Amrod was Feanor's sixth son from his marriage to Nerdanel and the older of the two twins, Amrod and Amras. They were known for being hunters, and very much alike both in appearance and in personality, with both being frequently named together.
Amrod, with the other sons of Feanor, swore an Oath for the Silmarils, driving him, along with the others, to many misdeeds and evils. Whether he took part in the Kinslaying at Alqualonde is largely unknown, but it is likely that he, with the other sons, took part, burning the last of the ships so that the host of Fingolfin could not follow after them.
After this, Amrod continued on with the rest of Feanor's sons, held by the Silmarils oath. While in exile, Amrod, along with Feanor's other sons, established realms and fought battles against the servants of Morgoth. He was present with the other sons also, when they came to find their father, Feanor, mortally wounded and close to death at the confines of Dor Daedeloth. Feanor was there rescued by his sons and instilled his desire for the oath to be fulfilled once again before his death. Shortly following this, Maedhros, the first and eldest son of Feanor, was captured by Morgoth.
Amrod, with the other sons, remained at the northern shore of Lake Mithrim following their father's death, until the arrival of Fingolfin's host, after finally having successfully crossed the Helcaraxe, with first sunrise in the Year 1 of the First Age. After this, the sons of Feanor, seeking to avoid hostility and establish their own lands, relocated to the southern shore of Lake Mithrim.
This hatred and separation between the two Houses persisted, until in the fifth year of the First Age, Fingon, the eldest son of Fingolfin, risked his life in the dangerous and devastating rescue of Maedhros. Maedhros, returning to his own lands after languishing in Thangorodrim, captive for so long, subsequently waived his claim to the title of the High King of the Noldor, giving the rule instead to his half-uncle, Fingolfin. The sons of Feanor shortly after relocated the House of Feanor to East Beleriand where they remained separate until the twentieth year of the First Age, when Fingolfin held the great Feast of Reuniting, seeking to unite the two Houses, both Noldorin and Sindarin to unite against the mutual enemy of Morgoth in a pledge.
The great Elf houses soon achieved victory against Angband, united in mutual strength against Morgoth. After laying it to siege, Amrod and Amras settled in the region between the rivers of Celon and Little Gelion, taking it as their land to tend to and hunt upon. It was there that they became renowned for their skill in hunting, however, they were still inferior to Celegorm, the third son of Feanor, who was said to be the greatest of all hunters.
In the year 310 of the First Age, Finrod, the eldest son of Finarfin, who was a half-brother to Feanor, forged one of the first alliances between men and Elves, befriending the House of Beor and counseling the Men to relocate to the lands of Amrod and Amras, for there would be much less conflict and dispute about them there than among the Green Elves, where they presently dwelled. Beor took the advice of Finrod and his company relocated to the lands of Amrod and Amras, taking up a dwelling upon the east banks of the Celon south of Nan Elmoth and beside the borders of Doriath.
In the year 455 of the First Age, Morgoth broke the Siege with an assault on the Noldor that cost many lives. The defenses of Feanor's sons were breached, especially that of Caranthir and of Amrod and Amras, who quickly joined together further retreated past Ramdal in the south to Amon Ereb. There they maintained their readiness for war and befriended the Green Elves, receiving their assistance readily.
In the year 466 of the First Age, the Man, Beren and his love, Luthien, succeeded in their quest to retrieve a Silmaril from the Crown of Morgoth, this tale told in full in The Silmarillion. This victory also caused the sons of Feanor to believe that victory may indeed be possible against Morgoth, a feat which before they had believed was entirely an impossibility.
In the year 472 of the First Age, Maedhros forged a union, called fittingly, The Union of Maedhros, and launched a terrible attack on Morgoth. During this battle, Morgoth succeeded in scattering and wounding the sons of Feanor, though none were slain. Badly battered and wounded, the host managed to retreat away to the region of Mount Dolmed. Here, the sons of Feanor united with one another and with the Green Elves of Ossiriand, taking to a life of woodlands, instead of battle.
In the year 503 of the First Age, Dior, the half-elf son of Beren and Luthien, became the King of Doriath following the death of Thingol in a dispute over a Necklace of the Dwarves that contained the costly and beautiful treasure of a Silmaril. Following this death, the jewel passed to Dior, who wore the Silmaril and used its power to bring his land back to its former glory.
Bound by their oath, in the year 505 of the First Age, the sons of Feanor received word of this Silmaril and learned of the Silmaril in Doriath and led by the counsel of Maedhros, sent word immediately to Dior that the jewel be returned to them. Receiving no response, the sons attacked Doriath in the winter of year 506 of the First Age under the guidance of Celegorm. Though they were victorious, they suffered greatly at the price of victory, and the attack cost the lives of Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir. The Silmaril, also, was not retrieved, passing to Elwing, the daughter of Dior, who took it swiftly to the Havens of Sirion.
In year 538 of the First Age, the still living sons of Feanor launched a final attack on the Havens, a move that proved unsuccessful as Elwing escaped with the Silmaril. It was during this battle that the two twins, Amrod and Amras were slain, fulfilling their oath, to the death.
