King of the Noldor
King of the Noldor was a title held by some of the rulers of the Noldorin Elves, though others used the title High King of the Noldor.
History
Founding of the kingship
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. 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]
Title 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]
Noldorin rulers 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]
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, despite the disagreement of some 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, there were no more extant Noldorin realms in Beleriand; the Kingship passed to the House of Finarfin, and the son of Orodreth, the young Ereinon Gil-galad was named High King;[9] he held the Kingship through the Second Age until his death in the War of the Last Alliance. Gil-galad was the last High King; after his time the title is never used.[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]
- Finwë, first King of the Noldor.
- 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 few months 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.[6]
- Fingon, first son of Fingolfin.
- Turgon, second son of Fingolfin.
- Gil-galad, great-grandson of Finarfin.
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Darkening of Valinor"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", Finarfin
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Return of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Númenor"
