Dagor Aglareb
Encyclopedia
In J. R. R. Tolkien
's fictional Middle-earth
, as told in the Silmarillion, the Dagor Aglareb was the third battle of the Wars of Beleriand
during the First Age, known as the Glorious Battle.
Following their victory in Dagor-nuin-Giliath
, the Second Battle, the Noldor
of Beleriand
let pass their chance to defeat Morgoth
quickly by following up and storming Thangorodrim
. Instead they established and built their numerous realms, mingling with the Sindar
, while watching Angband.
After a time of rebuilding and reorganizing his armies, Morgoth thought to catch the Noldor off guard and test their strength. Under cover of fire and smoke spewing forth from Ered Engrin, the Mountains of Iron, Morgoth sent forth an Orc-host against Dorthonion flanked east and west by armies of numerous small bands of Orc
s. The flanking armies advanced through the Pass of Sirion and Maglor's Gap in an attempt to draw the principal Noldorin forces under Fingolfin and Maedhros away from the attack of the main host on Finrod's brothers, Angrod and Aegnor, who held Dorthonion.
In the event, Morgoth's diversionary attacks failed their purpose to divert the main strength of the Noldor. Fighting small battles along the way, the Orcs penetrated through the Pass of Sirion into West Beleriand but were rooted out and hunted down by Finrod and Turgon. In East Beleriand, they were defeated, pursued and destroyed by Maglor
and southern forces of the Noldor led by Amrod
, Amras
and Caranthir
.
The main Orc-host assaulted Dorthonion
, where Angrod
and Aegnor held them off until armies under Fingolfin
and Maedhros
counter-attacked on the plains of Ard-galen, trapping the Orcs between them. The Orcs were pursued by the Noldorin cavalry as they retreated to Thangorodrim and were utterly destroyed in sight of the gates of Angband.
Morgoth's strategy was to divert the main strength of the Noldor from Dorthonion with attacks on its flanks. The wooded highlands of Dorthonion were the true object of his campaign. By capturing Dorthonion, he could establish a defensible forward base on high ground which divided the Noldor of Fingolfin from those of Maedhros. This strategy failed and it was because of this defeat that Morgoth realised that Orc-captains and Orc-armies were insufficient. He began to consider other more powerful leadership and auxiliaries. This was a complete victory by the Noldor over Morgoth. After it the Noldor maintained a guard on Angband, beginning the period of watchful peace known as the Siege of Angband
. The guard consisted of building forts on the hills and mountains west, south and east of the plains south of Angband and maintaining forward camps of cavalry on the plains of Ard-galen and Lothlann.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's fictional Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
, as told in the Silmarillion, the Dagor Aglareb was the third battle of the Wars of Beleriand
Beleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...
during the First Age, known as the Glorious Battle.
Following their victory in Dagor-nuin-Giliath
Dagor-nuin-Giliath
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the Dagor-nuin-Giliath is the second battle of the Wars of Beleriand, but the first involving the Noldor....
, the Second Battle, the Noldor
Noldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...
of Beleriand
Beleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...
let pass their chance to defeat Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
quickly by following up and storming Thangorodrim
Thangorodrim
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Thangorodrim was a group of three volcanic mountains in the Iron Mountains in the north of Middle-earth during the First Age...
. Instead they established and built their numerous realms, mingling with the Sindar
Sindar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the fictional Sindar are Elves of Telerin descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin...
, while watching Angband.
After a time of rebuilding and reorganizing his armies, Morgoth thought to catch the Noldor off guard and test their strength. Under cover of fire and smoke spewing forth from Ered Engrin, the Mountains of Iron, Morgoth sent forth an Orc-host against Dorthonion flanked east and west by armies of numerous small bands of Orc
Orc (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
s. The flanking armies advanced through the Pass of Sirion and Maglor's Gap in an attempt to draw the principal Noldorin forces under Fingolfin and Maedhros away from the attack of the main host on Finrod's brothers, Angrod and Aegnor, who held Dorthonion.
In the event, Morgoth's diversionary attacks failed their purpose to divert the main strength of the Noldor. Fighting small battles along the way, the Orcs penetrated through the Pass of Sirion into West Beleriand but were rooted out and hunted down by Finrod and Turgon. In East Beleriand, they were defeated, pursued and destroyed by Maglor
Maglor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Maglor is a fictional character, the second son of Fëanor and Nerdanel. He was the greatest poet and bard of the Noldor and was said to have inherited more of his mother's gentler temperament....
and southern forces of the Noldor led by Amrod
Amrod
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Amrod is a fictional character, a twin of Amras youngest sons of Fëanor. From their mother Nerdanel they inherited red hair, instead of Fëanor's black....
, Amras
Amras
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Amras is a fictional character, the twin brother of Amrod being the youngest sons of Fëanor and Nerdanel. Through their maternal grandfather Mahtan they inherited red hair , instead of Fëanor's black....
and Caranthir
Caranthir
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Caranthir is a fictional character, the fourth of the sons of Fëanor, was also the harshest, and the quickest to anger; he was also called "Caranthir the Dark". His Quenya name was Morifinwë "The Dark Finwë"...
.
The main Orc-host assaulted Dorthonion
Dorthonion
In the fictional world of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, Dorthonion , later Taur-nu-Fuin, was a highland region of the First Age, lying immediately to the north of Beleriand, and south of the plains of Ard-galen that extended north to Morgoth's stronghold of Thangorodrim...
, where Angrod
Angrod
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth universe, Angrod was a son of Finarfin and lord of the Noldor.Angrod was the elder brother of Galadriel and Aegnor, and the younger brother of Finrod Felagund. He joined the Exile of the Noldor to Middle-earth, where together with Aegnor he held the highlands of...
and Aegnor held them off until armies under Fingolfin
Fingolfin
Fingolfin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, appearing in The Silmarillion.-Internal history:He was a High King of the Noldor in Beleriand, second eldest son of Finwë, full brother of Finarfin, and half-brother of Fëanor, who was the eldest of Finwë's sons. His mother was...
and Maedhros
Maedhros
Maedhros is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. First introduced in The Silmarillion and later mentioned in Unfinished Tales and The Children of Húrin, he is one of the most enduring characters in The Silmarillion, and has been the subject of paintings by artists such as Jenny...
counter-attacked on the plains of Ard-galen, trapping the Orcs between them. The Orcs were pursued by the Noldorin cavalry as they retreated to Thangorodrim and were utterly destroyed in sight of the gates of Angband.
Morgoth's strategy was to divert the main strength of the Noldor from Dorthonion with attacks on its flanks. The wooded highlands of Dorthonion were the true object of his campaign. By capturing Dorthonion, he could establish a defensible forward base on high ground which divided the Noldor of Fingolfin from those of Maedhros. This strategy failed and it was because of this defeat that Morgoth realised that Orc-captains and Orc-armies were insufficient. He began to consider other more powerful leadership and auxiliaries. This was a complete victory by the Noldor over Morgoth. After it the Noldor maintained a guard on Angband, beginning the period of watchful peace known as the Siege of Angband
Siege of Angband
The Siege of Angband or "The Long Peace" in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fictional universe was the siege of the Noldor around the fortress of Morgoth in the early centuries of the Years of the Sun, which began following the Dagor Aglareb. For the most part, it was a time of plenitude, peace and...
. The guard consisted of building forts on the hills and mountains west, south and east of the plains south of Angband and maintaining forward camps of cavalry on the plains of Ard-galen and Lothlann.