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===Aftermath===
===Aftermath===
Countless slaves were freed from Morgoth's dungeons after his defeat and they looked upon a world that had changed greatly, for the fury of both sides in the War had wreaked havoc on much of the land. The northern areas were torn asunder, rivers formed or destroyed, mountains and hills changed. The wreckage of the war was immense indeed; most of the land west of the [[Ered Luin]], as well as a large part of the central part of the mountains, was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves. The two great Dwarf cities of [[Nogrod]] and [[Belegost]] were also ruined, forcing their populaces to flee.  Most of the Elves went to the West, while others went East.  The Valar raised up the island of [[Númenor]] in the Western Sea as a new home for the [[Edain]]. Morgoth's defeat here was not total, however; his chief lieutenant [[Sauron]], survived, and surrendered to the Valar in fear of them. When ordered to return to [[Valinor]], Sauron instead fled and hid deep in [[Middle-earth]], where he would later rise once more in a bid to conquer Arda. The terrible destruction of the War of Wrath convinced the Valar to avoid direct intervention in [[Middle-earth]] for the sake of Men and Elves.  As a result, Sauron would rise to great power and prove a devastating opponent for the free peoples there for the next two Ages. As with the [[Siege of Utumno]], the Valar were not omniscient, and either lacked the knowledge or strength to pursue every one of Morgoth's creatures. Along with Sauron, some creatures of Morgoth escaped, and would live on in Middle-earth.<ref name="Earendil">{{S|24}}</ref><ref>{{S|V}}</ref>
Countless slaves were freed from Angband after his defeat and they looked upon a world that had changed greatly, for the fury of both sides in the war had wreaked havoc on much of the land. The northern areas were torn asunder, rivers formed or destroyed, mountains and hills changed. The wreckage of the war was immense indeed; most of the land west of the [[Ered Luin]], as well as a large part of the central part of the mountains, was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves.<ref name="WW"/>
 
[[Eönwë]], the herald of [[Manwë]], summoned all the Elves of Beleriand to depart Middle-earth and go to Valinor which most of the Noldor and Sindar do but a number of them did not comply and went east such as [[Galadriel]] and [[Gil-galad]]. Maedhros and Maglor sent word to Eönwë to yield the Silmarils to them but replied that they no longer have any right to them due to the deeds wrought from their [[Oath of Fëanor|oath]] . Despite this the two sons of Fëanor stole the jewels from Eönwë's camp, one for each son and as they held the jewel it burnt their hands. Great was the pain that Maedhros cast himself and the Silmaril into a chasm of fire and Maglor cast his jewel into the sea, thus the Silmarils found their homes in the high heavens, earth and deep waters.<ref name="WW"/>
 
The [[Edain]] were rewarded for fighting with the Valar in the war and were given a new land to dwell in that was neither part of Middle-earth or Valinor but in the [[Western Sea]]. The land was called [[Andor]], the Land of Gift, but the Edain named it [[Elenna]] and later [[Númenórë]].<ref>{{S|IV}}</ref> The Men that fought with Morgoth fled east.<ref name="RP">{{S|V}}</ref>
 
The Dwarven cities [[Nogrod]] and [[Belegost]] were ruined when Ered Luin was broken forcing their populaces to flee.<ref>{{App|A3}}</ref>
 
The servants of Morgoth that survived escaped and fled east, [[Sauron]] the chief lieutenant of Morgoth, surrendered to Eönwë. He was ordered to return to [[Valinor]] to receive judgement, instead fled and hid in [[Middle-earth]].<ref name="WW"/><ref name="RP"/>


==Other versions of the legendarium==
==Other versions of the legendarium==

Revision as of 09:36, 20 June 2020

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War of Wrath
Per Sjögren - War of Wrath.jpg
Conflict: War of Wrath
Date: F.A. 545 - 587
Place: Beleriand
Outcome: Decisive victory for the Host of the Valar
Combatants

