Dagor Bragollach...

We've come quite a long way with this Synopsis of The Silmarillion, we've already reached the Dagor Bragollach (I shall explain the name in a moment, for those who don't know). I am writing this now as I have run out of blog post ideas...

Fingolfin son of Fëanor, High King of the Noldor in Beleriand, seeing that his people were become great and grand, and that the alliance of Men was profitable, pondered once again an assault upon Angband. But support for his design was little, for the Noldor were content with things as they were, that their kingdoms should yet enjoy a ''watchful peace,'' a memory of ancient Eldamar beyond the Sea, and they were loath to begin an assault in which many must surely perish. And so the designs of the Elven-king came to naught.

But in the 455th year since the first Rising of the Moon, when the sixth generation of Men after Bëor the Old were not yet come to full manhood, the evil befell that had long been dreaded. For Morgoth had indeed watched and laboured in secret, and he prepared a great force, but his design was not only to destroy the Noldor and their allies, but also to destroy the lands that they had made fair, and it is said that his hatred overcame his counsel, and that had he endured to wait longer, his full design might have been achieved.

In a time of winter, when the night was cold and the watch-fires burned dim and few were vigilant, Morgoth suddenly sent forth great rivers of flame from Thangorodrim, and the rivers flowed over the wide plains of Ard-galen and they perished, and Ard-galen became a desert of sand and scorched bones; Anfauglith it was named anew in the Sindarin tongue, which signifies Gasping Dust. Many of the Noldor perished in that great burning, for they were caught by the running fire and were overtaken ere they reached the heights of Dorthonion or Ered Wethrin. These hills indeed withstood the torrent, but the woodlands on their slopes which looked over the plain towards Angband were set ablaze, and the smoke wrought confusion among the Noldor. Thus began Dagor Bragollach, the Battle of Sudden Flame, the Fourth of the Great Battles of Beleriand.

In the front of the fire came Glaurung, Father of Dragons, now full-grown, and in his train were the Balrogs, and behind them came the Orcs, in numbers such as the Elves had never before seen. They assaulted the fortresses of the Noldor and broke the Siege of Angband, and many of the mightiest of the Noldor perished in the first days of that Battle, running hither and thither witless, unable to muster their strength. The Battle ended with the coming of Spring, when the onslaught of Morgoth lessened.

Great was the triumph of Morgoth and the Siege of Angband was destroyed. The Noldor and their allies were scattered and wandered aimlessly as exiles through Beleriand. The Sindar, for the most part, forsook the War and many wandered; some were admitted into Doriath, others wandered into the forgotten lands east of the Mountains. The Sons of Finarfin were worsted, and Angrod and Aegnor were slain. The Men of Bëor's House suffered grievously also. Finrod Felagund, Lord of Nargothrond, came hastening from the south but was cut off from his people. But Barahir, of Bëor's House, came to the aid of the Elven-king and so Felagund escaped, swearing an Oath of abiding friendship to Barahir and his kindred, and in token of this, he gave to Barahir his Ring [incidentally, this Ring was still an heirloom of the House of Isildur well into the Third Age. It was kept safe in Rivendell, and Aragorn came to possess it].

Before the walls of Eithel Sirion fell Hador the Golden-haired, defending the rearguard of Fingolfin. And so Galdor the Tall took the lordship of that House, and because of the valour of that House, Hithlum remained unconquered by the servants of Morgoth. Fingolfin, however, was cut off. The battle had gone ill with the Sons of Fëanor,and near all the east marches were taken. The Pass of Aglon was forced, and so Celegorm and Curufin fled southwards with their people and were at last admitted into Nargothrond. By the valour of Maedhros, whose might in arms was enhanced somewhat since his return from Thangorodrim, the Hill of Himring was not taken, and many from Dorthonion and the east marches rallied to Maedhros and stemmed the black tide from the North. But the riders upon the plains of Lothlann were overwhelmed, for Glaurung was come, and he wrought there great ruin and destruction and blasted the fair lands. The Orcs then passed into Thargelion, and Caranthir's land was worsted, and he fled with his people to Amon Ereb, where they were aided by the Laiquendi of Ossiriand and they maintained some strength of war. Thus the Orcs did not pass into Ossiriand, nor to the wilds of Taur-im-Duinath.

Fingolfin then beheld, as it seemed to him, the utter ruin of the Noldor and their fair kingdoms, and in a fit of impetuous wrath, he mounted his great horse Rochallor and rode into the North alone...

The above image is by John Howe and depicts the Siege of Angband.