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'''King of the Noldor''' was a title held by some of the rulers of the [[Noldor|Noldorin Elves]], though others used the title [[High King of the Noldor]].
[[File:Kimberly_-_Finwe.jpg|thumb|Finwë by [[:Category:Images by Kimberly|Kimberly]]]]
'''King of the Noldor''' was a title held by the early rulers of the [[Noldor]], especially held by those who ruled in [[Aman]].


==History==
==History==
===Founding of the kingship===
===Foundation===
The Noldor, that part of the [[Tatyar|Tatyarin]] Elves who participated in the [[Great Journey]], were led by [[Finwë]]. Finwë was one of the three elves summoned to [[Valinor]] by [[Oromë]] to serve as messengers to their fellows<ref>{{S|3}}</ref>, and later became the ruler of the Noldor in Valinor, who lived in the city of [[Tirion|Tirion upon Túna]]. He was known as the King of the Noldor, and had three sons from two marriages.<ref>{{S|5}}</ref>
The Noldor, that part of the [[Tatyar]] who participated in the [[Great Journey]], were led by [[Finwë]]. Finwë was one of the three elves summoned to [[Valinor]] by [[Oromë]] to serve as messengers to their fellows,<ref name="S3">{{S|3}}</ref> and later became the ruler of the Noldor in Valinor, who lived in the city of [[Tirion|Tirion upon Túna]]. He became known as the ''King of the Noldor'', and had three sons and two daughters from two marriages.<ref name="S5">{{S|5}}</ref>


Finwë followed his eldest son [[Fëanor]] into exile at [[Formenos]]<ref>{{S|8}}</ref>, and was killed by [[Morgoth|Melkor]] following the [[Darkening of Valinor]]. Following his father's death, Fëanor returned to Tirion even though the Valar had not lifted his exile. This cast Fëanor's inheritance of the kingship into question, but the rhetorical skill of Fëanor convinced the majority of the Noldor to follow him in his [[Flight of the Noldor|rebellion]] against the Valar, rendering the question moot.<ref>{{S|9}}</ref>
Finwë followed his eldest son [[Fëanor]] into exile at [[Formenos]],<ref>{{S|8}}</ref> and was killed by [[Morgoth|Melkor]] following the [[Darkening of Valinor]]. Following his father's death, [[Fëanor]] returned to Tirion even though the Valar had not lifted his exile and claimed the kingship of the Noldor. This cast Fëanor's inheritance of the kingship into question, but the rhetorical skill of Fëanor convinced the majority of the Noldor to follow him in his [[Flight of the Noldor|rebellion]] against the Valar, although some loved [[Fingolfin]] more.<ref name="S9">{{S|9}}</ref>


===Title splits===
===Kingship splits===
After the [[Kinslaying at Alqualondë]], the youngest son of Finwë, [[Finarfin]], repented of the rebellion and was permitted to return to Tirion because his people had played no part in the Kinslaying. He subsequently became the '''King of the Noldor in Valinor'''. However, the hosts of Fëanor, the primary instigator of the Kinslaying, and Fingolfin, some of whose people were late participants in it, continued towards Middle-earth.<ref>{{S|9}}</ref>
After the [[Kinslaying at Alqualondë]], the youngest son of Finwë, [[Finarfin]], repented of the rebellion and was permitted to return to Tirion because his people had played no part in the Kinslaying. He remained in [[Tirion]] and ruled the Noldor who remained in [[Aman]].<ref>{{S|Index}}, ''Finarfin''</ref> However, the hosts of Fëanor, the primary instigator of the Kinslaying, and Fingolfin, some of whose people were late participants in it, continued towards Middle-earth.<ref name="S9" />


