Dagor-nuin-Giliath
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dagor-nuin-Giliath | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||
| Combatants | |||||||
| Angband | Fëanorian Noldor | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Several Orc-captains, Gothmog | Fëanor†, Celegorm | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 60,000–75,000[1] | 15,000–20,000 including some 5,000 cavalry | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| 20,000–35,000[2] | 2,000–4,000 | ||||||
| Wars of Beleriand |
|---|
| First Battle - Dagor-nuin-Giliath - Dagor Aglareb - Angband - Dagor Bragollach - Nirnaeth Arnoediad - War of Wrath |
- The main part of this article relates to a version of Middle-earth's history that is considered canon by many Tolkien fans (see: Middle-earth canon); it may contradict parts of The Silmarillion or other texts. This subject's portrayal in other versions is discussed in the concept and creation section.
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the Dagor-nuin-Giliath (Battle-under-Stars) was the second battle of the Wars of Beleriand, but the first fought by the Noldor.
The Noldor of Fëanor landed their fleet in Middle-earth at the Firth of Drengist, and passed through the Gate of the Noldor into Hithlum and they encamped on the northern shore of Lake Mithrim. Their unforeseen arrival achieved a complete strategic surprise over Morgoth. This opportunity was somewhat compromised by Fëanor's ill-considered, wanton burning of the Telerin ships. The great fire alerted Morgoth and caused the Dark Lord to change his plan of conquest and occupation of Beleriand by redeploying his forces to meet this new and unexpected threat.
Morgoth yet knew little of his foes strengths and abilities. He hoped to destroy the Fëanorians before they could establish themselves and he attempted to concentrate several Orc forces to achieve this. An Orc-host was sent from Angband to attack through the passes of the mountains of Ered Wethrin and the Orc-host occupying East Beleriand and beseiging the Havens of Círdan in the south was recalled to join in the attack on Fëanor. The Orcs of Morgoth far outnumbered the Fëanorian Noldor, however the Orc-captains were unable to coordinate their advances and attack with their full, combined might. The Noldor were freshly empowered with the Light of Valinor, marvellous weapons and armour, as well as the previously unseen cavalry of warriors riding horses and they defeated the Orc forces in detail.
The first Orc-host of some 40,000 was quickly overwhelmed in Mithrim and retreated north through Ard-galen, with Fëanor in pursuit leading much of the cavalry. The Orc-captains of the south leading the armies of a Host of about 30,000[3], reduced in strength from besieging the Havens of the Falas after the First Battle of Beleriand, moved north to join the attack on the Noldor. Celegorm, leading the rest of the Fëanorian Noldor, waylaid their line of march in the pass below Eithel Sirion, driving them into the Fens. Trapped between Celegorm's force and the Fens of Serech many Orcs perished and the remnants tried to flee back to Angband.
Fëanor, reckless in his wrath, pursued the defeated Orcs across the plain of Ard-galen and became separated from his van. At the north edge of the plain, on Dor Daedeloth, the Orcs made a stand and Gothmog[4] led his Balrogs forth from Thangorodrim to aid them. Fëanor stood his ground and long fought alone, until he was finally wounded. Before the Balrogs could kill him, Fëanor was rescued by his sons but would die soon after of his wounds.
The Dagor-nuin-Giliath was a bittersweet victory for the Fëanorian Noldor, as they had destroyed most of Morgoth's forces in the several battles, but Fëanor was slain, and they had lost one of their princes.
In some tellings of the War of the Jewels[5], the Battle of Lammoth was counted as part of the Battle-under-Stars. In those tales, immediately following the rising of the Moon, Fingolfin and the second, greater Host of the Noldor arrived in Lammoth. There they were attacked by Orcs which had been sent there by Morgoth to attack Fëanor in the rear, and they fought their first battle, the Battle of Lammoth. The Noldor were caught off-guard, and Fingolfin's son Argon was slain. Fingolfin and his host pursued the Orcs until they were completely destroyed, and then passed into Mithrim as the Moon first rose.
[edit] References
- ^ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI. pp. 15–17; Silmarillion, p. 96, 106–107. These passages describe a "great army" sent from Angband that divides into an "eastern host" and an "Orc-host in the West"; later the western host that marched north is described as: "...the armies... that had passed south...beleagured Círdan". The attack on Fëanor is described as "the host of Melkor, orcs and werewolves"; "the host of Morgoth". From this we can discern that: a great army of Orcs is made up of hosts, that a host is made up of armies. Both Vol. XI, p. 57 and The Simarillion, p. 157, later described a lesser formation that attacks Brethil, an Orc-legion. We may postulate that from this and many other citations that a basic Orc military structure consists of: Orc-companies that make up an Orc-legion; Orc-legions that make up an Orc-army; Orc-armies that make up an Orc-host; Orc-hosts that make up a Great Army or a Great Host. If a Legion is estimated at 10,000: an Army is 20,000; a Host would be 40,000. Based on the few known numbers such as the 100,000 Orcs in Vol. V, p. 137, these seem reasonable estimates.
- ^ The Silmarillion, p. 107, "and from it it returned of all the hosts that he had prepared for the conquest of Beleriand no more than a handful of leaves." By this statement, the estimates of Orc losses from three hosts in the 1st and 2nd Battles of Beleriand of 55,000–80,000 of 120,000–150,000 may be low end estimates.
- ^ estimate is reduced to account for casualties no doubt suffered versus Círdan
- ^ other accounts have Gothmog leading the rear guard of this Host, however, this is in contradiction with the eventual concept in The Silmarillion, p. 116, "Morgoth perceived now that Orcs unaided were no match..." and subsequently used more formidable servants as captains and lieutenants of his Orc-hosts.
- ^ The Battle of Lammoth and Argon do not appear in the published Silmarillion at all, because they only came to light in very late writings by Tolkien. In the published Silmarillion Fingolfin's host only arrives after the battle is long over. In The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XII, p. 345, p. 362, this battle is discussed.
