Exile of the Ñoldor

The Exile of the Ñoldor, also known as the Flight of the Ñoldor, occurred toward the end of the First Age: many Ñoldor Elves left Aman for Middle-earth under the leadership of Fëanor and Fingolfin, after the destruction of the Two Trees, seeking revenge for the murder of Finwë and theft of the Silmarils by Melkor. The Doom of Mandos was placed on them so they could not return to Valinor.

The Exiled Ñoldor called themselves the Etyañgoldi in Quenya and the Gódhellim in Sindarin.

History

The Exiles were split into two groups during the Kinslaying at Alqualondë; Fëanor and his sons and followers, who took the ships they had acquired from the Teleri: and Fingolfin's followers, whom they left behind. They had to cross the Helcaraxë in the north, and lost a large number of people there. When asked about the course of action they would take to transport the rest of the exiles, Fëanor ordered the burning of the ships.

Morgoth wasted no time seeking and attacking the exiles, which were vastly superior to his Orcs in spite of their lesser number and unpreparedness. Fingolfin and his followers arrived at the same time as the Sun first rose, and settled mainly in Hithlum.

The Exiles set up kingdoms in various places: Finrod built Nargothrond and Minas Tirith; Turgon built Gondolin, hidden within the Echoriad; and Maedhros built Himring to the far east.

For hundreds of years, the Ñoldor held off the forces of Morgoth, defeating him in three of the major Battles of Beleriand and laying siege to his great abode in the north. However, in FA 455 Morgoth broke the siege, and the Ñoldor began losing ground. About seventeen years later, most of their forces were destroyed in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad and many subsequently killed or enslaved.

The majority of the survivors were forced to relocate farther south, to soon suffer again from infighting caused by the Sons of Fëanor. Eventually, all the great realms occupied by the exiles fell by the year FA 510, upon which the survivors fled to the Havens of Sirion. More conflict struck them when again the Sons of Fëanor attacked and killed many of their kin in the Third Kinslaying. One of their residents raised in the Havens was Eärendil, who built Vingilot, allowing him to escape the Kinslaying. Joined by his wife Elwing, they both voyaged to Valinor by the light of the Silmaril, and pleaded there with the Valar for aid and forgiveness for the rebellion of the Ñoldor.

After Morgoth was defeated in the War of Wrath, the Doom was lifted and many Ñoldorin Exiles went back to the Undying Lands, save for Galadriel and the Ñoldor and Sindar who followed Gil-galad.

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