===Noldorin rulers in Beleriand===
===Arrival in Middle-earth===
The hosts of Fëanor and Fingolfin arrived in Middle-earth separately, following Fëanor's betrayal of his half-brother by burning their captured fleet at [[Losgar]], with Fëanor arriving first. Fëanor, while calling himself King of the Noldor, was killed in the [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath|Second Battle of Beleriand]] before he was able to establish a realm. His eldest son, [[Maedhros]], presumably inherited his titles, but was soon after captured by Morgoth.<ref>{{S|13}}</ref>
The hosts of Fëanor and Fingolfin arrived in Middle-earth separately, following Fëanor's betrayal of his half-brother by burning their captured fleet at [[Losgar]], with Fëanor arriving first. Fëanor, while calling himself King of the Noldor, was killed in the [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]] before he was able to establish a realm. His eldest son, [[Maedhros]], inherited the claim to the kingship, but was soon after captured by Morgoth.<ref name="S13">{{S|13}}</ref>


The arrival of the host of Fingolfin, battered by the crossing of the [[Helcaraxë|Grinding Ice]], complicated matters, as Fëanor's betrayal had driven a rift between the two hosts. This was resolved by [[Fingon]], son of Fingolfin, rescuing Maedhros from his captivity in [[Thangorodrim]]. Maedhros subsequently apologized for the burning of the ships and ceded his claim to the kingship, and that of the entire House of Fëanor, to Fingolfin, despite the disagreement of some of [[Sons of Feanor|his brothers]].<ref>{{S|13}}</ref>
===Legacy===
====Rulers in Middle-earth====
{{main|High King of the Noldor}}
The arrival of the host of Fingolfin, battered by the crossing of the [[Helcaraxë|Grinding Ice]], complicated matters, as Fëanor's betrayal had driven a rift between the two hosts. This was resolved by [[Fingon]], son of Fingolfin, rescuing Maedhros from his captivity in [[Thangorodrim]]. Maedhros subsequently apologised for the burning of the ships and ceded his claim to the kingship, and that of the entire [[House of Fëanor]], to Fingolfin and his [[House of Fingolfin|House]], despite the disagreement of [[Sons of Feanor|his brothers]]. Thus the Kingship passed to the [[House of Fingolfin]], fulfilling the [[Doom of Mandos]] according to which the [[Sons of Fëanor]] would become the ''Dispossessed''.<ref name="S13"/>


Subsequently, Fingolfin was named King of the Noldor in Beleriand. With the establishment of many different Noldorin realms, this title soon became '''[[High King of the Noldor]] in Middle-earth'''. Following Fingolfin's death in the [[Dagor Bragollach]], the title passed to his son [[Fingon]].<ref>{{S|18}}</ref> Following Fingon's death in the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], the title passed to his younger brother [[Turgon]].<ref>{{S|20}}</ref>
With the establishment of many different Noldorin realms, Fingolfin soon became '''[[High King of the Noldor]]'''. Following Fingolfin's death in the [[Dagor Bragollach]], the title passed to his son [[Fingon]].<ref name="S18">{{S|18}}</ref> Following Fingon's death in the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], the title passed to his younger brother [[Turgon]].<ref>{{S|20}}</ref> After Turgon's death in the [[Fall of Gondolin]], the last Noldorin realm in [[Beleriand]] was extinguished along with the House of Fingolfin in the male line.


===Later history of the kingship===
The High Kingship passed to the [[House of Finarfin]]'s last living dynast, the young [[Ereinion Gil-galad]], son of [[Orodreth]].<ref>{{S|23}}</ref> Gil-galad was High King through the [[Second Age]] until his death in the [[War of the Last Alliance]] but sired no heirs. He was the last High King of the Noldor; his death meant the extinction of the entire [[House of Finwë]] in the male line in Middle-earth and afterwards the office was left vacant.
Following Turgon's death in the [[Fall of Gondolin]], there were no more extant Noldorin realms in Beleriand. However, the young [[Gil-galad|Ereinon Gil-galad]] was named High King once news of Turgon's death had spread.<ref>{{S|23}}</ref> In the version of ''The Silmarillion'' published in 1977, Gil-galad is said to be the son of Fingon<ref>{{S|18}}</ref>, which begs the question of why the kingship had passed to Turgon first. However, in some of Tolkien's later notes, published in ''The History of Middle-earth'', Gil-galad is said to be the son of Orodreth and thus a junior member of the House of Finarfin<ref>''[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (ed.), [[The Peoples of Middle-earth]], "[[The Shibboleth of Fëanor]]"</ref>, and Turgon's closest living relative in the male line (excluding the dispossessed House of Fëanor).


