The First Age, also known as the Elder Days, originated when the newly-awakened Children of Ilúvatar began to spread all over the world. It finally ended with the deposition of Morgoth.
Outline
The First Age began with the Awakening of the Elves, but the Years of the Sun of the First Age continued to exist for only 590 years. Following the voyage of Earendil, the armies of Valinor and Beleriand united with each other. They, with joint effort, ended the First Age defeating Morgoth. J.R.R.Tolkien prominently portrays the happening of Beleriand in the First Age. The events of Beleriand are focused on the battles pursued by the Sindar, the Noldor, and the Three Houses of Edain (Mankind). All of them opposed the supremacy of Morgoth. The Elves have lived in Beleriand for millions of ages. They are not related to Morgoth other than their mere existence. Initially, the combat commenced in the Years of the Trees. After the Noldor arrived at the Beleriand, it was intensified. Unlike the Elves, the sons of Feanor, among the Noldor, entered Beleriand with the supreme determination to overthrow Morgoth.Chronology
| Year | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rise of the Sun. |
| Beginning of Men's awakening in Hildorien. | |
| Fingolfin's host finishes voyage of Helcaraxe. | |
| 20 | Commission of the Eleven lords at the Mereth Aderthad. |
| 50 | Turgon and Finrod established an asylum on the order of Ulmo. It later became known as Gondolin. |
| 52 | Finrod unearths Nargothrond's caves. |
| 53 | Turgon unveils Tumladen's valley. |
| 60 | The glorious battle, named as Dagor Aglareb, takes place. |
| The Noldor, under the reign of Fingolfin, commences the Siege of Angband. | |
| Melkor vanishes from Angband when he discovers the weaknesses of Men. The Men later ceased their devotion to Eru Iluvatar and became evil under the influence of Melkor. The Atanatari opposes this deed of Melkor. Accompanied by Avari Elves and the Dwarves, some of the Men set voyage to find Valar. The legend says the Men disinherit their power to depart their life by choice. Because of this, the Men are condemned with a shorter life-span and will die by force by the end of their life-span. But Tolkien's interpretation in The Silmarillion says as the Elves are eternal, the men were created deliberately with a shorter life span. | |
| 64 | Turgon started creating Gondolin. |
| 65 | Between the Brithombar and Eglarest in the cape of the Falas, Finrod establish the tower of Barad Nimras called the White Horn Tower. |
| c. 102 | The Nargothrond begins. |
| Fingon's people leave Hithulum. | |
| 116 | Gondolin is accomplished. The clandestine resettlement of Turgon's people from Nevrast starts. |
| 150 | The dwarves' businesses in Beleriand revamp. |
| 155 | Fingolfin's army acquires victory over the Firth of Drengist in the attack of Hithulum. |
| 260 | Glaurung is forced back to Angband after it ruined Ard-Galen. |
| Harmony in the land starts. | |
| 305 | The First House of Edain reaches Beleriand, guided by Boer. |
| FA 320 | Birth of Maeglin in Nan Elmoth. |
| 341 | Birth of Haldar and Haleth. |
| 345 | The year when Aredhel and Maeglin returned to Gondolin. Soon after their return, the death of Eol and Aredhel happens. |
| 361 | Birth of Andreth, the only daughter of Boromir, the son of Boron. |
| 389 | Hador is born, who will, later on, become the Lord of Dor-lomin. |
| 432 | Beren Erchamion is born, who is one of the adventurers of the First Age. |
| c. 455 | The birth of last High King and the son of Orodreth, Ereinion, who is called as Gil-Galad later, is born. |
| 455 | In the great battle of Dagor Bragollach, Morgoth brings an end to the Siege of Angband by crushing it. Fingolfin rides to challenge the Enemy. |
| 456 | Morgoth slays Fingolfin in combat. Ensuing his father's death, Fingon succeeds the throne as High King of Noldor. |
| Thorondor ushers Hurin and Huor, the heroes of the age, to Gondolin. | |
| Hurin and Huor set out to Dor-lomin from Gondolin. | |
| 457 | The army of Sauron seized the Finrod's fortress of Minas Tirith. |
| Orodreth, the second ruler of Nargothrond in western Beleriand, makes his escape to his own land. | |
| Minas Tirith gets the name of Tol-in-Gaurhoth, Isle of the werewolves. | |
| 460 | Barahir, along with his alliances, is murdered. |
| Beren turns into a fugitive in Dorthonion. | |
| 464 | Dor-lomin sees the birth of Turin Turambar. |
| Beren meets Luthien for the first time on his way to Doriath. | |
