Eldest son of Finwë, lord of the Ñoldor, and half-brother to Fingolfin and Finarfin, Curufinwë (also known as Fëanor) was accounted the greatest of the Deep Elves. In Valinor - the Land of the Valar - he captured the light of the Two Trees to make the three Silmarilli. When Melkor - the Dark Lord, also known as Morgoth - stole these, and slew his father Finwë, he rebelled against the Valar and led the greater part of the Ñoldor into Middle-earth, swearing in the dreadful Oath of Fëanor that he would not rest until the Great Jewels were recovered.
On his return to Middle-earth, Curufinwë immediately drove onward to Angband, though outnumbered greatly by Morgoth's Orcs and Balrogs. He was slain at last by Gothmog, the Lord of Balrogs, and such was the ferocity of his spirit that after his death, his body was consumed by flame.
(1) Míriel Serindë The first wife of Finwë and mother of Curufinwë ; the birth of her mighty son took so much of her spirit that she went to the gardens of Lórien and passed away. |
Finwë The first High King of the Ñoldor, and father to the three royal houses of that people. Finwë awoke with the first Elves at Cuiviénen, the Water of Awakening. When the Valar summoned the Elves to dwell with them in Valinor, he was chosen, with Ingwë and Elwë, to travel there as ambassadors. When he returned, he led the Ñoldor in their great westward journey across the lands of Middle-earth and the Great Sea to Aman. Under Finwë's rule the Ñoldor dwelt for at least three ages (about 9,000 years) in Valinor, and learned much from the Valar, especially Aulë the Smith. During this time, he dwelt in Tirion, but afterwards his eldest son Curufinwë withdrew to his fortress of Formenos, and Finwë went to dwell there also. After the Darkening of Valinor, Melkor stormed Formenos seeking the Silmarilli, which were held in its vaults. He slew Finwë before its doors and stole the Jewels of Fëanor. After his death, the kingship of the Ñoldor was briefly bestowed on his son Curufinwë Fëanor. |
Indis (2) A Vanyarin Elf who became the second wife of Finwë after the departure of Míriel Serindë. She was the mother of both Fingolfin and Finarfin. |
Nerdanel The wife of Curufinwë and mother of his seven Sons; she was of gentler mood than her fiery spouse, and sought always to temper his deeds with wisdom. |
Fingolfin The second son of Finwë and half-brother to Curufinwë. After Curufinwë's death, his eldest son Maedhros should have become High King of the Ñoldor, but Maedhros repented his deeds at the Kinslaying and refused the title, which thus passed to Fingolfin. He ruled the lands to the northwest of Beleriand with his sons Fingon and Turgon, and dwelt behind the mountain fences of Hithlum during the long Siege of Angband. When Morgoth broke the Siege in the Dagor Bragollach, Fingolfin was prevented from sending immediate help to the other princes of the Ñoldor by the ferocity of the onslaught, but when heard of the extent of their defeat, he rode in anger to the doors of Angband and demanded single combat with Morgoth. There they fought a mighty battle, but though Fingolfin wounded the Dark Lord, he could not prevail, and was finally crushed by Morgoth. His body was saved, though, by Thorondor, who bore it to a peak in the Encircling Mountains. Turgon came there and built a cairn over his father's remains. |
Finarfin The youngest of Finwë's three sons; when his half-brother Curufinwë led the host of the Ñoldor back to Middle-earth, Finarfin chose to remain in Valinor, and became King of those Ñoldor who remained also. His five children, Finrod, Orodreth, Angrod, and Galadriel, all followed Curufinwë into the East. |
