Gelmir
Gelmir was a Ñoldorin Elf of Nargothrond; son of Guilin and brother of Gwindor.
Gelmir was a Ñoldorin Elf of Nargothrond; son of Guilin and brother of Gwindor.
He is most remembered as the Elf whose murder initiated the Nírnaeth Arnoediad.
Biography
Gelmir was a Ñoldor Elf from Nargothrond and the brother of Gwindor. Gelmir was captured during the Dagor Bragollach and brought to Angband where he was tortured and blinded. He was enslaved there for seventeen years until the Nírnaeth Arnoediad where he was executed.
Before fighting broke out, Morgoth used him as bait to draw out the Elven forces. His Orcs dragged him out so that his people could see him die a horrible death. The Orcs chopped off his arms and legs and left him to die slowly of his wounds within sight of his loved ones. Gwindor and his fellow soldiers were so enraged by this act that they charged headlong at the Orcs, soon putting Morgoth's forces at an advantage.
In other versions
In earlier versions of the legendarium Gelmir was the king of the Gnomes. He was son of Golfinweg, brother of Gwindor and the father of Golfin, Delin and Lúthien, who were his lieutenants. His standard "bore upon a silver field a crown of gold". In another account, Gelmir was the son of Nólemë and the father of Fingolfin, and he was slain at Gorfalong during in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.
Later this tales were attributed to Finwë, and Gelmir remained just the brother of Gwindor.