| 465 | Celegorm and Curufin set their voyage to Himring after they are banished from Nargothrond. |
| Detainment of Finrod and Beren in Tol-in-Gaurhoth. | |
| Werewolf kills Finrod while Luthien saves Beren. | |
| 466 | Beren and Luthien successfully get their hands on the Silmaril. |
| Consequent to the death of Beren, Luthien ends his life. Mandos brings Beren and Luthien back to life after Luthien pleads for it. | |
| In Ossiriand, on the isle of Tol Galen, Beren and Luthien start their second life. | |
| Beren and Luthien go back to middle earth. | |
| Lalaith, the sister of Turin, passes away due to the plague. | |
| 471 | Son of Huor, Tuor, is born. |
| 472 | The fifth great battle, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, happens against Morgoth. |
| Huor and Fingon, after the defeat in the battle, dies saving Turgon. | |
| Morgoth captivates Hurin. | |
| 473 | Havens of Falas: Brithombar (North) and Eglarest (South) are attacked and seized. |
| Birth of the third child of Hurin, Nienor. | |
| Rian, the wife of Huor, dies. | |
| 475 | Dior Eluchil, son of Beren, born in Tol Galen. |
| 490 | Beleg, the chief escort of Turin Tumbarad, dies. |
| Turin owns the sword named Gurthang, which was reforged for him. Later, Turin was called Mormegil, the black sword of Nargothrond. | |
| 495 | The elven city is destructed, leading to the sack of Nargothrond, after the defeat in the Battle of Tumhalad. |
| Tuor, the praised hero of men, arrives in Gondolin. | |
| 497 | Nimloth marries Dior, becoming the Queen of Doriath. |
| 499 | Turin and Nienor end their life in Brethil. |
| The fire breathing dragon, Glaurung, is destroyed. | |
| 500 | Elwing, daughter of Dior, is born. She will later become the wife of Earendil. |
| c. 501 | Morwen, the mother of Turin Tumbarad, dies. |
| 502 | The greedy Dwarves of Nogrod tear apart Doriath and slays Thingol. |
| Beren, Laiquendi, and the Ents finally have revenge on the dwarves for destroying their homes. | |
| Melian, the Queen of Doriath, go back to Valinor in grief. | |
| The daughter of Thingol, Luthien, puts on the Silmaril. | |
| Dior, son of Beren, rebuilds Doriath. | |
| 503 | Beren and Luthien’s second life ends. |
| Silmaril gets into the hold of Dior. | |
| A heart-broken Hurin dies while regretting his deeds. | |
| 504 | Earendil, son of Tuor and Idril, is born. |
| 505 - 506 | The rebuilt of Doriath is again destroyed. |
| Dior, Nimloth, and their sons die. | |
| Assassination of Celegorm, Curufin, and Caranthir. | |
| Elwing runs away with the Silmaril to the Mouths of Sirion. | |
| 510 | Maeglin deceives Gondolin to the dark lord and destroys it. |
| Gothmog, Turgon, Glorfindel, Ecthelion, and Maeglin dies in the combat of Gondolin. | |
| 530 | Wedding of Earendil and Elwing. |
| 532 | Earendil and Elwing give birth to Elrond and Elros. |
| 538 | In an attempt to claim Silmaril, the leftover Sons of Feanor assault the people of Mouths of Sirion in the absence of Earendil: Third Kin slaying. |
| Amrod dies in Third Kin slaying. | |
| Ulmo saves Elming when she throws herself into the sea and brings her to Earendil. | |
| Earendil sets sail to Valinor to plead with the Valar for help in earning their liberation against Morgoth. | |
| Maglor saves Elrond and Elros from death and raises them as his own. | |
| 545 - 587 | Final war of First Age, War of Wrath. |
| 590 | Morgoth is thrown into the Abyss. |
| Beleriand sinks into the sea. | |
| The Sea of Helcar disappears by depleting into the Great Gulf. | |
| The highland of Mordor, Khand, and Rhun ascends from the past ocean floor. | |
| Maedhros and Maglor steal the left behind Silmarils, which goes missing into the earth and the sea. | |
| The Elves are invited to live in Valinor, and they inhabit Tol Eressea. | |
| Galadriel refuses the invitation to remain in Middle-earth. | |
| Noldor has relics in Lindon. | |
| Under Oropher, many of the Sindar, the grey elves, head to the east and establish the monarchy. |
Famous Wars of the First Age
- War for The Sake of the Elves - It was fought exclusively between the forces of the Valar and Melkor, and the Elves knew only what the Valar told them about this disastrous clash, during which the face of Arda itself changed significantly, since there were formed new seas and lands. The most part of the conflict was occupied by the long-enduring siege of Utumno, but in the end the Valar successfully crushed its bastions and penetrated it, dragging Melkor out and chaining him with the Angainor.
