First Age
Encyclopedia
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien
, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar
is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set. Versions of these stories were later published in The Silmarillion
, and tales from this period lend a deep sense of time and history to the later period in which the action of The Lord of the Rings
takes place.
by the combined armies of Valinor
and Beleriand
. It covered a long period of Valian Years, followed by approximately 590 Years of the Sun. Depending on the choice of conversion factors (among many that Tolkien used at different times), this translates to a period anywhere from 4,902 to 65,390 solar years. The greater number is supported by the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings
and later writings, the lesser by earlier writings. The First Age was also known as the Elder Days
, although this term was (starting with the Fourth Age
) also applied to the first three Ages combined.
A common misconception is that the First Age started only with the Years of the Sun, and it is sometimes referred to as the "First Age of the Sun", beginning with the first rising of the Sun and continuing until Morgoth's defeat. This interpretation is not supported by any of Tolkien's writings, and contradicts references to the First Age being the longest age by far.
Tolkien describes primarily the events that occurred in Beleriand
, or in his words, "the last six centuries of the First Age." These centred around a series of wars waged by the Sindar
, the Noldor
and the Three Houses of the Edain
against the armies of Angband
and the evil Men
from the East. The wars had actually begun during the Years of the Trees, but continued after the arrival of the Noldor in Beleriand. There had been Elves
in Beleriand for uncounted millennia, and they warred with Morgoth after his return; but the Noldor, particularly the Sons of Fëanor
, had come with the express purpose of defeating Morgoth.
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,...
, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar
Children of Ilúvatar
The Children of Ilúvatar is the name given to the two races of Elves and Men in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium because they were created by Ilúvatar, the One God, without the help of the Ainur....
is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set. Versions of these stories were later published in The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
, and tales from this period lend a deep sense of time and history to the later period in which the action of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
takes place.
Overview
As explained in The Silmarillion, the First Age began with the Awakening of the Elves, and it ended with the final overthrow of MorgothMorgoth
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...
by the combined armies of Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
and 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...
. It covered a long period of Valian Years, followed by approximately 590 Years of the Sun. Depending on the choice of conversion factors (among many that Tolkien used at different times), this translates to a period anywhere from 4,902 to 65,390 solar years. The greater number is supported by the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
and later writings, the lesser by earlier writings. The First Age was also known as the Elder Days
Elder Days
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Elder Days are the first Ages of Middle-earth.During the Second and Third Age, the term referred to the First Age and before, but in the Fourth Age the term began to be applied to all three ages which came before: a time before the dominance of Men and the...
, although this term was (starting with the Fourth Age
Fourth Age
In the fictional world of middle earth "'the fourth age'" and the ages that preceded it, are time periods from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth, described in his fantasy writings...
) also applied to the first three Ages combined.
A common misconception is that the First Age started only with the Years of the Sun, and it is sometimes referred to as the "First Age of the Sun", beginning with the first rising of the Sun and continuing until Morgoth's defeat. This interpretation is not supported by any of Tolkien's writings, and contradicts references to the First Age being the longest age by far.
Tolkien describes primarily the events that occurred in 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...
, or in his words, "the last six centuries of the First Age." These centred around a series of wars waged by 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...
, 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...
and the Three Houses of the Edain
Edain
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Edain were men who made their way into Beleriand in the First Age, and were friendly to the Elves....
against the armies of Angband
Angband (Middle-earth)
-External links:*...
and the evil Men
Man (Middle-earth)
The race of Men in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth books, such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, refers to humanity and does not denote gender...
from the East. The wars had actually begun during the Years of the Trees, but continued after the arrival of the Noldor in Beleriand. There had been Elves
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
in Beleriand for uncounted millennia, and they warred with Morgoth after his return; but the Noldor, particularly the Sons of Fëanor
Sons of Fëanor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, the seven sons of Fëanor, the eldest prince of the Noldor, led their people from Valinor to rule over kingdoms in the Northeast of Beleriand:...
, had come with the express purpose of defeating Morgoth.
Battles
The chief battles of the First Age are:- The First Battle of BeleriandFirst Battle of BeleriandIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the First Battle of Beleriand is the first battle of the Wars of Beleriand, fought by the Sindarin Elves, led by Elu Thingol, King of Doriath and Lord of Beleriand, against the armies of Morgoth, the Great Enemy, the Dark Lord.-History:Morgoth,...
, otherwise unnamed, was fought before the return of the Noldor between the Sindar and the forces of Morgoth. Denethor, king of the LaiquendiLaiquendiIn the fictional works of J. R. R. Tolkien the Laiquendi are an ethnic group of Elves, so named because their attire was often green.-History and origin:...
, was killed during the battle, causing the Laiquendi to forsake war with Morgoth, and the Girdle of Melian was established to protect DoriathDoriathIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Doriath is the realm of the Sindar, the Grey Elves of King Thingol in Beleriand. Along with the other great forests of Tolkien's legendarium such as Mirkwood, Fangorn and Lothlórien it serves as the central stage in the theatre of its time, the First Age...
thereafter. The cities of the Falas would remain under siege until the Dagor-nuin-Giliath. - The Dagor-nuin-GiliathDagor-nuin-GiliathIn 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....
