Ereinion Gil-galad

 / Ereinion / Gil-galad

   The son of Fingon, known always by his surname Gil-galad. Ereinion: 'Scion of Kings'; Gil-galad: 'Star of Radiance'.

   After the death of Turgon he became the last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth, and remained in Lindon after the end of the First Age; leader with Elendil of the Last Alliance of Men and Elves and slain with him in combat with Sauron.

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   The last High King of the Noldor.

   Sixth and last of the High Kings of the Noldor. The only son of High King Fingon, Gil-galad was born late in the First Age, and was still a child at the time of the Dagor Bragollach; his father sent him to Círdan at the Havens for safekeeping when Morgoth broke the Siege of Angband in that battle.

   Fingon was lost in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, but the crown passed to Gilgalad's uncle Turgon in Gondolin, rather than Gil-galad himself (presumably because of his youth at that time). When Gondolin was lost, Gil-galad received the Kingship of the Noldor; he dwelt with the Exiles of the city at the Mouths of Sirion during the remainder of the First Age.

   After the destruction of Beleriand during the War of Wrath, Gil-galad founded a kingdom in Lindon in the far northwest of Middle-earth, between the Blue Mountains and the Great Sea. There he and his people prospered, until Sauron returned; he came first to Lindon in the form of Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, but Gil-galad and Círdan rejected him. Soon after, the One Ring was forged, and there was war in Middle-earth between the Elves and Sauron.

   After the Downfall of Númenor, Elendil and his sons came to Middle-earth and formed an alliance with Gil-galad, the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. They marched on Mordor and besieged Sauron's Dark Tower. Sauron was defeated, but Gil-galad met his death in that war.