[Legendarium, The Silmarillion] – Background Information Lord of the Rings – History of the Legendarium Part 11 – Union of Maedhros, Nirnaeth Arnoediad
Years of the Sun – First Age
Exile of Celegorm and Curufin from Nargothrond
The stories of Beren and Luthien spread and the death of Finrod along with the crimes of Celegorm and Curufin were revealed. Yet, the people of Nargothrond also criticized Celegorm and Curufin for not helping Finrod by fake propaganda among Nargothrond and was held for judgement for undermining the authority of the king Orodoreth and plotting to overthrow him to claim the crown.
Celegorm and Curufin were sentenced to exile from Nargothrond and the evil crimes of Celegorm and Curufin caused conflict among the House of Feanor between Doriath and Nargothrond.
Even Celebrimbor, the son of Curufin who admired and honored Finrod was disgusted and humiliated by the actions of his father Curufin and remained at Nargothrond with the other Noldor elves that were ashamed of them.
Celebrimbor the son of Curufin would disown his relationship with father and later become the Lord of the elf country Eregion. Celebrimbor was responsible for forging the Rings of Power as he was deceived by Sauron.
Oath of Feanor awakens again.
The recovery of a Silmaril by Beren and Luthien inspired all the races of Middle Earth as hope against the war with Morgoth. The sons of Feanor especially the eldest son Maedhros was especially inspired and eager on the recovery of the Silmarils as the House of Feanor was bound to the Oath of Feanor.
The sons of Feanor including Maedhros would start to put pressure onto Thingol, the king of Doriath to hand over the Silmaril that is rightfully the property of House of Feanor.
Union of Maedhros, the First Alliance of Men, Dwarves and Elves
The eldest son of Maedhros was inspired by the heroics of Beren and Luthien and calls for a coalition against Morgoth called the Union of Maedhros that was the First Alliance of the free races.
Thus, this was also the first alliance of elves, humans and dwarves. Maedhros believed that if an elf and human could infiltrate Angband, the coalition of all the free races could possibly defeat Morgoth.
Under the coalition against Morgoth, the eastern army under command of Maedhros, the lord of Himring and the western army under command of the Noldor king and lord of Hithlum Fingon planned to initiate war against Morgoth.
The eastern army of the Union of Maedhros consisted of the forces of the sons of Feanor and Himring led by Maedhros, Easterlings that served Maedhros under the chieftain Bor, Easterlings that served Caranthir led by Ulfang and the dwarves of Beleogst led by the dwarf king Azaghal.
The western army of the Union of Maedhros consisted of the Noldor elf king Fingon’s forces of Hithlum, Hurin’s men, Haldir’s men, elves from Nargothrond, Falathrim and Mablung’s elves from Doriath. Later Turgon would also join the western army with his forces from Gondolin.
Cracks within the Union of Maedhros
Although Maedhros was successful in forming the Union of Maedhros, already the Union of Maedhros was in jeopardy. Among the Easterlings that joined Maedhros, only the Easterlings of Bor were loyal to the elves and Ulfang’s Easterlings were secretly turned side to Morgoth and had been spying on the elves for Morgoth.
Orodreth, the king of Nargothrond and Thingol, the king of Doraith refused to cooperate with the sons of Feanor as they were harassed by the foul crimes of Celegorm and Curufin.
Thingol and Orodreth distrusted the sons of Feanor and thought that the Union of Maedhros was another frenzy and obsession on the Silmarils of the sons of Feanor by the Oath of Feanor.
Both sent only a few forces on condition they were never under command of a son of Feanor. Mablung had to beg Thingol to send him and some forces to the Union of Maedhros.
Preparation for War and Strategy of the Union of Maedhros
The iron forges of the dwarf kingdoms Nogrod and Belegost were fired day and night to supply the Union of Maedhros. The elves, Edain and Easterlings prepared for war while constantly training. The Union of Maedhros even recaptured Dorthonion and the west of Beleriand in preparation for war.
However, the Union of Maedhros never knew that Ulfang, chieftain of a group of Easterlings had already been spying and reporting the acitivites of the Union of Maedhros to Morgoth. Morgoth was deceiving the Union of Maedhros and planned to lure them into a trap.
The initial plans of the Union of Maedhros was to draw the forces of Morogth into the wastelands of Anfauglith which was once the plains of Ard-galen before it was destroyed by the lava and fire of the volcanic eruption of the Thangorodrim during Dagor Bragollach.
While the easter army of Maedhros drew the dark armies of Morgoth to Anfauglith, the western army of Fingon was supposed to flank Morgoth’s army.
Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Battle of Unnumbered Tears – Deception by Ulfang
Maedhros and the eastern army of the Union of Maedhros marches to Anfauglith while the western forces of the Union of Maedhros led by Fingon also assembles. However, by Morgoth’s spy Ulfang, the advance of Maedhros was delayed and by the deception of Ulfang, the beacons that signaled Fingon’s western army wasn’t lit.
Morgoth would force of orcs to the west to lure Fingon’s army while the majority of Morgoth’s army would march to face the eastern army of Maedhros while the main strength of Morgoth’s army such as Glaurung and Gothmor resided in Angband.
Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Battle of Unnumbered Tears – Unexpected charge of Fingon’s army
The initial plans of the Union of Maedhros was to outflank the forces of Morgoth by Fingon’s western army while Maedhros’s eastern army would lure the forces of Morgoth into Anfauglith in front of Angband.
However, despite Fingon’s orders to seize attacks until the beacons of Maedhros was lit, the elf troops of Fingon were heightened of war and provoked by the orcs that Morgoth had sent and suddenly charged towards Angband.
This urge to suddenly charge swept through the whole army of Fingon and Fingon’s western army advanced to the gates of Angband. Morgoth didn’t expect such a charge full of might and the charge of Fingon’s army was powerful enough to almost collapse his lines of defense.
Yet, Morgoth was able to trap the army of Fingon at the gates of Angband and many of the elves and Edains have fell.
Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Battle of Unnumbered Tears – Advance of the eastern army of Maedhros
The unexpected charge of the western army of Fingon and breakthrough to Angband caused chaos among the Union of Maedhros as the initial strategy has already become obsolete. The eastern army would advance to the battlelines in front of Angband and starts to battle the forces of Morgoth.
