth living under Gil-galad in Lindon or with Celebrimbor in Eregion during the Second Age, and later with Elrond in Rivendell during the Third Age. However, by the beginning of the Fourth Age, even many of these exiles finally sailed back to Valinor. Among the last of these was Galadriel, who had been part of the ancient rebellion, but was forgiven at last due her actions in the War of the Ring.

Other names

The Noldor who left Aman called themselves the Etyañgoldi ("Exiled Ñoldor") in Quenya, or simply the "Noldor" because few of their clan chose to remain in Aman. Although the exiled Noldor claimed that they were Amanyar ("Those of Aman"), in practice the term Amanyar came to refer to only those Elves who remained in Aman. But unlike all other Elves of Middle-earth (except Thingol), the Exiles were counted among the Calaquendi ("Light-elves") because they had experienced the light of the Two Trees of Valinor.