(Battle under the Stars, so named because it was fought before the rising of the Sun) was fought soon after the arrival of the Noldor. Morgoth sent a raiding party from Angband to attack the Noldor encampment in HithlumHithlumIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Hithlum is the region north of Beleriand near the Helcaraxë.Hithlum was separated from Beleriand proper by the Ered Wethrin mountain chain, and was named after the sea mists which formed there at times: Hithlum is Sindarin for "Mist-shadow";...
, but the Elves drove it back. FëanorFëanorFëanor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium who plays an important part in The Silmarillion. He was the eldest son of Finwë, the High King of the Noldor, and his first wife Míriel Serindë...
was killed. - The Dagor AglarebDagor AglarebIn 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....
(Glorious Battle) was fought about 60 years after the return of the Noldor. Morgoth again attacked the Noldor, and again with no success. The Noldor became so bold as to besiege Angband. However, the Siege was of limited effectiveness, because the northern side of Angband was on the north side of the Ered Engrin, and was unapproachable. - The Dagor BragollachDagor BragollachIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the Dagor Bragollach was the fourth battle of the Wars of Beleriand...
(Battle of Sudden Flame) began when Morgoth poured rivers of fire out of Angband, ruining the besieging Noldorin armies. The Noldor eventually mustered a defence, but their losses were severe. For instance, the green plain of Ard-galen had been permanently laid waste by the rivers of fire, and was now called Anfauglith, the Choking Dust; and the highlands of DorthonionDorthonionIn 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...
, which had been inhabited by Edain, were made inhospitable. - The Nírnaeth ArnoediadNirnaeth ArnoediadIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium of Middle-earth, the Nírnaeth Arnoediad or Unnumbered Tears was the climactic Fifth Battle in the Wars of Beleriand.-The Fifth Battle as told in The Silmarillion:...
(Unnumbered Tears) was the first battle to be initiated by the Noldor. They massed an army composed of Elves, Edain, and the houses of Bór and Ulfang allied to the Sons of Fëanor. The Elves and their allies advanced very close to Angband, but Morgoth's trickery had upset their battle plan, and Ulfang proved treacherous. The name "Unnumbered Tears" comes from the fact that the Elves' last hope of victory was destroyed. The land of Hithlum was lost, the Sons of Fëanor were largely scattered, and the peoples of Beleriand had been decimated. Morgoth's OrcsOrc (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...
made a heap of the Elven and Mannish dead in the centre of Anfauglith. - The War of WrathWar of WrathThe War of Wrath, or the Great Battle, is a key plot development in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, portraying the final war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age....
took place after EärendilEärendilEärendil the Mariner is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is depicted in The Silmarillion as a great seafarer who, on his brow, carried the morning star across the sky.-Etymology:...
sailed to ValinorValinorValinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
and persuaded the ValarVala (Middle-earth)The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
to help those whom they had forsaken. The Valar gathered an army of MaiarMaia (Middle-earth)The Maiar are beings from J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy legendarium. They are lesser Ainur who entered Eä in the beginning of time. Tolkien uses the term Valar to refer both to all the Ainur who entered Eä, and specifically to the greatest among them, the fourteen Lords and Queens of the Valar...
, VanyarVanyarIn the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Vanyar are the fairest and most noble of the High Elves. They are the smallest of the three clans of the Eldar, and were the first to arrive in Aman. According to legend, the clan was founded by Imin, the first Elf to awake at Cuiviénen, his wife Iminyë, and...
, and those Noldor who had stayed in Valinor. The TeleriTeleriIn the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya were the third of the Elf clans who came to Aman...
refused their aid, due to an old offence dealt them by the Noldor of Beleriand, but consented to ferry the armies of the Valar in their famous ships. This battle marked the first appearance of the winged dragonDragon (Middle-earth)J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium features dragons closely based on those of European legend.Besides dragon , Tolkien variously used the terms drake and worm .-History:The dragons were created by Morgoth...
s, most notably Ancalagon the Black, but the Valar eventually won. Morgoth was captured, and cast out of ArdaArdaIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Arda is the name given to the Earth in a period of prehistory, wherein the places mentioned in The Lord of the Rings and related material once existed...
, but his lands, as well as most of Beleriand, had been destroyed and sunk under the sea in the heat of battle.
See also
- Timeline of the First Age.
- Fall of GondolinFall of GondolinIn the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, the "Fall of Gondolin" is the name of one of the original Lost Tales which formed the basis for a section in his later work, The Silmarillion....
- The Tale of Beren and LúthienThe Tale of Beren and LúthienThe Tale of Beren and Lúthien is the story of the love and adventures of the mortal Man Beren and the immortal Elf-maiden Lúthien, as told in several works of J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place during the First Age of Middle-earth, about 6500 years before the events of his most famous book, The Lord...