After the cataclysmic [[War of Wrath]] that ended the First Age, the surviving Noldor who did not depart for the [[Undying Lands]] constituted the realms of [[Lindon]] and [[Eregion]] in northwestern Middle-earth. Gil-galad continued to reign as High King, though as in the First Age this title brought little real authority beyond the king's own direct realm.<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref> However, Gil-galad was the commander of almost all of the Elven forces who fought in the [[War of the Last Alliance]]<ref>{{UT|6b}}</ref>.
In the Third Age, the House of Finwë survived in Middle-earth only in the female line, in the persons of [[Galadriel]], [[Elrond]], their descendants, and the descendants of [[Elros]]. Upon the departure of the bearers of the Three Rings at the dawn of the Fourth Age, the line of the High-elven kings, including the High Kings of the Noldor, was alone preserved in the descendants of [[Elros]] and [[Elrond]].<ref>{{App|A1i}}</ref>
 
After Gil-galad's death in that war, the title of High King was no longer used<ref>{{App|A1i}}</ref>. He had fathered no children, and there were no other male line descendants of Finwë living in Middle-earth at that time. It is unclear what role, if any, women played in Noldorin inheritance laws (or even to what extent such laws were codified). The Noldorin population of Middle-earth was greatly diminished in the Third Age, but [[Elrond|Elrond Half-elven]] functioned in a similar role to Gil-galad throughout the Age<ref>{{FR|II2}}</ref>.


==List of Kings==
==List of Kings==
===King of the Noldor in Valinor===
===King of the Noldor in Valinor===
The first two kings were not distinguished as being ''in Valinor'', since the entire population of the Noldor lived in Valinor at that time.<ref>{{S|5}}</ref>
The first two kings were not distinguished as being ''in Valinor'', since the entire population of the Noldor lived in Valinor at that time.<ref name="S5"/>


#[[Finwë]], the first King, and ruler of all the Noldor
# [[Finwë]], first King of the Noldor.
#[[Fëanor]], legitimacy in question due to Exile
# [[Fëanor]], first son of Finwë; claimed the title after his father's death.
#[[Finarfin]], the first king in Valinor who ruled only a fraction of the Noldor
 
[[Finarfin]], third son of Finwë, remained in [[Aman]] after the [[Exile of the Noldor]] and ruled the remnant of his people in [[Tirion]], although he never officialy claimed this title.


===High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth===
===High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth===
Both Fëanor and Maedhros claimed to be King of the Noldor after arriving in Middle-earth, but neither's claim was universally accepted.<ref>{{S|13}}</ref>
[[Fëanor]] nominally ruled in [[Middle-earth]] for a short time before his fall in the [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]], although he never established a realm.
 
# [[Fingolfin]], second son of Finwë; held to be the first '''[[High King of the Noldor]]''' by the majority of the Noldor after Maedhros son of Fëanor gave up his claims.<ref name="S13"/>
#[[Fingolfin]], first undisputed ruler of the Exiles
# [[Fingon]], first son of Fingolfin.
#[[Fingon]]
# [[Turgon]], second son of Fingolfin.
#[[Turgon]]
# [[Gil-galad]], great-grandson of Finarfin.
#[[Gil-galad|Ereinon Gil-galad]]


{{references}}
{{references}}


[[Category:Titles]]
[[Category:Elven titles]]
[[fi:Noldorin kuningas]]

Revision as of 12:42, 8 June 2021

Finwë by Kimberly

King of the Noldor was a title held by the early rulers of the Noldor, especially held by those who ruled in Aman.