Biography
Little is known or said of Amrod before the time of the Darkening in Valinor and the Oath of the Silmarils. It is known that he and his twin brother, Amras, were hunters and spent nearly all of their time together. Both were red-headed and were twins, an unlikely occurrence for the Eldar, and one that is scarcely heard about again prior to Dior. During his time in Valinor, it is likely that Amrod would have spent most of his days with his twin brother, traveling and fighting alongside Feanor and his other sons.Amrod, with the other sons of Feanor, swore an Oath for the Silmarils, driving him, along with the others, to many misdeeds and evils. Whether he took part in the Kinslaying at Alqualonde is largely unknown, but it is likely that he, with the other sons, took part, burning the last of the ships so that the host of Fingolfin could not follow after them.
After this, Amrod continued on with the rest of Feanor's sons, held by the Silmarils oath. While in exile, Amrod, along with Feanor's other sons, established realms and fought battles against the servants of Morgoth. He was present with the other sons also, when they came to find their father, Feanor, mortally wounded and close to death at the confines of Dor Daedeloth. Feanor was there rescued by his sons and instilled his desire for the oath to be fulfilled once again before his death. Shortly following this, Maedhros, the first and eldest son of Feanor, was captured by Morgoth.
Amrod, with the other sons, remained at the northern shore of Lake Mithrim following their father's death, until the arrival of Fingolfin's host, after finally having successfully crossed the Helcaraxe, with first sunrise in the Year 1 of the First Age. After this, the sons of Feanor, seeking to avoid hostility and establish their own lands, relocated to the southern shore of Lake Mithrim.
This hatred and separation between the two Houses persisted, until in the fifth year of the First Age, Fingon, the eldest son of Fingolfin, risked his life in the dangerous and devastating rescue of Maedhros. Maedhros, returning to his own lands after languishing in Thangorodrim, captive for so long, subsequently waived his claim to the title of the High King of the Noldor, giving the rule instead to his half-uncle, Fingolfin. The sons of Feanor shortly after relocated the House of Feanor to East Beleriand where they remained separate until the twentieth year of the First Age, when Fingolfin held the great Feast of Reuniting, seeking to unite the two Houses, both Noldorin and Sindarin to unite against the mutual enemy of Morgoth in a pledge.
The great Elf houses soon achieved victory against Angband, united in mutual strength against Morgoth. After laying it to siege, Amrod and Amras settled in the region between the rivers of Celon and Little Gelion, taking it as their land to tend to and hunt upon. It was there that they became renowned for their skill in hunting, however, they were still inferior to Celegorm, the third son of Feanor, who was said to be the greatest of all hunters.
In the year 310 of the First Age, Finrod, the eldest son of Finarfin, who was a half-brother to Feanor, forged one of the first alliances between men and Elves, befriending the House of Beor and counseling the Men to relocate to the lands of Amrod and Amras, for there would be much less conflict and dispute about them there than among the Green Elves, where they presently dwelled. Beor took the advice of Finrod and his company relocated to the lands of Amrod and Amras, taking up a dwelling upon the east banks of the Celon south of Nan Elmoth and beside the borders of Doriath.
In the year 455 of the First Age, Morgoth broke the Siege with an assault on the Noldor that cost many lives. The defenses of Feanor's sons were breached, especially that of Caranthir and of Amrod and Amras, who quickly joined together further retreated past Ramdal in the south to Amon Ereb. There they maintained their readiness for war and befriended the Green Elves, receiving their assistance readily.
In the year 466 of the First Age, the Man, Beren and his love, Luthien, succeeded in their quest to retrieve a Silmaril from the Crown of Morgoth, this tale told in full in The Silmarillion. This victory also caused the sons of Feanor to believe that victory may indeed be possible against Morgoth, a feat which before they had believed was entirely an impossibility.
In the year 472 of the First Age, Maedhros forged a union, called fittingly, The Union of Maedhros, and launched a terrible attack on Morgoth. During this battle, Morgoth succeeded in scattering and wounding the sons of Feanor, though none were slain. Badly battered and wounded, the host managed to retreat away to the region of Mount Dolmed. Here, the sons of Feanor united with one another and with the Green Elves of Ossiriand, taking to a life of woodlands, instead of battle.
In the year 503 of the First Age, Dior, the half-elf son of Beren and Luthien, became the King of Doriath following the death of Thingol in a dispute over a Necklace of the Dwarves that contained the costly and beautiful treasure of a Silmaril. Following this death, the jewel passed to Dior, who wore the Silmaril and used its power to bring his land back to its former glory.
Bound by their oath, in the year 505 of the First Age, the sons of Feanor received word of this Silmaril and learned of the Silmaril in Doriath and led by the counsel of Maedhros, sent word immediately to Dior that the jewel be returned to them. Receiving no response, the sons attacked Doriath in the winter of year 506 of the First Age under the guidance of Celegorm. Though they were victorious, they suffered greatly at the price of victory, and the attack cost the lives of Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir. The Silmaril, also, was not retrieved, passing to Elwing, the daughter of Dior, who took it swiftly to the Havens of Sirion.
In year 538 of the First Age, the still living sons of Feanor launched a final attack on the Havens, a move that proved unsuccessful as Elwing escaped with the Silmaril. It was during this battle that the two twins, Amrod and Amras were slain, fulfilling their oath, to the death.