[Legendarium, The Silmarillion] – Background Information Lord of the Rings – History of the Legendarium Part 5 - Years of the Sun, Death of Feanor, rescue of Maedhros, Awakening of Men and the Creation of the Sun and Moon
Years of the Trees
Dagor-nuin-Gilliath, the Battle under the Stars – Death of Feanor
The wounds by the balrog lord Gothmog was fatal and Feanor was dying. While Feanor was dying he could witness the mountains of the Thangorodrim where Morgoth’s forces and headquarters Angband resided. Feanor would cruse Morgoth for three times and made his sons swear an oath that they shall fulfill the will of him.
After hearing the swears of his sons, Feanor’s body burned into ashes. Feanor’s spirit was sent to the Hall of Mandos, however for the crimes that he has committed and the frenzy that the Oath of Feanor shall bring,
Feanor was never to revive and take step in Arda until the final end Dagor Dagorath. The eldest son of Feanor Maedhros becomes the heir of Feanor. Maedhros would later reconcile with Fingolfin and officially gives up his heir as the king of the exile Noldor elves to Fingolfin.
Feanor’s son will be constantly referred as Feanorians.
Kidnap of Maedhros and the arrival of the Noldor elves from Helcaraxe
The Oath of Feanor, however still lasted and held the destiny of the remaining sons of Feanor, the Feanorians and the Noldor elves.
Morgoth sent a messenger for an armistice in return of a silamril which Maedhros accepted as he feared the fate of the Oath of Feanor. However, Morgoth betrayed Maedhros and has hanged him at the edges of the Thangorodrim mountains.
The remaining Noldor elves led by House of Feanor didn’t take action so Maedhros had to hang on the cliffs of Thangorodrim for almost 30 years.
However he was later saved by Fingon, the eldest son of Fingolfin that became a turning point for House Feanor and Fingolfin’s Noldor elves as they would reconcile by the grace of Fingon.
Death of Telperion and Laurelin, the Two Trees of Valinor – Sun(Anar or Anor) and Moon(Isil)
The Two Trees of Valinor, the silver tree Telperion and golden tree Laurelin would bloom one fruit each and finally died out as they couldn’t survive the contamination by the Ungoliant who also sucked the tree sap out of them.
This would mark the end of the Year of the Trees while mark the beginning of the Years of the Sun. In the Legendarium History, the Years of the Sun are divided into the First Age, Second Age, Third Age and the Fourth Age.
By Aule, the fruit of the silver Tree Telperion was forged into the Moon or Isil and the fruit of the gold tree Laurelin was forged into the Sun Anor or Anar.
The Valar Varda has placed the Sun(Anor, Anar) and the Moon(Isil) into the sky. The light of the sun and moon started to shine the whole Arda.
The orcs that were created by Morgoth would especially fear the power of the sun and couldn’t properly function beneath the sunlight. Also, the creation of the Sun and Moon marked the awakening of humans, men on Middle Earth.
Years of the Sun – First Age
Awakening of Men and Fingolfin’s Noldor Elf’s arrival at Middle Earth
The first humans awake as the sun rises from the west on the east side of Middle Earth. Fingolfin’s Noldor elves also arrived at Middle Earth after crossing the Helcaraxe. The Noldor elves led by the House of Feanor were aware of the arrival of the Noldor elves of Fingolfin.
Fingolfin’s elves had to take the journey to Middle Earth by the narrow ice strip of Helcaraxe because Feanor had burned all the ships when Fenoar and the Noldor elves led by House of Feanor arrived at Middle Earth because of Feanor’s personal distrust against Fingolfin.
Many Noldor elves that journeyed with Fingolfin were sacrificed so many of the survival held a grudge against Feanor. Also most of the elves that journeyed with Fingolfin were innocent from the first Kinslaying and were even furious on the cruelty of House Feanor.
The confrontation of the Noldor elves of Fingolfin between the Noldor elves of House Feanor was fierce on the brink of war.
Fingon’s rescue of Maedhros, reconciliation of the Noldor elves
Fingon was the eldest son of Fingolfin and journeyed together with Fingolfin. However, Fingon also contributed to the First Kinslaying of the Falmari(Teleri) elves when Feanor demanded the boats and the Falmari elves refused. Fingon arrived late at the genocide of the falmari elves but have mistaken that the falmari elves attacked and joined the genocide.
Although Fingon regretted his actions, he was already bound to the anger of the Valars. Fingon was a great friend with Maedhros that Maedhros was upset of Feanor and his brothers on burning the boats at the coast of Beleriand because Maedhros knew that Noldor elves including Fingon wouldn’t cross the Belegaer Sea without the boats.
Fingon without informing anyone infiltrated Angband the fortress of Morgoth to the feet of the Thangorodrim volcano mountains to rescue his friend Maedhros. Fingon sing a song that Maedhros would reply that Fingon used to locate Maedhros.
However, even after Fingon located Maedhros, he couldn’t approach the edges of Thangorodrim to rescue Maedhros. Fingon prayed to Manwe and tried to aim the chains of Maedhros, however he couldn’t match the chains of Maedhros(Reference says that Thorondor interferes).
However, the King of the Eagles Throndor swept to Maedhros that inevitably cut off Maedhros hands but freed Maedhros from the shackles that he was chained to. By the help of Thorondor, Fingon rescued and brought Maedhros back to the Noldor elves of House Feanor.
It is unknown why Manwe would send Thorondor the King of the Eagles despite his declaration that he shall not help the Noldor elves and despite the sins of House of Fenoar.
Maedhros and the House of Feanor Noldor elves thanked Fingon and reconciled with the Noldor elves of Fingolfin. Maedhros even relinquished the authority of the Noldor King to Fingolfin.
The House of Feanor Noldor elves didn’t appreciate transfer of the title of the Noldor King to Fingolfin, who was the half-brother that their father Feanor always hated but had to abide as the Nolodr elves had no time to waste.
Courtesy of Thingol of Doriath and the Mereth Aderthad
Thingol the Sindar elf king of Doriath permitted the Noldor elves to reside at the north of Beleriand above the kingdom of Doriath. Thingol welcomed the Noldor elves that have been to the lands of Aman and Valinor, the land of the Valars.
By Mereth Aderthad, a feast, the Noldor the Nandor, Doriath and the Sindar elves at the coast of Beleriand would bond together. During these events, elves would exchange knowledge and cooperate with each other.
Galadriel would personally become a student of the queen of Doriath Melian. Later on, Galadriel would inform Thingol of the silmarils to Thingol.