History

Foundation

The Noldor, that part of the Tatyar who participated in the Great Journey, were led by Finwë. Finwë was one of the three elves summoned to Valinor by Oromë to serve as messengers to their fellows,[1] and later became the ruler of the Noldor in Valinor, who lived in the city of Tirion upon Túna. He became known as the King of the Noldor, and had three sons and two daughters from two marriages.[2]

Finwë followed his eldest son Fëanor into exile at Formenos,[3] and was killed by Melkor following the Darkening of Valinor. Following his father's death, Fëanor returned to Tirion even though the Valar had not lifted his exile and claimed the kingship of the Noldor. This cast Fëanor's inheritance of the kingship into question, but the rhetorical skill of Fëanor convinced the majority of the Noldor to follow him in his rebellion against the Valar, although some loved Fingolfin more.[4]

Kingship splits

After the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, the youngest son of Finwë, Finarfin, repented of the rebellion and was permitted to return to Tirion because his people had played no part in the Kinslaying. He remained in Tirion and ruled the Noldor who remained in Aman.[5] However, the hosts of Fëanor, the primary instigator of the Kinslaying, and Fingolfin, some of whose people were late participants in it, continued towards Middle-earth.[4]

Arrival in Middle-earth

The hosts of Fëanor and Fingolfin arrived in Middle-earth separately, following Fëanor's betrayal of his half-brother by burning their captured fleet at Losgar, with Fëanor arriving first. Fëanor, while calling himself King of the Noldor, was killed in the Dagor-nuin-Giliath before he was able to establish a realm. His eldest son, Maedhros, inherited the claim to the kingship, but was soon after captured by Morgoth.[6]

Legacy

Rulers in Middle-earth

Main article: High King of the Noldor

The arrival of the host of Fingolfin, battered by the crossing of the Grinding Ice, complicated matters, as Fëanor's betrayal had driven a rift between the two hosts. This was resolved by Fingon, son of Fingolfin, rescuing Maedhros from his captivity in Thangorodrim. Maedhros subsequently apologised for the burning of the ships and ceded his claim to the kingship, and that of the entire House of Fëanor, to Fingolfin and his House, despite the disagreement of his brothers. Thus the Kingship passed to the House of Fingolfin, fulfilling the Doom of Mandos according to which the Sons of Fëanor would become the Dispossessed.[6]

With the establishment of many different Noldorin realms, Fingolfin soon became High King of the Noldor. Following Fingolfin's death in the Dagor Bragollach, the title passed to his son Fingon.[7] Following Fingon's death in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the title passed to his younger brother Turgon.[8] After Turgon's death in the Fall of Gondolin, the last Noldorin realm in Beleriand was extinguished along with the House of Fingolfin in the male line.

The High Kingship passed to the House of Finarfin's last living dynast, the young Ereinion Gil-galad, son of Orodreth.[9] Gil-galad was High King through the Second Age until his death in the War of the Last Alliance but sired no heirs. He was the last High King of the Noldor; his death meant the extinction of the entire House of Finwë in the male line in Middle-earth and afterwards the office was left vacant.

In the Third Age, the House of Finwë survived in Middle-earth only in the female line, in the persons of Galadriel, Elrond, their descendants, and the descendants of Elros. Upon the departure of the bearers of the Three Rings at the dawn of the Fourth Age, the line of the High-elven kings, including the High Kings of the Noldor, was alone preserved in the descendants of Elros and Elrond.[10]

List of Kings

King of the Noldor in Valinor

The first two kings were not distinguished as being in Valinor, since the entire population of the Noldor lived in Valinor at that time.[2]

  1. Finwë, first King of the Noldor.
  2. Fëanor, first son of Finwë; claimed the title after his father's death.

Finarfin, third son of Finwë, remained in Aman after the Exile of the Noldor and ruled the remnant of his people in Tirion, although he never officialy claimed this title.

High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth

Fëanor nominally ruled in Middle-earth for a short time before his fall in the Dagor-nuin-Giliath, although he never established a realm.

  1. Fingolfin, second son of Finwë; held to be the first High King of the Noldor by the majority of the Noldor after Maedhros son of Fëanor gave up his claims.[6]
  2. Fingon, first son of Fingolfin.
  3. Turgon, second son of Fingolfin.
  4. Gil-galad, great-grandson of Finarfin.

References