- Dagor-nuin-Giliath - This is the second major battle under the stars, in the wars of Beleriand. The Dagor-nuin-Giliath [1] happened before the origin of the sun's rise. The first major war of Beleriand occurred in the year of trees. This battle is the first battle to be fought by the deported Noldor, on their arrival. Following the Noldor’s settlement in Hithlum, Morgoth sends out a troop of marauders from Angband to assault them. The Elves won, making Morgoth’s forces retreat to Angband. However, Feanor was killed in the battle.
- Dagor Aglareb - The third battle of the wars of Beleriand happened 75 years after the arrival of the Noldor. Morgoth made repeated attempts to assault the Noldor, but he failed every time. The Dagor Aglareb is a significant battle that led to the Siege of Angband, which helped contain the forces of Morgoth. But it was not efficient for a long time, as the northern side of Angband is safeguarded by Ered Engrin. The mountain of Iron was inaccessible to the forces of Elves.
- Dagor Bragolloch - The battle of sudden flames is the third major war of the Beleriand, which ended the Siege of Angband. It started when Morgoth poured rivers of fire and flames of poison from the mountain of Iron. It was aimed to drive away from the Elves from the watch of Angband. Before the Noldor could regain their vigilance, they faced immense loss. The attack was so cruel and devastating that the flourishing lands of Ard-Galen turned into barren lands. It was later named as Anfauglith, which meant “the choking dust.” The Edain's habitat, the highland of Dorthonion, became fruitless and they had to abandon it.
- Nirnaeth Arnoediad - Noldor's first battle against Morgoth was fought to overthrow his power. The Nirnaeth Arnoediad battle brought together the forces of Elves, Edain, and Bor and Ulfang, who belonged to Easterling houses, and also alliances of Sons of Feanor. Their plot against Morgoth failed even after they were able to successfully infiltrate Angband due to Ulfang. It turned out that Ulfang was already under the influence of Morgoth and betrayed the group. The sons of Feanor have driven away, and the innocent of Beleriand was slain. As a result, the land of Hithlum was abandoned. In the center of Anfauglith, the Elves and Men were killed in heaps by the troops of Morgoth. The last hope of the Elves to overpower Morgoth was thus shattered. Hence, this war was called the Battle of unnumbered Tears.
- War of Wrath - The War of Wrath [2] happened towards the end of the first age. To convince the Valar to assist in the saving of the abandoned people, Earendil set sail for Valinor. Later, the Valar brought together the troops of Maiar, Vanyar, and Noldors of Valinor. The Teleri agreed to assist in sailing the armies of Valar in their eminent battleships. However, they denied to support them in the battle due to the Kinslaying at Alqualonde. This battle portrays the participation of the winged dragons, especially Ancalagon the black, in the First Age for the first time. But still, it was a victorious day for the Valar, as Morgoth was imprisoned and thrown out of Arda. This battle destroyed the lands of Morgoth and part of Beleriand. It sent them beneath the sea due to the intensity of this battle.
