Finarfin was a Ñoldorin Elf of Valinor.
He was said to be the fairest and wisest of Finwë's sons. Like all of Finwë's sons, Finarfin founded his own royal house. Uniquely among the Ñoldor, he and his descendants had golden hair inherited from his Vanyarin mother Indis, thus his house was sometimes called "The Golden House of Finarfin". Finarfin is regarded as one of the most powerful Elves in all of Arda.
Biography
Finarfin was the youngest child and third son of Finwë, High-King of the Ñoldor in Aman, with his second wife Indis of the Vanyar. His elder siblings were Findis, Fingolfin, and Írimë; his elder half-brother was the infamous Ñoldorin High-prince Fëanor, son of Finwë and his first wife Míriel. In YT 1280, Finarfin married Eärwen, the daughter of Olwë, King of the Teleri, which therefore made him related to Thingol, King of Doriath, Olwë's brother. Together, they had four (or five) children: Finrod Felagund, Orodreth (according to the published The Silmarillion) Angrod, Aegnor, and an only daughter Galadriel who was the youngest child.
After the death of Finwë, Finarfin was there when Fëanor gave his wrathful speech before the Ñoldor of Tirion; listening to the hasty words, he tried in vain to persuade the Ñoldor to pause and not be rash. Nevertheless he departed with his brothers for Middle-earth. He turned back when Mandos pronounced the Doom of the Ñoldor. Finarfin and his people were pardoned by the Valar, and he became King of the residual Ñoldor in Aman and presumably still rules from Tirion on Túna.
Finarfin took part in the War of Wrath by leading the Ñoldorin-remnant from Aman.
Etymology
His father-name is Arafinwë, the "Noble-Finwë", from the Quenya ara ("noble, high, royal"). His amilessë (mother-name) is Ingoldo ("the Ñoldo").
Other names
An Old English translation for his name was Finred Felanop, in which "Felanop" means "very bold".
Descendants
Through Galadriel, he is the grandfather of Lady Celebrían of Rivendell (wife of Elrond), and consequently, the great-grandfather of her three children Elladan and Elrohir, and Arwen Undómiel, future Queen of Gondor.
House of Finarfin
In other versions
In earlier versions of the legendarium, Finarfin was referred as "Finrod" his son Finrod Felagund was "Inglor Felagund". As such, he appears in the first edition of The Lord of the Rings as Finrod. This was changed in later editions, but not all references to Inglor were removed. (See Gildor Inglorion)
There was an error to a character's name, wherein J.R.R. Tolkien changed Ingwiel son of Ingwë to Finarfin son of Finwë.
Notes
- ↑ Orodreth appears as one of Finarfin's sons in the published The Silmarillion. In Tolkien's writings however he clearly is Angrod's son, but this was changed in The Silmarillion by Christopher Tolkien, which he later admitted was a mistake.