Host of the North

Host of the Valar
Edain

Commanders

Template:Morgoth blazon
Template:Sauron blazon
Ancalagon

Eönwë
Template:Finarfin blazon
Ingwion[note 1][1]
Template:Eärendil blazon
Thorondor

Strength

Unknown, "whole power of the Throne of Morgoth"[2]

Unknown

Casualties

Heavy

Unknown

"I remember well the splendour of their banners," he said. "It recalled to me the glory of the Elder Days and the hosts of Beleriand, so many great princes and captains were assembled. And yet not so many, nor so fair, as when Thangorodrim was broken, and the Elves deemed that evil was ended for ever, and it was not so."
Elrond in The Fellowship of the Ring, The Council of Elrond

The War of Wrath, or the Great Battle, was the final conflict in the Wars of Beleriand fought between the Host of the Valar (or Host of Valinor) and the forces of Morgoth. The devastation caused by the two sides clashing left Beleriand mostly destroyed and at the end most of the land sank beneath the waves.

Due to its brief description in The Silmarillion one could easily deduce that the conflict lasted for a short period of time. However according to The Tale of Years it lasted for more than four decades (F.A. 545 - 587), meaning that the campaign lasted for many years where both sides suffered victories and losses.[3]

Background

After over five centuries since the rising of the sun, Morgoth had become mighty in Middle-earth; he had defeated his enemies in the war and the majority of the Elves and Men of Beleriand were captured in droves, enslaved in the pits of Angband. The few that remained outside his grasp lived around the Mouths of Sirion or elsewhere in the woods and mountains.

Following the Fall of Gondolin, the few survivors protected by Ulmo had escaped the city, among them was Eärendil son of Tuor and Idril and he later married Elwing the daughter of Dior and Nimloth and became the lord of the people living in the mouths of Sirion. With the aid of Círdan the shipwright they built the vessel Vingilótë and Eärendil sailed the sea hoping to find the last shore.[2]

History

Prelude

While Eärendil was returning from his voyages the sons of Fëanor attacked the havens when Elwing refused to yield the Silmaril to them and she cast herself to the ocean with the jewel. The Silmaril was not lost as Ulmo bore her up from the sea and she took the form of a great white bird and reunited with Eärendil. Eärendil then sought to look for Valinor once more and wearing the Silmaril on his brow he traversed pass the enchantments of the sea and he came to Valinor, the first with even a drop of mortal blood to set foot there. He was brought before the Powers of Arda and he delivered the 'errand of the Two Kindreds', begging the Valar for pardon for the Noldor and to deliver them from Morgoth.[2]

The Valar were moved by Eärendil's plea and his prayer was granted. Thus the host of the Valar prepared for battle joined by many Maiar, along with the Vanyar and Noldor that were in Valinor, riding in the ships of the Falmari. Still bitter about the First Kinslaying, the Teleri did not participate in the war.[2]

Meanwhile Eärendil and Elwing were given their judgement, as it was decreed by Mandos that no mortal should set foot in Aman and live, yet Eärendil is also of Elf lineage. Thus Manwë forbade punishment for the two trespassing as Eärendil came out of love of the Two Kindreds while Elwing came out of love for him, but they would never return to Middle-earth ever and they were given a choice to choose which kindred their fate shall be judged together. Elwing chose to be counted among the Eldar and Eärendil chose alike, then the Valar took Vingilótë, hallowed it and bore it away to the edge of the world through the Door of Night and Eärendil was at the helm with the Silmaril bound upon his brow.[2]

Battle

The Host of Valinor landed on Beleriand in F.A. 545 and the 'whole power of the Throne of Morgoth' was gathered, the arrayed armies of Morgoth were uncountable, and the mountains rang underneath the boots of the Valar; the entire North was aflame with war, which subsequently caused heavy damage to the land by the colossal exchanges of power from the combatants.[2]

