First Age
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| The History of Arda |
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| Valian Years
Years of the Lamps Years of the Trees Years of the Sun |
| Ages of the Children of Ilúvatar |
| Dagor Dagorath |
| Timeline of Arda |
The beginning of the First Age is not precisely clear. It is commonly held to have begun with Awakening of the Elves, although other interpretations of the texts exist.
A common misconception is that the First Age only started with the Years of the Sun, and it is sometimes referred to as the 'First Age of the Sun', beginning with the first rising of the Sun and continueing until Morgoth's defeat. This interpretation is not supported by any of Tolkien's writings, and contradicts references to the First Age being the longest by far.
Tolkien describes primarily the events that occurred in Beleriand, or in his words, "the last six centuries of the First Age." These were centered around a series of wars waged by the Sindar, the Ñoldor and the Three Houses of the Edain, against the armies of Angband and the evil Men. The wars had actually begun during the Years of the Trees, but continued with renewed fury after the arrival of the Ñoldor in Beleriand. There had been Elves in Beleriand for uncounted millennia and they warred with Morgoth after his return, but the Noldor, particularly the Sons of Fëanor, had come with the express purpose of defeating Morgoth.
The chief battles of the First Age are:
- The First Battle of Beleriand, otherwise unnamed, was fought before the return of the Ñoldor between the Sindar and the forces of Morgoth. Denethor, king of the Laiquendi, was slain during the battle, causing the Laiquendi to forsake war with Morgoth, and the Girdle of Melian was established to protect Doriath thereafter. The cities of the Falas would remain under siege until the Dagor-nuin-Giliath.
- The Dagor-nuin-Giliath (Battle under the Stars, so named because it was fought before the rising of the Sun) was fought soon after the arrival of the Ñoldor. Morgoth sent a raiding party from Angband to attack the Ñoldor encampment in Hithlum, but the Elves drove it back. Fëanor was killed.
- The Dagor Aglareb (Glorious Battle) was fought about seventy-five years after the return of the Ñoldor. Morgoth again attacked the Ñoldor, and again with no success. The Ñoldor became so bold as to besiege Angband. However, the Siege was of limited effectiveness, because the northern side of Angband was on the north side of the Ered Engrin, and was unapproachable.
- The Dagor Bragollach (Battle of Sudden Flame) began when Morgoth poured rivers of fire out of Angband, ruining the besieging Ñoldorin armies. The Ñoldor eventually mustered a defense, but their losses were severe. For instance, the green plain of Ard-galen had been permanently laid waste by the rivers of fire, and was now called Anfauglith, the Choking Dust; and the highlands of Dorthonion, which had been inhabited by Edain, were made inhospitable.
- The Nirnaeth Arnoediad (Unnumbered Tears) was the first battle to be initiated by the Ñoldor. They massed an army composed of Elves, Edain, and the houses of Bór and Ulfang allied to the Sons of Fëanor. The Elves and their allies advanced very close to Angband, but Morgoth's trickery had upset their battle plan, and Ulfang proved treacherous. The name "Unnumbered Tears" comes from the fact that the Elves' last hope of victory was destroyed. The land of Hithlum was lost, the Sons of Fëanor were largely scattered, and the peoples of Beleriand had been decimated. Morgoth's Orcs made a heap of the Elven and Mannish dead in the center of Anfauglith.
- The War of Wrath took place after Eärendil sailed to Valinor and persuaded the Valar to help those whom they had forsaken. The Valar gathered an army Maiar, Vanyar, and those Ñoldor who had stayed in Valinor. The Teleri refused their aid, due to an old offense dealt them by the Ñoldor of Beleriand, but consented to ferry the armies of the Valar in their famous ships. This battle marked the first appearance of the winged dragons, most notably Ancalagon the Black, but the Valar had the day. Morgoth was captured, and cast out of Arda, but his lands, as well as most of Beleriand, had been destroyed and sunk under the sea in the heat of battle.
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