Fingon1

Ereinion Gil-galad

Sixth and last of the High Kings of the Noldor. The only son of High King Fingon, Gil-galad was born in Beleriand 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 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 with the Exiles of that 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; the Dark Lord came first to Lindon disguised in the form of Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, but Gil-galad and Elrond rejected him.

Departing from Gil-galad's realm of Lindon, Sauron found more eager pupils elsewhere in Middle-earth. The Elves of Eregion readily accepted his teachings, and with his aid they forged the Rings of Power, as well as Three Rings that were made free of their teacher's influence. Through these Rings, they discovered that Sauron had tricked them, creating a Ruling Ring of his own to dominate the bearers of the lesser Rings. His subterfuge uncovered, Sauron waged war against the Elves, and the Elves of Eregion sent two of the Three Rings north from Eregion to Gil-galad for safekeeping. In time he passed the Rings on to others: Vilya was given to Elrond to keep in Rivendell, and Narya went into the keeping of Círdan, and through him to Gandalf.

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.