Eventually the forces of Morgoth were defeated in the field, the Balrogs were destroyed, save a few who fled and hid themselves in the depths of the earth, and the armies of the Orcs perished like straw in a great fire or leaves before a hot wind. While the Three Houses of the Edain fought with the forces of Valinor, many other Men fought and died alongside Morgoth, which led to their scorn by the Elves. As the War carried into its final years Morgoth faced defeat, and so unleashed his last desperate assault, the winged Dragons, which had never been seen in Middle-earth before. The Host of Valinor was taken by surprise and overcome by the devastation the dragons brought, and were driven back across the region. The greatest of these dragons was Ancalagon the Black, the largest and most powerful dragon in the history of Arda, and the damage his dragon horde inflicted on the Valar was grievous. The skies erupted with lightning and flame at the dragons' arrival, and Morgoth's hosts repulsed the host of the Valar, pushing them away from Angband.[2]

John Howe - The Doors of Night

As the situation grew dire for the Valar, Eärendil came with his sky-ship Vingilótë, along with Thorondor and a great flocks of birds and the Eagles, and they fought the dragons. Eärendil slew Ancalagon, after a fight lasting a full day and Ancalagon broke the towers of Thangorodrim in his fall. With Ancalagon slain, morale was renewed, and the host of the Valar retook the ground that had been lost. The majority of Morgoth's other forces were soon defeated, survivors driven to the depths of the world and to places far underground. Soon Morgoth's power was dispersed entirely, and Angband alone remained his only possession.[2]

Morgoth fled to the deepest dungeons of Angband, where he was caught. By this point, Morgoth's power had weakened considerably, and rather than challenge his foes, he demanded peace and parley, but his feet were hewn from under him and Morgoth fell upon the floor. He was bound with his old chain Angainor; the two Silmarils still in his possession were taken by the Maia Eönwë and guarded. In the end the Valar thrust him "through the Door of Night, beyond the Walls of the World, into the Timeless Void".[2]

Aftermath

Countless slaves were freed from Angband after his defeat and they looked upon a world that had changed greatly, for the fury of both sides in the war had wreaked havoc on much of the land. The northern areas were torn asunder, rivers formed or destroyed, mountains and hills changed. The wreckage of the war was immense indeed; most of the land west of the Ered Luin, as well as a large part of the central part of the mountains, was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves.[2]

Eönwë, the herald of Manwë, summoned all the Elves of Beleriand to depart Middle-earth and go to Valinor which most of the Noldor and Sindar do but a number of them did not comply and went east such as Galadriel and Gil-galad. Maedhros and Maglor sent word to Eönwë to yield the Silmarils to them but replied that they no longer have any right to them due to the deeds wrought from their oath . Despite this the two sons of Fëanor stole the jewels from Eönwë's camp, one for each son and as they held the jewel it burnt their hands. Great was the pain that Maedhros cast himself and the Silmaril into a chasm of fire and Maglor cast his jewel into the sea, thus the Silmarils found their homes in the high heavens, earth and deep waters.[2]

The Edain were rewarded for fighting with the Valar in the war and were given a new land to dwell in that was neither part of Middle-earth or Valinor but in the Western Sea. The land was called Andor, the Land of Gift, but the Edain named it Elenna and later Númenórë.[4] The Men that fought with Morgoth fled east.[5]

The Dwarven cities Nogrod and Belegost were ruined when Ered Luin was broken forcing their populaces to flee.[6]

The servants of Morgoth that survived escaped and fled east, Sauron the chief lieutenant of Morgoth, surrendered to Eönwë. He was ordered to return to Valinor to receive judgement, instead fled and hid in Middle-earth.[2][5]

Other versions of the legendarium

Portrayal in adaptations

The album Nightfall in Middle-Earth by Blind Guardian opens with a track with a conversation between Sauron and Morgoth during the War of Wrath.

External links

Notes

  1. In the published Silmarillion, Ingwion has disappeared, and only Finarfin is named as a leader of the armies of the Elves. In The Shaping of Middle-earth, Christopher Tolkien suggests that this omission may have been an error, and Ingwiel should have remained in the text as joint commander of the Elves of Valinor.

References


War of the Great Jewels
First Battle · Dagor-nuin-Giliath · Dagor Aglareb · Dagor Bragollach · Nirnaeth Arnoediad · War of Wrath