Years of the Trees

The Years of the Trees was the second of the three eras of Arda. All of these periods gained their name from the current light source of Arda at the time. Therefore, the Years of the Trees was the life duration of the Two Trees of Valinor. The eras had varying numbers of years, with the said period having five hundred years.

Upon the downfall of the Two Lamps (Years of the Lamps), the Vala Yavanna created the Two Trees of Valinor called Laurelin and Telperion. The trees radiated light and stood in the lands of the Valar in Aman. During this time, only the stars illuminated the land of Middle-earth. In the Years of the Trees' last third, the Elves emerged in Arda, and thus the First Age began. They awakened in the land of Cuviénen of Middle-earth. Then, the Vala Orome came to them, and so did the dark one, Melkor.

Orome convinced many of the Elves to dwell with the Valar. He asked them to sail with him on the Great Journey to the west. The Elf houses of Vanyar, Teleri, and Noldor reached Aman and settled there, while the Sindar and Nandor lingered in Middle-earth. Later, the Valar caught Melkor, bound him in chains, and imprisoned him in Aman. After his sentence, he convinced the Valar of his change of heart, and they forgave him.

But he ignited a conflict with the Elves in Aman and commenced strife among Fingolfin and Feanor, the sons of the Noldor King Finwe. After some time, Melkor sought the aid of the spider Ungoliant and slew Finwe. He also seized the jewels that hold the trees' light, the three Silmarils, and killed the Two Trees. Feanor and his followers left Aman, enraged with the Valar's lack of action. He decided to avenge his father and bring back the Silmarils.

In his wrath, he named Melkor as Morgoth. They came to Alqualonde, the Teleri Elves' harbor, for them to sail to Middle-earth. But the Teleri hindered them from their vessels, which led to the First Kinslaying. Because of the massacre and their rebellion, Mandos cast a curse on the Noldor Elves. Feanor crossed the sea to Middle-earth, while Fingolfin and many of the Noldor took the route in the distant north. They trekked through the ice land of Helcaraxe, where many of the Noldor perished.