House of Finwë
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In J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, the House of Finwë was the royal house of the Noldor. The house was founded by Finwë, the first High King of the Noldor, who led his people from Middle-earth to the realm of Valinor within the continent of Aman in Y.T. 1105. In Valinor, he ruled in the city of Tirion. His first marriage with Míriel was short-lived as she decided to leave to the Halls of Mandos being totally exhausted by her birth of Fëanor. In his second marriage with Indis, who was of the Vanyar, he had two more sons Fingolfin and Finarfin, and two daughters Findis and Lalwen.
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[edit] House of Fëanor
Early in Fëanor’s youth, he wedded Nerdanel, daughter of Mahtan, and had seven sons: Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin and twin brethren Amras and Amrod. In Y.T. 1449 – 1450 Fëanor created the three Silmarils, which held the light from the Two Trees of Valinor. In the same year, he was banished from Tirion for twelve years because he had threatened the life of his half-brother, Fingolfin. However, it was due to Melkor’s lies and deceits that bitterness was further sowed between the son of Míriel and the sons of Indis. Finwë followed his eldest son and his family in Formenos. They lived in Formenos for five years until news of the murder of Finwë and theft of the Silmarilli reached Fëanor. Angered, Fëanor came back to Tirion with his seven sons and spoke angry, proud words that convinced the Noldor to move into Middle-earth, far from the Valar, and claimed High Kingship. His words also led him and his sons to swear the terrible Oath of Fëanor that swore to pursue vengeance on anyone who’d keep the Silmarlli from their possession. It would be this oath that would bring ruin to the House of Fëanor, and all those who were entwined.
Melkor, now named Morgoth by Fëanor after Y.T. 1449, hoped to destroy the Noldor before they established themselves in Middle-earth. Though Morgoth’s forces were severely defeated by the Fëanorians, Fëanor was killed by Gothmog in Dagor-nuin-Giliath in Y.T. 1497.
After the feud between the House of Fëanor and the Houses of Fingolfin and Finarfin was repaired, the sons of Fëanor ruled lands in East Beleriand during the Years of the Trees. Although Beleriand sunk at the end of the First Age, Celebrimbor, last of the House of Fëanor, ruled a part of Noldorin Elves in Eregion during the Second Age.
[edit] House of Fingolfin
The marriage between Fingolfin and Anairë produced Fingon, Turgon, Aredhel, and Argon. In an attempt to make peace between Fëanor and Fingolfin after the incident in Y.T. 1449, the Valar invited the two to a feast. Fingolfin made an oath that he would follow Fëanor. It was because of this as well, as the fact that Fingolfin did not want to leave the Noldor in his half-brother’s hands, that Fingolfin and his children followed Fëanor and his people into Middle-earth. Fingolfin and his host were betrayed after Fëanor (and a select number of those whom he deemed loyal) sailed away to Middle-earth in the Telerin ships. To prevent Fingolfin and his people from following them, Fëanor and his sons, with an exception of Maedhros, burned the ships. With a stronger desire to confront his half-brother, he led his people over the bitter ices of Helcaraxë. It was during this crossing that Elenwë, wife of Turgon, died. In Y.S. 1, they reached Middle-earth.
Fingon’s rescue of Maedhros from the captivity of Morgoth, as well as Maedhros’s passing over High Kingship to Fingolfin in repentance, healed the breach between the House of Fëanor and the House of Fingolfin.
In a fierce duel between Fingolfin and Morgoth in Y.S. 456, Fingolfin died, and his eldest son, Fingon, took over as High King, who was then succeeded by Turgon.
Lands ruled by the House of Fingolfin include Nevrast, Gondolin, Dor-lómin, Hithlum, and in the Second Age, the Noldorin Kingdom of Lindon, ruled by Gil-galad, son of Fingon (in one version of the history), and the last High King.
[edit] House of Finarfin
Finarfin married Eärwen in Y.T. 1280, and had four children: Finrod, Angrod, Aegnor, and Galadriel. When Fëanor came to Tirion to lead the Noldor out of Aman, Finarfin tried to calm and persuade the Noldor to stay, but his sons and daughter had a strong desire to rule lands of their own, and wanted vengeance against Melkor. Resigned, Finarfin began the journey to Middle-earth with his people. As the Noldor left Tirion, a messenger on the behalf of Manwë declared that if they continued, they were exiled from Aman forever. Not wanting to cross on the Helcaraxë on foot, Fëanor turned to Teleri at Alqualondë to sail across the Belegaer, but the Teleri refused to let the Noldor use their ships in rebellion against the Valar. From this, the First Kinslaying ensued. After this battle, a dark figure, believed to be Mandos himself, pronounced the Doom of the Noldor. Finarfin finally wavered, and turned from the march in grief with many of his people. After he was pardoned by the Valar, he became High King of the Noldor in Valinor.
His sons and daughter, however, would not desert the sons and daughter of Fingolfin, and travelled with Fingolfin’s host across the Helcaraxë. In Middle-earth, the House of Finarfin established many realms, including Nargothrond and Dorthonion.
After Turgon's death in the fall of Gondolin, Finarfin's great-grandson, Gil-galad[1] became High King until his death in hand-to-hand battle with Sauron on the slopes of Mount Doom at the end of the Second Age, and with his sacrifice Sauron was defeated. Leaving behind no children to succeed him, he was the last High King of the Noldor in exile.
The House of Finarfin was the longest enduring of all three Houses of the Sons of Finwë in Middle-earth, ending when Galadriel sailed into the west after the War of the Ring.
[edit] Family tree
|--------|
? Ingwë
(1) (2) | | |---------------|---------------|
Mahtan Míriel ===== Finwë ===== Indis Ingwion Olwë Elwë Elmo
| | | | |
| | |----------|--------------------------|----------------| | |
Nerdanel ===== Fëanor Findis Fingolfin == Anairë Irimë Finarfin == Eärwen Galadhon
| | | | |
|----|-----|----|----|----|---| |----------------|-------|-------------| ? |------|----------------|--------| |
Maedhros | Celegorm | Curufin | Amras Fingon Elenwë = Turgon Aredhel = Eöl Argon Aranwë Amarië = Finrod Angrod = Eldalôtë Aegnor Galadriel = Celeborn
| | | | | | | | |
Maglor Caranthir | Amrod | | | | |
| Tuor = Idril Maeglin Voronwë Orodreth |
Celebrimbor | | |
| |-------------| |
Eärendil = Elwing Finduilas Gil-galad |
| |
|-------------------------------------| |
Elros Elrond ======================================== Celebrían
: |
Kings of Númenor, Lords of Andúnië, Kings of Arnor and Gondor, |-----------|--------|
and the Chieftains of the Dúnedain (62 generations) Elladan Elrohir |
: |
Aragorn ======================================================== Arwen
|
|-------------------|
Eldarion (Unnamed Daughters)
[edit] References
- ^ J. R. R. Tolkien (1996). in Christopher Tolkien (ed.): The Peoples of Middle-earth. Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin, "The Shibboleth of Fëanor", pg 350-351. ISBN 0-395-82760-4.
[edit] External links
- It's All in the Family: The Finwëans – an essay by Michael Martinez on the House of Finwë
