Revision as of 03:11, 16 March 2007

Template:Campaignbox Wars of Beleriand

The War of Wrath and the Great Battle

In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of Wrath, or the Great Battle was the final war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age. Template:Spoiler

Five centuries years after the rising of the sun, Morgoth had become mighty and uncontested in Middle-earth, not least because of the strife among the Noldor. The mariner Eärendil, by the light of the Silmaril on his brow, searched and came to Valinor, on behalf of the two kindreds (that of Elves and Men), and asked the Valar to pardon and aid the enthralled Elves and Men of Middle-earth.

The Valar were moved by Eärendil's plea, and sent the Vanyar, the remaining Noldor in Aman and possibly many Maiar, to Middle-earth in a mighty host. The Teleri of Alqualondë, they granted the use of their ships to the powers of Aman, but none would aid the Noldor in Middle-earth, remembering the kinslaying of their people long ago when Fëanor wrested their ships from them for the transportation of his host to Middle-earth. The great force of Aman marched across Beleriand and met the terrible forces of Morgoth at the crossing of Sirion. It is said that the glory of their weaponry illuminated the land.

As in previous battles with Melkor, the ground shook violently and lights from the battle were visible for miles. The host of the Valar completely destroyed the Orc armies of Melkor and destroyed most of the Balrogs, except for a few who fled and hid themselves in the deep places of the world. While the Three Houses of Men or the Edain fought for the Valar, many other Men from the east fought for the forces of Morgoth and were either destroyed or fled back to the far eastern parts of Middle-earth where they became kings of lesser men. Facing final defeat, Melkor released his ultimate weapon, the winged dragons, who had never been seen before, and the terror of that onslaught was like a great storm, and they drove the host of the Valar back.

At that moment Eärendil came with his ship Vingilot, along with the Eagles of Thorondor, Lord of Eagles, and there they contested with the dragons in the air, killing most of them. Eärendil personally slew the dragons' captain, the mighty Ancalagon the Black, who broke the towers of Thangorodrim in his fall.

Morgoth was finally captured cowering in the deepest dungeon of Angband and bound again with the chain Angainor; the two Silmarils still in his possession were taken by the Maia Eönwë, the herald of Manwë and guarded (whence they were later stolen by Maedhros and Maglor). Morgoth's legs were hewn at the ankles and his iron crown was beaten into a collar. In the end the Valar imprison him in the Void, where he remains until the Final Battle and the Day of Doom, and those doors are forever guarded by Ëarendil. Only then shall he be utterly destroyed.

Due to the raw power put forth from the Host of the Valar, the wreckage of the war was immense. Most of the land west of the Ered Luin was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves. The remaining Elves were bidden by Ëonwë to return with him to the lands of Aman. Most of them did so, but others refused the summons and instead journeyed eastward where they would become lords of the remaining Noldor and Sindar, as well as others remaining in the east such as the Silvan elves. Galadriel and Celeborn were among these, as was Gil-galad.

To those men of the Edain who fought for the host of the Valar was granted the land of Andor, where the realm Númenor (in the full Quenya form Númenórë) began. This land was neither of Aman nor Middle-earth, but was the nearest to Aman of all mortal lands.

After his master's defeat Morgoth's chief servant Sauron surrendered to Ëonwë and was summoned to Valinor to receive judgement by the Valar. However he evidently reconsidered and fled to the east, to trouble the Men and Elves of the West in later ages.

Order of Battle

Hosts of Angband

An Orc-Host garrison in Eglorest: 40,000-50,000

Field army in West Beleriand: 2-4 Orc-hosts, captained by Balrogs, 80,000-200,000

Main strength of Angband, deployed east of Sirion: 1,000,000-1,750,000, numerous Orc-hosts, captained by Balrogs; Easterling Men in Hithlum and Nevrast, and auxilliaries of unwinged Dragons and other beasts

Reserve in Thangorodrim: fleet of 50-100 winged Dragons led by Ancalagon

Host of the Valar

Vanguard: army of Vanyar, 30,000-40,000 Elves, captained by Ingwion, son of Ingwë

Main Host: armies of Vanyar and Noldor, 70,000-100,000 Elves, captained by Eönwë

Allied contingent of Beleriand: 10,000-15,000 of various free peoples

Reserve: Eärendil and all the eagles and birds of the heavens, captained by Thorondor

Transport Fleet: 1,000-3,000 ships with crews of sailors from the Teleri of Valinor

Course of the War

Years 542-545:

Eärendil's embassy, mustering and armament of the Host of Valar, building of the Fleet of the Teleri.

