Ereinion Gil-galad
Quick Facts
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| Dates: | c. I 445 - II 3441 High King of the Noldor from I 510 |
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| Race: | Elves | ||||||||||||||
| Division: | Noldor | ||||||||||||||
| Pronunciation: | airray'nion gil-ga'lad ('rr' simply emphasises that the 'r' sound should be distinctly pronounced) |
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| Meaning: | 'Ereinion' means 'descendant of kings'; 'gil-galad' is 'star of radiance' | ||||||||||||||
| Note: | This Elf-lord's name is usually given simply as 'Gil-galad' | ||||||||||||||
The last High King of the Noldor
Sixth and last of the High Kings of the Noldor. Gil-galad was born in Beleriand late in the First Age, and was still a child when Morgoth broke out of the siege of Angband; his father sent him to Círdan for safekeeping when Morgoth broke the siege of Angband in that battle.
When his father was lost in battle, the crown passed to Gil-galad'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 in exile during the remainder of the First Age.
After the destruction of Beleriand, 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 a deceiving form, but Gil-galad and Elrond 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.
