First Battle

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First Battle
Conflict: Wars of Beleriand
Date: Y.T. 1497
Place: Across Beleriand, but especially on the plains east and west of Doriath
Outcome: Partial victories for both sides
Combatants

Iathrim
Falas
Laiquendi
Naugrim

Forces of Morgoth

Commanders

Template:Thingol blazon
Círdan
Denethor

Template:Morgoth blazon

Strength

Unknown

Unknown, force split into two hosts; western and eastern

Casualties

Unknown, but heavy Laiquendi losses[1]

Western host:

  • Unknown

Eastern host:

  • Heavy, few survivors[2]

The First Battle was the first great battle of the Wars of Beleriand, fought by the Sindar against Morgoth.

Prelude

While the Noldor still toiled through Araman, Morgoth had already arrived in Middle-earth, and had occupied his old fortress of Angband where his servants Sauron and Gothmog had long been breeding Orcs.

Battle Ensues

Shortly before the Return of the Noldor to Middle-earth, Morgoth attacked the Sindar, thinking to gain the mastery of Beleriand quickly. His great army broke into two hosts, which passed west down Sirion and east between Aros and Gelion.[1] Some of the bands even climbed the passes of Anach and Aglon, for the Orcs were said to have "passed silently into the highlands of the north."[1]

In the east, King Thingol took the offensive, leading out the Sindar of Menegroth and the Forest of Region.[1] He called upon Denethor of Ossiriand, who attacked simultaneously from the east. The Orcs prevailed over Denethor and encircled him on Amon Ereb, where he fell, before he could be rescued by Thingol's host; for the lightly-armed Elves of Ossiriand were no match for the iron-clad and heavily-armed Orcs.[1] When help arrived, the Elves routed the Orcs of Morgoth and of the few Orcs who escaped, most fell later to the axes of the Dwarves of Mount Dolmed.[1]

The bulk of the western host camped on the plain between Narog and Sirion, harrying throughout West Beleriand; and Thingol was cut off from Círdan at Eglarest.[1] Led by Círdan, the Elves of the Havens countered but were driven back within their walls and besieged.[1] Thus, the western host overran West Beleriand and Falas, while the eastern host of Morgoth was destroyed.[1]

Aftermath

"Making the Girdle of Melian" by Steamy

After the battle, Thingol therefore withdrew his people into Neldoreth and Region, and Melian used her power to encircle this dominion with an invisible wall of shadows and bewilderment known as the Girdle of Melian.[1] The land of Eglador was thereafter called Doriath, the Guarded Realm.[1] The Orcs of Morgoth remained free to wander Beleriand, except in the Falas and Doriath.[1]

The death of Denethor in this battle led the Elves of Ossiriand to pledge to never again name a king or participate in the wars between other Elves and Morgoth.[1] After that time, many of Denethor's people left Ossiriand for the guarded forests of Doriath: these settled in Arthórien and became known as the Guest-elves and others merged with the Sindar.[1][3][4] Those few that remained took up a secretive existence, camouflaging themselves in green. From that time, they were known as the Laiquendi, the Green-elves.[1]

The Havens of the Falas were besieged for a few months until the Return of the Noldor forced the Dagor-nuin-Giliath and the Orcs withdrew to fight the Noldor under Fëanor (which occurred shortly after).[5]

References


War of the Great Jewels
First Battle · Dagor-nuin-Giliath · Dagor Aglareb · Dagor Bragollach · Nirnaeth Arnoediad · War of Wrath