Faring forth of the Host over the sea, landing of Ingwion and victory in Battle of Eglarest, landing of Eönwë, departure of Telerin Fleet.

Defeat of Finarfin in Battle of Nan-tathren, advance of Eönwë and victory in Battle of Methiriad, encampment of the Host of the Valar at the river Sirion, Eönwë's summoning of allies.

Years 550-587:

The Great Battle contesting the passage of Sirion above the Gates of Sirion called the last battle of the ancient world lasting 36 years and encompassing many engagements: assault by Easterling Men from Hithlum, defeat of Morgoth's forces in the field, destruction of Sirion.

The rout and pursuit to Thangorodrim, the counter-attack by the Fleet of Winged Dragons led by Ancalagon, the coming of Eärendil and Thorondor, destruction of Thangorodrim and Angband.

References

1. Silmarillion, p.293, about the Host of the Last Alliance: "the host...was fairer and more splendid in arms than any..., and none greater has been mustered since the host of the Valar went against Thangorodrim.". This can be read two ways: a.that the Host of the Valar was greater than any other alliance host, or b. that it was just the last great host before that of the Last Allliance. If a., then the higher estimate is the more accurate.
2. In the hundred years since the Fifth Battle, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Morgoth can easily have doubled, or more than doubled, his armed strength since that time. All accounts hold this force to be vast beyond measure.
3. History of Middle-earth, Vol. IV, p. 160, "...that fleet, as a tempest of a hundred thunders winged with steel..." depending on how this is read: 50 or as many as 100.
4. History of Middle-earth, Vol. V, p.328, "...the host...in his armies...."
5. History of Middle-earth, Vol. XII, p.145, "Since the boats that were used were of Elvish model, fleet but small...". The paragraph continues to describe a total of 150-300 ships that transported 5,000-10,000 people in several voyages at the start of the Second Age. Based on this, the very first fleet of Telerin ships stolen by the Fëanorians which transported 30,000-40,000 people and some 5,000 horses in one go had to be at least 1,000 ships (this number gives a sense of the enormity of Fëanor's theft added to the Kinslaying). The Host of the Valar with 100,000-130,000 warriors and perhaps 25,000, or more, horses, would require a vast fleet - or more than one ferrying. The initial landing of Ingwion at Eglorest may indicate one ferrying involving most, or all, of the Telerin fleet to secure a toehold and haven for subsequent landings of the rest of the Host. History of Middle-earth, Vol.V, p.143,"...they built a countless multitude of ships."
6. Since it is held in nearly all accounts that the Teleri agree to ferry the host but will not set foot in Beleriand it is reasonable to assume they sail back to Valinor rather than spend 40 odd years on ships, off the coast. Their departure helps explain why a crossing of Sirion must be made - as opposed to another ferrying to a landing somewhere east of the delta, Eges-sirion, the Mouths of Sirion.
7. History of Middle-earth, Vol. II, pp. 278-9
8. The river Sirion is uncrossable south of Tol Sirion, where Morgoth had rebuilt the dreaded island fortress (History of Middle-earth, Vol.V, p.77), save at the small, narrow ford of Brithiach north of Brethil; the Fens of Sirion are said to be "impassable" (History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI, p.219); leaving the portion of the Andram where "the land again fell suddenly and steeply...the lower plain of Sirion was divided from the upper plain by this sudden fall..." as a land bridge over the Gates of Sirion, above which the river goes underground, that is "three leagues" wide (History of Middle-earth,Vol. V, p.262), more than enough space for the Host of the West to advance in line of battle and in full force.
9. History of Middle-earth, Vol. II, p.280 "Men fall on them out of Hisilomë"

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