Finwe

Justin M. Fitzpatrick
dlf@cris.com

Finwe, High King of the Noldor, was among the first Quendi ('those that speak with voices'), the first-born children of Iluvatar, to enter into Ea. When the Valar learned of the birth of the Quendi near the pool of 'Cuivienen' ('Water of Awakening') from the Vala Orome, they summoned them to dwell in the bliss of Aman. Three lords - Ingwe, Elwe, and Finwe - went first to Aman as ambassadors to the West and returned to Arda to lead those that would, the Eldar, to dwell there. In the first Sundering of the Quendi, the Noldor were the second group of Eldalie to travel across the sea in the early days of the elves, following after Ingwe, highest of the kings of the Quendi, and his people the Vanyar. In the land of Aman Finwe was a powerful and good king and his people dwelt in Tirion upon Tuna.

Finwe had three children of two wives. His first child, Curufinwe, called Feanor, was born of his first wife, Miriel. After her spirit went to dwell in Mandos, however, he married Indis of the Vanyar, by whom Fingolfin and Finarfin were born.

Finwe ruled the Noldor in Aman until his first son Feanor was banished from Tirion after which he dwelt with Feanor at Formenos until his death at the hands of Morgoth after the Darkening of Valinor.

See also: The Children of Finwe
Feanor
Fingolfin
Finarfin

Bibliography

Tolkien, J.R.R. "The Silmarillion" Ballantine Books (copyright 1977)

Tolkien, J.R.R. (C. Tolkien, ed.) "The Book of Lost Tales, part 2" Houghton Mifflin Company (copyright 1984)

Tolkien, J.R.R. (C. Tolkien, ed.) "The Lays of Beleriand" Houghton Mifflin Company (copyright 1985)

Tolkien, J.R.R. (C. Tolkien, ed.) "The Shaping of Middle Earth" Houghton Mifflin Company (copyright 1986)

Tolkien, J.R.R. (C. Tolkien, ed.) "The Lost Road and Other Writings" Houghton Mifflin Company (copyright 1987)

Tyler, J.E.A. "The Tolkien Companion" Gramercy Books (copyright 1976)

Day, David "Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia" Macmillan Publishing Company, N.Y. (copyright 1991)

Fonstad, Karen Wynn "The Atlas of Middle-Earth" Houghton Mifflin Company (copyright 1991)


ETEP
The Tolkien Encyclopedia
The Encyclopedia of Middle-earth

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